Page 5 of When the Baker Met the Dragon

“The queen’s library has information on dragon shifters?”

“Just the record of that site. Sadly, I haven’t found a single other mention of your kind in any library I’ve visited. But the old castle’s construction documents were signed by a landowner named Dragorian Sunscale, and his kind designation was dragon shifter, as per the king’s scribe at the time.”

“Hell of a name.”

“It is! I plan to do some researching while I’m in town. Would you like to go with me?”

A chill dances down my back. “You don’t mean to the ruins, do you?”

“Of course.”

“That area is cursed.”

Chapter 3

Cyrus

Ipush away from the table and stand to leave. “You don’t want to mess around that site, let me tell you. The last person to give it a whirl died of a heart attack the very next day. We have a whole list of folks who have suffered various ailments after sticking their noses in whatever dark magic haunts that place.”

He’s rubbing his beard and looking off toward the rest of the patrons. “I didn’t realize that.”

“Aye, it’s not a good idea. But thanks for the information. How long are you here?” I’m only trying to be polite. He doesn’t seem to know any more than I do.

“A few days. Maybe more. It depends on a few variables with regard to my traveling party. We are off to the seaside villages for some fishing soon.”

“Sounds nice,” I say. “You stay away from those ruins, all right? I don’t want your death on my hands.”

DeFleurtis’s face clouds. “When you put it like that, it certainly paints a picture.”

“Good. Want another ale? It’s on the house.”

“You’ve given us too much on the house already. I’ll come up and pay for this next one.”

As he stands, I slap his shoulder in a neighborly way. “You’re not half bad, human.”

He laughs, looking a little nervous. “I mind my manners around folks who can breathe fire.”

“Smart.”

I head back to the bar and greet a stag shifter who comes through town every spring.

“Good day, Thanale. Want your usual?”

“Hi, Cyrus. Aye, thanks.”

I pour him a pint of Grumlin’s spring ale and hand it over. The retired wizard cooks this batch up each year alongside the brewer. It has fruity notes to it, but it isn’t overly sweet or acidic. They do a good job with the stuff. Thanale pushes a couple coins across the rough wood grain.

“How has living in the human realm been, Thanale?” I am impressed he chose to cross over after he married a human three years back. “It has to be a real adjustment.”

He takes a swig of his ale, then wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. His antlers stretch across three stool spots. “It’s wild. The humans are even more curious about us as we are of them.”

“I bet it’s not easy being in a crowd and having those to deal with.”

“Probably as challenging as those wings would be,” he says, eyeing the tucked wings that peek over my shoulders.

I nod and pour myself a cup of the spring ale. He lifts his to mine and we toast to the weather. Everyone is happy to see spring arrive, especially after that crazy thundersnow we had this winter. Turns out, it was pretty widespread and ended up in the human town criers’ reports.

Kaya must have left because I don’t see her anywhere. The hatch-marked candle holder on the wall shows that it’s nearly time for me to head back to her bakery to help out. A flutterof excitement dances through me at the thought of being alone with her in her kitchen.