Page 17 of The Accidental Dragon Baby

HocusPocus

That sounds... suspicious. Keep us updated.

Ivo sighed and tucked his phone away, grabbing a handful of cut grass. He began to weave a shelter for Mary—this was one of the first things his dad had taught him.

Halfway through, Mary came rustling back through the tall grass, whimpering to be fed. Ivo tucked her into his shirt and continued weaving one-handed.

At least he could still do this with one hand and one eye. His feet helped to hold down the grass, to prevent it from moving around too much.

He’d just begun humming a lullaby, one he’d learned from his mom, when he noticed Ace making his way over.

How did I not notice him?!

He panicked again. Mary was a tiny lump in his shirt, her size far too incriminating. Ivo wadded up her blanket and tucked it around her, wincing when it soaked up the milk leaking from his other nipple.

“Hey,” Ace murmured when he drew closer, sweeping his gaze over Ivo.

“Hi,” Ivo said awkwardly.

Ace’s attention lingered on the uneven lump under Ivo’s shirt, but he didn’t say anything about it. Instead, he lifted the wicker basket he was carrying, leaning over the creek to set it onthe ground. “This is for you. Just some things you might find useful.”

“Thanks. I’ll—I’ll look when Mary’s done nursing,” Ivo said.

Ace smiled. “Mary? That’s a sweet name.”

“I named her after my grandmother. Gran was amazing; she baked the best cookies in the world.”

Ace’s smile grew. He left to gather more twigs, bringing them to his spot by the creek. Slowly, he laid them in a circle, clumsily weaving in the ends. Except his twigs kept popping out of place, and his nest grew messier the harder he tried.

“Ugh! Damn it,” Ace growled. Then he paused and glanced at Ivo’s chest. “Dash it, I mean.”

Ivo laughed. “Is this your first time building a nest?”

“Will you laugh harder if I said yes?”

“I’m not laughing at you!” Ivo’s cheeks burned. “I’m just—You’re trying so hard not to swear in front of Mary.”

Ace shrugged and looked sheepish. “I want to make a good impression.”

“You already are.”

Ace looked so happy that Ivo felt better. Ace’s forehead furrowed, though. “Why were you sad?”

Ivo opened and closed his mouth. “You noticed?”

“How could I not? I didn’t leave you here with your shoulders slumped.”

Ivo sighed. “My friends are worried about me. The thing is, I know why they are. I just... I couldn’t stop myself.”

“From doing what?”

“Trying to build a nest. I wasn’t supposed to leave the apartment.”

“Yeah, you weren’t.” Ace tore out some grass and tried to shove it between his twigs; it made his nest look prickly and uncomfortable. He looked up suddenly. “You won’t try to leave this place, will you?”

Ivo shrugged. “I... don’t know.”

Ace frowned harder. “Maybe you should take a look at the basket. I hope the things in there will help you stay.”

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