Page 54 of Something Handsome This Way Comes

Grievance glanced at him. “What is it?”

“A Glaceryn.” Milo could hardly believe he was saying the word aloud. “They’re incredibly rare.”

Milo couldn’t believe he was looking at one. He’d never seen an illustration of a baby, only the adults in his encyclopedia. Some folk called Glaceryns ice dragons, but they were actually more closely related to griffins despite their reptilian backsides.

One crystalline-blue eye opened. Then the Glaceryn’s ears flattened as it leaped to its feet.

“Hssssss!”

“Oh. Hello.”

It sneezed. A white cloud exploded from its nose. Milo had exactly enough time to blink before⁠—

WHUMP.

Snow blasted into his face.

For several seconds, there was silence. Milo stood perfectly still, covered from curls to chest in powdery snow.

Behind him⁠—

Grievance snorted.

“It’s not that funny,” Milo said, brushing snow from his clothes.

“Maybe not from where you’re standing,” his mate said with another chuckle.

A tiny squeak came from the hay. Milo turned back. The little Glaceryn shook itself, and that was when his amusement vanished.

It was thin. Far too thin.

The baby’s beautiful white coat was patchy in places, exposing too much of the narrow body beneath. Milo could make out the faint ridges of its ribs.

It sneezed again, this one strong enough to knock the little creature off its feet. A dusting of snow puffed from its runny little nose. The baby’s eyes were glassy, and the poor thing looked utterly exhausted. Milo’s healer instincts took over immediately.

“It’s sick.”

Grievance crouched beside him.

“How does an ice dragon catch a cold?”

“I have absolutely no idea.” Milo slowly reached toward it. “But I know what sick looks like. And this little one is sick.”

Snap!

Tiny teeth closed on empty air as Milo barely pulled his hand back in time.

“Okay! Personal boundaries. Understood.”

The Glaceryn hissed.

“Easy.” Milo lowered his voice. “We’re not going to hurt you.”

Snap.

“I have food.”

Hiss.