Gigi smiled in anticipation of their next customer. He was a man of discerning tastes. Specifically, he had a taste for the Rising Bread’s maple donuts. An addiction they were happy to indulge - Secco of the Spinning Gear, the man she had to thank for the very vehicle they were riding in.

Soon they were coming up on Secco’s place of business. An elegant looking house, adorned with many mechanical creations. In the center of the home was a massive clock, the gears within visible to the naked eye. They churned methodically, giving passersby the time. Around the yard chirped clockwork birds. Their eyes burned blue with some kind of internal luminescence. A clockwork cat slept lazily on the porch. Stained glass butterflies fluttered lazily in the breeze.

Drake’s mouth dropped open as his eyes widened. Gigi giggled, taking in his childlike wonder. He really was a giant kid. Whether that was endearing or not depended on the day. However, for the time being, she very much enjoyed it.

“Want to meet the man that made those?” she asked, stopping the cart in front of his house.

“The artist? Can I?” he asked excitedly.

“He prefers inventor, but yeah, assuming he’s not too busy.” Gigi knew truth they had to see him to drop off the goods, but Drake didn’t need to know that.

They exited the cart, grabbing a box of maple donuts from the back, and began to walk to the front porch. Drake was distracted by the butterflies as one landed directly on top of his shaved head.

“Friendly,” she said.

Gigi strode up, stroking the mechanical cat behind the ear, before opening the door to the shop. Drake gasped when he walked inside. From floor to ceiling were rows and rows of shelves with different whirring and buzzing creations. A large robotic spider sat perched among the rafters, silently watching them.

“This is absolutely incredible,” mumbled Drake.

“GOOD DAY, SIR,” boomed an unseen voice. Drake jumped; Gigi shook her head. “WHICH OF MY FINE WARES HAVE YOU COME TO PERUSE?” The voice seemed to be coming from all around them.

“Secco, you can cut the act, it’s just me.”

“Gigi?” the voice asked curiously. A man stepped out from behind a curtain hanging in the back. “It works on the tourists every time,” he chuckled.

An ebony-skinned human dressed in finely tailored clothes stood before them. Closely cropped curly hairs lined his scalp with the faintest hint of gray seeping into his temples, along with whispers of crow’s feet. Bright, piercing hazel eyes stared out into the world, full of curiosity and vigor. His right hand was completely mechanical, gears spun and whirred as he moved each digit. Drake stared at the man’s hand as Secco gave a polite nod to his guests.

“I am Secco, and this is my shop, the Spinning Gear.”

Gigi elbowed Drake to stop staring at Secco’s hand, but he was oblivious to what the nudge meant. He continued to be rapt by the mechanical marvel. Gigi frowned. She knew Secco was a bit sensitive about his hand. He hadn’t even told her how he had lost it.

“My eyes are up here,” Secco laughed.

Drake broke his gaze and then fixed it on Secco. “Are you the artist who made all of this?” Drake motioned to all of the ticking and clicking machinery around them.

“Well, I prefer the term inventor, but yes, I am. Guilty as charged.”

“That’s incredible. How?”

“Ah, my boy, a good magician never reveals his secrets.”

Drake looked puzzled. “I actually don’t really know how my magic works.”

Now it was Secco’s turn to look confused. “Your…magic?”

“Here are your donuts, Secco!” Gigi interrupted. She shoved the box in front of the man with the clockwork hand. He took it with a smile.

“You know, Gigi, you really should be careful about the company you keep. One woman’s handsome adventurer is another man’s wanted criminal, or so I’ve heard around anyway.”

“Oh, it’s not like that!” she protested.

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“I’m not a criminal. I used to be a soldier.”

“Used to be? Ah, as in a deserter?” Secco asked knowingly.

“Okay, so maybe it’s a little like that,” admitted Gigi. She pinched the bridge of her nose. Drake scratched the back of his neck nervously. As embarrassed as she was, Gigi knew she could trust Secco to not spill the secret. The man was almost like a second father to her, she practically forgot he was human they were so close. He knew more of her secrets than she likely remembered.

“I didn’t desert, they just think I’m a little, well, dead,” Drake offered.

Secco raised an eyebrow. “My friend, you have found a real diamond in the rough,” he laughed.

“Anyway, we aren’t together. I just saved his life, and he’s helping me at the bakery now,” explained Gigi.

“You spend all day together,” Secco stated.

Gigi went silent. Yes, they had been. “What if we do?” she asked. “You spend all day with that thing.” She motioned to the mechanical spider looming ominously above them. “You aren’t together,” she added smugly.

“Where does he sleep?” Secco asked.

“In the attic at the bakery,” she said matter of factly.

“So you both work and sleep under the same roof and spend all day together.”

“OKAY, SECCO!”

“But you aren’t together.”

“Next time get your own donuts,” Gigi growled.

“I’m only teasing. I’m sure he’s a charming fellow,” he said, flashing a warm smile. Gigi made a rude gesture at her friend before ushering Drake to the door.

“It was nice meeting you... I think,” added Drake.

“Likewise. I’m sure we will cross paths again, my friend.”

Secco opened the box as they left the shop. The giant mechanical spider above chittered.

“No, you can’t have any,” Gigi heard him say as she closed the door.

They were able to get through the next several deliveries without much interruption. Eventually, they started to get into a rhythm and the day began to evaporate. Eventually, small talk ran dry, and Gigi pulled out her journal, scribbling as they made their way up the winding road to Vistane Ranch. Drake whistled an out-of-tune song.

“Ring the bells, ring the bells,” he hummed.

Gigi found the little rhyme strangely soothing. As the cart rocked, she wrote down notes of what adventures she was going to have during the change of seasons. There were so many things she wanted to do. She had found a cave she was fairly certain frost mites lived in. They were rare and elusive creatures, said to be small, furry, blue creatures that came with the snow. She was going to find them; she was certain of it.

Should she bring Drake? She turned the question over in her mind. Why wouldn’t she? There were all manner of things they could do, she supposed. Stargazing, fishing, perhaps they could even rent a wyvern for a couple of days and go to the mountains. Her eyes went wide, and her blood went cold. How long was she planning on having Drake stay? She didn’t know but didn’t want him to leave either. Instead, she pushed the question to the back of her mind and focused on more pleasant things.

“You said the ranch is owned by a family of lamia?” Drake asked.

“Yeah, so what?”

“What are lamia?”

“Well, they are kind of like snakes with arms.”

“Isn’t that just a lizard?”

Gigi considered this. “Yeah, but they really don’t like being called that for some reason.”

Drake nodded. “So, they are like giant snakes with arms? They sound like monsters.”

“Hey! You know plenty of people say the same thing about you humans!” Gigi exclaimed.

“Well,” he tilted his head, “I suppose I can’t really argue with that.”

Gigi was ready for a fresh round of argument but stopped herself. “Do you really think humans are monsters?” she asked.

Drake shrugged. “Some of them. What about you? Do you think I’m a monster?”

Now Gigi felt like she was on the back foot. “Well, if you are, you do a very good job hiding it.”

Drake laughed. Gigi smiled and joined in. The trees above them rustled in the breeze, shaking violet and yellow leaves loose. Soon they were at the end of the road and before the vast ranch.

“It’s huge!” Drake said with a whistle.

“Wait until you see the family,” Gigi murmured.