He would take that as a yes.“I'll be back,” he said, offering her a salute as he headed south through the blooming meadows.He would be back with supplies, and he would fix it for her.
Darian strode into the shop, and his uncles looked up with identical grins.
“How was your afternoon?”Uncle Bram asked.
“I need to help her,” Darian announced.“Do you mind if I take a couple of things and the horse and come back later?”
“Take as much time as you need,” Uncle Amos said.Uncle Bram elbowed him, but Amos shook his head.“We'll be fine without you.She seems like someone who could use all the help she could get, and I think you're just the person to help her.”
“I think so too,” Darian said, confidence welling up in him.
He grabbed a set of saddlebags from the wall and began filling them with a few things: a hammer, some nails, new curtains, and anything else he thought might work before making his way to the stable behind the store where their horse was waiting.
“Hey there, buddy,” he said to the horse.“Want to go for a run with me?”
The horse whinnied eagerly as Darian saddled him, and soon enough, they were headed back to Celia's house.Once they were through town, Darian let the horse take the lead and run as fast as he wanted.There was nothing that made Darian feel more free than being in the saddle with the wind in his hair.It wasn't perfect, but it was as close to perfect as he'd ever felt.
“Let's go, boy,” he whispered as the horse hurried toward the north.
Something inside him wanted to get back to Celia as quickly as he could.
It was a strange urge.He wasn’t sure how he felt about it, but he knew that going north felt more right than anything he'd ever done.
When he got to Celia's house, he looped the reins to the edge of the chicken coop.The horse wouldn't go anywhere—he was more than content to sit and eat his fill from the meadow—but it gave him a little peace of mind that he didn't have to tell his uncles he let the horse run free so close to the Gloaming Mountains.
He made his way to the front door and knocked.Celia opened the door, raising an eyebrow at him, and held out her hand with his knife resting in her palm.
“I left it here.”Darian tried to sound like he’d done it on purpose as he reached out to take it.Of course he did.He was always misplacing things.“I came back for more than just my knife,” he added, gesturing to the saddlebags he’d tossed over his shoulder.“May I come in?”
Celia nodded and opened the door wider before turning and walking back inside.
“Come say hi, hatchlings,” she called.
Darian entered and looked around for the baby dragons, who were all curled up in the hearth.
“You have a hearthful of hatchlings,” he exclaimed.
“They love it,” Celia said with a sigh.“They don't care that they're getting ashes all over my house when they get out.It's a good thing they're cute.”
Darian made his way over and said hello to each of them, rubbing their scales where it seemed they liked it best.The largest boy rubbed his head and nose along the edge of Darian's finger.
Themiddleone,withthe wings that didn’t work as well, wanted him to rub along the edge of her neck and under her chin.The smallest was so cute, he couldn't resist picking her up and snuggling her close to his chest.
“You're gonna get covered in ashes,” Celia warned.
“I don't care,” he said.The longer he held her close, the more whole he felt.It was as if she were the missing piece he'd always needed.
She began vibrating against his chest, and he smiled as he cuddled her closer.
“She is the sweetest thing,” he said.
“Don't tell the other two, but Flame might be my favorite,” Celia admitted.
The male hatchling chirped in protest.What?
Celia gave him a pat on the head.“I like you too, Spark, but Flame snuggles the best.”
Flame chirped,Of course I do.
