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“At least it is comforting to know that you will protect yourself even when you are in danger.”

She rolled her eyes at him with a disgruntled, but light, sigh.

“Once again, you bring up that I do not know how to fight.”

“What if a Dragon tries to eat you?”

“If they do not cook me first, I do not think I will care. As long as it is quick and without suffering.”

Rurik reared his head back, not expecting such an answer.

“Are you saying you do not fear death?” He didn’t know whether or not to believe her since he didn’t think she’d ever uttered a lie to him.

“I fear pain.” She met his eyes with unwavering doubt. “I fear the agony of flames, I fear the stab of a knife, the suffocation of drowning. Death is an escape from worldly senses, and all I want is to not suffer or be afraid when I am living in this world – or dying in it.”

“You do not worry if your life is cut short?”

“Why should I allow myself to care now when I will not do so on the other side?”

“You think in much the same way I do about death, and yet you do not throw yourself into danger to have such sombre thoughts.”

She gave him a soft smile, the one he often liked seeing. “I wish to be at peace, and it comes in many forms.”

As he usually did, he thought her odd. Her kind were obsessed with escaping their death and would extend their lives any way possible.

“Are you sure you are a Witch?” he asked, placing his paw across her body gently to squash her and knock the air out of her. She let out a giggle, squirming onto her side when he moved his hand. “Are you sure you are not some unknown creature to the world?”

“I have been lying to you, Dragon,” she laughed. “I am secretly a powerful goddess who has come to trick you into believing I am some feeble Witch.”

His eyes widened, and his head reared back. He raised his paw to look at it.

“Did I just step on a goddess?”

“I am jesting!” She laughed at his face, but he’d also been joking. “I am actually a troll.”

He used his paw again to press down on her, doing it lightly a few times to bounce her.

“If you have energy to joke, then you must be feeling well.”

With a grin, Rurik blew a ring of fire above his head just as she said, “Oh, no! I may be okay enough to speak, but I do not have the strength for that!”

Before he could ignore her and shift, he heard his name being yelled down the tunnel.

Just when I was having fun!Rurik gave a growl as the ring of fire dissipated into smoke before it vanished.

He was still in his Dragon body.

“Glov has annoyingly returned,” he told her, making her laughter die as she groaned in dismay.

“Must he return so frequently?”

“It appears he wishes to aggravate me regularly.” Rurik ignored his name being called again and lowered his head to sniff Amalia’s body. “You are very heavy with my scent. He will notice it.”

She raised her arms to sniff her skin. “I do not understand how your kind knows these things. I cannot smell anything.”

But his would. Although it wouldn’t cause any suspicion on its own, they would be able to smell the musk of his body on her since she lived in his lair. But no, she also smelt of his seed, which would make it obvious as to what he had been doing with her.

“Bathe. I will bring him inside while you do, so that it is not as noticeable.” She placed her feet on the floor to follow his command. “Do you need help?”