“I appreciate what you’ve done for me and my attendants, but I must let you know now that I have a duty to return them to their home. I cannot stay here for long.” Though, I really did owe him my life and the lives of the others. I couldn’t leave without giving him some token of my appreciation. “But I can leave you with these.” I clamped my beak on the shaft of a wing feather, fully prepared to yank it out. It wasn’t like I needed my flight feathers, since I couldn’t fly with riders anyway. 

“Stop,” Garoth shouted and threw up all four arms. 

I stiffened. “What?”

“Phoenixes are sacred to our people. Forcing an injured phoenix to relinquish her life-magic would be sacrilegious.”

I let go of my feather and glanced at the woman with him. No doubt he was trying to save face in front of his attendant. “You stabbed me. Isn’t that sacrilegious?”

“Yes, extremely so. If they knew what I did to you, they would bury me alive as a sacrifice.” Breathing heavily, he lowered his arms to his side. “Unfortunately, it couldn’t be helped. My staff was empty, and I had no other way to transport a two-keton dragon all the way back to the village. Had I left you behind to seek assistance, Frozen Tooth would have captured you.”

I couldn’t deny that an egg was significantly easier to transport than a dragon, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t working for Frozen Tooth. “How’d you get away from Frozen Tooth if your staff was empty?”

He smiled. “I didn’t tell him that my staff was empty. Centuries of altercations with the staff-holders have taught him to be wary of our abilities.”

Though he seemed convinced that was true, I couldn’t help but think something else was going on. The idea that a stone-type dragon hadn’t been able to sense when an enchanted stone staff had run out of magic—it was suspect, to say the least. It wouldn’t have surprised me if Frozen Tooth had let Garoth take me so he wouldn’t have to risk handling my egg with his enormous pincers. Now I was hatched and whole again, who could tell what Frozen Tooth would do next?

“Are you sure of that?”

Garoth’s smile faltered. “Do you have reason to doubt his wariness?”

“Dragons can sense magic. We can smell it, especially if it’s our element-type. Maybe he didn’t pick it up at a distance, but I doubt it. If he turned back, he didn’t do it because he was afraid.”

“Frozen Tooth is an old dragon, powerful but nearly deaf and with a poor sense of smell.”Chuckling, he shook his head. “Besides, the staffs were crafted by dragons to protect these lands. They are a force to be reckoned with.”

“Maybe when they’re working at full capacity, but-”

“You’re a hatchling. I don’t expect you to properly comprehend the power wielded by an adult dragon.” He shook his head again. “No, I’m sure he has every reason to fear us.”

“I’m not a hatchling.” I tried to stand in protest, but my shaky legs kept me grounded. “And even if I were, aren’t I a goddess to your people? Even hatchling goddesses aren’t weak.”

He knocked his knuckles against his horn. “You’re young enough that you haven’t pair-bonded. Even had you been a borin like myself, you would be young.”

I blushed, remembering Shade’s many cautionary lessons on pair-bonding. Phoenix dragons mated for life, and they formed emotional and magical ties relatively easily. Those magical ties triggered color changes in both phoenixes’ crests, a change that was obviously nonexistent in my own crest. 

Before I could protest that not having pair-bonded didn’t mean I was a hatchling, he added, “Besides, we both know you aren’t a true deity. No dragon is. My studies in the capital taught me that, while your varied species are powerful, none is all-powerful. You come into the world as helpless and foolish as my own kind. I have lived five decades on this planet. And you? Have you lived half as long?”

“No, but-” I paused. “If you don’t think I’m a goddess, why did you risk opposing Frozen Tooth to save me?”

He furrowed his brows. “Unfortunately, the people have become worried that the ‘god’ Frozen Tooth will unleash his wrath on them. They need reassurance that they are safe. You will give them that reassurance.”

“But I don’t speak their language. How am I supposed to reassure them of anything?”

“You needn’t say anything to convince them, merely stand up behind me in a show of support while I address the people tomorrow morning when the hunters return. After which, you would be more than free to continue on your way.” He clapped his upper hands together. “Now, will you do it?”

I couldn’t see much harm in standing up while he told everyone not to worry about the murderous dragon on their doorstep. At least, no harm to myself. His people, on the other hand… 

“And if you’re wrong and Frozen Tooth is planning something? From what I can tell, you’re defenseless without the staff, and I can’t fight him off.”

“That is none of your concern, hatchling.”

I bit back a snarl, because he was right in a way. His people weren’t my responsibility. If he wanted to lead them stupidly, who was I to oppose him? And, as much as I disliked the idea, this show of bravado he was putting on might’ve been just that—a show. I was a stranger to him, maybe even a threat if Frozen Tooth attacked his village because I was here. He had no reason to be entirely truthful with me, especially not if he thought telling me his plans might mean Frozen Tooth caught wind of them. 

At least, I hoped he had some secret plan to keep his village from getting eaten.

“Okay, I’ll do it. Just- my friends can’t handle the cold as well as I can. Let them keep their winter gear. Please.” 

“Certainly. I could hardly take away the clothing of a goddess’s attendants.” Grinning, he added, “I’ve had the seamstresses working on more fitted garments for your two-armed friends. Before you leave, they will be well-outfitted for the cold. Now, you must be starving after your healing sleep. Do you prefer jerky or fresh meat?” 

I shrugged my wings, still not wanting to rock the boat too much. “I prefer fresh, but I’ll take jerky if it’s too much of an inconvenience.”

“No, no, it’s no inconvenience at all. How would you like it cooked?”

Frowning at his sudden hospitality, I shrugged again. “Raw.”

“Of course.” He said something to the borin woman in their language, and she darted out of the tent. He looked back at me, a hint of smugness in his smile. “Would you like anything else?”

“No, just- I mean, yeah, actually I’d like some more water and some charcoal if you have it.” On second thought, I hadn’t seen any trees around here—but I did hear some large animal lowing in the distance, so I shuddered to think what their charcoal might be made of. “Scrap the charcoal. Just raw meat and water.”

“As you wish, young goddess.” He clapped his upper hands and ducked out of the tent. 

Aster, who had scooted over to sit with his back against the tent support, glared at Garoth’s departure. “Good news or bad news?”

“Good, I guess. He’ll help us out if I make the people think he’s supported by a goddess, which shouldn’t be too difficult, seeing as they think I am one.” The feather I’d started to pull out drew my attention, as it was out of place and made me look ruffled I spent a few moments smoothing down the feather and making sure the barbs lay perfectly parallel down its length. 

It wasn’t the only feather out of place, either. As soon as I noticed, it was like an itch I had to scratch. I started to preen each of my feathers with my beak, laying each one perfectly in line from my fluffy neck to the feathery fan at the end of my streamlined tail. I couldn’t reach my head with my beak, obviously, but if I tucked it under my chest, I could reach it with my slender arms. Most of it, at least. My head crest was just out of reach. 

Aster made a noise like he was trying not to laugh. “Need some help?”

I wanted to say no, but I needed my feathers preened this instant, and my arms weren’t about to get any longer. “Yes. Just the top.” I raised my head to the height of his chest.

He stroked my beaked snout, flattening the feathers along my forehead and through my crest. I relaxed instinctively and pushed back against his hand. 

“This okay?” he asked. 

“It’s great.” I let my eyes close as he ran his fingers through my crest. It was like being a little girl again, sitting on the edge of the bed while my mom brushed my hair. Only, she wasn’t my mom, not really. Other adopted parents chose their children, but mine hadn’t. I’d been dropped off on their doorstep by a dream parasite who manipulated them into taking me in. Mom, Dad, Izzy—they were all a happy nest with a cuckoo bird plopped in their midst. If they knew the truth, none of them would want me back.