Dragon Witch ✔️

26 - Intervention

"They won't even sell it to witches?" I asked.

He shook his head. "That's why I have to do this, so go home before you get hurt."

As much as I felt for him, I cared more about his life than his feelings. "Uh huh, and what would Piper think if she knew you were risking your life on a plan that's probably not going to work?"

"It will work. And what does Piper have to do with this?"

Wow, he really was clueless. If he didn't see the obvious already, I wasn't about to out Piper's feelings.

"Just that she's your nurse, and she cares about whether you get yourself eaten by a dragon." I grabbed his shoulders as he turned away. "And I agree with her. You can't do this. I can get you as much of the changeling potion as you need. Your dad has as much time as it takes."

He stared at me. "You would do that?"

"Of course I would. We're friends, aren't we?"

He arched his eyebrows. "Friends buy each other ice cream, not potion ingredients that cost more than a house."

Maybe I could totally sell my blood and be super rich, then use that money to bribe the people who had stores of dragon blood. Or someone could find out what I was, lock me in a cage, and take the blood for free. Better keep my blood to myself. But I would make an exception in this one case.

"I have connections. I can get the changeling blood cheap. And we'll go to the monster hunters tomorrow, to find out what's taking so long. Just trust me, okay?"

He stood. "I trust you'll get the blood. I think you're lying about the cost." He shook his head. "But I guess paying you back for the next century is better than facing off with a dragon. And maybe you'll be able to talk the hunters into coming sooner." There was an actual hint of hope in his voice.

I wasn't about to dash that hope now. "I'm sure I will."

***

Kyton landed on my balcony, carrying me bridal style.

I hopped down. "I'll get you the potion tomorrow."

"Thanks." He squeezed my arm. "I don't know what I would do without you."

"Get eaten by a dragon?"

He nodded, smiling. "Maybe."

A persistent heat pressing against my leg reminded me of my missing familiar. I took out Eva's egg. There was a fireplace in my room, but I'd never actually used it. I was pretty sure it was gas. It might be a wood fireplace, though.

"Do phoenixes have to hatch in electric fires?" I asked.

"No, what-" He snatched Eva's egg out of my hand. "When did this happen?"

I took the egg back. "When I fell off the wall climbing down after you. She healed my leg and turned into an egg."

"A gas or wood fire would work if you built it up high enough. I'll start the one in here. Keep her close to your skin. You don't want her to cool." He darted inside.

I followed, pressing the egg against my neck. It was hot enough to be uncomfortable, just barely cool enough not to burn me.

Across from my bed, between the bathroom and the closet, was the fireplace. Kyton knelt in front of it and fiddled with a knob just inside. Flames licked the fake wood stacked in the fireplace.

"Hand me Eva," he said.

I crouched next to him and handed over the egg.

He placed it in the middle of the stack of fake wood. "

Eva's egg rocked back and forth, shedding bits of red shell. Within seconds, a naked chick the color of tomato juice squirmed on the wood pile. Over the next few minutes, she grew larger before our eyes, sprouting feathers and opening her blind eyes like a time-lapse documentary. It wasn't long before she was back to her normal size.

You better? Eva asked with a yawn.

"Yeah, I'm all better. Thank you, you did good." I reached out a hand to pick her up, then remembered the flames and took it back. "Just rest, okay? Do you want to stay in the fire tonight?"

She nodded, eyes drooping. Like fire. Sleep in fire.

"Okay, good night Eva."

Night.

I sighed. She looked fine, and Kyton wasn't getting himself killed any time soon. Maybe things would sort themselves out tomorrow when we visited the hunters.

I slugged him on the shoulder. "Next time, use Alice's balcony. I'm exhausted."

He chuckled. "Next time, I will."

I really hoped there wouldn't be a next time.