Freddie sighed. "You're sneaking off to watch some dragons, which you really shouldn't do, and you're worried about shoving."
"Of course I am. If I get hurt, I can't sneak, can I?"
Freddie stared at her a second, his eyes changing again. Maybe some would find the round centers changing to thin lines and back again scary, but it only reminded her that Freddie was more than an annoying little boy. He was a dragon-shifter.
Before she could say anything, he took her hand. "Follow my lead. I know where we're going. So if I say stop, stop. And if I say be quiet, be quiet. Can you do that?"
She normally wouldn't let Freddie be in charge, but if it meant seeing a real, live dragon up close, she'd do much worse. "Okay. But promise you'll answer some questions later, when we're not sneaking?"
"I suppose. Now, come on."
As Freddie took them behind one house, then a car—she'd never really thought about dragon-shifters having cars—and various trees, she did her best to keep her mouth closed and save up her questions for later.
It was hard to do, though. Especially as they walked past various shops and things that were different. Like, the tattoo design place. Or, the surgery. Behind the surgery was a huge tent, and she swore she heard a dragon grunt, or roar, or something inside it.
Finally they reached a rock wall that was several times taller than her. Freddie whispered, "This is the wall surrounding the main landing area. Stay here until I come back. I need to find someone we can trust not to tattle to the teachers before you can come out of the hiding spot. Promise me you won't wander whilst I do that."
She held out her pinky. Freddie looked at it and then her. She wiggled it. "Let's pinky promise. That way you know I mean it."
Unsure, he put out his pinky, too. And Daisy took it with hers, and shook. "Okay, now you know I really mean it. I'll stay here, behind the tree next to the wall. I'll only move if someone comes looking for me. Then I'll go to the next hiding spot, over there."
Freddie shook his head. "Okay, fine. I don't know how your pinky promise means anything, but you can explain later."
Normally, she'd jump in and tell him straightaway. Because sometimes Daisy forgot things, if she put them off. There were always so many things to do, to ask, to know.
But not today. Today was special. She would remember everything.
So she watched Freddie slowly make his way along the wall and out of sight. As promised, Daisy leaned against the rocks at her back and looked to the sky, hoping she could at least see one dragon while she waited.
Freddie hadto give the human credit—she didn't scare easily.
He'd probably have to clean the classroom for a month, plus whatever his mum thought he deserved as punishment, for sneaking away from the group, but Daisy was his partner for the day. He may not like it and wished he had someone else, but dragon-shifters were supposed to keep their word. He couldn't let her go alone and get hurt.
His dragon sighed.No one would hurt her.
I didn't say someone would do it. But who knows what abandoned place she'd find, and then get trapped.
That would be fun, looking for new hiding spots. Maybe we can try that next, after this.
I think Mr. MacLeod will notice us gone soon.
Then maybe she can come back to Stonefire. She's fun, and brave, and could teach us many things.
Not wanting to get too distracted by his dragon, Freddie told him to hush. He finally reached the edge of the rock wall surrounding the main landing area and peeked around the side.
There were two people putting on clothes, and another male already naked and moving toward the center of the area to shift.
The person in the middle was one of the younger dragon-shifters, Keith. He was friends with Freddie's older brother.
He probably wouldn't tell on him.
Freddie raced over to Keith, and said, "Hey, wait a second."
Keith turned around with a frown. "What are you doing here, Freddie? Did your brother bring you?"
"No." Keith opened his mouth, but Freddie hurried to say, "But just a second, okay? I'm showing one of the humans around today and she really wants to see a dragon up close. Can you shift and let her see you?"
Keith surveyed the space. "Where is everyone else?"