Page 9 of The Dragon at the End of This Pregnancy

He'd been born at The Spike, and his job as dragonet trainer was important to him. I flew him to the barn every day when we stayed at The Spike, even weekends and holidays. He taught me the importance of a daily schedule for my routines. Before I had moped in my cave until I was hungry, then hunted, then ate, and finally slept until it was time to mope again.

Mac brought his cookstove to my cave at the top of my mountain, and then everything changed. He was my favorite cook by far. He used seasonings I'd never tried before. I distrusted them at first, based on my previous experience, but he promised they wouldn't make me sleepy. I learned to trust him, and everything he cooked for me was delicious. He prepared bite-sized portions for me, called "cutlets," with varying blends until we found my favorites. I had yet to taste anything I didn't like, even when Mac went shopping for exotic foods on Earth.

I wanted to try everything again when I was human sized on Earth. I also wanted to try things I'd only heard of. I especially wanted a mint julep. I liked mint, and I liked jewels. Drinking them might be a little strange. When I asked Mac how they tasted, he said he'd never had one, and I would have to see for myself. Well, now I could!

I had only a few more hours to think about it. Mac and I would be leaving Ignitas once Punky and Lark had secured their four children with glamour spells strong enough to last the week.

Our purple-striped friends were still fiddling with the spell when we arrived at the dragonet barn. All four of the kobold children were taller than I'd expected them to be. They'd molted while we were gone.

Mac was already in his human glamour, and now it was my turn, since my wings were no longer needed. I shrank down to the strange human form I'd seen in Mac's head. The hardest part was binding my horns inside the glamour. Even squeezing into the strange clothes Mac gave me didn't feel as confining as hiding the part of me that made me feel most like a dragon. I used my horns to judge air currents and steer into them. Putting them away, even for a week, meant I couldn't be who I was. I hated it, but I would do anything for Mac.

"We're staying with my parents," Punky whined. He shoved his purple-tinged black hair back from his face. "The kids' glamours have to be perfect. You know how fussy my mom is when even one hair is out of place."

I didn't know the alpha boys by name, but one had orange hair and the other's was blue. Neither would fit well on the human plane. Their omega, Robin, had black hair like Punky's, and their daughter Clementine had her white hair pulled back into a braid. At least their hair colors were natural human colors. Punky and Lark could change the color and affix their hair so it didn't move to satisfy Punky's mom.

Or maybe Punky's comment wasn't about hair at all. Sometimes, I confused myself regarding kobold word choices because I didn't know what they meant.

"It'll be fine." Lark pulled Punky into a hug.

While the three boys wrestled for control of a tablet, Clementine approached me with a scowl on her face. "Why can't we stay with Mac and Galen?"

"You know it's me?" I asked.

"I watched you transform from a gigantic dragon into … this." She scrunched her nose at my human form. "Pretty sure it's you, Galen."

I laughed. She had me there.

"We could stay at the hotel," Punky pleaded. "That would be so much easier. The kids could sleep in their own beds, and we could drop the glamours at night."

Lark sighed. "We could, but we don't have that kind of money."

This was the first I'd heard of a money shortage. "Do you need financing?"

"It's nothing," Lark said. "We had to settle with some of the human parents when their children returned to Ignitas early, that's all. The fortress is a little short on cash, but we'll be fine."

I instantly felt guilty. This was why dragons didn't make rash decisions and burn changeling circles on a whim. There were always consequences to our actions, and now Lark, Punky, and their children were suffering for my foolish decision.

"Will they take jewels or gold?" I asked.

"Will they!" Clementine walked over and took my hand. "I knew I liked you."

I met her shrewd gaze and couldn't help but smile. She was everything I wanted in a dragon child.

I wanted a baby. My gut ached from the realization, or maybe it was just squeezed too tightly inside my glamour.

"Galen, you don't have to fund our trip," Lark said. "We can stay with my in-laws like they've asked. Right, Clementine?"

Clementine did not look happy, which made me feel even more guilty.

"I destroyed the changeling circle," I said. "I'll pay for your stay, since it's my fault you can't afford the hotel on your own."

I knew what a hotel was from a comedy show about a bellhop. Mac said our hotel wouldn't have bellhops, but we would have a room of our own, and now we could have our friends next door if I worked my magic.

For Clementine's entertainment, I weaved my hands around like a magician I'd seen in an Earth movie, thanks to Mac. Voila, a hefty chunk of gold appeared in my palm.

"Where did you get that?" Clementine asked, her voice low with suspicion.

"If I told you, I would have to eat you, little kobold."

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