Harper

Narcisse was already waiting for me.

The older dragon sat in front of my parents' den and stared at me disgruntled. His white scales shimmered dazzlingly in the sunlight.

'Harper!' His voice thundered in my head.

'Narcisse.' I would probably receive a big scolding now. I ran to Remy's family and asked Narcisse for help. I needed ointment and bandages and stuff like that. For Lou. And I didn't have any money to buy all this. Apart from the fact that I knew very little about how to treat a human's wound. What I knew, I had heard while listening to a conversation between the pompous witcher and his three nuisances. And I didn't want to intimidate humans again to get what I wanted. I could get myself into more trouble for that than if I asked Narcisse for help. Narcisse, Renan, and Basil were all in town to discuss something with their wizard.

Remy. I didn't have a good feeling about him. This Remy smelled funny. And there was often something ominous about his gaze. Unlike Lou. Lou smelled good. Sweet.

'Young dragons have no place in the Human City. You know that!' Narcisse growled, flapping his wings angrily.

I nodded and lowered my dragon head submissively. He was, after all, the older one. 'I know. But I wanted to help.'

'Someone named Vivi, yes. That's what you said. How come you know a human? And you have also conversed with the cursed one. Harper! I've heard about it. You’re the dragon that was spotted in the city!'

'I pulled him out of a sandstorm!', I replied truthfully, trying to sneak past him. Into my parents' cave. Narcisse spread his wings, blocking my way.

'That's one thing. But why are you hanging around the city now? And seek him out again? Do you like trouble? I heard about the incident in which you scared several people. The boy's sister even saw you in a vision.'

'They have', I was about to protest, but Narcisse growled menacingly.

'They’ve obeyed their laws. The boy is considered cursed. We don't interfere. This is one of our laws. You don't have a contract with a magical, and you're too young to fully understand the danger you've exposed the humans to with your visit. Harper! You're almost a child. Only seventeen! I've already talked to your parents. You won’t go back there. And this Vivi... Is she a witch? Or is she also an ordinary mortal? Don't meet them anymore.' Then he flew off to the skies. I looked after him, pouting.

Vivi and Lou are the same person. And Lou is neither a girl nor a witch! I rolled my eyes and entered my parents' cave. My siblings weren't there, nor was my mother, but my father was. He looked at me even more angrily than Narcisse.

'Do you want to scold me, too?', I asked, letting my wings droop.

'No. The Cursed... That's the boy you rescued the other day?'

I nodded. 'Yes. I call him Vivi.' I made myself comfortable next to my father. He put one of his wings around me.

'A new friend, then?'

I nodded.

'You can't see him anymore.'

'Dad!' I pressed my muzzle against his scales. 'They treat him badly! Really lousy!'

'I know. But what if you get hungry? You know the danger!' My father rubbed his head against mine. 'Even if Narcisse doesn't want to believe it, you can assess the danger very well. And also your own stupidity! My dear, stupid boy.'

'Better stupid than cruel!' I hissed softly.

'Is he this important to you? This human?'

'Yes. Very...' I pressed myself even closer to his scales. 'Vivi is so... I can't leave him to himself and these people. And I certainly won't EAT him! Or any person there.' Unless they deserve it... 'I promise.'

My father smirked and nudged me with his muzzle. 'We’re dragons, my child. They are human beings.'

'I know.'

'Is he a wizard? Do you have a covenant? You're too young for that... I think...' He sniffed me skeptically. 'No. There is no human magic attached to you.'

'Would that be possible?', I asked, startled. I didn't want such a covenant!

'It happened once, perhaps? In our history? I'm not sure about that, Harper. But... Is it a covenant?' He sniffed again as if he couldn't explain my behavior any other way.

'No.' I growled indignantly. 'Sorcerers and witches stink! I don't want to have anything to do with their magic!'

'I know!' Dad snorted softly. 'Be careful. If I can't stop you, at least promise to take good care. You've always been so stubborn. But don't forget, the boy is human. A weak person. We hurt them very easily. Even if we pretend to be human beings.'

I nodded. 'He's not a wizard.' I would never make such a covenant. Magic stank. My own magic rejected that of humans. But Lou... He wasn’t a wizard. He was just a boy. Lovely, thin, gentle, and weak. And he smelled wonderful. Delicious. Okay... I better ignore the part with delicious. I really didn't want to eat him.

He needed a friend. Why couldn't I be that?

Or maybe more?