FOREVER KNIGHTS: #13 Salvaging Souls
A Little Reward for A Trap

“What do I get?” Airon rubbed small hands together gleefully. Before adding impudently. “I don’t want no fairy neither.”

Deragan laughed. Blackmailed by a child. Who’d have thought?

“I-I” Deragan floundered.

I have nothing to give him.

“I have something.” Bast had materialized in the hall behind him.

At Deragan’s puzzled look he added. “Heard the vase.”

True. Probably everyone did.

“I think all of Meadowbrook did.” Deragan commented. Sticking his hand back in the crack of the door. Rotating his hand made the tipped vase rise smoothly and scrape the floor as it slid from the path of the door. Stopping when it bumped into the wall.

Behind him Bast was grunting in pain. And Deragan heard the slight sound of fabric ripping.

He’s unleashing the small dragons?

“Go ahead.” He gestured for Bast to go in.

Opening the door further, Bast stepped in.

Behind him a small shadow scurried over the floor with huge yellow eyes.

Airon watched in awe as it scuttled across the floor and hopped on his bed to blink slitted eyes at him expectantly. Tilting its head from one side to the next in rapid concession. It emitted a strange buzzing chirp that could only be interpreted as curious. Its two round eyes dominated its head. Its short snout had a small round opening beneath dual flaring nostrils. Its ears were only pinpoint holes on the side of its head. It had horned eyebrows which only made the eyes seem even larger. It blinked fast and swept it’s snout under the boy’s hand and rippled its back to make him stroke down its black scaled back. It buzzed again.

“When I came here, I always feel one under my skin that wants out It hates being contained.”

“What is it?” Airon asked breathlessly.

“It’s called a Figurine Dragon. Because it’s so small. They’re highly mischievous and must receive plenty of attention. “They’re charmed by bribery. But once they like you, they’re yours eternally.”

“Whoa…” Airon whispered in awe. “A figurine dragon…Thanks! Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone you both can lift way too much and talk about very strange things.”

He overheard us?

Bast was giving him a worried look.

What’d he hear? Deragan shrugged. I’ve no idea.

“Good to know.” Bast nodded decisively.

Moving as one they both turned and exited his room.

“No chance it’ll try to claw its way into him in the night is there?” Deragan asked worriedly. Knowing that was how they returned to Bast.

“No…” Bast waved away the idea. “Least I don’t think so…”

Deragan rounded to face him but Bast’s expression erupted into a grin.

“I’m kidding! It won’t. It may return to me at WaterRose and try to claw its way back in. But it wouldn’t do that to anyone else.”

“Good.”

“I wouldn’t have given it to him if there was any chance.”

“I thought not.”

“Thought?” Bast frowned.

Deragan gave him a sideways grin.

“Touche.” Bast acknowledged.