Page 70 of The Baby Dragon Cafe
“It is time to begin,” Mireya announced. She turned to Sparky, reaching for him. He hesitated for a brief moment, until Mireya hummed a disconcertingly foreign tune, which seemed to make him relax. The baby dragon then went to Mireya immediately, which was strange for Saphira to witness, as if Sparky was under some sort of spell.
Mireya continued humming, petting Sparky in her arms as she took him to the lake. The ice was thick; it made no noise as Mireya walked across, carrying Sparky to the center.
There was a steel plate on the surface of the lake, and Mireya crouched down beside it. Sparky remained completely calm as the sage removed the plate to reveal a hole in the thick ice. Mireya picked Sparky up with both hands, dangling him in the air.
“What is she—”
Before Saphira could finish, Mireya dropped Sparky into the lake, and the baby disappeared under the waters. Before he surfaced, Mireya covered the hole with the steel plate, locking Sparky in.
“What is shedoing?” Saphira cried, panic setting in.
“Don’t worry,” Aiden said, though it took him a great effort to say the words through his clenched jaw. “This is part of the ritual.”
Saphira tried her very best not to freak out as Mireya calmly walked over to join them on the outskirts of the frozen lake.
“Are you sure he’ll be fine?” she asked Aiden, her voice high. Saphira could not even see the shadow of Sparky’s body below the ice and, as a result, she felt like she was going to have a heart attack. Her chest was painfully tight with trepidation.
Mireya glanced at Saphira with a frown. Before Aiden could answer, she said, “Aiden, you should not have brought her if she was not accustomed to our ways. Outsiders never understand. Are you sure she belongs?”
Saphira felt those words like a slap to her face. She went completely silent, chest hurting.
Aiden looked upset. “Of course she belongs,” he snapped.
Saphira turned her focus to the lake, holding her breath as she saw a dark shadow under the ice. It was Sparky, his little body pushing against the ice, trying to break it. Her heart hurt.
She knew Aiden had told her this would be intense, but this was not what she had expected.
It had been too long. Sparky would run out of air, and she was just supposed to stand here? Doing nothing?
But then she heard the sound of ice cracking—and shattering. A blast of water erupted from the lake, followed by flames, the blazing light bright against the frigid landscape. Sparky jumped out, growling and soaking wet.
Saphira released her breath, relieved. Aiden ran a hand over his face, similarly relieved. Goodgod.
Saphira went to the edge of the lake and crouched down, opening her arms for Sparky, who ran to her. She gathered him in her arms, hugging him, even though he was wet with freezing waters, which seeped through her clothing.
She didn’t care. Her baby was safe.
Saphira stood, still holding Sparky, bringing him back to Aiden, who petted Sparky, holding the baby dragon’s face in both his hands.
“Come,” Mireya said. “It is time for the next.”
“Next?” Saphira whispered to Aiden. His expression was equally distressed, but Mireya was already moving forward, going up a set of winding stairs to the level above them.
Saphira and Aiden followed, and the next floor was also outside, though this time it was a narrow corridor between the stones of the mountain. Once there, Mireya came to take Sparky from Saphira’s arms.
Saphira inadvertently tensed, resisting. Mireya gave her a stern look.
“Saphira,” Aiden coaxed. “It’s okay.”
Saphira let go and Mireya took Sparky, walking him to the very end of the corridor, where she placed him on the edge of the mountain. Behind him, there was nothing but clouds and a steep, steep drop. Anxiety cut through her.
Mireya came back to where Aiden and Saphira stood,stepping carefully to avoid something in the path, though Saphira could not tell what. The anticipation was severely stressing her out, but she could do nothing but watch as Mireya came to this end of the corridor.
Then, she pulled something from inside her robe. It was a set of matches. Mireya struck one, then dropped it.
The entire path erupted into flames, engulfing the entire corridor, including the ground beneath Sparky. He cried out, and Saphira gasped, covering her mouth with her hands.
Aiden clenched his jaw, and they both watched with horror as Sparky looked around. He had to decide quickly what to do, for dragon scales could only sustain heat for so long.
