The Great White landed in the empty field next to Camp HaveHeart. If he wanted to, it would take only a couple of swipes and the camp would be reduced to rubble, its inhabitants buried. I wondered if the Darks all the way in the City of Lockes could see him towering over the camp. I hoped they could and were starting to panic.
He lowered his great head toward us, and I could hear people in Camp HaveHeart oohing and aahing over him. The other dragons were deferential, Ryan looked like he was fighting the urge to draw his sword again, Justin’s eyes were wide and unblinking, Gary had little rainbows shooting from the tip of his horn (for reasons I didn’t want to think of), Dimitri and his fairies were buzzing brightly, and Tiggy was waving frantically up at the biggest dragon in the world.
I said, “GW. Glad you could join us. Thanks for the flyover. At least three people were impressed. I wasn’t one of them.”
Everyone turned slowly to look at me, agape.
Randall said, “You’ve aged rather poorly. I’m not surprised.”
Everyone turned slowly to look at him, mouths opening still wider. Even me.
The Great White rumbled, eyes shifting to Randall. “You can understand me, yes?”
“Yes,” Randall said.
“Good. You were a terrible apprentice.”
“You were a terrible mentor,” Randall retorted.
“Draaaammmmmmaaaaaaaa,” Gary whispered. “Yaaaassss.”
“Is that so?” GW asked.
“Quite.”
“Your human emotions became your undoing.”
“Not all of us are born without a soul.” Randall sniffed delicately. “Or rather, one as black as the inside of a troll cave.”
“Oh my gods,” I whispered fervently. “They’re being growly and reticent. They’re Eduardo and Morely. I knew it. Break down and cry so you can be old in the park!”
GW glanced in my direction. “What’s he mumbling about now?”
Randall waved a hand dismissively at me. “If you ignore him, eventually he either gets distracted by something shiny or starts having relations with the knight.”
“Rude,” I said. “But also pretty much true.”
“I wish I’d known that before I accepted him as my apprentice,” GW said, gigantic head shifting. “I am ancient. A century is but a drop in the ocean for me. That being said, the last year was the longest of my life.”
“Aww,” I said.
GW blinked slowly. “What.”
Randall rolled his eyes. “He chose to take that as a compliment.”
“That’s not how that works.”
“It is in Sam’s mind.”
“I’m a handful,” I said. “Right, Ryan?” I jabbed him in the stomach with my elbow. “Right? I’m a handful? Get it? Yeah. You get it.”
He was sweating profusely.
“Ryan?” the Great White growled. “The Knight Commander? Is this who stands before me?”
“Eep,” Ryan said. “I mean, yes, sir. Lord Dragon. Sir. Great White. Master. Your Excellency.”
“He gets weird sometimes,” I said, frowning at Ryan.