Nana, dressed in a soft blue blouse and a wildly colored ankle-length skirt, turned from the flour-covered counter. Her silver-streaked hair was twisted into a loose braid, and her warm, weathered face crinkled into a smile that made Spring’s heart stutter.
She stepped closer, peering down at the jar.
“Oh, she’s a pretty one,” the woman said with a chuckle, her voice rich and kind. “But, clearly she doesn’t belong in there.”
Spring shrank back, her wings curling around her like a shield. Her tail trembled behind her.
But then the woman said something that made her freeze.
“Well, dragon dear, would you mind introducing me to your mistress?”
Spring’s eyes widened. Wh—what?
She funny. I like her, her dragon snorted.
Wait! What are you doing?!
Before Spring could react, the familiar tingle of her transformation from dragon to human swept through her. In the blink of an eye, her dragon vanished and she was in her two-legged form, crouched on the glass floor, her mouth hanging open, completely defenseless.
Some protector you are! Have you been taking notes from Roam? she snapped at her dragon.
She scrambled upright, her cheeks blazing. “How did you know I?—?”
The older woman winked. “That you were a dragon-shifter from another world?” The woman chuckled and waved her hand. “The wind talks. I thought if I were to ask your dragon politely to speak with you, she might listen.”
Spring brushed her trembling hands down the sides of her tunic, trying to calm the adrenaline surging through her body.
“I’m… Spring,” she replied, her voice low and uncertain.
The empty container amplified her voice, creating a deep, resonant echo that seemed to fill the space.
She glanced wildly around her prison before she studied the woman’s smiling face and repeated, “Spring Reykill.”
“Well met, Spring Reykill,” the woman said warmly, bowing her head. “I’m Madura, Spellbinder to the Giants—and it seems you’ve landed in my garden.”
Spring looked toward the window before turning back to the woman. “Well, not exactly in your garden. I was… exploring.”
She wasn’t sure how much she should tell the woman. Madura seemed nice, but Spring needed to protect Roam. Guilt surged through her at the thought of leaving him in a strange land, possibly defenseless.
Definitely clueless, her dragon muttered.
Hush! That isn’t kind, she admonished.
It true.
Spring pursed her lips. She needed to get back to him before something happened. She rubbed her arms, glancing at the window. If they let her out of the jar, could she make it before Madura or the little girl caught her?
Her thoughts were interrupted when Madura spoke to the child still holding the jar.
“Lania, love, would you mind fetching Dorella? Please ask her to pick a growth mushroom. A small one will do.”
“Yes, Nana,” Lania chirped. She placed the jar on the table and grinned at Spring before giving her a cheerful wave.
Spring watched as Lania skipped out the door, her curls bouncing behind her. Once the little girl disappeared from sight, she turned her attention to Madura, who was studying her with an amused expression. She stiffened her knees and splayed her fingers against the glass. Her heart hadn’t stopped racing.
The world tilted again, and she gasped.
“Hang on, love. This is never much fun. I do apologize for that,” Madura murmured. She gently tipped the jar onto its side and set it down on the nearby chair with a grace that defied her size. “There you go. Out you come now, dear.”
