Bleeding Ink

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"Look at you," Dessa grinned as she fastened the last buckle of Lenora's boots. "Looking like a dragon rider already. Now, all you need is a dragon."

Len sighed wistfully, running her little hands over the smooth leather of her gear Dessa had made specially for her. "I want a dragon. Can I have one someday soon? A pixie and a dragon...I'll be just like Momma then!"

"I don't know when you'll get one, but I think you will," she told her, touching her nose with a finger. "Then you and I can go out riding together Do you know what you'd name it?"

"Would it be a girl dragon or a boy dragon?"

"Either. You have to have names for both since you won't know which one you'll have."

Len's eyebrows pulled together as she thought it over as Dessa made sure the two braided buns on top of her head were secure. It matched her own since Len always insisted they did when going out on the dragons and Dessa did anything Len asked of her. "I don't know yet. I'll pick it out later."

"Sounds like a plan," Dessa smiled as she stood, then held out her arms for her. "Now, are you ready to go? We'll have to run before Daddy finds us and sees what we're up to."

"Daddy always knows what we're up to."

"Because he's nosy."

"Definitely nosy," she giggled, then finally jumped into her arms. "I want breakfast, though!"

"Always thinking about food. You're definitely like me."

"And we're both like Momma!"

Securing her on her hip, Dessa and Len started down the hallway toward the main staircase of the palace.

Dessa hardly got any sleep after she and Elys went back upstairs, his hand still holding tight onto hers, and said their goodnights from their doorways. She didn't remember how many times she'd said it even as she walked backward, holding the skirts of her dress up so she wouldn't trip like she had before. That would have been a sight to see.

"Goodnight, Elys," she told him, reaching back for the door handle.

Elys gave her a sleepy smile. "Goodnight, Dessa Jai."

"What have I told you about calling me that?"

"Goodnight, Des."

"Better." She was opening the door behind her then. "Goodnight, Seer."

Elys was opening his own door, still facing her. "Now who's starting up with the nicknames, princess?"

She rolled her eyes, turning to go inside her darkened room. "I'll see you in the morning. Remember, we're going out flying with the dragons."

"Not too early, though."

"Not going to happen. We leave an hour after sunrise. If I need to, I'll send Lenora in to jump on you. Now, goodnight."

And she closed the door just as Elys disappeared inside his own room, a softer smile curling up one corner of his mouth as he shook his head.

Now, as soon as Dessa and Lenora were even remotely close to the kitchen, the sound of conversation and laughter made her walk faster. She was still going to play it up, though, hiding the both of them against the wall by the door. Len's giggle gave them away, of course, which had everyone looking their way. Not so stealthily, Dessa spun them across the doorway to the other side before quickly peeking inside and back out again.