“I think you four should skedaddle outside,” she said.
They were nearly healed.Spark could walk normally, Sizzle’s wing had healed, and even Flame was beginning to fly well.They would leave for the mountains soon, and she tried to ignore how crushed she felt at the thought.
She didn’t want to see them go.
She glanced at Sod as he waddled out the door using both back legs normally.Even Sod seemed better.If it wasn’t for Darian, she imagined he would have left by now, but the squat little earth dragon seemed rather attached to Darian, just as much as the fire dragons were attached to her.
She fought back tears at the thought of them leaving as she washed her breakfast bowl.
They did not belong here.They belonged in the Gloaming Mountains.
She began to prepare her bag and a basket.There was a nest that looked as if it might hatch today.Probably air dragons, if she had to guess, based on the air holes that had developed in the nest—air dragon eggs seemed to need more oxygen than the others.
The late winter air had grown warm enough that there would likely be fewer babies that needed her assistance, but it was still possible, so she wanted to go visit them.
“I don’t suppose you’re all coming with me?”she said, as the dragons walked underfoot as she made her way out the door.But then they began squawking and chittering for another reason, and she looked up to see Darian making his way toward her, an easy smile on his face.
“I…thought you weren’t coming,” she said, as the dragons all flew toward him, screeching their delight.
“I thought so too,” he said, “but my uncles informed me that I was not needed, and if I wanted to walk out, I could.”
“I see,” Celia said, her ears and cheeks feeling flushed.He’d walked all the way out just to see her.“You didn’t need to do that.”
“I thought you said we had a nest today,” he pointed out.“I didn’t want you to have to do all the digging by yourself.”
She smiled.He’d remembered.“Thank you.”
He reached behind his shoulders, and she noticed that he was wearing a knapsack.
“I brought a small shovel to help, so we don’t have to use our hands as much.”
Her eyes widened at the two brand-new shovels he pulled out.
“You didn’t have to do that,” she said, letting him take the lead as they began walking toward the nests.
“I’m allowed to take whatever I need for work,” he said.“And this is a need.”
“This is a want,” she corrected him.“We can use our hands just as well.”
He shrugged.“I don’t have a lot of needs,” he said.“This counts.Besides, my uncles are practically in love with you, and if I said it was for you, they’d be even more willing for me to bring them.”
Celia sighed.She had brought breakfast over once more since the first time, and if anything, it had only increased his uncles’ quest for her to fall in love with him.She didn’t mind, though.
As much as he annoyed her sometimes, she had to admit that Darian was useful, and having him around was nicer than being alone, at least.
“Let me give you some money for it,” she said.
“You don’t need to.I’m sure you have limited resources.”
Celia frowned and stopped walking, putting her hands on her hips.“Are you helping me out of pity?”
“What?No,” he said, stopping and taking a step closer to her.“Don’t be silly.I just don’t know where you would get more money.But I’m not helping you out of any pity.I’m helping you because I want to.”
This close, she had to tilt her head back to look at him.
“I’ll have you know that the dragons pay me.”
Darian laughed, but his laughter faded away as he took in the look on her face.“You’re serious?”he asked.
