Page 13 of The Dragon at the End of This Pregnancy

The races started at four in the afternoon, and the sun was hot on the outdoor bleachers. We arrived just after five. I didn't know what horses would think if they caught wind of a dragon in their midst, so we sat as far up in the nosebleeds as we could. Thankfully, it was also in the shade of the building. I'd forgotten sunscreen.

"I don't have a hat," Galen complained. "I want a derby hat."

"This isn't the derby," I reminded them. "It's just a horse race. If you wear a hat, you'll draw even more attention to yourself."

They had already set the bartenders on edge by asking for mint juleps. When the cute human with pink hair shared they only served the drink during the Kentucky Derby, Galen had growled at them.

"But—"

"I will get you a hat to wear in our hotel room," I cajoled. The casino had a gift shop, and I'd noticed the row of hats was on sale. They had the current year embroidered on the hatband, along with the derby name.

The announcer called for everyone's attention for the next race, and Galen gripped my thigh as they leaned forward. "Where does it begin?"

I pointed just as the loud bang of a gun and clank of gates crashing open startled them. Their eyes flashed like stirred coals for a moment, but they tightened the spell that made them look human until their form was under control.

Galen's spell was far different from mine. Instead of a glamour I could see through, they were human in all but scent. It was so strange to feel their small hand on my knee, squeezing with excitement as the horses rounded the first turn.

The loudspeaker blared somewhere above us, calling the race as Morning Breakfast pulled into the lead.

"What kind of name is that?" Galen asked. "It's redundant. Careless Whisper is a better name."

"It's a song title," I shared.

"Morning Breakfast?" The pure disgust on their face made me laugh.

"No, Careless Whisper. That's why it's a better name."

The way Galen shook their shoulders did not resemble a human shrug. I wondered how long it would be before an unnamed human organization showed up at our hotel and asked us to leave the plane … or else.

Careless Whisper won the heat. We had six more races to sit through before the heat winners raced a last time for the jackpot. As I'd expected, Galen wanted to stay until the end. They also shouted themself hoarse during the last race, when Careless Whisper pulled into the lead early but then placed third.

"So close," Galen complained as I steered them into the gift shop on our way toward the exit closest to where we parked.

"That's why they call it gambling," I said. "Look, derby hats."

"They're ugly," Galen growled.

If the approaching human was scared, it didn't show. "We have a wider selection over here." The human's name tag read "Shelby."

"Thank you," Galen said with a slight bow as they followed Shelby further into the store, away from the sale items. I knew gift shops were expensive from the way Weld used to avoid them whenever he could, opting to buy birthday gifts for extractions at discount stores instead.

These hats were more extravagant and cost a fortune. Each one had a price tag over one hundred dollars.

"These are also ugly." Galen's bottom lip slipped in front of their top one as they pouted. It was the most human I'd seen them look all day.

Even Shelby was convinced. "I'm so sorry. We have one more hat in the corner. We call it the governor's choice."

There was a tiny section of hats, handbags, watches, and accessories all under a picture of a woman in her mid-sixties whom I assumed was the governor, whatever that was.

"That hat has horses on it." Galen pointed.

They weren't wrong. Plastic horses covered in felt raced around the hatband surrounded by silk roses.

Galen handed it to me while they dug in their back pocket for their wallet. The price tag on this hat was three-hundred and ninety-nine dollars and ninety-nine cents. That was far too expensive for my tastes, but I wasn't the one buying, and I certainly wouldn't be the one wearing it. Based on the chunk of gold Galen had pulled from somewhere, they could afford whatever they wanted.

"Horses!" Galen said. "All derby hats should have horses on them. Pass that on to the retailer."

"I'll make a note to do that first thing tomorrow," Shelby said. "We close at eight."

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