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“Alright then,” Mandalay called, limping back toward us with his staff. “Fire in the hole in three…two…”
I grabbed Urban’s arm and yanked him close to the protective wall Grandfather had made just as Grandfather joined us and finished with, “One.”
Elliott spread his wings and tucked in his neck before letting out another roar and breathing fire.
Urban tried to get a peek past the wall, but I tugged him back just as a stream of fire shot over our heads.
“Holy shit,” he yelped, pulling me against him in order to protect me.
“Oh dear, that was a close one,” Mandalay whistled. “His aim is getting worse every day. Such a shame.” Clicking his tongue, he shook his head and met my gaze sadly. “I’m not sure if he’ll last the month at this rate.”
My shoulders slumped. I’d grown up visiting Elliott and Grandfather down here, under the mountain. I would miss the old dragon once he was gone. But aside from that, Donnelly’s entire future seemed unstable with the promise of his demise.
“Have you had any more luck making clearer glass from the bonfires you build down here?”
Grandfather shrugged noncommittally. “Some, but not quite enough to satisfy an old perfectionist like me. Say, what’s captured your attention there, sonny?”
I glanced over to find Urban running his hand along the wall we’d just hidden behind as if intrigued.
He shook his head. “I’ve just never seen a wall so smooth,” he murmured, gazing in wonder as his fingers traced the seams holding each piece in place. “How did you make this?”
“Ah, that’s another one of my inventions.” Nodding out his pride, Mandalay stepped closer to pat the wall. “I call it brick and mortar. It’s easy enough to make, just sand and clay mixed with any old fire to dry it into place, but it takes forever to form, which is how I was able to get every brick as smooth as a baby’s bottom.”
“Since it can withstand the heat of dragon’s breath, I’d say it could keep a building upright for centuries,” Urban concluded. “Homes, castles, businesses. You could probably sell more of this than clear rock, you know.”
“Probably.” Mandalay nodded sagely. “But we don’t have enough clay around these parts to make much of it, certainly not enough to supply the entire Outer Realms.”
“There’s more than enough clay in High Cliff,” Urban said, his eyes brightening with an idea. “And they’re allies with Donnelly now. Mix the two together—sand and clay—and both kingdoms become insanely rich.”
Bushy white eyebrows lifted high on Grandfather’s face as the idea took merit in his brain. He turned to me. “Why didn’t you bring this boy down here sooner, child? He might’ve just helped us save Donnelly.”
Urban turned to me in dazed amazement. “My father would speak to me again if I helped him make a profit as big as this would bring.”
“Yes, yes,” Grandfather murmured, sounding distracted, as I’m sure his mind was already spinning with ideas. “Very big.” Then he focused on me and Urban before he shooed us away. “You two should go. I think better when people aren’t talking to me. I’ve got to start planning a brick assembly line.”
I shook my head, grinning affectionately. I didn’t even know what an assembly line was, but I was sure I’d soon learn after Grandfather devised a blueprint for it.
Taking Urban’s hand, I led him from the antechamber. He glanced back one last time to take in Elliott as we left.
“Incredible,” he repeated.
I could only sigh. “Well, we didn’t find Nanny Wynter, but I believe the trip was well worth it. Do you think your father will agree to supply us with clay to make more bricks?”
“Hell, yes,” Urban said, following me up the steps and back outside into the sunlight that momentarily made us blink until our vision adjusted to the extreme change. Then he slid the entrance closed before I could. “If he can turn a coin from it, he’ll be all over the idea.”
“Thank God. If only finding the bearer of dark magic were so easy. Maybe we can—”
“Hey,” he said softly, grasping my fingers to stall me.
I turned back immediately, furrowing my brow with worry. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” he whispered, gazing into my eyes as he shook his head slowly. “There’s absolutely nothing wrong.”
“Then what—”
“This,” he said.
Before I knew what he had planned, he cupped my face in his hands and pressed his lips gently to mine, kissing me softly until I had to close my eyes, lean into him, and touch the side of his jaw in return.
