Bo nodded. “Um, you’d better turn around, Miss Candlewick,” he said, blushing.
“What, oh.” I suddenly realized what Bo meant and I turned to give him some privacy. Behind me, I heard the crack of bones, and a cry and yelp of pain. His groans became deeper, turning first into a growl and then a roar that sent a shiver down my spine.
“You can turn back now,” Carter said.
I did as I was told. There, standing by a pile of crumpled clothes, was another silver-blue dragon. Still a juvenile, he wasn’t quite as big as his father, but he was taller than me, and looked powerful. “Wow,” I said, wanting to pet him, but there was no time.
“Come on,” I continued. “The sooner we take care of this the better.”
Bo led the way back through the tunnel. When we reached the entrance to the dragon’s lair, we found Björn just by the entrance, panting, preparing to transform back into a man.
At the sight of his son, the older dragon appeared confused and reeled backward.
“Don’t worry, it’s your son, it’s Bo!” I said. “We’ve come to help the baby. Can you stay like that for a few minutes longer? We need you to distract the mom again while Mr. Reynolds tends to its wounds. Bo is here to help us.”
Björn nodded, and after taking another look at his son, he returned to the center of the cavern. The she-dragon, perhaps having realized he was not interested in her after all, had retreated to her baby, and was once again licking its wound.
I could hear the baby’s faint cry. It was weak and I knew it could not survive long if it wasn’t tended to.
When Björn approached, at first the mother rose up, seeming happy to see him back, but when she saw a second male dragon in her lair, she recoiled furtively, not quite sure what was going on.
Björn began to swish his tail, trying to keep the she-dragon’s focus entirely on him. She was reluctant at first, and kept peering around him to where Bo was hunkered down, inching forward. We crouched low, hiding behind his bulk, praying she wouldn’t see or smell us. I was close to pooping my pants.
Björn rose to his full height, his silver tint shimmering brightly as he put his colors on full seductive display. I guessed for a dragon this move was pretty hot, because impressed, the she-dragon moved away from her baby, instinctively luring the male dragon to a darker part of the cavern. Naughty minx, I thought. I took a mental note of her movements in case I ever had the need to use them myself. One never knew. Björn followed, and we crept along in silence, hardly daring to breathe.
When we reached the baby dragon, Mr. Reynolds opened his kit at once. I noticed some rather large scissors, some thick sutures, and a tube of luminous blue paste colored the same shade as the mushrooms. There was also the largest syringe I had ever seen. I was thankful that thing was going nowhere near me.
Carter stood in front of us both, his wand trained on Björn and his dragon-love, ready for anything.
The baby’s eyes were closed, I suspected it was unconscious rather than asleep. Its color was pale and its breathing rapid. It didn’t have much time.
“Put a huge glob of that blue stuff on your hand and smear it in the gash,” Mr. Reynolds said.
I squeezed as much as I could into my trembling palm while Mr. Reynolds prepared the suture. I was amazed at how steady his hands were, he didn’t shake at all.
I pushed the torn flesh aside. The wound had a putrid smell about it, and I wondered how long ago it had happened.
“Could be worse,” whispered Mr. Reynolds. “Looks like a boating accident to me. Stupid tourists.”
While he whispered, I rubbed the goop into the open wound. The baby dragon groaned a little, and I looked anxiously around Bo, afraid his cries might return his mother. Thankfully she and Björn remained hidden in the shadows. I dreaded to think what they might be doing. Poor Bo! He must be wondering the same thing.
I picked up the tube and squeezed the rest of it into the open wound.
“Very good,” Mr. Reynolds whispered. “Now pinch the flesh as tight as you can while I sew this young dragon up again.”
I nodded and pushed the flesh tightly together, watching as some of the goop oozed back out of the wound.
“Don’t worry about that,” Mr. Reynolds said. “Just clean it up with some of that gauze.” He cocked his head back to his bag. It seemed whatever he needed appeared inside it. Handy, that.
“Come on,” Carter whispered urgently. “I don’t think Björn can hold her much longer.”
“Almost done,” Mr. Reynolds said as he stapled the last suture. He plunged the syringe into the baby’s scales and slapped its buttocks for good measure.
“Carter, Bo, we’re done,” I said. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”
And just in time, too. From somewhere ahead of us, we heard a tremendous roar, followed by Björn backing out of the shadows. I couldn’t speak dragon, but it seemed to me like he was making some kind of dragon apology. The she-dragon came out after him, looking anything but amused. Poor thing, I could sympathize. I knew what rejection felt like.
“Run,” I shouted, and we all turned on our heels, sprinting for the tunnel entrance.
Furious, the she-dragon belched everything she had at us, but it was too late. Her flaming ire bounced harmlessly off the insulated backs of the two dragons who covered our rear, and with a sigh of relief, we dashed into the tunnel, safe and sound, our mission to treat the baby a complete success.
Björn shifted into his human form almost at once. If not for Bo, he might have collapsed. It must have taken all his strength to maintain his dragon form this long. I loved him for what he’d done for us and resolved to thank him later.
Chapter 12
Girl Talk
Maisy walked out of the bathroom dressed in a cream robe, her hair wrapped in a towel. She sat down sheepishly on the end of her bed, dropping her toilet bag on the blanket beside her. Pike and Evelyn had been here when I arrived and had told me Maisy had dashed into the bathroom as soon as she came to her senses. I’d thanked them and assured them I’d look after her now. While the shower ran, I’d anguished over what to say, but then realized I’d have to take my cue from her. If Maisy wanted to talk, I’d listen. No witchcraft, no spells, just an old-fashioned sympathetic ear.
Lost in thought, she stared at the floor. My heart ached for her.
“It happened when I was nine,” she said. “I can’t even blame the dragon. I wasn’t supposed to be there, you see.”
“Oh?” I said, just to let her know I was listening.
“My dad was a fisherman, always out on the water, day and night. Sometimes I missed him so much it hurt. So, one day I snuck onboard his boat and hid under the tarpaulin. I knew he had to work, but I figured if he couldn’t be home with me, I’d go to work with him. It was supposed to be a surprise.”
Maisy looked glum as she twiddled with a small signet ring on her pinky.
“Dad was so delighted when he saw me, he threw me straight up in the air. I always loved it when he did that, and I remember chuckling like a complete baby. We hadn’t seen the dragon overhead, and I guess the sudden movement surprised it. Anyway, well.”
Maisy finished her story with a flourish of her hand beside her cheek. “Of course, I learned how to hide it with magic, but fear always undoes the spell.” She shook her head. “I thought I had this under control. I thought that at last, I could face my demons. I told Carter as much, and insisted I wanted to come, and that everything would be okay. He tried to put me off, but in the end, I persuaded him, against his better judgment. I guess he was right, and I was wrong. Maybe I’ll never be ready.” She looked down at her hands again, glum.
“It can’t be um, fixed?” I cringed as soon as I asked the question. What was the right thing to say?
“Fixed? No, my dear. It’s dragon fire. There’s nothing any witch or warlock can do about that. I can conceal it for a while with enchantments and potions, but they never last more than half a day or so. I guess I won’t be needing this anymore.” S
he absently flicked the toilet bag, which glowed for a second, then grew dim again. “Not now… everyone knows. They’re probably all laughing behind my back out there.” She motioned over to the door.
“I can absolutely assure you that no one is laughing at you,” I said. “Not a single person. They’re hugely concerned for you, they like you, lots. And they’re quite a nice bunch of kids, really.”
“Maybe.”
“So, how did Carter find out?”
“Carter? Oh. We were at Yule together. I got a little tipsy and forgot to redo the enchantment one night so he and the whole university found out. Jeez, that sucked, I tell ya. But Carter was always very kind about it. He made a potion for me which makes the enchantment last a little longer. He’s such an angel. You ought to snap him up.”
I was surprised by her sudden shift of topic. “I, um.”
“Oh, don’t be coy,” she said. “I’ve seen how you two look at each other when you think the other isn’t looking. You’re worse than kids.”
I smiled and felt like a total douche at the same time. All the things she had to contend with, and she was thinking about me and Carter. I’d been utterly and completely wrong about her. I was such a knob.
“I thought you and he, maybe….”
Maisy laughed out loud. “Me and Carter? Ha! No, never. What made you think that?”
“Well, you’re always together.”
She laughed again, and it was good to hear her chuckle. “He’s my best buddy, so yes, of course we’re close. But if he ever tried sticking his tongue down my throat, I’d kick him in the dingly-danglies. Me and Carter, how funny is that?”
It was my turn to laugh, from relief if nothing else.
“Come on,” I said. “Let’s get dressed and go join the others. That is, if you’re up to it?”
“Sure.” She picked up her toiletry bag and looked at it wistfully. “I suppose I might as well not bother now my secret’s out.”
“I dunno about that,” I said. “Either way is cool with me, but if I were you, I’d carry on just as before. If it makes you feel better, then why not? I wear a little eyeliner and lipstick, and that’s all you’re doing, putting on a bit of make-up to make you feel good. Screw what anyone else thinks––what do you want?”
She thought for a second, then smiled. “I suppose it won’t hurt. And I’m going to have to face the world sometime, I suppose.”
Maisy pressed her knuckles into the mattress and pushed herself up off the bed. I was pleased when she snatched up her toiletry bag and took it with her.
She paused before closing the door behind me. “You know, if you want, I could put in a few words with our mutual friend. Or even concoct a love potion....”
I laughed. “Thank you, but that’s okay. What will be, will be.”
She smiled back, and nodding, closed the door softly behind her.
Chapter 13
The WhaleBone Diner
The cheering from inside the bus was deafening. Everyone was shouting and laughing, and Maisy hesitated, pulling her hoodie round her face. She turned to go back to our cottage.
“I––I don’t think I can.” Her voice was faint. “I’m sorry, tell them to go without me. I’ll be fine on my own.”
I looked back to the coach. There was certainly a lot of noise, but there were no faces at the windows, to me everyone’s attention was focused on whatever was happening inside.
“It’s not you, Maisy,” I said. “It sounds like Björn and Bo are getting the hero treatment, as they should. Come on, let’s go join in the party.” I hooked my arm through hers, stopping her from leaving.
Maisy bit her lip, but she straightened her shoulders. “Yes, you’re right of course. Come on, let’s do it.”
I marveled at her resolve. Her glamor was restored, and her face looked as beautiful as it had before, but I sensed a deep inner disquiet beneath, and no wonder. Maisy had been unmasked, literally, and her confidence was badly shaken, but she was willing herself to go on. I didn’t know if I would have had the same courage in her shoes.
The coach door was open, and we climbed inside.
It was hard to get in; Björn was sitting in his usual seat at the front of the coach, and the students in the seats behind his were bombarding him with dragon questions. Something similar was happening at the rear of the coach with Bo, and I smiled when I saw Pike, right in the thick of things, joining in with her friends.
As soon as the students spotted us, the coach exploded with applause and cheers.
“Well done, Miss Beauchamp!”
“Yay, glad you could make it.”
They were clearly relieved to see she was doing well, and Maisy, touched to the core, scurried into her seat as fast as she could. And then there was another cry from the back.
“Yo! Mrs. Candlewick, totally badass!”
I tried to keep my face serious, but I couldn’t help feeling pleased. I bowed and gave them all a little wave.
Pike’s face was flushed with embarrassment again, or was it pride this time? It was hard to tell.
“Do you want me to sit with you?” I asked Maisy.
She shook her head. “No, I’m fine. Carter will be on in a minute. Thanks, though.”
The second we were both seated, the noise settled down to normal again and we were soon forgotten. The hero worship reconvened.
“What does it feel like to shift?” I heard one girl say.
“Weren’t you scared going up against that dragon?” said another.
“I heard you were a long time in the dark with that she-dragon,” one of the boys said suggestively to Björn.
“Watch it!” The big man looked physically worse than he had this morning, but also a lot happier and was laughing. And though he was still big, he looked a lot smaller now that he was back in his regular form. I guessed shifting like that took a lot out of a man. “You must be kidding. Did you see the size of that thing? She would have snapped me in half, hey? Lucky, I got out of there when I did, I think.”
The boys all grinned, delighted with his replies.
“Oh, ja, I took your window seat, do you mind?” Björn asked me. “I thought I might try and sleep on the way to the diner. All this excitement has knocked me out a bit, I think.”
“Be my guest,” I said, glad of the extra leg room in the aisle seat. Plus, it would be nice not to be crushed by his still-impressive bulk.
“Err, how is she?” he whispered. Björn tipped his head toward Maisy. Right now, her head was turned away, and though her gaze was on the dark coach window, I suspected her focus was elsewhere.
“She’ll be fine, I believe. She just needs a little time.”
“Dragon fire, it’s a peculiar thing, I think,” he said. “I know traditional magic can do nothing for her.”
“Yes, she knows. too.”
“I was going to say––” Björn paused and moved in a little closer to me so he couldn’t be overheard. “Are she and Carter... you know?”
I stared at him appraisingly, wondering if this was more than just a casual question. He’d seen how she truly looked when fear caused her glamor to unravel. Did it not bother him? Perhaps I was misunderstanding his question. Or perhaps Bjorn Van Asker was unusual in more ways than one.
“No, I don’t believe they are. I had the same thought once, but Maisy says no.”
“Could there be anyone else?” Björn asked.
“I don’t know. You’d have to ask her, I guess.”
“I had meant to,” he said, “but everything’s been a little bit crazy, I think.” He nodded toward Carter, who was only just now climbing onto the coach. “And you?”
“Err, maybe.”
Carter was dressed in a neat leather jacket and roll-neck sweater and carried a clipboard in his right hand. As always, he looked damned good, and I tried not to fangirl as he smiled my way.
“Is everybody aboard?” Carter asked.
“All present and correct,” Harrison said.
“Thank you, Harrison. Okay, Murray, let’s rock and roll.”
“Yes, sir.”
Carter sat down beside Maisy and touched her forearm, prompting her to turn her head to look at him. In the window glass, I saw his reflection smile at her. He held her hand and said something, perhaps telling her how happy he was that she was okay. Maisy gave him a tentative smile, and I knew she was going to be just fine. With friends like Carter Wells, who wouldn’t be?
I watched as Murray swung the big wheel, steering the coach around and back to the road. I was struck once more by his odd appearance and thought driving a private coach this big was an unusual job for such a little man. He was smaller than some of our suitcases. Ah, well, to each their own.
A few minutes into our drive, Carter turned to me and smiled. “I think the WhaleBone Diner is going to be something of an anticlimax after a fire-breathing dragon, don’t you think?”
“Maybe,” I said. “Although after the excitement of today, I think your students are ready to eat anything, so I wouldn’t worry about keeping them amused. They’ll be living off this tale for years.”
Carter glanced tentatively over his shoulder. There were more words on his lips, I couldn’t tell what, but he was evidently reluctant to express anything in front of the others.
I smiled and nodded, showing I understood. Whatever it was he had to say, it could keep.
Even though we’d called ahead to the diner to warn them of our numbers, they still flew into a disorganized frenzy on our arrival. For a few minutes, nothing could be heard over the sound of scraping chairs and tables, as the wait staff struggled to seat us all in one big group in the center of the restaurant.
A tall, skinny man whose name tag read, “Leonard, Manager,” came skipping through the bustle. “I’m so sorry,” he said, “we can’t get you all around one big table, we had too many walk-ins before you arrived. Would you mind using a couple of booths?”
Carter shook his head. “That’s fine. I don’t think the students care at this point. They just want to eat.”
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