Page 129 of Nobody Told Me Thrift Shops Sell Stolen Dragon Heirlooms

Quinn stared. “Maximus.”

Max dropped it and backed up, expectant.

“That is a branch, not a stick,” she told him.

He wagged.

I studied the branch. “It’s throwable.” I picked it up. It wasn’t light, but manageable. Quinn’s eyes widened as I drew my arm back.

“Don’t encourage him.”

“He’s earned an attempt.”

I threw it to the far side of the clearing. It turned poorly in the air and landed with a heavy rustle in the grass. Max bounded after it, delighted beyond reason.

Quinn let out an exasperated breath. “You’re a terrible influence.”

“I disagree.”

“He’s going to bring furniture next.”

“I doubt there’s any to be found here, but if he does, I will reassess.”

Her laugh moved through the clearing with the wind.

We stayed there for a long while. The driver set the food basket near the stone wall and then discreetly returned to the van. Max ran until he needed to rest, then drank water before going off to find another stick. Quinn took off her jacket and spread it on the grass before sitting, knees bent, face tilted toward the sun. She looked younger in the open air, more relaxed.

Eventually Max decided that fetching was no longer sufficient and began prancing near me with the branch in his mouth, barking around it.

“He wants you to chase him,” Quinn said.

“I don’t chase dogs.”

Max barked again, then darted away and looked back.

Quinn said nothing, but she didn’t need to. Her face contained far too much satisfaction.

I removed my jacket and folded it over the stone wall.

Quinn sat up straighter. “Wait. Are you actually⁠—”

Max barked.

I took one step toward him.

He bolted.

It was absurd and undignified. An activity better suited to children, dogs, and men who hadn’t spent decades cultivating composure as a survival mechanism. I ran anyway, not at full speed, but enough to make Max believe the chase was sincere. He bounded through the grass, circling, doubling back, inviting me close and then veering away. Quinn laughed, and I tried not to let that become the reason I kept going.

Max let me get close once, then juked left.

“He worked for a living,” Quinn called. “You’ll have to earn it.”

“I’m aware.”

“Are you? Because he just embarrassed your bloodline.”

I changed direction before Max expected it and cut him off near the stream. He stopped, eyes bright, tail wagging hard. For a second, we faced each other across the grass.