Page 78 of The Platinum Dragon's Courageous Mate

“Food ho! Come on. Let’s go to the cafeteria.”

They made the trek inside, waving at Bea, who was handing out raffle tickets at the front door. He loved how the Guardians were present here, completely part of the festivities but also well aware that anything could happen at any moment. Being part of a dragon wing could be fraught with danger because the human world was always encroaching from the outside somehow, not to mention stuff like what had happened to Lachlan and Kieran, both from other dragons.

But he wasn’t thinking about that. They were lions and tigers and bears today, and they could take care of themselves.

The smell when they walked into the cafeteria was something wondrous. Frying bread mixed with this deep scent of hot chilies and some sort of stewed meat, maybe barbacoa. But there were also hot dogs. Oh, Wiver loved his hot dogs.

“Go ahead and sit. I’ll go get you some goodies.” Lachlan told him, eyes warm on him.

Tempting, but he didn’t think so. “Oh, no, I want to come see.”

He wanted to meet everyone and see the costumes and be in the middle of all this. This is what he had been asked to do, and he was finding it quite amazing.

“Of course.” Lachlan shifted Micah into the carrier on his chest, the sweet baby sound asleep, cuddled into his papa’s shoulder, and they headed into the thick of things.

The cafeteria was bright and light, and the decorations were pure joy — witches and ghosts and spiders, all obviously handmade by the students at the school. They made him smile.

They got in the line and grabbed a tray.

“I spoke to the principal at the school.”

“Did you? Well, excellent. I’ve met her a few times. She seems very pleasant.”

Kieran nodded. “Yes, she’s very kind, actually, yes, and I really liked her. I told her I think I’m going to start coming up a couple of days a week and teaching a few art classes.”

Lachlan beamed at him. “Oh, well, that’s exciting.”

“I think so. We’ll have to find something to do with Micah…” He wanted to give Lachlan an out.

“Between me and Alban, we can figure it out. We’re resourceful.”

“You are.” And loving. And so kind.

“Do you mind if I break in?” A sweet-looking dragon with a mass of dark hair and heart-shaped face move up behind them. “I’m Patrice. I teach here. And we do have a preschool sort of daycare for people who work at the school. If you wanted to bring your son.”

“Hi, Patrice. That sounds great. I’m Kieran. You’ll have to excuse me if I’m distracted.” He put a hand on his wee baby bump. “She’s hungry.”

“Oh, that’s always difficult.” She chuckled. “One never knows if it’s something you want or something they’re craving.”

He snorted out a laugh. “In my case, if it’s cinnamon? It’s her, totally her.” He chuckled at himself and shook his head. “What do you teach?”

“Second and third grade right now. Although I think we’re getting big enough that I might become just a second-grade teacher next year. You’re going to teach art?”

“Looks like it. I have a meeting with Cerridwyn to iron out the details. I imagine it will just be part time.” But fun! And if Micah could make more new friends, so much the better.

“Wonderful! We have an art room, but it’s been catch as catch can.”

“I’m excited to make it something more…real.”

They chatted for a few minutes, kind of wandering as the line did, with Lachlan just standing there, beaming over them like a proud papa.

“Well, welcome to the team.”

“Baby. Fry bread.” Lachlan winked at Patrice. “Time for food.”

“Ah yes, the important part.”

Kieran nodded and turned toward the fry bread, which was amazing. They had them stuffed with taco fillings. They had them stuffed with cheese and potatoes and beans. There were ones that were stuffed with nothing but covered in cinnamon sugar, and he was going to die. “Can I have one of each and two of the cinnamon?”