Page 31

Story: Cosmo

Not poisoned.

All in all, it seemed like it was going to be just fine.

“Did the guys send their mail-in orders?” He was in charge of internet requests, and he would make an order this week.

“Orders?” Hawk asked.

Cosmo nodded and rubbed his hands together. “We are the provider of all things naughty. Doritos. Cheetos. Chips. Chocolate. Chewing gum.” He counted all of the snacks off on his fingers. “Oh Combos. Pringles. Sour cherry balls. Oreos. Hostess Cupcakes.” Cullen cracked up this time. “They all want different kinds of hot chocolate, and Pop Rocks.”

Cosmo tilted his head. “Why do they want Pop Rocks in their hot chocolate? It’s not like you could see it.”

Corbin threw his hands wide and expansively. “Who knows the ways of dragons?” Then he shot Hawk a wicked grin. “I mean, they are mysterious, aren’t they?”

“Some would say so, yes.” Hawk smiled back, serene as a duck gliding along on top of a lake. He figured that had to be maddening for his brothers. Nothing seemed to ruffle Hawk. And honestly, if Hawk was old or as crazy as he said he was, then why should he get upset about a couple of upstart fae dragons?

That boggled his mind if he thought about it too much.

“Also, Sebby would like whatever the new Mario game is.” Sebby, who was the oldest of the huge crop of kids from the Utah clutch, had a Nintendo Switch, and he managed somehow to keep it charged, but he couldn’t get new games but through them.

“Don’t his dads worry? I mean about them somehow making the games come to life or something?” Cullen always worried. “I think I’d be careful about that sort of thing.”

Cosmo blinked over. “That couldn’t happen.”

“It might; you don’t know.” Well, Cullen did have a point.

That would be kind of cool though.

Corbin frowned. “You don’t think…”

They all three looked at Hawk, because honestly, this could become a huge problem on a lot of different levels.

Hawk blinked at them. “What?”

Cosmo started. “So video games…”

“Will the magic make them come alive?”

“Is this something that the kids could do?”

“Because if this is something they could do, that would be bad.”

“People eating mushrooms.”

“Stars that make gold bars fall out of the sky.”

“And then there’s those weird gorilla things and that ghost thing with the hat.”

“This is just bad.”

“Are we perpetuating badness?”

“People don’t eat mushrooms anymore?” Hawk looked at them like they’d lost their minds. “I think someone’s going to have to explain.”

“Which part?” Cosmo asked, even as Cullen blurted out,

“I mean, what are we going to do if all of a sudden there’s a market that shows up that’s being run by bears?”

“I’d be more concerned about the cars, guys. Sebby and Arielle racing each other with cars that can shoot things at each other. This is the problem.” Corbin’s eyes were big as saucers.