Ch. 47.1 — Janine, Ezra, and Fritter sat close together on the dragon’s back as they flew towards the castle of Nelsonia. Col had designed a harness/armor combination that included a saddle with multiple seats and handholds. That didn’t stop Ezra from wrapping his arms around Janine. She found she didn’t mind. He made her feel safe. The night wind whipped her hair back and filled her nostrils with the scents of dragon, spring, and occasional whiffs of wood smoke. The stars looked close enough to touch.
Janine’s heart soared. “I could get used to this.”
Ezra chuckled. “So could I.”
Janine studied the small gnome in the seat ahead of her. Usually Fritter was talkative, at least to her, but he hadn’t said much all day. Of course, the gnome king had kept him busy doing errands right up until they left, yelling at him to hurry up whenever he dashed into the room. The more she thought about it, the more it bothered her. “Fritter, why does King Winky treat you so harshly? I mean, you’re a hero.”
“He is my father.”
Janine was dismayed. “That doesn’t give him the right…”
Fritter interrupted her. “I gave him a syrup meant to cure his cough, but instead purple hair grew all over his body. He was furious. At first he was going to have me executed, but my mother begged for my life, so the king sold me into a lifetime of servitude to the dragon.”
“That’s extreme. He’s your father. He should have forgiven you.”
“Don’t give him any ideas,” said Jay, who had excellent hearing. “He’s the best servant I’ve ever had.”
“But Jay, he still needs to get this resolved.”
“Whatever. As long as I don’t lose him.”
“Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere,” Fritter said gloomily. “He obviously hasn’t forgiven me yet. Maybe in a couple more hundred years.”
Janine looked back at Ezra. “Aren’t you going to say anything?”
To her surprise, Ezra looked sad. “Sometimes family relationships are complicated. They don’t always turn out the way you want them to.”
Carol Nicolas 