KDBookOnline
Share Us
“As you are likely going to be busy tomorrow, we’ll make sure we’re home to have them all safely installed. What else did you buy? Derringers are not that expensive, even the nice models.”
“I got a Flamerunner.”
“Good choice, but that’s not nine thousand dollars expensive. If you paid more than four for a Flamerunner, you overpaid.”
“I paid three thousand for it.”
“That’s a fair price. The last one?”
“A Blazewing.”
My mother made a sound rather like my kitten’s purr. “Now that is a firearm worthy of my child. Where are you? We’ll pick you up. In fact, go back to Alastair’s shop, tell him I need a Flamerunner the match of yours, and that your father could use a navy derringer. I’ll pay for my indulgences when I arrive.”
“Perhaps you should get a red derringer and Dad should also get a Flamerunner. That way, we all match. Dad’ll be overcome with sadness if he can’t match.”
“Your dad is shit with firearms.”
“Take him to the range until he isn’t shit with firearms. If we’re going to take leave of our senses, we will do so sensibly and with style,” I informed her in my haughtiest tone.
“Just go back to the gun shop and wait for us to get there, please. Let’s not have you be kidnapped while carrying around a fortune in weaponry.”
As arguing with my mother would land me in hot water, I agreed, gathered my things, and returned to the store to wait.
TWENTY-TWO
“I’m sure we can handle acquiring hot sauce for your kitten.”
Monday, April 27, 2167
The Pearl Ward
Dragon Heights, Wyoming
Tourmaline zipped over, chirping and squeaking in his general excitement. Laughing, I held out my finger so he could land. I petted the hummingbird, asking if he had a good time on his outing. The bird bobbed on my finger, reminding me of overexcited parrots unable to contain themselves.
I praised him, transferred him to my shoulder, and took a sleeping Garnet from my father, who held her nestled in the crook of his arm. She remained asleep, and I discovered I could do whatever I wanted with the limp, softly snoring kitten. Giggling, I cradled her, resisting the urge to rub her furry little belly. “I see you tired her out today.”
“We went to three rock shops,” my father announced. His exasperated tone matched with him crossing his eyes did me in.
I laughed at him.
The carbunclo slept on, oblivious to the noise around her.
“And how many stones did she sucker you out of?”
“Six,” my mother complained. “And the bird got us for one, too.”
“Good job, Tourmaline. We’ll set up your new rock so you can see it from your nests, okay?”
Tourmaline chirped and clicked at me, and he continued to bob on my shoulder.
My father heaved a sigh.
“You’re the one who invited them to go shopping with you. It’s not my fault you did not refuse their requests. I shall make certain to praise them for having transferred the wealth of dragons into their hoards. And yes, I have decided my carbunclo and my hummingbird are deserving of hoards.” I took care to rest Garnet on the counter, where she continued to sleep, and pulled the box with my Blazewing in it over. With a flick of a finger, I popped open the lid and revealed my new weapon. “Isn’t she beautiful?”
My parents came over to admire the weapon. My mother reached for it, and I slapped her fingers. I picked up the Blazewing and showed them both sides of the barrel. “If you want one, you’ll have to get your own, but she is mine, and you may not have her.”
“I was only going to look,” my mother muttered.