EPISODE 32

I sat down on the stool and took a bite of the breakfast taco bowl. The eggs were spicy, and they had a vibrant orange hue from the spices mixed in with the diced jalapenos, which added a pop of green. The potatoes were a light brown color, crispy and seasoned perfectly. On top, the guacamole was a bright shade of green, dotted with chunks of onion and tomato. This was a winner. It was too bad I only had to heat them up in the microwave then add the guac. I couldn't take credit for this amazing meal.

Indigo enjoyed eating the scrambled eggs, and took giant bites, leaving little bits of yellow on her snout. I'd piled a little bit of my bowl onto a small plate so that she could eat them. That way, she wasn't trying to steal food from my plastic bowl. The cat dove practically head first into his own, though he didn’t like guac, which left more for me.

"This is tasty," said The Cat. "Make this more often."

I chuckled at the demand. Ordering more of things when I placed the grocery order was simple, and it made a tasty breakfast. Still, maybe on my next day off I could figure out how to make something like this from scratch. "So, what's on the schedule today?" I asked.

"We have a visit this morning from someone who might have information on the little one," said The Cat in between bites. He suddenly sat up, his bowl empty. His bright green eyes stared at my bowl, but I'd put a ton of guac on it and he seemed to decide it wouldn’t be worth it.. "Then, this afternoon, we have a few deliveries from a non-magical world. The little one will need to be out of sight."

A sad chirp came from Indigo.

"It's a world that doesn't know of magic, little one. You will learn the rules," said the Cat.

"What type of deliveries?" I asked. "Can I place a grocery order then?"

"Yes, it should be your world, or something close to it."

I nodded my head, going over the mental list I'd been keeping. While the stockroom had piles of things, fresh food was harder to keep track of. If I put it into the grocery order I knew the shop would have that item in stock. Somehow, I also didn't need to worry about anything going bad. Dates didn't mean much in the fridge. Things were as fresh as the last time I’d closed the door. I tested it out with a half eaten peach on a plate. That thing still looked like I’d just taken a bite out of it, three weeks later.

Indigo finished the food in front of her and curled up, her eyes blinking a few times like she needed a nap.

I smiled, but didn't say anything. If she wanted to nap, she could nap. We'd stayed up too late last night reading books. After we’d read about Book Dragons, I’d pulled a few kids’ books off the shelf to read. She had me keep one open on the desk in my room. I don't know if she figured out how to read it, but this morning I found her curled up next to it.

"Well, I'll make some more coffee, and we can get this started." After tossing the plastic bowls in the garbage and putting Indigo's cup in the sink, I picked her up carefully in my hands and carried her to the front, setting her down on a small cushion I found in the storage room. Then my attention turned to Betty.

Time to make a fantastic drink. Something chocolaty and caffeinated, plus maybe some mint. Peppermint mocha it was. I pulled out the Cat's favorite tea cup, along with my now empty mug, and got to work. The smell of chocolate and peppermint filled the air, making me think of snow, the winter solstice, and my family.

That hit hard in my chest, and I made a mental note to send an email to my parents. They'd been really good about sending messages every couple of weeks, but mine back had been shorter and shorter. There was just so much I couldn't talk about. At least they weren't pressing for answers. Still, I should send a longer reply and maybe have a call with my mom. I'd need to check and see what the date was back home.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

The mochas were done, and I moved the teacup in front of the Cat, then took a sip of my own. The warmth was amazing, and I closed my eyes feeling gooey on the inside.

The bells jangled on the front door, and I snapped my eyes open before glaring at the Cat. He didn't look in my direction, but kept his gaze fixed on the person who’d entered.

A tall woman entered the shop covered in a long bright pink cloak. Her ears tapered to long points on either side of her head, and as she walked it seemed almost like she was gliding over the floor. Her dark eyes glowed a deep orange color as she stared at Indigo, sleeping on the counter. She had a sharp jawline, which gave her a regal appearance. "She does not belong here!" The voice rolled through the space with a growl.

I jerked forward, yanking Indigo off of the counter and pulling her to my chest. The sleeping dragon purred contentedly. "You'll scare her, keep your voice down. She's napping." My voice came out as a harsh whisper.

The orange eyes studied me, then flickered to the Cat. "What is happening here?" For a moment, the woman flickered, and I saw a dragon standing between the table and the front windows. Bright pink scales reflected the morning light, and those same orange eyes glared at me out of an enormous head. Then the image was gone, and the pink-coated lady stood there again.

"You should explain the situation to the Lady, before she gets angry," said the Cat.

"Explain? But, she almost woke Indigo up," I replied.

The cat glared at me, then looked pointedly at the woman who stood three feet away from the counter.

"Fine!” I turned back to the woman in pink. “She appeared in the shop a few days ago, and we've been trying to figure out where home is for her." I snuggled Indigo, who stayed curled up. "I've been learning all that I can, and reading her books. Plus, feeding her normal food."

The Lady glanced at the Cat, who nodded. "So you did not steal her from her family?" she asked, taking another step forward, her eyes narrowed.

My eyes widened. "Of course not!"

"Tell her someone entered the shop, and you banished him," said the cat. "I am certain he was the kidnapper."

"Wait, you think that creepy jerk was how Indigo showed up? He was horrible."

"Creepy jerk," growled the Lady. Her eyebrows raised and her hands clenched into fists. It finally dawned on me that this might really be a dragon, and I should probably explain why I had a baby cuddling in my arms protectively.

"Yeah, there was this creepy guy in red. Totally freaked me out, I had to banish him from the shop. I found Indigo later that evening and made sure she had food." My voice came out as a ramble. "Since then, the Cat's been trying to figure out where she came from, so we can get her home. Until then, I'm keeping her safe, happy and healthy. Though today, she's been really tired. I think she stayed up late reading."

Anger drained out of the Lady, and her shoulders lowered. She took a step back, and the tension in the room relaxed somewhat. "That would do it. Did she eat?"

I nodded. "Eggs for breakfast. Then tuckered out." Now that I thought about it, I wondered why she wasn't up and interacting with the other dragon.

"Can I see her?"

"Do you promise to not steal her or cause her any harm?" The question slipped out automatically. "I promised I'd keep her safe, and I don't know you. The Cat might, but I don't."

The Lady blinked, three times, slowly. "I am Lady Borsal." She bowed her head toward me, ever so slightly. "And you?"

"I'm Sable, the Shopkeeper." I held out Indigo. "And this is Indigo. It’s only a nickname, not a real name, since I couldn't keep calling her Book Dragon. The Cat didn't want to name her."

She snorted and took the little sleeping dragon in her hands. Her fingers had talons on the ends of them. "She's young. Too young to be away from her mother." Her voice trailed off. "You’re doing well feeding her. That's why she needs to sleep." She nodded to herself. "Growth spurt." The Lady pulled her closer and growled softly at Indigo.

Indigo's eyes fluttered open. The bright green eyes turned and met the older orange orbs. Indigo chirped a few times, and then the Lady responded. They could talk to one another. I found myself slightly jealous.

"Does she have a name? A real one I could use?" I asked. "I don't want to call her the wrong name, that's rude."