Calder stretched his legs out as far as the cramped tub would allow. Fortunately, he was used to it by now and could ignore the lack of space in order to take proper care of Irida. The dragon was also in the tub with him, another contributor to his half-bent legs.

The baths in the barracks were massive, able to fit at least ten people in at once. Of course, a risk like taking Irida to the barracks was hardly worth the extra comfort. Instead, he had taken to using Laz’s personal tub which Calder was sure fit the small wizard just fine, but when it was his turn to give Irida a bath – and it was always his turn – it left him wanting more.

The glittering beast somehow floated in the lukewarm water, despite appearing like a living diamond. She would dip her head under and close her eyes; the only time she seemed happy the past few weeks. Since Laz had begun making his metal beads for her to eat, she had barely grown at all. The only thing of note were her limbs finally developing. Four legs, her front two being thin at the joint but thicker by her “hands,” while her back legs were much sturdier and folded in like a hare’s. She was still learning how to walk properly with them, but there were little improvements each day.

It did worry Calder how little she had grown. No bigger than a coyote when historical depictions had shown dragons being larger than bears. More than that, but in more recent days she had been getting sluggish. Her improvements with walking were halted, her once-chipper attitude had become lethargic. It’s been even harder to get her to eat lately. We might need to buy some smaller gems to keep her healthy in the meantime.

The only saving grace was the bath. After an incident with some mud a couple weeks prior, Laz demanded that Calder bathe her before letting her run around the house. Through that, they discovered that a quick dip in the water replenished some of her energy and eased their concern.

“I wish these baths helped you more,” Calder said to Irida, who looked content to stay floating forever. “We’ll get you some better food soon, promise. Then you’ll be back to growing big and strong.”

The dragon didn’t respond, and sank her head lower into the water where bubbles blew from her small round nostrils.

Though if you get much bigger, I’m not sure I can join you for the baths. I’ll have to talk to Laz about buying a bigger tub once our money situation is resolved.

Calder still hadn’t told Laz about his run in with the nobleman, or the bribe he was offered to keep his visit a secret. As soon as that shift had ended, he shoved the coin pouch in his dresser and tried not to think about it anymore. He did keep taking the extra night shift, though Notch no longer showed up. I guess all he wanted was the extra bribery money. At least I don’t have to deal with a pest like him every time.

Their combined earnings were starting to show promise, with Laz saying they only needed a couple more weeks before he would try and venture out to one of the neighboring towns to search for a quality focus. With the bribe he was given, Calder figured they could already afford it, but using the suspicious money was something he wanted to avoid, if possible.

Irida raised her head out of the water for a gulp of air. The drops of water running down her gemlike skin reflecting the thin beams of sunlight like a scattered rainbow. All of the windows had white blankets draped across them, preventing most of the daily sun from heating the house. Their tub was in Laz’s bedroom, as he said he needed privacy to continue his practice and didn’t want Calder distracting him. 

It was a typical thing for Laz to say, although Calder noticed some of the wizard’s harshness was fading the longer they worked together. The entire week he hadn’t raised his voice even one time, and the week before that it was due to the mud incident, which Calder didn’t feel was fair to count.

Hopefully he stays in high spirits for the ball.

Only five days earlier, a royal gathering was announced. A ball for the best knights of Kradall to join together in the capital later in the season. Calder, at the recommendation of his captain Faramond, was one of the chosen few from Evermine to attend. On top of that, they were allowed, encouraged even, to bring a partner.

When Calder told Laz that he was choosing that as his “date” that he was promised when they first discovered Irida, the biggest surprise was how readily he agreed. There was no bickering or complaining, no back and forth about the king being corrupt and all the knights being evil. If anything, he seemed excited for a chance to go to the capital for a night.

I hope he wears something flowy. He’d look so good in a pretty robe like the ones I see in the tailor’s window. Every day that passed, Calder found himself thinking about Laz more and more in his free time. There had been a spark of attraction right when they had first met, but it was in the middle of evolving into something Calder wasn’t familiar with.

Deep down he worried that the closer he grew with the wizard, the more pressure would pile on top of him. What if something happens to him? There was that problem with Umbra a few weeks back when she barged into his lab and almost saw Irida. If he gets caught harboring a dragon, could I keep him safe? Memories of his parents flooded his thoughts, until the curtain to the room was pushed aside.

Laz slipped through the small gap he had opened up, walking without even acknowledging the tub, nor its two occupants. He made a direct line to his closet where he pulled out a small firestriker before turning and looking Calder directly in the eyes.

“Oh!” He said, taking a step back into his closet and covering his eyes. “Sorry, I somehow forgot that you were here.”

Calder laughed. “Don’t worry, I have a cloth on. You don’t have to act so frightened.”

Irida perked up, her eyes locked on to Laz’s wrist. It had been a common occurrence as the weeks passed that she would chase Laz around the best she could on her new legs while he desperately avoided having his only source of spellcasting devoured.

On instinct, he turned the band around so the sapphire was no longer visible. “Right. Sorry, again. I needed to get the fireplace going.” He held up the iron tool, which Irida didn’t seem keen on eating. “Have to start supper early. Tomato and rice stew. Did you want me to make enough for you?”

Again, his attitude was gentler. Laz was no longer acting like an abrasive child, instead showing a more genuine side for the first time.

“That sounds delicious,” Calder said. He stretched his arms out and straightened himself in the tub, rolling his strong shoulders and brawny arms along the way. As he did, Laz’s gaze followed every moment he made. Though he knew it might break the bickering streak, he couldn’t resist teasing him. “Enjoying the view?”

“Wha-” Laz looked shocked for a moment, then embarrassed for a briefer moment, then annoyed. “As if! There happens to be a rare animal in front of you, a literal myth, and her legs are coming in, and I was just observing any changes that may have happened. The fact you think I was looking at you shows how self–”

Calder lifted the dragon and stood up. “I was doing some teasing, sorry. I know you were looking at Irida.” He set her onto a rag he laid out on the floor to spare the rotting floorboards any more damage.

“Well, jokes like that are idiotic.” Laz made a point of averting his eyes as he left the room, firestriker in hand.

Yeah, looking at Irida, right. Calder knew what he saw, including the slight blush on Laz’s cheeks as he fled the scene.

 

***

 

Little grains of rice clumped together in Laz’s spoon as he looked up close at the stew he had made. It wasn’t the worst meal he had forced himself to scarf down but it was nothing compared to what his mentor was capable of preparing.

I miss the days of cheese bread and mud oysters. I’d even settle for plain oats at this point to save my taste buds from this monotony.

While Laz quietly sipped soup at his desk, Calder was making a racket. He inhaled spoonful after spoonful of the watery rice and tomato dish that Laz cooked up using produce from Bek’s family. His seat by the fireplace wasn’t far enough for Laz to block out the slurping and grunting from the knight as he ate.

It was enough to make Laz question how the two had managed to stay off of each others’ nerves the past few weeks. As good as he is at caring for the dragon, he’s still a meathead. I can’t forget that.

With one final slurp and sigh, Calder set his wooden bowl on the floor and leaned back in his chair. “That was just what I needed after a nice bath, thanks.”

“Seriously?” Laz set his spoon down with a little less than half of the bowl still filled. “It’s mushy and bland, how can you say you liked it with a straight face?”

Calder shrugged. “Didn’t seem that bland to me. It was nice and salty.”

“Salt is the only way it’s palatable in the slightest.” Laz reluctantly picked his spoon back up and made himself eat another scoop.

“Give yourself a break,” Calder said as he stood up and yawned. He was back in his usual civilian clothes instead of the immodest swim cloth he had on earlier. “There isn’t much to work with all the way out here. Not to mention we’re on a tight budget for the time being. It was a great meal, all things considered.”

Laz ignored the compliment and picked at some tomato skin in his teeth. Maybe I should give him more credit. He could complain about our situation but doesn’t. If anything, I’m worse than him.

“Speaking of a great meal…” Calder knelt down next to Irida. The dragon was lying flat on her belly, staring at her metal beads with a total lack of enthusiasm. “You haven’t eaten all day, girl. I know you must be sick of ‘em but it’s all we have.”

He picked up one of the bits of metal and tossed it into the air. Like usual, her eyes tracked its movement, though only for a brief moment. She made no effort to catch it with her tongue, and she soon closed her eyes.

“Wait.” Laz froze. “She hasn’t eaten today?”

Calder picked up another bead and threw it up again, to no avail. “Not yet, no. I’m getting worried.”

Laz dropped his spoon again and shifted in his chair. Do I tell him? He might think I’m irresponsible. It was one day, I thought he would have fixed the problem by now. He stared at Calder. The knight was frowning, a look of distress clear in his eyes. I should tell him, or things could get worse. He really does see her as our daughter. His daughter, I mean.

“We might have to get some emergency gems sooner than we thought,” Laz said.

“You think? She’s gone a day here and there without eating, but I guess it is getting more common.”

Laz swallowed the regret bubbling up in him, and for the first time that day he was sad it wasn’t his stew. “She didn’t really… eat yesterday, either.”

“What?” Calder’s eyes grew bigger as his dark, red eyebrows shot up. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“I thought it was just another one of her bad days!” Laz got up from his seat and walked over to Calder to try and put him at ease. “And she’s always so difficult to feed when it’s my turn, I thought when you got here today you would solve the problem and then I… forgot?”

Calder knelt down and picked Irida up from her place on the floor, cradling her in his arms. Instead of glaring at Laz, he rocked the dragon gently and tried to get her to eat a bead from his hand. “Hey, come on. Please just eat one, Irida.” His words were soft and between them he cooed nonsense to try and get her attention.

If that were me I would have yelled at him for being such an idiot. But he just focuses on what matters most…

Irida’s eyelids were half-open, though it didn’t appear that she was paying much attention to what Calder was offering her. The purple that ran from her head to her tail was dull and muddled with gray, while the white that made up the rest of her had less shimmer than Laz remembered.

Calder looked up at Laz in a mix of fear and conviction, “As soon as the market opens tomorrow, I’ll run out and buy some gems. I don’t think we can afford to wait any more.”

“Right.” Laz nodded, unsure how to comfort either of them. “It will set our savings back a bit but–”

“No, it won’t.” Calder rubbed his thumb across the bridge of Irida’s nose as he spoke. “I have some savings I keep at the barracks for emergencies. I’ll use that.”

“Oh.” He wondered how much savings a knight in Evermine could possibly have, but was relieved to know their plan for a new focus wasn’t being upended. “Do you think it’s safe to wait that long?”

“We don’t have another option,” Calder said. His typically confident presence was persevering through all of the worry that plagued the two. Laz was grateful. It made it easier to keep his calm. “If we go asking any of the merchants in town for gems at this hour, it will raise questions. And if that happens, Irida would be in even more danger than she is now.”

Damn, I’m getting sloppy. All of this is my fault too! We could have gone to the market earlier if we knew she was this bad. How does he keep a level head through all this? Laz, up to his neck in guilt, shuffled his way to Calder’s side. He placed a hand on Irida’s newly-forming hand. Little flecks of indigo were appearing on it, the same color that was on her head and back. She’s such a fascinating creature… How was I so careless? Stressed or not, this should never have happened.

He next looked at Calder, and placed his other hand on the knight’s arm. It was rare to see him so off-kilter, even if he was managing to keep their hopes up. “I’m sorry I let it get like this,” Laz muttered.

Laz expected an obnoxious remark about the arm touching, or some banter returned to him from earlier. Instead, Calder said, “It’s fine, she’ll be alright. I should have asked for an update on how yesterday went. Sorry I couldn’t help you at all, night shifts have been hitting me hard and I needed some extra sleep.”

If the situation wasn’t so tense, and Laz didn’t feel like an idiot himself, he would have told Calder he was being a complete moron. He contributes way more money to the pool than I do. I should be apologizing to him for all the extra work he’s had to do on my behalf.

Laz lifted his hand and took a deep breath. I deserve this…

“Why don’t you sleep here tonight? That way you can keep an eye on her. I doubt you’ll get a good night’s sleep when you’re worrying about her.” He gestured toward his bedroom, hoping he wouldn’t regret the invitation.

“Really?” Calder asked.

“As long as you aren’t weird about it. I only have the one bed but it should have enough space for the three of us.” Laz was beginning to regret using his mentor’s bed as a place to store clothes, but he’d rather be stuck sleeping next to the oaf than see his garments on the dirty floor.

With a smirk, Calder followed Laz to his bedroom. “I didn’t think this would happen until after the ball,” he said with a laugh that he quickly cut off. “Sorry. I won’t be weird.”

Laz scowled at him but couldn’t be bothered to retaliate and left the room. I really do deserve this.

A few minutes later, he returned in a sleeping gown. It was a darker one he liked to save for colder months. When he entered his room, Calder was already asleep on one side of the bed. Irida was at the foot of the bed – her usual place, as much as Laz had tried to train her to sleep on the floor – and sleeping with shallow breaths.

Sorry again, Laz thought as he climbed onto the other side and faced away from Calder. We’ll fix all of this tomorrow, I swear.

As he tried to fall asleep, Calder’s low but immediate snoring vibrated his whole being. He was about to give him a whack when Irida crawled up and nestled herself between both of their backs. Within seconds, the snoring stopped, and Laz felt a soothing heat emanating from the dragon, lulling him to sleep.

***

 

Laz was shaken awake when Calder rolled out of bed, leaving the scrawny wizard in a daze. He could hear his feet thump on the floor but didn’t remember why he was there in the first place. Did something happen? Wait, we didn’t–

He sat up perfectly straight, making Calder jump.

“Lord, do you always wake up like that?” The knight asked as he laced his boots.

“Why did you sleep here?” Laz asked.

Calder looked back at him dumbfounded. “Do you not remember offering? So I could keep an eye on Irida?”

Laz looked to his side and saw the dragon still asleep on the bed with him. “Oh! Oh, that’s right. Yes, I remember.”

“It was cute seeing you sleep, though. You look a lot less angry. Though I wonder what you were dreaming about, since you kept saying my name.” Calder shot a grin at him as he switched to his other boot.

Laz raised his pillow, prepared to throw it at him, but instead used it to hide his burning face. I didn’t really, did I? Was it that dream again? I can’t remember…

“Hey, like I said, you looked peaceful! Must have been a good one.”

Well, now I know he’s lying. I haven’t had a relaxing dream in years. Laz lowered the pillow, unleashing his glare upon Calder. “If I could control what was in my dreams, trust me, you would be the last person I’d include.”

Calder’s eyes got wide, as did his smile. “Ah! So you have dreamed about me, then? I wasn’t serious about the sleep talking stuff, you know.”

“More of a nightmare, really.” Laz took the chance to follow through and throw the pillow at Calder’s head, though the trained knight caught it with ease.

“I’d love to hear more about it when I’m back, but I have to grab my coins on the way to the market.” His cheerful demeanor grew colder as he stared at Irida. “Please keep an eye on her, I won’t be long.”

Laz, now fully awake and recalling the problem at hand, nodded. “Right. I’ll watch her closely.”

With that, Calder gave the dragon one last pat on the head, and tried to give Laz one though he leaned away in time, and set off. Laz got out of bed to watch as he disappeared down the stony trail and into town.

I’ll have to find some way to pay him back when it’s all said and done. He can’t be too happy to use his savings for this.

He walked back to his bed and sat next to Irida. Her breaths were still just as shallow, if not more, than before they slept. Her eyes were opened, though no more than a small crack.

Poor thing looks awful. Laz stroked her back, running his hand along the splotch of color that ran down her spine.

“We’ll get you fed properly. Then your beautiful shine will come back.”

Irida responded with a wheeze. Her entire body began to shake. It was slow at first, to the point Laz wasn’t sure if it was her or if some water was shifting deep below the ground as was common in Evermine. As the shaking worsened, and it became apparent that it was the dragon and not the earth, Laz’s breathing sped up.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Laz said, trying to mimic the gentleness he had seen from Calder the night before. “It’s alright, girl, I know you’re probably starving.”

He picked her up into his arms, where he could feel how bad it had gotten. All of his rational thinking deteriorated as he felt her shiver against him. She let out tiny coughs and chirps as Laz held her to his chest and tried to think of a solution.

“Do you need another bath? You love those, right?” He looked around for his tub but knew pumping in enough water would take longer than it would for Calder to get back with his gems. “Please, Irida! Calder just left, please don’t do this now!”

Master! If you were here, you could have fixed this by now! If she dies it’s… I won’t forgive you for all you’ve done.

Irida’s noises grew sharper, like she was in pain.

“Why did you eat the focus, girl?” Laz asked, tears running down his cheeks. “If you had just left that alone, we could have fed you all you wanted and more. I wish you had given us a chance to take care of you the right way.”

His eyes darted around the room, looking for anything they may have missed that they could feed her. He considered running out to find Calder, Irida in his arms, not caring who saw as long as she got to live. At last, he yelled out in frustration, upset with the only answer he knew would work. His outburst seemed to calm the dragon for a brief second, though she went right back to her violent shakes and whimpers.

Laz set Irida down on his knees and slid off his bracelet. He gazed at the gem, the only thing connecting him to whoever had left him in front of the church over two decades ago.

I was never going to bother tracking you down anyway, he told himself.

Without a second more of hesitation, he held the bracelet up to Irida’s mouth. The pale gold band that held his precious sapphire, on full display in front of the gem-eating creature.

“Go on, eat it,” Laz ordered. “You’ve wanted it this whole time, so it’s yours.”

Irida’s nostrils twitched. Her eyes opened a fraction more.

“Please eat it! I’m telling you, I don’t even want the stupid thing, it clashes with every outfit I have.”

With a weak chirp, Irida opened her mouth and used her tongue to slowly drag the bracelet past her jaws. She swallowed.

And that’s that. This better save you.

The dragon’s eyes opened more than they had that entire day. Over the next quarter-hour, Laz watched with great intent as her shaking slowed down to infrequent shivers, and then stopped entirely.

“Did you like that?” Laz asked, rubbing her back.

She let out a happier noise, a high-pitched trill, and nuzzled against Laz’s shoulder.

“Hopefully a new focus is cheaper than we were expecting, or the two of us might turn to a life of crime just to feed you.” Laz smiled now that Irida no longer seemed on death’s door, but couldn’t ignore the new problem he had made.

That was my only way to make money. If I can’t cast spells, what else am I good for? Our only hope is Calder finds a suitable substitute at the market.

He continued to pet the dragon, making note of how her glistening color was already returning. Her radiant white torso complimented by her patches of rich indigo.

“I really do wish you hadn’t eaten my focus. You match it quite well. It’s a color I’ve really only ever seen on–”

An epiphany struck. Laz couldn’t decide whether to be thrilled or deeply ashamed in himself. All the pieces were fitting into place perfectly in his mind as he sorted through his realization. The focus being eaten, his windows being closed the day she arrived, the unique warmth she radiated, even the way she had calmed down during his burst of emotions a few minutes prior.

There was only one last thing to try to confirm his suspicions.