Page 17 of Serving my Dragon
“Not quite. Inside the volcano that erupted.”
“The Misti?”
“Is that its name? Then, yes. The heat of it cured my egg, setting me free.”
“Without burning you?” I couldn’t help a skeptical note.
“Dragons are creatures that can withstand much, including magma.”
“And yet stories claim dragons can be slain by swords.”
“An unfortunate aspect of our design is we do have some vulnerable soft spots.”
“If you’re really a dragon then where are your wings?” Because that usually seemed to be a key feature.
“Mine will come after a few moltings.”
“You’re going to shed your skin?”
“Yes, and most likely soon at the rate I’m eating. When that happens, you might find me listless and feverish. Simply leave me alone and it will pass.”
“Was that what happened when I found you on the shore of the river?”
“No.” Pollita jumped from my lap and paced, obviously agitated. “Upon hatching, I found myself in a place with scarce resources and no servants to procure nourishment. I ventured forth from the volcano to forage and found myself confronted.”
“By what? Cougar? Bear?”
“Humans,” Pollita hissed. “Several of them waited for me with a cage, as if I were an animal they could trap. But I escaped.”
“How?”
“I jumped off a cliff.”
Nonchalantly dropped and it took me a second to blurt, “You did what?”
“I wasn’t about to be captured so I leapt off a cliff and landed in a river. The current proved a tad more than I could handle with my diminutive size. Eventually, I washed ashore, which is when you found me.”
“Back up to the people with the cage. Were they there looking for you, or did they just happen to run across you?”
Pollita cocked her head and took a moment before replying. “I could not understand their words, but they definitely appeared to be seeking me out.”
Doubtful since dragons didn’t exist. Most likely some scientists collecting samples. They probably saw a strange new type of lizard and decided to nab it. “You mentioned growing. How big will you get?”
“Very big. We will need larger accommodations.”
I snorted. “Yeah. I don’t see that happening. I don’t make the kind of money needed to buy a bigger place.”
“Buy?” Pollita scoffed. “I am a dragon. I will take whatever castle suits me.”
“Castle?”
“My knowledge of them is that they’re nicer than a cave. Although, a lair high up in a mountain is harder to attack. However, they are also more difficult to staff. Humans can be finicky servants.”
I almost snickered, but she seemed entirely too serious. “I’m afraid there are few castles in the area. The ones that exist are mostly ruins left over from Incan times.”
“When I get my wings, you shall indicate their locations so that I might scout one for suitability.”
“Pretty sure the government isn’t going to just let you take over an archeological and historical site.”
