Page 11 of Hot for the Dragon

"He's helping the town," Daphne said firmly. "That counts for something, doesn't it?"

Nina's hands danced through the air as she prepared their drinks, her constellation-speckled apron twinkling under the warm lighting.

"Well, it's good to see someone giving him a chance," she said, her voice low enough that only Daphne could hear. "The town needs all the help it can get right now." She paused, looking down. "I was lucky enough that the dragons didn't get this far down Main Street."

Purple sparks then crackled between Nina's fingers as she added a splash of something that smelled like moonlight to Daphne's macchiato. "Besides, anyone willing to face Carmen Kane can't be all bad."

Daphne balanced the drinks and plates of lemon cake on a tray, the sweet citrus scent mixing with the magical coffee aroma. She'd barely taken two steps when Mrs. Peterson, her regular customer, grabbed her elbow.

"Dear, are you alright?" Mrs. Peterson's eyes darted toward Archer. "That man has quite the reputation."

The whispers around them grew louder, and Daphne felt a familiar determination surge through her. The same feeling she got when coaxing a particularly stubborn seed to sprout.

"Actually," she said, raising her voice just enough to carry across the café, "I think we should be careful about judging people based on rumors. After all, he's here to help protect our town."

The café fell silent. From her peripheral vision, Daphne caught Archer watching her, one eyebrow raised in that infuriatingly aristocratic way of his. His expression remained neutral, but something in those coal-black eyes had shifted.

She made her way back to their booth, setting down his plain black coffee and sliding a piece of cake in front of him.

"I didn't order cake," he said, his deep voice carrying a note of warning.

"I know." Daphne settled into her seat, fighting back a smile as she watched him eye the dessert like it might attack him. "Consider it a thank you for helping the town."

The whispers had finally died down, and the other patrons returned to their own conversations. Archer's fingers wrapped around his coffee cup, and Daphne couldn't help but notice how his massive hand practically engulfed it. He took a sip, his expression giving away nothing, but she noticed he didn't push the cake away.

Daphne took a sip of her Moonbeam Macchiato, fighting the urge to giggle as her feet lifted slightly off the floor. She planted them firmly back down and cleared her throat. "So, tell me about yourself, Archer."

His eyes fixed on her with an intensity that made her wonder if he was trying to intimidate her or if that was just his default expression. "I'm a dragon shifter who likes my privacy."

The silence stretched between them. Daphne watched as he methodically broke off a piece of lemon cake with his fork, his movements precise and controlled. Even eating cake, he managed to look dangerous.

Well, that was about as forthcoming as a brick wall, she thought. Daphne smoothed her napkin across her lap, reminding herself that not everyone was as naturally open as she was.

"Well, I'm happy we're working together," she said, deciding to change tactics. "What's our plan for dealing with Carmen?"

Something flickered in Archer's expression – surprise, maybe? He set down his fork with deliberate care. "I know where she is. We're going to confront her directly."

"Just like that?" Daphne's eyebrows shot up. The floating menu board above them shifted to display "Courage in a Cup (Contains actual lion's mane)," and she wondered if she should order one.

"Just like that." His voice carried an edge of finality. "She won't change her mind, but we might learn something useful about her operation."

Daphne wrapped her hands around her coffee cup, absorbing its warmth. The casual way he discussed confronting one of the most dangerous dragon shifters in the area made her stomach do a little flip. Then again, this was the legendary Archer Hawke. Maybe for him, this was just another Tuesday.

Daphne watched as Archer took another precise bite of his lemon cake. After a few seconds, he continued in a low voice that only she could hear, "Dragon wings aren't like other shifter groups. Loyalty isn't earned - it's taken."

"What do you mean?" Daphne's Moonbeam Macchiato made her feel slightly buoyant in her seat, and she had to grip the edge of the table to stay grounded.

"Carmen challenged each wing leader to combat. Won their territories through brute force." His eyes locked onto her in a way that made her breath catch. "Unlike wolf packs, where the alpha needs pack support, dragon wings only require strength."

The glow of the hanging lanterns caught the tension in his jaw. "Some of those wing members might not be as devoted to her cause as she thinks."

A spark of hope fluttered in Daphne's chest, like the first shoot of a seedling breaking through soil. "Then maybe we should focus on changing their minds instead of Carmen's?" She leaned forward, nearly knocking over her floating coffee cup in her enthusiasm. "If we could show them a better way-"

Archer's laugh was sharp and without humor. "Dragons aren't like your flowers, witch. You can't just nurture them into blooming differently."

"Everyone can change," Daphne insisted, watching as Nina's enchanted cleaning cloth chased after a spill across the counter. "Even grumpy dragon shifters who won't try magical coffee drinks."

The corner of Archer's mouth twitched, but he quickly masked it with a scowl. "This isn't a fairy tale where everyone learns a valuable lesson about friendship."

---