David had seen a few dragon houses with porches, but it was fascinating to see so many houses with the structure so close together. He sat outside on the smoothed wood, looking towards the sky. 

He had used to climb the trees to see the stars above the canopy. The stars looked the same. 

He started trying to count them, something he hadn't done since his father had started teaching him how to steal. 

"David, it's late. You need to rest."

Wrapping his coat tighter around his body, David glanced at Mr. Derek. David wasn't tired at all. He had slept the other night. Why would he need to sleep tonight? The previous sleep he had gotten wasn't a lot of sleep; they'd woken him up at the wrong time he only got something like nine hours of sleep instead of the full 24, but it was good enough.

Did the humans sleep every night? Why would you ever need that much sleep?

"David, you look confused. You do understand what sleep is right?" A touch of annoyance made David look away. He took another glance at the stars. He had lost count.

"I can find my room." David stood up and entered the house ducking under Mr. Derek's arm.

Mr. Derek closed the wooden door. 

***

David stared at the food in front of him.

"David, you need to eat." Mr. Derek said. 

David swallowed. He didn't think he could eat. No, he definitely couldn't. He'd eaten yesterday. "I'm full." He'd gotten better at mimicking the human accent, though the words still felt odd in his mouth.

"Honey, you haven't eaten anything. You can't be full." Ms. Derek put her hand on his shoulder. "Is there something wrong with the food?"

David shook his head and made a note that he would need to eat in small portions, to keep up appearances. David winced, knowing his stomach would hurt after eating another meal so soon.

"We have apple pie for dessert when you're done." Mr. Derek settled himself at the table too.

"Apple pie?" David glanced up, grateful for the distraction.

"Yeah, never had that, kid?" Mr. Derek smiled. 

"Oh, don't tease him. He needs to eat." Ms. Derek rolled her eyes. "David, don't look so worried. Food isn't going to kill you."

"Tomorrow, we are going to take part in Ildet." Mr. Derek pointed his fork at David. "You'll like that. You being so quiet and all."

"Ildet?" David pushed the plate of food an inch farther away.

Ms. Derek nodded. "Once a month we honor the Shape Shifters. In three weeks, we have Gondra. It's a huge celebration. We might have guests over." She glanced at Mr. Derek. "My friends have been dying to meet David."

Mr. Derek shrugged. "For Gondra? Sure they can come."

"David," Ms. Derek pushed his plate back towards him. "If you want any pie, you're going to have to eat."

He nodded quickly, "I don't really want any pie. Can I not eat?"

"Don't waste food." Mr. Derek said pointedly. 

David swallowed and glanced at the tapestry getting hit by rays of light from the windows. Dragons built homes with holes in the wall if they wanted windows; the humans encased themselves fully, even sealing the windows with glass. David's mind started spinning. The entire room just seemed so... wrong. Bricks on the walls, and a hard wooden floor. Straw beds, and coins, and market day once a month.

He'd gotten used to it all already. He'd gotten used to it far too fast. 

"I feel sick." David pushed himself away from the table.

"Well—" Ms. Derek started.

Mr. Derek cut her off. "Let him go. The kid's probably still going through a lot."

"But..." Ms. Derek's voice trailed off. 

David jumped out of his chair and ran into his room, but there was no escape there. His breathing became quick and he couldn't think. He couldn't hear his own thoughts. He forced himself to take slow, deep breaths. He forced himself to close his eyes and pretend it wasn't there.

Who was screaming? 

The Shape Shifters. It was their fault. It was all their fault. 

He jerked his eyes open. The screaming stopped. His breathing returned to normal. 

Smaller portion sizes. He would eat smaller portion sizes.

***

Ildet came. Mr. and Ms. Derek told David it took place in the home. Ms. Derek sat on the floor in the front room, while Mr. Derek took the bedroom. David had chosen to stick with Ms. Derek.

"What do I do?" David asked as she sat on the floor. 

She smiled. "Breathe, and pray, David. You do know of the Shape Shifters don't you?" 

David hesitated and then nodded. 

"I don't know of a child who doesn't." She closed her eyes. "Relax, David. Trust in the Shape Shifters."

David watched her for a moment. This was like the praying his father had taught him. 

David closed his own eyes, but David saw only the bodies of his parents in the darkness of his own mind. He squeezed his eyes tighter.

A scream. It sounded like it was coming from right next to him. 

He jerked his eyes open. Ms. Derek was still sitting with her back straight, her own eyes closed.

David stared at the wall behind her.

He waited for it to be over. 

***

"Oh, Prudence, this is an absolutely splendid tapestry. I think I saw it in February for 5 coins. Didn't think it looked right, but it must have been the cold weather." The woman who spoke was shorter than Ms. Derek. David watched her from across the room.

David didn't like them, the people who had come over for Gondra. They all seemed to like the one short woman though. They had called her Sheryl. 

Ms. Derek smiled but didn't respond to the statement. "The meal is almost ready."

"Oh, I'm sure it is." A second woman jumped in. She was taller than Ms. Derek. "And your meals are always wonderful, Prudence. Thanks for inviting us to your celebration."

"David, do you know the story of Tezra Vouge?" One of the women asked. 

David nearly jumped but shook his head, swallowing. 

"Oh, my dear, did you pick up one who can't talk?" The woman who had admired the tapestry sat down at the table next to David.

David looked down and leaned away from the stranger.

"Sheryl, please, don't talk about the boy like that." Ms. Derek put a bowl of steaming soup in front of each of her guests.

"Oh, my word. It looks absolutely splendid." A third woman, David hadn't heard much from, raised a spoon to her eye and seemed to inspect the silverware for something. 

David glanced at the bowl Ms. Derek had slipped him. Across the table, Mr. Derek leaned on his elbow and sipped on his soup. He hadn't said much this entire time. 

Wanting a distraction, David took a spoonful. It burnt the roof of his mouth. Trying not to spit it out, he forced himself to swallow the burning liquid. He winced as the soup ran down his throat. It didn't matter, he couldn't eat the whole bowl, anyway.

He took another spoonful, counting carefully; he estimated ten spoons. He didn't pay attention to the conversation happening around him. When he'd finished he pushed the bowl away from him.

"Well, my, he hardly ate anything. Is he okay?" 

He didn't look up to see which woman had spoken. 

Ms. Derek took the bowl from David and put his soup back into the cauldron she'd brought in from outside. "He hasn't been getting any thinner. I think he's fine."

"Tisk, tisk. He's a growing boy. I think you shouldn't let him starve himself." 

Again David didn't want to know who had spoken. 

Ms. Derek smiled, after sitting back down again. "You have lovely thoughts, Sheryl. Forgive me if I ignore them."

David ducked his head lower. He waited for the day to be over.

***

After the three women left, Mr. Derek slammed the front door and leaned his head against it. David shrank in his chair. It must have been his fault. 

Ms. Derek put her arms around her husband. "Is there something wrong?"

"I just wish sometimes that they got an express route to Faré. I don't know why you're friends with them." Mr. Derek made a fist and slammed it on the door. He glanced at David. One of the man's eyes looked like it was turning coal black. He blinked and it was gone. "I'm sorry. I'm just stressed. It's work."

He let his shoulders drop and he walked over to the table. After sitting down, he covered his face with his hands.

"I thought you volunteered to observe the prince's studies?" Ms. Derek sat down next to her husband. "Why would..."

Interested to know what Mr. Derek did during the day, David snuck a glance at the man. 

"Some of the things the tutor says..." Mr. Derek met David's eyes. "Some of the things he does... some of the things he does to that boy aren't right. And I can't say anything about it. Like my mouth won't..." He shook his head. "Stress. That's all it is. I'm sorry. I'll just call it a night." He gave Ms. Derek a peck on the cheek.

Standing and walking towards his room, Mr. Derek rubbed David's hair. "Have a good night, kid."