Page 40 of Morel Dilemma

“I suppose it takes a special dragon to want to cook magical mushrooms for an elf queen.”

A unique one, certainly. As Jildarin alighted in dewy grass overlooking a section of the river flowing over rocks and half-submerged logs, he added, Queen Fareesa and the other elven leaders were agreeable allies during the war. They respected dragons, treated our kind well, and did not argue overmuch with our leaders. Throughout history, some of the other elven rulers have been more prickly and contentious. Long ago, elves even presumed to hunt dragons with their magical bows.

Rylana slid off his back. “Is that your way of saying you’d prefer it if Queen Fareesa’s rivals didn’t take over the throne? You prefer elves from her bloodline?”

Those who troubled dragons have long since passed, but I recognized the name of the family of which she spoke.

“The Shaldonas, wasn’t it? Were they bad allies?”

Their ancestors were. Jildarin huffed with displeasure, and a tendril of smoke wafted up from his nostrils.

“Are you thinking of torching some of the forest to ensure morels will have a proper environment from which to sprout next year?” Rylana asked.

I am thinking of recalcitrant enemies.

“That’ll give you indigestion. Think happy foraging thoughts instead.”

Before you go… Jildarin said.

Rylana had been about to head off to hunt for mushrooms but paused to gaze into his large emerald eyes. When he was in his other form, his pupils appeared round and normal for a human. In this form, they were slitted and more reptilian, but the rich color remained the same, and they were warmer—or at least seemed so to her—than those of other dragons she’d seen. They were not the alien eyes of a predator.

“Yes?” Rylana prompted when he didn’t continue.

Last night, at the back of the park…

“Yes?” she asked again quietly.

When they’d returned from the enclave, he hadn’t brought up their kiss or the meandering conversation that had led up to it. She’d been tempted to do so, because it had been significant to her—and she’d enjoyed it very much—but he’d gone into his lair, assumed his dragon form, and hadn’t appeared to be in the mood for chitchat. That had led her to believe he might have regrets, and wariness crept into her as she waited for him to continue.

I believe the alcoholic beverage that I consumed affected the way my mind worked. What I spoke of and did… Well, even if I said things that were true, I then acted on a strange impulse that, surely, only came over me due to the inebriation. I believe the lip pressing…

“Was a mistake?” Rylana offered even if she didn’t want to believe it had been.

Yes. It was a mistake. I do not wish to give my mother more reason to target you and believe you are a distraction. I will not imbibe alcohol again in your presence.

“All right,” Rylana said sturdily, telling herself she wasn’t disappointed. After all, she’d suspected he might feel that way. “We’ll put it on the list of things to be avoided when we’re together. Right under dragon spices.”

Perhaps above.

“You were affected that much, huh?”

I believe my kind have more tolerance for dragon spices than alcohol.

“All right,” she said again. “Let me see if I can find some mushrooms.”

Rylana forced a smile for him before heading into the woods and peering about as the dewy undergrowth dampened her trousers. Too bad she didn’t have more experience with mushroom hunting. She carried the book with her so she could refer to it. It held diagrams of morels, as well as thorough text descriptions to help one identify the correct species while avoiding lookalike mushrooms that were poisonous. If she found what she believed were enchanted morels, she would get an expert to confirm the find before setting them on Jildarin’s cutting board.

I will use my power in an attempt to sense the faint magical signature that the mushrooms will have. Back on the bank, Jildarin settled to his belly, tail drooping over the edge as he rested his jaw in the grass, his eyes closing.

“That looks more like taking a nap.”

I am relaxing my other senses to focus on my ability to detect magic.

“All right, but if I hear snoring, I’m going to put a harness on you while you’re sleeping.” Rylana clambered over logs and checked unhealthy-looking cottonwoods as she teased Jildarin.

Should you attempt to do so, you will find yourself walking back to the city.

“If I find your mushrooms, you’ll have to give me a ride back.”