Page 99 of Shadow Witch

“Oh, thank goodness. That’s it. No need to get all upset. We’re just looking for our friend, Dewey.”

The wolf’s thrashing eased, his ears twisted toward Paige. “Small dragon?” he asked.

“You talk?”

“Of course, I speak. Why wouldn’t I?”

Paige heaved deep breaths as she clung to his back. “Then, why didn’t you say something when we came in? That could have saved so much trouble. I never would have jumped on your back.”

“Yes, about that. Please get off.”

“Don’t,” Drucinda said. “Look, Wolf, I don’t trust you.”

“Of course, you wouldn’t, Valkyrie.”

Drucinda’s eyes went wide, and she clenched her fists at her sides. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Means your kind and my kind don’t get along very well. Not historically. And I was not about to put up with it. Especially after last night.”

“What happened last night?” Paige asked.

“Will you please get off my back? You’re not light.”

Drucinda sniggered at the statement.

“Stop laughing. And I’m not that heavy,” Paige argued. “You’re huge.”

“I’m not,” the wolf shot back. “It’s mostly fur. And last night, you lot came in here giggling and laughing like you were school children. Oh, let’s play Moon Ceremony and pretend to sacrifice someone to the Wolf God. Hahaha. It was a shameless display that played upon harmful stereotypes that have led humankind to fear us werewolves.”

Paige shook her head. “Uhhh, I think humankind fears werewolves because you keep trying to eat us.”

“Really? Is that so?” The wolf twisted to glance at her over his shoulder. “When is the last time you heard of a werewolf attack?”

Paige puckered her lips before she raised a finger in the air. “Actually, not long ago, I was attacked by a werewolf. They nearly killed me.”

“No, no,” Drucinda said, “those were shapeshifting werewolves.”

“Oh, well, that explains it. The dirty buggers. Shapeshifters are not really werewolves, you know?”

“No, I didn’t know.”

“Well, maybe you ought to learn. Educate yourself. Stop being a–“

“Don’t say racist. I’m not. I’m just…”

“An uneducated idiot,” the wolf shot back.

Paige bobbled her head. “Okay, that’s fair. Look, we’re just looking for our friend, Dewey. Have you seen him? Tiny dragon, teal, smart mouth.”

“I saw him last night. While he looked like a tasty morsel, I didn’t eat him. He left with you. Something about a celestial observatory.”

Paige slid off the wolf’s back. “Please don’t eat me.”

“Will you stop with that nonsense?” He snarled at her. “It’s really aggravating. How would you like it if my first words were ‘Please don’t shoot me with a silver bullet?’”

Paige wrinkled her nose. “Okay, sorry. I’m just…scared.”

“Years of being conditioned against the big bad wolf,” Drucinda said. “And yet you attack me, the Valkyrie, who did nothing to you.”

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