Page 60 of The Monster at the End of This Courtship

"No. You're safe."

He laughed and petted the sleek dire weasel's nose. "Mac said they would usually turn the white ones out to pasture, but I couldn't let him go. He's so pretty."

"White is easily seen from the air," Weld whispered. "You'll be fine, if the dragons stay friendly."

"We'll build our own little stable so no dragons will see him." Yes, I used my sassy voice to disprove Weld's misgivings. "And we'll make him a little cape, so he looks like a superhero bouncing all over the fields."

Weld shook his head and grinned. "You two are meant for each other."

"I'm glad you're still here," Axel said to Weld as he hopped off Farnum. "I have a gift for both of you."

He reached into a bag tied around Farnum's neck and pulled out a rock much larger than the bag looked on the outside.

"Showoff." Weld pointed at the bag. "I'm getting stronger in magic, but my inter-dimensional space is about the size of a handbag."

"What is this?" I asked, touching the granite stone. It was rough on the top and three sides, and smooth on one side and the bottom.

"It's a memorial stone," Weld said, his voice hushed. "For Statler and Waldorf." Weld grinned through his tears. "You never told me you named them."

"Those were the names we talked about," I said, wiping at my eyes.

"I remember now." Weld grabbed Axel's shoulders and squeezed. "Thank you."

"I thought we could keep it right here, by the porch." Axel kneeled in the corner between the stair railing and the lattice blocking off the area beneath the porch. He placed it between two flowering bushes.

"In memory of Statler and Waldorf,"the stone read above an image of two kobold eggs.

"It's beautiful," I said. "Who etched it?"

"Notch, the beta who works at the quarry."

I threw my arms around Axel's neck as he stood. "Thank you."

"It beats going to the cathedral." Weld patted Axel on the back.

"It's so much more personal," I agreed.

"Whenever I'm back here, is it all right if I leave them a little something?"

"Of course," Axel said. "Our boys might steal it?—"

"They will not." I held my hand out to the rock and worked a confinement spell I'd learned while cleaning base plates. I created a barrier about a foot beyond the rock's surface, and allowed only Weld, Axel, and myself access to the area inside.

Axel pulled me close and kissed my temple. "Good choice, sugar."

Weld pulled two toy cars from his pants pocket. He kneeled before the rock and placed the cars in the dirt at its base. He ran his hand along the rough top surface. "I was going to leave these in the cathedral beside the candles I lit. Thanks for giving us a place, Axel."

Axel spun me toward Weld, and then we all hugged. When it got to be too much, I stumbled away, wiping my eyes.

Weld called me back. "Don't you have a dragonet to meet?"

"Right." Axel curled his arm over my shoulders. "I'm to take you to the dragonet stables. You have a date with Sunset."

"I'll watch the kids while you're gone," Weld said.

Once I caught my breath from the whirlwind of emotions, I hopped onto Farnum's back with Axel. I couldn't contain my excitement. This was my first dire weasel ride! I tried to wave to Weld, but my hand immediately clutched for Farnum's fur when he launched toward the fortress and beyond, to the stables on the other side.

Getting off the dire weasel was a little more difficult, but Axel was there to keep me from face planting into the dirt.

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