Dragon Kiss (23 page)

Noting the dragons perched on the parapet, You-too flew up to join them. “Look at you three, sitting up here like you own the place! Well, I guess you do, sort of. I could have used your help, though! I was locked in this little, bitty room while a horrible monster tore it down around me! I’m going to have nightmares for weeks!”

“It wasn’t a monster,” said Millie. “It was a roc.”

“That thing was a bird?” You- too said, sounding incredulous. “I knew rocs were big, but, wow! Say, you know what this means, don’t you? Your father was wrong when he said that I have the biggest beak in the castle. Speaking of your father, isn’t that him now?”

Everyone turned as Eadric emerged through the castle door. With a whoop of glee, Emma spread her wings and swooped down to join him, turning into a human again even as her feet hit the ground. She stumbled and almost fell, but her husband caught her, wrapping her in an embrace that looked as if it would never end. When Emma raised her face and Eadric began to kiss her, You-too turned away in disgust. “Ick!” he said. “I can’t watch this!”

Audun didn’t notice the bird fly away; he was too busy looking at Millie. “Your parents do seem to kiss a lot.”

Millie shrugged. “They’ve always been like that. I guess they do it because they love each other so much.”

“Do all married humans kiss like that?”

“No,” said Millie. “My grandmother and grandfather hardly ever kiss. But then, they don’t talk to each other much, either.”

“When we’re married, we’ll kiss all the time, too,” Audun announced.

“Is that your way of asking me to marry you?”

“Only if you’ll say yes.”

“Well, then, here’s my answer,” Millie replied. Sidling closer so that her scales touched his, Millie, the fire-breathing dragon, kissed Audun, the ice dragon, full on the lips. And he liked it.