Page 112 of Horn in My Side
“You said you were training her.Can you show me some tricks?”
“Of course.Clawdia,” she called, and the dragon scurried toward her.“Let’s do some training, all right?”
Jasmine went through the various tricks she’d taught Claudia, plus a few new ones she’d been working on.“She’s still getting the hang of roll over.”
“Yeah, dragons don’t like squishing their wings much.”Harry laughed.“I think we’re all good here, Jasmine.Thank you for letting me meet her.”Bending down to Clawdia’s level, he gave her more scratches on the head, which made her purr in delight.“You’re a special one, I think.”
“I agree.”
“And now, I can tell you, that even if I wanted to take her away, I couldn’t.She’s obviously bonded to you.”
“Yeah, I feel like we do share a bond.”
Harry shook his head.“No, no, I don’t think you understand what I’m saying.Jasmine, you and Clawdia are actually bonded.On a metaphysical level.”
“B-bonded?”Her jaw nearly dropped to her feet.“We’re connected?”
“Yes, it’s rare, but dragons do bond with their caretakers, at least only those with strong magical ability themselves.”He narrowed his gaze at her.“Why do you seem so surprised?”
“My magic is something I’ve discovered only recently.I have an affinity with animals and can sense their wants and needs.I have a connection with all of them, so I didn’t think it was any different with Clawdia.”
“But your connection with her isn’t the same as with the others, right?It’s much deeper.More emotional.”
Bending down, she rubbed Clawdia’s head.A burst of contentment and joy rippled across her chest.“Yes.”
Harry tsked.“Even if I wanted to, I wouldn’t be able to take Clawdia.It would be cruel to take a bonded dragon away from its caretaker.Well”—he placed his hands on his hips and inhaled a deep breath—“I think I’ve seen what I needed to see.I should head back.Thank you again, Jasmine.”
“Let me see you out.”
As soon as Harry Housen left, Jasmine blew out a big sigh of relief.Clawdia was truly hers and they were bonded.Her first thought was to tell Mal, which promptly deflated her jovial mood.
Was he still at home?Had he already left?The lights had been on last night, but she didn’t recall seeing them this morning.
Her mind drifted back to the bottle of champagne in the fridge, the contents of the note burned in her mind.
You deserve this.Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
Mal believed in her.He always had, maybe not right away, but once he threw his support behind her, he’d never wavered.He didn’t let anyone pull her down, not even Jasmine herself.
Her heart thumped in her chest.
Jasmine buried her face in her hands.Had she done the rightthing, breaking up with him?She couldn’t let him abandon his dream.But at the same time, what if she had gotten it wrong?What if he did want to stay?
It was all too much, all too confusing.
Oh Mother Goddesss, ancestor spirits,she pleaded.Tell me what do.Give me a sign.
A sudden vibration from her pocket jolted her from her prayers.Checking the screen, her emotions did a full one-eighty when she saw the name on the callerID.She tapped on the green button and slapped a smile on her face.“Hi, Dad.”
“Hi, anak.”Jed Gonzalez’s face filled the screen, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he smiled.“How are you?”
“I’m good, Dad.”Why was he calling?“So, what’s up?How are things at work?Busy?”
“Very.You won’t believe the shift I had last night.”
“Oh?What happened?”Jasmine prepared herself mentally.She had to, because the stories he shared about his work as a nurse could turn pretty graphic.But she supposed it would at least keep her mind busy.
“I’ll tell you later.I wanted to check on you.”
