Page 28 of Dragon Me Through Space

He sighed. “I’m not a giant.”

“What are you going to eat?” I asked.

He shrugged. “Meat of some kind.”

“Meat is good,” I agreed. “I could go for meat pasta.”

“Oh, that does sound good,” he agreed. “Yes, let’s make that.”

“I can’t cook,” I admitted. “Why not just use the replicator?”

He smiled. “Real food tastes better than replicated food. Don’t worry, Starlight, I’ve got you.”

“Starlight?” I asked.

“You’ll still have to help me in the kitchen, though,” he said, ignoring my question. “You don’t get to eat for free.”

“Actually, it was part of my agreement with Preston,” I reminded him.

“Free as in not paying, but not free as in not working or helping,” he countered.

“I’m not going to argue semantics, but I will assist you. Only if you say please, though.”

He stopped at the door to the kitchen and looked down at me. His brows were furrowed again, something I thought was a common expression for this Dragonkin, but he seemed perplexed. “‘Please?’”

He’d said it like a question, but I wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. “Sure thing, Giant.”

I pushed open the door to the kitchen and sauntered in.

Preston and Wayne stood by the pantry, whispering to each other.

“Are we interrupting?” I asked.

They looked over.

“Not at all,” Preston said. “What are you two doing in here?”

“Making some food,” Zeke said.

“We were trying to decide what to eat,” Wayne said and glanced at me.

“We’re going to have meat pasta,” I said.

“It’s been a long time since we last had that,” Preston said. “Good choice.”

“Are you going to help?” I asked him.

He shrugged. “I can.”

I hopped up onto one of the counters with a wide smile and said, “Great, then Zeke won’t need my help since he has you.”

Zeke chuckled. “Devious female.”

“Wayne was asking about adding a hammock in the jungle room for you,” Preston said as he grabbed ingredients from the pantry.

“I would appreciate it. Even with my enhanced abilities, I’m not able to jump as high as the hammocks currently installed are located,” I said. “It was one of the best naps I’ve had in … well … ever.”

“We will figure something out,” Wayne promised.