Page 57 of Under Gorse and Stone

The big man smiles at me. “Ah, and I am forgetting my manners. And is this your?—?”

“My friend, Cary,” Sigurd interjects quickly.

I wonder what Breock was going to say, as the two look steadily at each other, something passing silently between them.

Then the giant nods and puts his fingers to his head in a salute. “’Tis an honour to meet you, Cary.”

“And you.” I shake my head. “Amazing.”

Breock’s laughter is as loud as a rumble of thunder. “Ah, it must be your first day in the magic world. ’Tis a curious thing.”

“You havenoidea,” I say fervently.

Sigurd and the giant laugh, and then Breock straightens. “Well, I will let you get on, dragon. You have much to do, yes?” Sigurd nods, and the giant pats the car. It’s only a gentle tap, but the whole car moves and spins, and I grab hold of the seat. “Apologies,” he booms. “Don’t know my own strength sometimes.” He carefully sets the car facing the right way. “Peace be with you both.”

“And you,” Sigurd replies.

The ground shakes as Breock walks away.

“He’s huge,” I say softly.

“He is one of the smaller of his kind.”

“Unbelievable. I saw a giant. An actualgiant.”

His mouth twitches. “He’s definitely not human. He would never fit through one of your little doors.”

“Did I see him because you took away my scales?” When he nods, I ask, “And if I still had them, what would I have seen?”

“A mere rock formation.”

“That’s amazing. He still looked a bit like a rock, though, didn’t he?”

“But of course. They come from rock and stone.”

“Are there more?”

“Not now. Breock and his wife and children are the only ones around here. I have heard of a family living on the moors near Dulverton. Giants are few and far between these days.”

“That’s sad.”

He starts the car again. “Not exactly surprising, though. Breock is the exception to his kind. I never met a more argumentative and sillier people.”

“Really?”

“They would spend most of their days arguing with other giants, throwing rocks and boulders at each other. Very tedious. And when they stopped doing that, they were forever making a nuisance of themselves, chasing humans and trying to eat them even though it would give them indigestion.” I blink. “Not to mention the old Polglase family. They were continually wading into the sea and snatching ships and eating the sailors.”

“Good grief. I’m glad I met a sensible one.”

Sigurd huffs. “Be glad you met him as an older giant. He had his fair share of mayhem in his youth.”

“And you’re going to dinner with him?”

He nods. “His wife, Wenna, is an excellent cook. Her fish pie is delicious. You’ll see.”

“I will?” I say, startled. “I’m going home soon.”

He seems to check himself. “Of course. Mayhap you will see one day.”