Page 14 of Ava's Legacy of the Dragons
Ernesto let out a reproving click of his tongue. "Watch your mouth, Lilly! Your words could reach the wrong ears."
"Bah! I'm not afraid of him!" Defiance was written all over her face, while Ernesto's expression turned serious.
"But you should be." He turned his gaze away from her and looked with interest at the dragon egg. Like Lilly, he avoided touching the egg. Was it possibly dangerous? She shook her head inwardly. No, it wasn't. She sensed that instinctively. It felt warm, and although the surface was rough and scaly, Ava enjoyed the feeling of holding it in her hands. As if she were guarding a treasure worth far more than a whole wagonload of gold and precious stones.
Perhaps it was good that no one but her touched the egg. This way, she could protect it better. She didn't even know if she would be able to hand it over to them if they had asked for it.
Lilly snorted but didn't respond to the tailor's warning. With a precocious look, she ran her hand over her thin blonde hair and high ponytail. "We should show it to Kilian."
Ernesto scratched his cleanly shaven chin. "You're right. He's the only one who's trustworthy."
Ava stroked the scales on the shell doubtfully and pressed the egg to her chest. "Do you really think it's wise to let someone else in on this, just to ask for their opinion?"
Lilly nodded decisively. "Absolutely."
Since the voice in her heart didn't object, she wouldn't put up a fight. "Alright, if you're both in agreement, let's do it. Who is this Kilian?"
Lilly's eyes began to sparkle. She clasped her hands in front of her body as if in prayer. "He's the best dragon fighter of our time. He's won every competition and rides the strongest fire dragon that's ever existed."
Ava laughed. "You seem to like him. Do you know each other well?"
Ernesto chuckled as he patted Lilly's head. "She wishes she did."
Indignantly, the little one wriggled away from him and lifted her chin. "He tossed me a silver coin once!" She said nothing more.
Ava looked at her with amusement, though she knew well enough to hide it. After all, she didn't want to tease the girl. "Alright then, if this Kilian can help us, we should go to him. Where can I find him?"
"At the royal ball, of course!" Lilly clapped her hands while Ava's face fell.
"A ball? How am I supposed to sneak in there without the king's guards seeing me? Have you forgotten? They're looking for me."
The girl waved it off. "They'll never expect you to go to the ball, trust me. They'll be searching the underground passages, which means you'll be invisible on the surface. You'll be hiding right under their noses. It's brilliant!"
Shaking her head, Ava pointed to her outfit. "In jeans, a sweater, and a leather jacket? How do you imagine this is going to work? I'll stand out even among the waiters with my clothes. How am I supposed to blend in with the king's guests?"
A slight smile appeared on Ernesto's lips. As he took a step back, he made a sweeping gesture with his hands that encompassed his entire shop, including the bolts of fabric. "It would be my pleasure to assist you in that regard."
Chapter 6
Before she knew it, Ava was standing on a pedestal and Ernesto was walking around her. Lilly browsed through the dresses the tailor had made for mannequins, hanging on hangers to the side. She purposefully chose a purple one made of the finest satin. As she approached Ava and Ernesto, who was now taking Ava's measurements, Ava shook her head. The garment was almost the same color as the dragon egg.
"It's too conspicuous."
"The more conspicuous, the more inconspicuous, you need to remember that. Trust me! I know how to blend in." Ignoring her objection, Lilly held the dress out to Ernesto, who examined it expertly.
"I'd need to shorten the hem and tighten the waist, add a few ribbons and organza to the hip, and we'd have a garment suitable for the occasion."
Lilly nodded. "Plus, it matches her hair color."
"But I've never worn anything like this! I'll stand out immediately, if I don't trip over the fabric and fall right at the king's feet, sending the dragon egg rolling acrossthe ballroom." The image would be amusing if the situation weren't so serious.
As Ernesto carried the dress to his worktable, Lilly shook her head. "You won't even see the king. He thinks he's too good for everyone anyway and doesn't come down from his gallery. I'll lead you through the servants' passages to the ballroom, but you don't even have to go in there. Better go to the piano room. There are not only sofas but also plenty of snacks. Take advantage of it and stuff yourself. The cooks in the castle are really good. If there are bacon pastries, bring some back."
"That sounds delicious, but how does that help me find this Kilian? As a dragon fighter, he surely won't be sitting at the piano and stuffing himself with filled pastries, will he?"
"He'd do that rather than dance, believe me. Kilian never stays with the revelers. He has to show up at the ball, but that doesn't mean he participates in the charade."
Ava gestured with her hands for Lilly to slow down. "Why don't you explain to me what this is all about first? What charade are you talking about? And why does this Kilian have to show himself to the king while at the same time you trust him? Does he work for him or not?"
