Page 141 of Spark of Sorcery

“You got one of those tasty snacks again, Thorne?” Fly asks him.

“What tasty snack?” I ask, but Thorne’s already striding on ahead, seeming to have forgotten already that my legs don’t have their usual strength.

Soon the sun’s setting above us, the last of the day’s rays racing across the sky and painting it maroon, the temperaturedropping rapidly until my breath hangs in a fog of smoke around my face.

“This is where I was attacked,” I murmur a few minutes later.

“Yes, we discovered the place,” Thorne says. “Or Dray and his nose did.”

“You’re lucky Professor Tudor found you,” Fly says as we carry on deeper into the forest, the color leeching from the sky as it darkens. “I feel really bad that I didn’t realize you hadn’t returned.”

“Hmm,” Thorne mumbles, clearly agreeing.

“It’s not your fault a bunch of psychos decided to attack me,” I say. I peer through the trees. Above the canopy the dark outline of the first of the Highland hills looms large. “I can’t believe he came this far.”

“It’s not too much further.” Thorne cups his hands and starts calling.

I follow suit and Fly places his fingers in his mouth and whistles really damn loud.

There’s a ruffle in the trees beyond us and then Blaze comes shooting through the trees like a bow from an arrow. He hurtles right at me, landing on my shoulder and attacking my face with his tongue.

A sob of relief escapes my throat. I was so worried he’d hate me – that he wouldn’t forgive me for sending him away like I did.

“Gross!” Fly says.

“He’s happy to see me,” I say, wrapping my arms around the little dragon and hugging him to me. “And I missed him too. Oh Blaze, I’m so glad you’re okay!”

I litter his scaly head in kisses of my own. He’s heavier than he was a few days ago and bigger. I roll him over onto his back, checking his body for any signs of injury.He has a few minor scratches here and there but nothing major.

“Oh you poor baby,” I say as he nuzzles his head under my chin. “Were you scared?”

“Have you seen the size of his round little tummy?” Fly says. “I bet he’s been having the time of his life!”

“Unlikely. He was all alone, and he probably thought I’d abandoned him.” I stroke my hand down his spine and he purrs. “I was just trying to keep you safe. I would never ever abandon you, Blaze. I promise.”

“You shouldn’t make promises you can’t keep,” Thorne says.

“Well, I intend to keep this one.”

“Really?” Fly asks me, “even when he’s grown to the size of our tower?”

“I’ll find a way,” I say stubbornly, even if I know they are both correct. This situation isn’t sustainable. I can keep Blaze hidden in my room for now and fed on a diet of rats and mice but that won’t last forever. He’s going to get too big, too loud and too smelly. “Come on, let’s go home.”

He wriggles from my arms and for a while he’s happy to flap alongside us as we walk back through the forest. Then he gets bored, buzzing off to chase squirrels or harass the night-time birds emerging from their nests. When we start to near the academy, where the forest begins to thin, he lands on a branch and refuses to go any further.

“Come on, Blaze. We’ve got to get back.” I beckon him over but he doesn’t move, quirking his head to one side and staring at me with his big golden eyes. I stride over to the tree he’s occupying and reach up to pluck him from the branch, but he flutters out of my reach and goes to sit on the branchabove.

“Blaze,” I say, “this isn’t funny. We can come back to the forest tomorrow.”

He makes a little whining noise at the back of his throat.

“I think he wants to stay here, Cupcake.”

“Well, he can’t!” I stamp my foot. “Blaze, come here right now.”

The dragon lowers his head and whines again.

“Fly, will you get him down?”