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“No, but I have excellent hearing because I am a dragon. Wise dragons listen when children conspire to get into trouble. Be patient. We’re almost finished.”
“Well, at least we tried, Cedrick.”
“You tried. I accepted my fate. There is a difference.”
Yes, there was. As I didn’t want anyone to ever learn my father was a crabby navy and my mother was an even crabbier red dragon with orange tendencies, I kept my mouth shut.
* * *
Friday, April 24, 2167
Pilgrimage Ward
Dragon Heights, Wyoming
As I didn’t have my fancy camera with me, I took photographs of odd people with my cell phone. Two men, three women, and a small, black dragon kept showing up wherever we went. For the most part, they focused on my parents, although the dragon kept eyeing me with interest.
Garnet growled, her fur bristled, and the few times the dragon came closer than the carbunclo appreciated, she hissed.
The dragon hissed back.
Before my kitten could jump off my shoulder and pick a fight with someone bigger and older than her, I plucked her off my shoulder and did my best to contain the beast.
“Excuse me, but Garnet would like you to know that I am claimed property, so you’re going to have to take your interest elsewhere, sir or madam,” I stated. If I pretended I was a cop again and needed to disperse a crowd, I might pull off the ruse.
The dragon stared at me, and its mouth dropped open.
“That would be the leader of the black dragons, Enzo Acri,” my father said, and he nodded his head to the dragon of diminutive size. “He is trying to send a message that he is old and powerful. We are near his shrine, and he likes to safeguard it. I would guess that he is one of those who disapprove of you being gifted Garnet. As such, he’s attempting to test your mettle. All he is accomplishing is angering the carbunclo and confusing you. Children like this one are impervious to such posturing, Enzo. Are you satisfied?”
The black dragon transformed into a man wearing a black suit with a dark gray shirt and a silvery tie. “I am satisfied enough. How are you doing? It has been a while since you have haunted Dragon Heights.”
“I’m doing quite well.” My father held up his bag of prizes, which included something from every shrine we’d stopped at. Unfortunately for my wallet, I’d fallen prey to most of the shrines as well, although I’d been spared at a few of them.
They hadn’t sold any gems or rocks of any kind.
Garnet truly adored stones, and I’d learned to hold her near the stalls or carts so she could pick her favorites. Fortunately, she’d always pointed out something I could afford, although I cried inside at the amount I spent. Then, my father being my father, swooped in and bought a ridiculous number of things, likely trying to bribe his way into the carbunclo’s good graces.
The hummingbird darted off my shoulder, zipped to the black dragon, and made metallic clicking sounds, high-pitched chirps, and whistles. The scolding lasted for over a minute before he flew back to me and settled on my shoulder.
“Did I just get yelled at by a bird?”
My father chuckled. “It seems so. He is a true creation or familiar, whichever you prefer, from this morning’s rain, and he has chosen young Kinsley to be his companion. A smart bird, really. We may as well get this out of the way. Does your shrine have any gemstones or rocks for sale? The girl is purchasing her kitten’s starter collection today, and yours is the last shrine we need to visit.”
“An admirable goal. I’ve got some smoky quartz, cut and in its natural form, that might be suitable for a carbunclo. Come with me.”
One day, I might understand dragons. With the posturing out of the way, the black dragon led us to the shrine, and they’d gone with a cart and a stall. The stall held larger items while the cart featured a modest collection of gemstones and rocks. As I had at every other shrine, I held Garnet near the stones, asked her to be really careful with her paws, and to point out the stones she liked the best.
A crystal cluster of moderate gray tones with pitch black points and a paler base captured Garnet’s attention, and with her inquisitive mew, she pointed at it. Before I had a chance to ask if I could hold the stone, the black dragon plucked it up and held it closer for Garnet.
The kitten purred, and she took her time examining each spear.
Then, as she did when she absolutely loved something, she rubbed her head against it to mark it as hers.
I sighed, hoped that it wouldn’t cost me more than I could afford, and used my free hand to dig out my wallet. I reassured the kitten she’d be able to look at her rock a little closer, put her on my shoulder, and held out my debit card. “I would like to purchase that one, please. All I ask is that you don’t scalp me too terribly, but the fact I can’t disappoint her when she’s that in love with a rock says I deserve to be scalped at least a little.”
With a soft laugh, the dragon took my card, set the dark quartz on the cart, and replied, “I think you will find the price to be quite reasonable.”
A few moments later, he handed over the portable payment terminal, which revealed he was charging me two hundred for the stone.