Ero the calf-shifter climbed up the steps till he faced the steaming depths of the pot.

Hypnotized by the lovely scent of milk inside, he was about to jump into the boiling liquid when he heard a screech. A body collided into his. He fell through the hot air, full of shock, and crashed onto the kitchen floor.

His body hurt from the cool, hard tiles, but thankfully he wasn’t injured. Standing above him was a small black dragon, his nostrils puffing out smoke, and looking terribly angry. “What on earth were you doing?”

After a moment’s struggle, the calf hefted himself back up. The black dragon was Ana’s size, but from his higher pitched voice, he might be Ero’s age.

With whatever dignity he could muster, Ero lifted his chin. “Who the hell are you?”

The black dragon seemed taken aback, like he didn’t believe that a little calf could stand up to a furious dragon. But his eyes calmed and he said, “I’m Ya Luo. And you’re in my father’s kitchen. What are you doing here? Do you want to get eaten?”

Ero backed away, which made Ya Luo grin. The dragon continued, “Don’t worry. I’m not interested in eating you. You just need to be careful, that’s all. How did you even get in here, anyway?”

The calf shifter peered around the kitchen, looking for an escape route just in case. He muttered, “None of your business.”

The black dragon still looked surprised, as though he expected Ero to cooperate without question. But Ya Luo smiled. “Fine. But if you want to wander around in a kitchen where cooks regularly eat beef, then — ”

“Darn it,” the calf-shifter snapped. “What do you want? I’m not looking to make any trouble.” He shifted into his human boy form.

The black dragon just stared. “Hmph. I guess that’s one way to avoid being cooked.”

Ero sighed as he glanced around him, bewildered that the cooks still worked at their stations, completely ignoring him and Ya Luo. “Okay, Mr Clever. If you want to show me something, lead the way.”

He was admittedly just wandering around, led only by his curiosity. He wasn’t convinced that the pot was truly dangerous to him, but maybe it was. The black dragon, as obnoxious and insensitive as he was, seemed benign, at least.

Ya Luo appeared a little smug. He stayed in his dragon form and stretched to his full height, which was still short. “We need to get out of this kitchen.”

***

Mildred the cow-shifter, in her human form, curled up in her bed, hiding from everyone. When someone knocked on her door later that night, she shouted, “Go away!”

A throat clearing sounded outside. “Excuse me, this is Natash. I brought you some dinner.”

She sighed and dragged her body out of bed. Then she shuffled to the door to open it.

The man with short brown hair and an honest face strode into the room carrying a tray. Mildred tried not to flinch at his striking resemblance to her husband.

Natash set the tray down on her night table. There was a bowl of delicious-looking vegetable soup and a plate of salad. The man was about to leave when she stepped in front of him. He raised his eyebrows. “Yes?”

Mildred inhaled deeply, wondering how she should word this. “Natash, you — look a great deal like Clive. Are you a distant relation?”

Natash averted his gaze while his body shook with laughter. “Can’t coincidences exist? I’ve never met your husband before. Perhaps nature just happened to mold us in similar ways, who knows?” He cleared his throat, laughter subsiding. “In any case, I’m very sorry for what happened with Vera and Clive, truly.”

The two of them stood there in silence. Mildred rubbed her neck and said, “Who brought Vera here?” And who led Clive to the Gloom?

Natash gave her a curious look. His mouth opened and shut awkwardly, but he shook his head. “Just some dragons. You wouldn’t know them. You just need to know that your daughter is doing fine.”

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“Are you saying that to encourage me to leave her here?” Mildred demanded.

The man had the grace to look sheepish. “No, I wasn’t implying anything.”

They stared at each other in another moment of silence. Mildred sighed. “I know I haven’t been the best mother to her. She probably told you all about that, didn’t she?” Natash didn’t nod, but his facial expression confirmed it. “I’m still mad at Clive for talking to Vera about getting a divorce before asking me, but the damage is done, so what can I do?”

The bull-shifter grimaced and shifted his gaze away from her. “I’m sorry, Mildred,” he said again. “I wish you and Clive could have made it work. But it seems like it was not meant to be.” He paused. “Forgive me if this is an impertinent question, but would you rather work on your marriage than to break up?”

Mildred surveyed the man, who was rather embarrassed, as if he wanted to exit the room but didn’t know how to do so politely. But she was in a confiding mood, so she said, “Yes, it would be nice to have a chance to work on our marriage, but Clive has clearly already given up.”

“Yes, you can’t force it if your spouse is not willing to put in the effort.” Natash glanced at the door. “No matter what happens, I hope the three of you find your peace. This too shall pass.”

Before Mildred had a chance to say anything else, the man slipped out the door and left. Well, it was admittedly strange to talk about her divorce with a man who looked like her husband.

The cow-shifter sat back on her bed and gazed out the window. She couldn’t make out anything in the gloom, but she found the heavy darkness oddly helpful for meditation.

Did she want to make up with her husband? Despite her wounded pride, she admittedly didn’t enjoy their marriage. Perhaps she had once loved Clive, but she couldn’t remember such a time anymore.

She also thought about Kallias, their baby son. He was too small to understand what his parents and older sister were going through. Guilt dug at her that her son would have to grow up with divorced parents.

Unbidden, her mind shifted to what she said to Lance. No, her children wouldn’t want a dragon to be their stepfather, would they? Not that Vera seemed to take to Lance. Mildred wasn’t really interested in him, either.

Nevertheless, the young woman was lonely and she yearned to find someone else, now that her husband no longer wanted her.

***

As much as the calf-shifter yearned to stay in the kitchen and enjoy the milky aroma, Ya Luo’s warning that somebody would fancy beef here frightened him enough to move.

Ero thought Ya Luo was bossy. But the young black dragon didn’t seem to care.

They exited the grand kitchen and moved into a hallway. Then they emerged into what looked like a palace. Shining pearls and gems were encrusted into the marble walls. Talk about over-decorated. As their footsteps tapped and echoed on the gleaming smooth floor, Ero asked, “Who is your dad? Your place looks even more glamorous than Freya’s palace.” Before Freya’s palace got destroyed.

The black dragon did not slow his stride. “My dad worked as an official back before the palace fell.” His tail swished and flowed behind him, like he was so at ease and confident. Not that Ero could ambush a dragon even from behind, but still. Ya Luo asked, “Since you managed to escape the palace, where did you go after?”

The footsteps continued to echo as they traipsed through this never-ending corridor. “I came here,” Ero said haughtily.

The black dragon snorted. “If you don’t want to share, fine. I might find out later anyway.”

Ero felt mulish and didn’t reply to that.

At length, they came to a reception area, with big, luxurious seats that guests could just drop into.

Ya Luo finally stopped and turned around with a smile. “Why don’t you sit here? The servants will get you something to eat and drink. I’ll go get my mom.”

With that, the young black dragon turned and trotted off, looking like some lofty princeling.

The calf-shifter was about to call after him, but he didn’t want to give the impression that he needed the dragon’s help.

So he plopped down on a plum-colored sofa. A servant came by a second later to put a tray of snacks on a small table within easy reach. It was a glass of orange juice and a plate of crackers.

While Ero nibbled at the crackers, musing over the day’s events, he heard a voice peal out: “Ero!”

The calf-shifter was astonished at being recognized.

That voice belonged to a woman with raven black hair, and she strode towards him. Ya Luo, still in dragon form, walked at his mother’s side.

“How did you know my name?” Ero blurted out, staring at her with dismay, questions popping in his mind.

Ya Luo replied, “It wasn’t hard to guess! And I’ve seen you around before. We just never talked.”

Ero filed that random piece of information away for later. The woman looked oddly familiar.

She smiled at him tenderly, as if she were his own mother — except Lucille wasn’t the tender type. Ero’s chest clenched at the thought of where his mother may be. The raven-haired woman said, “My name is Qing Shui. You must be tired from everything that has happened. Why don’t you stay with us for a while?”

The calf-shifter blinked. “But my parents will be looking for me. Anastasia too.”

Mother and son exchanged a glance. Ya Luo said, “You’ll be safer here than wandering around outside by yourself.”

Ero pouted. “I wasn’t wandering out by myself. I was with Princess Teefa earlier. I wonder where she is.”

“We can look for Princess Teefa if you want,” Ya Luo offered.

Qing Shui’s brows creased in concern, and Ero asked her, “How about Princess Lucille? Is there any way you can find my mother?”

Qing Shui looked distinctly uncomfortable as she fiddled with her hair. “Well, about that…”

“Mom, there’s no point in stalling,” said Ya Luo. He cast an intense gaze at Ero, his dark eyes like a fire. “Your mom is dead, Ero. I’m sorry.”