Page 64 of Dragon Keeper

“Nyii Tyr. Will you throw me up in the air so I can dive?”

“As long as we don’t splash your mother, dear heart. She really wants to rest.”

“We’ll be careful,” she whispered.

He chuckled softly, so in love with her bright little face. “We will. All right. Come here.”

She swam to him so he could lift her high in the air. Then she leapt up and arched in the air, coming down to cut through the water like the mini mer-dragon she was.

“Ewyrml. Love you!” Her mind was like a bright little school of fish swimming along his nerve endings, and it was amazing to watch her grow like this. Energy poured off her, and she zipped through the pool as she was meant to do so.

“I get that from Papa.”

“You do, my minnow. Your papa is an amazing swimmer. I can’t swim like that.”

“No, you’re a bee dragon. But you like waters.” She splashed, making sure it only hit him.

“I do, I really do. Of our parents, my mother was an earth dragon, and my father was a mer-dragon like you.”

“Mrain comes to visit from the ocean. But not your mnain.”

“No, she got sick. It’s been a long time ago now.” But a wasting disease had hit the dragonlands, and it seemed like so many dragons had died. So many had escaped back to the human realm. Who knows where some of them were hiding?

“Is my momma sick? Mama!” Fredda looked at her mother, her gaze full of panic, fog pouring from her. “Mama!”

“What, Fredda? What’s wrong?”

“Are you sick? Are you sick like Uncle Tyr’s mama was? Are you going to die here?”

Aleana gave him an incredulous look. “What are you telling her?”

“She asked about Mother.”

“And you thought it was appropriate to explain wasting disease?”

“No, I didn’t say that!”

“Child, I’m not going to die. I think that we’re going to have another baby.”

Fredda stopped in the water, almost like she’d hit a wall. “Another baby? No. It’s Uncle Tyr’s turn.”

“We could both be pregnant at the same time. Don’t shake your head.”

“No! No now is for Uncle Tyr; you tell the baby not now. After then it can come, but not now.”

Aleana laughed, opening her arms. “Come here, you silly child. You get so upset.”

“I don’t like my mama to die.”

“No, I can tell you that’s very hard.”

“Where’s your mama?”

“Baby, Uncle Tyr and I have the same mama. That’s why he’s your ewyrm.” Aleana stroked Fredda’s hair.

“So your momma died a long time ago? I don’t like this.”

“Well, you don’t have to worry about it right now.” His sister glared at him over Fredda’s head.Seriously, I cannot believe that you discussed this with her.