Page 70 of Spark of Sorcery
I snort. The little thing is small enough to fit in the palm of my hand. “I don’t think so.”
The creature squawks again and blinks open a large pair of eyes. Its irises are bright gold, dazzlingly so, as it blinks right up at Briony.
“Aww, it’s so cute,” she coos. She scurries away and comes back with a threadbare towel, scooping the small creature up into her arms.
“Hello, mister,” she says, wiping the goo from its body. “Were you hiding inside all that time?”
With the goo gone, it’s easier to make out the creature’s body. It has four stubby legs with black talons at the end of each toe. Its body is long and tucked against its back are the pair of wings – made from paper-thin skin and not littered with feathers. Down the center of its back runs a prominent spine and its skin is covered in coppery green scales that sparkle in the firelight.
It is a dragon. There is nothing else it could be.
The little thing curls up in Briony’s hands, snuggling into her stomach and squawks some more.
“We need to take it to the Headmaster. A message needs to be sent to the Empress and–”
“He needs feeding.”
“After we’ve–”
“Newborn babies need food.”
“It’s not a baby.”
“He is,” she says, scowling at me and hugging the thing protectively.
“You don’t even know if it is a he,” I mumble.
“Milk. That’s what we should feed it. Do you have any back in your tower?”
I pause before answering that question because I see where this is going.
“Yes, but, Briony–”
“Look, Thorne,” she says, “you could be right and taking him to the Head is the right thing to do–”
“I am and it is.”
“But we don’t know that for sure and until we do, I’m not going to be parted with him.” The little dragon snorts a puff of smoke issuing from his nostrils as if he is in agreement with that point. “You promised you wouldn’t tell anyone about the stone and you said you’d respect my decisions.”
“That was before the stone became a dragon.”
“It’s the same thing.” She strokes the little dragon’s snout and the thing begins to purr. “Now please can you fetch some milk?”
I’ve been a fool. Letting those words slip from my mouth.
I’ll do anything for you.
This girl is going to hold me to that.
Funny thing,I ponder as I head towards the door,I don’t think I care.
“Oh, and it’ll need to be warm,” Briony calls after me.
“Right,” I say, reaching for the door-handle.
“And we’ll need something suitable to use to feed it to him. A teaspoon maybe or a syringe.”
“Fine.”
