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Chapter 47

We organise a bed and a few things for Pluto to make him more comfortable in the stables. Silas has been following me around all morning, and even helped me take everything that was on Patricia’s list over to the orphanage. She nearly tripped over her own feet when she greeted us, not expecting Silas to be with me, people still wary of him.

Most did not trust Silas’s presence, but it is also expected, and Silas never took insult from it. He actually apologised for scaring her when he grabbed her, steadying her on her feet. Silas even helped clean out the rain gutters and fixed the swing sets out the back for the children, by the time I was done talking with Patricia he came back inside covered in dirt and mud and smelling of stagnant water from the blocked gutters.

“Can we head home? I need to shower unless you have anything else on that list for me to do,” he asks, wrapping his arms around me and covering me in dirt.

“Silas you’re filthy,” I screech at him as he presses his face into my neck.

“Hmm now you can shower with me,” he says below my ear. Patricia chuckles at him, shaking her head as she goes to find the new people that have been hired to help her.

Turning around, I wrap my arms around his neck pecking his lips before stepping back.

I take off my cloak. He raises an eyebrow at me wondering what I am doing, when I toss it at him, hitting him in the face with it and running out the doors heading outside.

“I’ll race you,” I yell back at him while letting my wings free and springing off my feet, letting them carry me through the air. Lilith and a few others come rushing out looking up at me.

“I can’t shift here without destroying something,” Silas calls up to me.

“Well, you better run fast,” I tell him. Silas huffs, staring up at me, his hand on his hips. “What not up for the challenge Silas?” I taunt him.

“What do I get if I win?” he calls back, Patricia walks out looking up at me with a smile on her face.

“That’s so cool,” I hear her say next to Silas. Silas hands her my cloak.

“What do you want?” I ask him.

“I have a few things in mind,” he answers mysteriously.

“Fine but if I win, you have to help me fix the backyard up on the orphanage, it’s a forest out there.”

“Deal,” he says as he takes off.

I turn, heading for the castle, thinking it will be an easy win as I fly over the houses and a large park, I head up higher the breeze making me shiver looking for any sign of him when I see him run through the park, I could just make out his laugh when he suddenly shifts.

“Shit!” I didn’t think of him finding some where he could shift. His golden scales gleam under the light as he flies towards me. I take off, my wings cutting through the air easily as he chases after me. He flies directly under me, rolling in the air, his wings making a gust of wind pushing me back as he heads toward the castle. I hear his chest rumble and know he is laughing at me.

Seeing the castle come into view, I force my wings to go faster. But, the wind gust from his wings is making me fly all over the place and I realize that’s why he keeps flying in my path, I see the stables and dart beneath him, heading down and I hear him growl. Darting after me, I shriek when his talons touch my wings and I have to drop them, letting them bleed back into my skin as he cages me in his gigantic claws. He lands on one foot, opening his talon, letting me fall on my butt. He shifts back and I turn on him.

“I win!” he announces.

“You cheated,” I accuse, slapping his bare chest. He wraps his arms around my waist pulling me to him.

“You never said I couldn’t,” he smiles gently pecking my lips. He growls, nipping my neck, and I grab his face pulling it away as his stubble scratches my skin.

“You need to shave,” I tell him, and he rubs my cheek with his. “Silas, it’s scratchy,” I tell him, and he chuckles, lifting me and forcing my legs around his waist as he walks toward the castle doors. Matitus and Dragus are hauling some giant rocks into the stables as we pass with Pluto.

“What are they doing?” I ask as Aldrin runs after them. “Aldrin!” I call but he just waves ducking inside the stables. “Let me down, I want to see what they are up to,” I say to Silas.

“Not a chance you have a bet to pay up,” he says, continuing to walk toward the castle.

Dragus and Matitus come out, noticing us as we walk past.

“What’s the bet, and can we watch?” Dragus says walking over and slapping my ass, a devious smile on his lips.

“You can always join us,” Silas says as he opens the doors.

“So, I take it you lost?” Matitus asks me.