Page 5 of The Baby Dragon Cafe (The Baby Dragon #1)

Chapter 5

A iden walked out of the cafe and into the cool night. Even though it was spring now, the evenings were still chilly. A shiver ran down his spine, and he told himself it was from the weather and not the guilt needling his insides.

He tipped his head back and sighed. His eyes took in the sparkling stars studded into the velvety night. The shine of them made him think of the twinkle in Saphira’s eyes, how she’d lit up when she opened the door to him. Well, he was sure she was only happy to see Sparky, not him, but even if her sunlight wasn’t directed at him, he could still feel the warmth of its rays.

Which only made him feel all the more guilty to think of how the light had dimmed from her face when he said he was leaving. The memory almost made him turn around now, but he kept moving forward, walking down Main Street, then toward the hills where the little cottage he called home was.

The less he was involved, the better. For one thing, Aiden would only be a hindrance because Sparky didn’t even like him. The last thing he needed was for Saphira to see how hopeless—how clueless—he was with his own baby dragon, while she was such a natural.

As for the rider–dragon bond: he knew Saphira was right. It was important. But he also knew he couldn’t bond with Sparky because of what it would mean. Aiden fiddled with the signet ring on his left hand. It had a dark basalt stone in the center, alongside the Sterling family crest.

If Aiden bonded with Sparky, that would mean that once Sparky matured, Aiden would have to ride him. Bonded dragons grew depressed if their riders neglected them, especially young dragons. Dragons whose riders had passed away usually bonded with another family member, while elder dragons were content to retire.

A young dragon like Sparky would need his rider. While dragon riding was a beautiful and harmonious practice, some families did not stop with simply riding—they raced, which had long been an outlawed sport due to the danger it posed for both the dragons and their riders.

Unfortunately, the Sterlings were the forerunners of dragon racing. It was an open secret in the valley that every Sterling received their own dragon egg at age twenty-one, trained them, then got into racing. Aiden had never wanted to, which was why he’d never received a dragon to begin with, but his brother had.

Danny had been a champion racer—a true credit to the Sterling name.

It was something Aiden never understood—how could Danny participate in something so dangerous? Just for fun?

“It isn’t dangerous if you know how to fly,” Danny would always respond whenever Aiden protested.

He’d say it with his signature look: a gleam in his dark eyes, his messy hair perpetually askew from the wind, a smirk tilting his lips. Danny had perfected the devil-may-care attitude.

He was always so full of life, and he especially loved the thrill of dragon racing, something Aiden never could relate to, nor approve of.

Danny always liked danger, and it was the end of him. Danny did not die while racing, but while on a mission rescuing a nest of chimeras from a forest fire.

But Aiden wasn’t as brave as Danny—he knew that if he bonded with Sparky, he would be pressured into joining the races that were his family’s pride and joy, and Aiden wouldn’t have the strength to refuse. Not with Danny gone. Someone needed to defend the good Sterling name.

His younger sister was too young to have a dragon of her own at the moment, but Aiden would do whatever it took to make sure Ginny never got involved with racing, either.

Which left Aiden.

When Danny died and Aiden found out that Danny had left Aiden a dragon egg from his own dragon, a great basalta named Cinder, who had passed away with Danny, Aiden had no intentions of ever hatching that egg. He also had no intentions of giving the baby dragon up, for it was all he had left of his brother, after all. Aiden was content with doing nothing—he wasn’t particularly focused on the dragon egg and its future, anyway, not when his only brother and best friend was dead.

Aiden was too sad to do anything, and it didn’t matter. Dragon eggs were perfectly fine if they weren’t hatched right away, but they did need to be taken care of so the egg wasn’t damaged, a task he had left up to his parents and their extensive team of dragon caretakers.

Drakkon families always had numerous dragon eggs in their stores, so each family member could have a dragon of their own when they came of age. Genevieve would soon take one of her choosing to hatch when she turned twenty-one in two years. Aiden never chose one, and had no intention of doing so; his family had often tried to persuade him to change his mind, but he never did—not even when Danny had left one specifically for him over two years ago.

Then, six months ago, Aiden received a call to inform him that his dragon egg had hatched, and it was time to decide. He had been upset, but his parents told him quite gently that the egg had hatched on its own, something which apparently happened from time to time. Aiden didn’t know enough about dragon lore to dispute their claim, but he was suspicious they had meddled a little in the matter (as overbearing parents did) in order to force him to make a decision.

He either had to give the baby to the family, or train it himself.

Well, he sure as hell wasn’t going to give the dragon up, so he surprised them all by choosing to raise the dragon himself—which had been his own personal hell these past few months.

Until he met Saphira—a beacon of light in the darkness. With Saphira in his life, Aiden felt everything would work out.

As long as he kept focused on what was important: Sparky. With Saphira training him, Sparky would be alright and, more importantly, he would be safe . Away from the Sterlings, away from racing. It was why Aiden needed to stay out of it—it was best for all of them.

Aiden needed Sparky to be alright, even if he didn’t particularly love the little monster. It was why he hadn’t given Sparky up to any number of his cousins or family members—Sparky was all Aiden had left of Danny. Sparky was Danny’s dragon Cinder’s egg, and Danny loved Cinder deeply; the pair had one of the deepest rider–dragon bonds that Aiden had ever seen.

Aiden would not let the baby dragon get caught up in all the danger of racing.

Sparky was in good hands with Saphira. As Aiden made his way home, he recalled how she had smothered Sparky with kisses, how affectionate and bright she was. He admired that about her.

Aiden was so used to being closed off that it was jarring to see someone be so open, so free. It could make even a man like him want to stick around, if only a bit of her light could shine on him.

He had almost done it, too, when she had asked him to stay with her big brown eyes, but he had to be firm. Racing was dangerous because dragons got too excited and bloodthirsty. The race usually ended with either one of the riders or the dragons or both being injured, if not dying. Which was why it was illegal, but of course Drakkon families had their particular protected interests.

With a start, Aiden realized he was home, standing in front of his door. Sometimes he got so deep in his own head, he forgot about everything else around him. Usually he enjoyed the winding road that led up to his cottage, taking in the sight of all the leaves returning to the trees, the buds that would soon bloom. But he hadn’t noticed any of them today, he was so lost in thought.

Pulling out his keys, Aiden let himself into his home, inhaling the smell of mint. He had a bunch of mint plants all around the house; mint tea was very calming for him. Aiden was not a big coffee drinker, which was why he had been surprised that morning when he had genuinely enjoyed the concoction Saphira had made for him. (Distantly, he wondered if it was the coffee, or just her, that had appealed to him so greatly.)

Setting down the keys on the front table, Aiden turned on the lights, revealing the comforts of his home. He liked to keep the place clean, which was why it was sparsely decorated with the necessary furniture and some potted plants.

There was a bit of a mess toward the dining table, he noticed, courtesy of Sparky this morning, who had not been happy to leave Saphira’s cafe and return home with Aiden. Sparky had sent all of Aiden’s mail flying this way and that, and Aiden picked up the stray envelopes now, setting them down in a neat pile atop the table.

With a sigh, he looked around. His home was quiet, and it felt eerie. Aiden had scarcely had a moment of peace since Sparky was hatched. He decided to revel in it, and went to the kitchen, pulling out ingredients to make himself dinner.

Aiden cooked in peace, making a chicken and rice dish that he hadn’t made in a long while. Usually with Sparky jumping from one corner of the house to the next, Aiden was resigned to making quick meals and eating them even more quickly before Sparky caused some sort of lasting damage.

After he finished cooking, Aiden sat down and ate his food. As he did, he looked around his little home, a strange feeling in his chest. He had been expecting to enjoy this, but instead he felt … lonely.

And when he felt lonely, he missed his brother. Like a toothache you could ignore all day when you were out and about, talking and laughing, but that hurt all the more the moment you lay down to sleep, the pain suddenly underscored in the silence.

Whenever Aiden missed Danny, he always felt guilty, too, for all those times Aiden would get irritated or impatient with his brother. Danny was always hyper—a bit like Sparky—and sometimes (okay, maybe a lot of the time) Aiden just wanted some peace and quiet. He wouldn’t want to hang out with Danny, go out on some grand adventure—he just wanted to stay home.

And now that Danny was gone, Aiden thought of all those times he could have simply said yes. All those times he could have sucked it up and spent time with his brother. His best friend.

Maybe he should stick around when Saphira trained Sparky.

Usually Aiden didn’t enjoy being around people, especially new people, but there was something inexplicable about her. The way she looked at him, curious. He thought she might actually see him and understand, if he would let her.

He didn’t have to bond with Sparky … Sparky could still be safe. He could just watch! He was more interested in the trainer than the dragon, anyway.

The doorbell rang, interrupting his thoughts. His heart leapt painfully, and he clutched a hand to his chest. Was it her? Conjured from his thoughts?

Aiden stood and went straight for the door, his heart pounding. But when he opened the door, he saw someone else entirely.

It was his cousin, Emmeline.

“Oh.” He deflated. “What are you doing here?”

“Hiya,” she said, kissing his cheek, seemingly ignoring his dour mood. In a cloud of perfume, she let herself in, her heels clicking on the floor. Aiden closed the door behind her as she took off her coat to reveal an expensive-looking silk dress.

Her eyes were lined with kohl, and her lips were painted with blood-red lipstick. To the naked eye, she looked as if she had just come back from a glitzy party, but he knew her well enough to know this was just a regular day for her.

She hung up her coat, then turned to him with a dazzling smile. “Gee, it’s great to see you too! I’m well, thanks for asking. Yes, of course I’ll have some dinner, that’s so sweet! What did you make?”

Emmeline made her way to the table, sitting in Aiden’s seat. She tossed her long black hair back, then began eating from his plate, which was pretty much untouched. Aiden had been too distracted by his thoughts to focus on eating.

Grabbing a second plate, Aiden served another portion for himself, then sat down next to Emmeline at the table. Neither of them was really annoyed with the other; they were accustomed to the other’s nature.

Besides, Aiden didn’t really have friends—since he and Danny had been only a year apart, Aiden never needed friends because he always had Danny—but Emmy was the only one of his many cousins he was close with.

“Ooh, this is good,” Emmeline said. Then, she looked around. “Where’s Spark? Asleep?”

“No.”

“Okaaaaay.” Emmeline paused, waving her fork around. “Where is he? What’s going on? You haven’t been picking up anyone’s calls, so I’ve been sent to check in on you, being your favorite cousin, and all.”

“Don’t tell Oliver,” Aiden said, referencing one of their cousins.

Emmeline rolled her eyes, stabbing a piece of chicken with her fork. “Ollie knows his place. And if he doesn’t, I will be sure to remind him of it.”

That got a little smile out of Aiden. Despite being a year younger than him, Emmeline was incredibly strong-willed and bossy.

“Back to the important stuff: where’s Sparky-Pie?”

“With a trainer, actually,” Aiden replied. “First day.”

Emmeline’s face lit up with intrigue. “A trainer? That’s an interesting development.”

“Yeah.” This response earned him another eye-roll.

“The monosyllabic responses aren’t cutting it. I need details.”

So Aiden told her about last night—how Saphira had been so good with Sparky, how she could clearly use the extra cash, and how he could clearly use the extra help. Asking her to train Sparky seemed like the easiest solution to all those problems.

Aiden didn’t find anything strange about the arrangement he had created, but Emmeline reacted so enthusiastically, he was concerned. She practically cackled.

“Why are you being weird?” He frowned. “Please don’t.”

“I love Saphira,” she said, ignoring his request. “I supply her coffee, but of course, you already know that.”

“Yeah.”

“She’s sooooo sweet and nice and cute .” She gave him a pointed look, which he ignored. “She really is ace with the baby dragons. I’ve seen her at the cafe, and she’s amazing. So patient and kind and cheery! You wouldn’t expect it, given all she’s been through, and how she’s doing everything alone.”

“Oh.” What had she been through? Why was she alone? Aiden was desperate for more information, but didn’t want to seem like he was, or Emmeline would never stop being a menace about it.

“She doesn’t have any family around?” he asked. Aiden did not keep up to date with everyone in town—he hardly kept up to date with his extended family’s situations.

“Nope,” Emmeline replied, taking a sip of water. “She was raised by her grandmother, who recently passed away. Her only family left, I think. Saphira used the inheritance to open up the cafe.”

“Are you guys close?” Aiden asked. Emmeline was a social butterfly, friends with everyone, but not super close with anyone—except for family—from what Aiden could tell.

“I definitely like her a lot more than I like some other townspeople,” Emmeline said, responding after considering his question for a moment. “And she’s the only person in town who knows how to make a proper chai, so I can go into the cafe every few days for a fix.”

Which meant that they were friends; if Emmeline didn’t like Saphira, she wouldn’t be a regular at the cafe.

“When I started working with her, I made it my business to do a thorough background check and get details,” Emmeline continued, “but the inheritance thing, Saphira told me herself—basically everyone knows. You can tell from the cafe, as well, the touches that are an ode to her grandma—just pay attention next time. Even some of the recipes, like the karak chai and Kashmiri tea, are from her Nani-Ma.”

“I was paying attention,” Aiden grumbled. Though he had been paying more attention to her than the cafe.

Emmeline gave him a knowing look, as if reading his thoughts. He glared.

The cafe was an extension of Saphira—he would do better to remember it next time he visited.

It was no wonder she was so determined to see the cafe succeed.

“What about her parents?” Aiden asked.

Emmeline lifted and dropped a shoulder. “Not sure about the dad; he was never part of the picture, I don’t think.”

“And her mother?”

Emmeline’s dark eyes widened. “That’s where it gets really juicy … her mother died during a race.”

“Fuck,” Aiden breathed. It was so common for people to die from the races, that even if Aiden had ever heard of Saphira’s mother’s passing, her name would have been one of many.

“I know,” Emmeline replied, sitting back and blowing out her cheeks. “Her mother got the dragon from a poacher, and you know how those things go.”

People who weren’t part of Drakkon families had a tough time acquiring dragons of their own because it was so expensive, and it wasn’t just about money—dragons were highly exclusive. Even with money, they were hard to procure, which was why those who were keen turned to the black market.

“What type was it?” Aiden asked.

“Opala,” Emmeline replied.

Aiden was glad it wasn’t a basalta; the Sterlings were the Drakkon family in charge of the basalta breed. The opalas were managed by the Cartwrights, and Aiden knew even if Saphira’s mother had the money, the Cartwrights wouldn’t have sold to her. They were picky about who they let into their little Drakkon club.

Dragons on the black market were even harder to tame because, more often than not, they had been kidnapped and kept in bad conditions until they were broken in by the poacher, then made fit to sell.

When a dragon and their rider were not properly bonded, the race never went well, which must have been what happened to Saphira’s mother.

“You know what everyone says about non-Drakkon riders,” Emmeline continued, shaking her head.

Aiden did know, and it was nothing nice. He was aware it mostly came from a place of snobbery and classism because non-Drakkon riders weren’t ancestral riders, but unfortunately there was also some truth to how non-Drakkons—who weren’t born and raised around dragons, with generations of knowledge to guide them—couldn’t ride as well, which normally wouldn’t matter. However, in the races, where even skilled riders were in danger, not having the proper technique could be deadly.

The whole culture fed into itself. Drakkon families held the money, power, and fame, so some non-Drakkons thought if they could get ahead in the races, they would receive the same respect and social standing, which was why they tried—maybe why Saphira’s mother tried, as well—but it hardly ever boded well, only further reaffirming the Drakkons’ belief of superiority and entitlement.

“It’s all such nasty business,” Aiden said, scowling. He had always hated dragon racing, but the idea that it had hurt Saphira so personally made him hate it in an entirely new way he couldn’t quite put into words.

“I agree it’s wretched,” Emmeline said, shrugging. “But that’s the way it is—what can we do about it?”

Worry needled through Aiden. “Does Saphira know?” he asked. “About her mother?”

Emmeline shook her head. “Don’t think so. You know the racing gossip tends to stay private, like the races.”

Aiden swore under his breath. He needed to protect Saphira from this knowledge; it would only hurt her. And he seriously needed to stay away from her, too.

Dragon racing was what killed Saphira’s mother, and if Saphira found out his family was involved in that very business, she wouldn’t be pleased at all. The last thing he wanted was for her to hate him.

And that was the original plan anyway— to stay away.

But then why did he feel so damn disappointed?