Page 43 of Dragon Heir

Hook, line, and sinker.

I tried not to stare at her as I shrugged. “Just some ancient evil that even the elves couldn’t handle. Nothing really major.”

“Uh-huh,” was her nonchalant reply as she crossed her arms over her chest. “And this is what I’m supposed to be protecting you against? Something even those snotty elves couldn’t handle?”

I stopped and feigned thought before I nodded. “Yep.”

She glared at me. “That’s not something I signed up for.”

I sauntered over to her with my hands clasped behind me and an innocent look on my face. “That’s fine. We’re just going to need that coin purse back-”

“Oh hell no,” Enna snapped as she clapped her hand over where she’d hidden the money bag. “I’m going to earn this money and then enjoy it, and no ancient evil is going to stop me from doing that. Besides, you guys must’ve weakened it pretty badly with whatever magic you used on it. It shouldn’t be too dangerous now, right?”

I stopped at one of the windows on her left and stared out at the driveway. “I hope we don’t have to find out.”

“Then stop bothering me with what-ifs and maybe’s. . .” Enna grumbled as she sank into a morose silence.

That fun was spent. I folded my arms over my chest and wracked my brain for another idea. Another heavy tapestry hung nearby. It was big enough to hide both me and a large buffalo. That gave me another idea.

I gave my quiet companion a toothy grin. “Do you know how to play hide and seek?”

She lifted an eyebrow. “Yeah, why?”

“I just thought we could have some fun. I don’t know the house that well so I won’t have an advantage.”

She stared ahead and sneered. “I’m not playing any kid’s game.”

“What if I offered to be ‘it?’”

I saw a spark of temptation in her eyes. She turned her face away from me. “No way.”

I sighed and shrugged. “Alright. I’ll get Vargas to play with me and you can watch.” I turned toward the stairs. “Lady Vargas!”

There was a moment of silence before the bedroom door upstairs opened a crack. “What is it?”

“Did you want to play a game of hide and seek with me in the house?” I asked her.

She scoffed. “Why ever would I want to do such a thing?”

“Well, Enna won’t play with me so I thought maybe you’d be more fun than her,” I replied.

The door was flung open and Vargas marched out to the railing. “Of course, I would be more entertaining than that. . .that woman. I doubt she even knows how to play such a simple game.”

Bingo.

Enna leaped to her feet and glared at the lady dragon. “Of course, I know how to play such a stupid game! I just don’t want to!”

Vargas swaggered down the stairs with one hand on the banister and a smirk on her lips. “So you believe you would fail at it?”

“Even if I did I wouldn’t fail as badly as you!” she snapped.

“Then everyone’s willing to play?” I spoke up.

Vargas nodded. “I will do so if only to pass the time until the men return.”

Enna crossed her arms over her chest and gave a nod. “And I’ll do it just to prove that you’re lousy at the game.”

“And I will be ‘it,’” a voice spoke up and Raines appeared out of the dining room. His wrinkled hands and rolled-up sleeves told us he had just finished cleaning up the breakfast dishes. He rolled down his sleeves and nodded at the house around us. “The only rule is that you not leave the house. All the rooms are unlocked and available to you.”

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