KDBookOnline
Share Us
“Well, I’d said horses, but ponies are included.”
“His talk with us made it clear we have, perhaps, caused some distress to you unintentionally. As such, I have prepared a gift. We will understand if you choose against accepting the gift, but I feel you will appreciate it.”
“Can I see what the gift is first?” I pocketed the envelope, wondering what was inside.
Dragons had a sense of humor. Once, I’d seen Cedrick give one of the greedier hunters a bulging envelope, filled with one dollar bills and coupons for stores in the Gold Ward, a place the dragon’s target could not afford. The bounty hunter had learned to be a little less greedy, although the dragons could not resist jabbing him whenever he did come by.
On second thought, the man had all the motive in the world to put an end to pilgrims, something I would keep in mind to write down after I finished my business with Cedrick’s father.
“You are such a delightful human. You would make a stunning dragoness, although you would turn our city upside down with all the eager dragons wanting to win a jewel such as yourself. Of course you may see the gift first, and I will even tell you all you need to make an educated decision.”
That worried me. “Thank you, sir.”
“Phillip,” he replied. “Don’t ask how many numbers come after it, for I would be required to go through my entire proud lineage, and such a thing would pain us both.”
“I thank you for your courtesy and generosity,” I replied.
“What a marvelous dragoness you would make,” he stated before heading off into the back.
When I next saw Cedrick, I would offer to rescue him from his family while stating I did not need to court any additional problems.
I had no desire to be responsible for another rain, and I’d already sacrificed enough and had no need for any more of my heritage rousing on me.
My parents had warned me, when I’d turned twelve, that I might wake up one day with some new gift from my ancestry. I’d already experienced such a thing not that long ago in the form of being able to conquer any jar to cross my path. As far as draconic powers went, it was both the most useless yet also the most useful.
I loved pasta.
Phillip returned carrying a small animal carrier in one hand and a rather irritated black cat in the other, holding it by its scruff. “The cat is not your gift, although if you could tame this bastard, you’re welcome to him. This is Monster, and he belongs to my wife. Monster, alas, is required to give you your gift. There is, I must admit, a process involved, although it will not take long to complete. The ancestors must be honored.”
Uh oh. I detected trouble in copious quantities headed my way. Dragons believed in a lot of things, including the power of the past influencing the future. Dragons chased after myth and lore, and they loved the thrill of uncovering the unknown and discovering how magic worked at every turn.
Monster, as though resigned to his owner’s insanity, heaved a sigh and regarded me with a rather baleful expression.
“Monster is a beautiful cat,” I said. “Are you sure you have correctly named him? His fur is glossy, he seems quite in good health, and you are still in possession of your hand while all four of his paws are available for his use.”
Phillip snickered, and he thrust the cat out to me. “Please hold him.”
I identified the trap, and a smarter person would have refused to accept a cat named Monster, but I did as told. Unlike Phillip, I arranged the cat so his front paws rested on my shoulders, and I secured a hold on his hind paws so his weight would rest on me rather than dangle. Monster did not attempt to murder me, instead rewarding me with a purr. “Please tell your wife that Monster is a lovely animal.”
“I shall do so.” Phillip set the animal carrier down on the floor, drew a circle with some chalk around it, and tossed down some red, uncut gemstones. “Throw Monster into the ring.”
“Throw?” I asked, raising a brow.
“He’s a cat. He won’t care. If you are suitable for your gift, he will poof back off to my wife’s loving embrace, and all will be well in the world.”
“Throw?”
Phillip sighed. “I suppose gently placing him into the ring might do, but I promise you, that little shit-eating jerk deserves to be thrown.”
“What did Monster do to deserve that?”
“He stole my pillow last night.”
Ah. I had heard similar issues with cat owners in the past. Sometimes, the cat picked the owner, and the owner wished the cat would pick someone else.
Phillip had been chosen, which said a lot about him.
Cats were often wise.