Page 55 of Sprite Wedding
My mate was the sweetest. So thoughtful. I silently thanked her for thinking about me.
Once she returned inside, I was alone in the garden. After a long day of activity out here, I took the moment to savor the silence. My sanctuary was my own once more.
I attempted to stretch out my limbs. What was that—a twitch of movement? No, it couldn’t be, could it?
I tried again, working my way through my dragon form, attempting to wiggle claws to twitch my tail. The stone was still rock solid yet a fraction more malleable.
Unless that was wishful thinking. I wouldn’t give up hope, though, and continued to move my focus throughout my body. I sensed the stone exterior was slightly more pliant than before. I couldn’t make any significant movement, though, not even as small as winking or lifting a claw.
If it was all in my head, I didn’t want to give up on the dream yet.
Movement out of my peripheral vision captured my attention. Oh no, it was the buzzing of tiny wings. Sprites.
I counted at least a dozen of them flying back into the garden. Where had they come from?
They hovered before my stone.
“What happened here?” one asked. “This wasn’t here before.”
“No,” another replied. “I would’ve noticed something this ginormous.”
“Right, it’s huge. How do you think it got here?”
“Who knows? Maybe a human had it delivered.”
No, it’s your evil little friend, I wanted to scream. Nothing came out.
Where was that little bugger?
“Wait a minute.” One of the female sprites flew closer to my face. I recognized her. It was Ursula, the queen of the sprites who I’d met in Bermuda. Had the damn sprites followed me here?
I attempted to communicate with her.It’s me, Lucas.
Nothing.
She turned to face the swarm of sprites. “Marty, did you have something to do with this?”
There he was. I’d grab his tiny neck if my hands weren’t useless stone decor. No, if I could lift them, I’d smash him to the ground like a pesky bug.
Marty crossed his arms and buzzed closer. “He deserved it. He was telling everyone about us—despite me telling him to keep his fat trap closed. He almost killed me with a shovel. And then he started to chase me. I had to defend myself.”
“This way?” She sighed. “Is it the dragon shifter we followed?”
Damn it, they had followed me here—and lived up to their notorious reputation of causing mischief.
“Yes. That big-mouthed scaly scoundrel.”
Scaly scoundrel? I wasn’t the one causing all the damn chaos around here.
“You can’t lock him in stone,” she chastised.
Right. Now get me the hell out of here.
“What’s that?” another sprite asked with a small voice.
The back door opened, and Zoe walked outside carrying my Bluetooth speaker.
“Someone’s coming back here,” another replied.
