Eustace leapt from the floating isle, transforming as he fell and plunged into the ocean of his world. There was no danger of him striking the bottom. The oceans ran deep and dark. He swam to all of Luna’s favourite places, the ruins to play hide and seek in, the large stems of rock riddled with tunnels the landmasses were tethered to and the nest to check on the eggs which had yet to hatch.

  Luna wasn’t at any of them.

  Eustace could feel mild panic starting to gnaw at him. He leapt up into the air and nosed for her scent. He couldn’t get a fix on her anywhere.

  James joined him, having spent the time Eustace was working with the elven family in Faelan’s book. He swam alongside his father, thinking his mad search was a game but even he began to eye Eustace with faint concern.

  They flew through crowds of wind dragons, tiny creatures whose individual presence was small and insignificant but when they flew in a flock, they could cause hurricanes to billow.

  They used the heat from volcanoes to rise high along with the fire dragons whose element was a stark contrast to their water dragon one.

  They nosed around the earth dragons who were slow moving and often covered with jewels and yet, for all their searching, Eustace could not find Luna.

  They flew up to a floating island and Eustace transformed into a human to stand on the edge.

  “Luna!” He yelled.

  There was no reply, no even an echo.

  Eustace slumped onto the edge of the isle, his legs hanging freely. James, changed into his human boy form, sat next to him.

  He didn’t say anything. James had yet to speak, either as a dragon or as a human. Of course, as a dragon, speech was impossible with his reptilian jaws. If he needed to ‘talk’ it was by touching the one he was talking to, the sounds in his mind vibrating across their bodies. James still didn’t speak in this manner.

  So when Eustace looked at him and asked, “have you seen Luna?”, he didn’t expect a reply.

  James gazed up at him with big eyes and wild white hair, his expression puzzled.

  “No, neither have I…” Eustace sighed. “She must be somewhere…”

  Night fell and Luna hadn’t appeared. Eustace and James curled up as dragons in the nest around the eggs of varying sizes. James fell asleep, giving little huffs as he dreamed. Eustace struggled to sleep, wishing he knew where Luna was and why she had gone from ever present and available to absent…

  “But not lost,” Eustace whispered, “she isn’t lost. She’s just…not here.”

  He debated about seeking help to find her but threw that thought away as quickly as it came. Out of all his companions, he was the only one who could fly and the only one who could swim the oceans which rocked themselves into a tempest the next day. Eustace tried to distract himself by playing endlessly with James, hoping that, at any moment, Luna might appear…even if she slapped him with her tail, initiating a mating chase that ended as abruptly as it started…

  But nothing. No Luna…

  Nearly an entire week passed in the dragon realm and Eustace knew he would have to tell everyone at House of Figs that Luna had disappeared.

  He visited the beach where he had seen her last, their imprints well and truly washed away, the grains of sand scattered across the ocean floor. His human feet walked deep indents in the wet sand, his toes wriggling as the dry clung to his damp skin.

  “Luna…” He whispered. “Please…”

  His words were whipped from his mouth, vanishing into the mist that rolled in with the waves. The sky was cloudy and grey, about as warm and joyful as his mood.

  He sighed and prepared himself to change and leave.

  “Eustace…”

  He spun around before his name had finished passing her lips. Luna was standing at the edge of the tree line, one hand resting against a trunk having just emerged from the shadows.

  Eustace nearly fell over in relief. He started to sprint towards her but skidded in the sand to a halt when she took a step back, almost consumed once again by shadows. However, they weren’t enough to hide the dullness of her skin or the dryness of her hair. She looked like a shell that had been too long out of the water, its luminescence diminished by the air and the sun.

  “Luna?” She kept her eyes down and turned her head to the side. “What’s wrong?” She said nothing. “Is it something I said…or did?” Still nothing. “Luna,” he took another step towards her and she recoiled, darkness overtaking her, “are you alright?” But rather than answer, she vanished into the trees.

  Eustace flew to the nest, collected James who was still half asleep and charged up to the floating isle where the door to the Observatory and the real world existed. He carried James into House of Figs, looking around frantically.

  “Is Bastian here?”

  Faelan, Rob, Annie, Jo and Rafael looked at him in surprise and a little trepidation. Eustace’s loud and energetic entrance was probably reminiscent of his former immaturity but he couldn’t stop to think it through.

  “Eustace, what’s wrong?”

  “I…I need Bastian.” He blurted, unable to fathom bringing everyone up to speed, irrespective of the topic that had dominated all activities to this point.

  “It’s nice to be needed,” Bastian’s warm voice chuckled behind him, “sorry I’m late, Jurgen had a…Eustace, are you…”

  Eustace couldn’t stop the flood of tears. He was so overcome with anxiety that words would not form in comprehensible sentences.

  “Luna…dry…help…”

  The first to come to their senses was Jo. She moved into their space and put her arms out.

  “Come on James, I found you another puzzle!”

  He leapt into her arms but his little fingers still clung to Eustace’s hand. He looked at his father, his young eyes filled with concern. Eustace forced himself to smile.

  “It’s alright, James…I just need to talk to Uncle Bast. I’ll see you later.”

  James nodded and relinquished his hold.

  “Rafael, could you man the window for the time being?” Jo called as she carried James upstairs.

  “Already getting it ready.”

  If Eustace had half a mind he would have thanked Rafael for filling in his role but he didn’t. Bastian walked him out the back but they didn’t even make it to the Observatory before Eustace was blurting out his fears.

  “She won’t talk to me…I couldn’t even find her for the entire week I was in my world…”

  “Why didn’t you tell any of us?”

  “What could you do? Search the corners of the ocean? Fly through the skies?” Eustace trembled. “Bastian, she looks shrivelled, like she’s dying…I don’t know what to do.”

  Bastian’s handsome visage deepened in thought. Eustace nearly went mad with the five seconds he took to ponder.

  “I am afraid we are well beyond my expertise. We need help.”

  “Jo?”

  Bastian shook his head. “We need experienced help. We need Bethany. Luna might open up to her.” He clamped one hand over Eustace’s which had been wringing themselves into a knot. “We’ll figure this out, Eustace. I promise.”

  Bethany was the waitress for House of Figs and arrived only ten minutes later. She had been anticipating a hot breakfast cooked by Bastian but what she got was a takeaway cup of tea and a large muffin. Eustace explained Luna’s state to her as they walked to the Observatory and crossed the threshold into Eustace’s book. When she mounted his dragon form, thankfully wearing three quarter jeggings and an oversized top in teal green, he was able to convey much more…without needing to speak it.

  Bethany listened without asking question, her black curls tied into two low pigtails and her blue eyes barely blinking.

  Eustace landed on the beach and Bethany dismounted. It was deserted. Luna was not to be seen. Bethany glanced at Eustace.

  “She might be feeling self conscious. Go back to the door isle. I know you’ll hear me if I call.” His large blue eye, for she could only see one, looked at her anxiously. Bethany rested her hand on his head. “We’ll help her. Try not to worry.”

  Eustace’s white, lithe form twisted and he plunged into the surf, diving down then powering upwards, soaring into the pale grey sky.

  Bethany tore her eyes from his shrinking form and looked around.

  “Luna? Are you there?” She called as she walked across the sand towards the tree line. “It’s Bethany. We met at House of Figs once. Do you remember me? Luna?” There was nothing for a long time, just the wash of the tide and the faint echo of an earth dragon turning over in its sleep.

  Then a shadow emerged from the shade of the trees and Luna’s blue eyes found Bethany’s.

  “Luna,” Bethany had to work hard at not overwhelming her with questions and enthusiasm for Luna looked as though she was about to bolt, “Eustace is worried about you. He thought you might need someone to talk to.”

  Bethany found a place on the rocks where she could sit close to the water. She hoped Luna would dip her feet in and replenish her body’s water stores but when she sat down, she kept her legs pulled closed to her chest as though the water was suddenly toxic to her. While Bethany wasn’t experiencing a reaction as strong as Eustace’s emotional panic, it was clear to her that Luna was in a bad way. She reminded Bethany of the time Eustace refused to swim or play in water when he was protecting the egg he’d saved. Dry and listless.

  “So,” Bethany began, wondering how she was going to broach such a delicate topic, “Eustace told me his side of the story…but I want to know yours and why you’re not reverting to your dragon state and playing in the water.” Luna remained silent, staring at the ripples as though she was desperate to plunge in yet an invisible barrier was in her way. Bethany frowned. “Eustace thinks he did something to hurt you, physically…emotionally…”

  “No,” Luna said and even her voice sounded dry, “I am not hurt…”

  Bethany studied her profile, recalling how, when she was imbued with a kind of goddess state of being and had reached into each of the five fictional worlds, she had discovered Luna. She’d been encased in an egg in the belly of the corpse of the dead dragon that had told Eustace it was his mother. Bethany had been able to sense her heartbeat, her warmth that was slowly fading and had brought the egg to the nest where Luna had hatched months later.

  Luna had been in that egg, imprisoned in the dragon’s belly, for hundreds or unthinkably, thousands of years with only the thoughts of the mother for company…until she heard Eustace’s voice.

  “I know you’re not used to being with others,” Bethany said softly, “you don’t really know how to share or to communicate…because you’ve been so alone for so long…” A precious tear rolled down Luna’s cheek. She must have been deeply grieved to allow it to fall when she was so dry. “But I’m here and if you want to talk…”

  “I should have talked…” Bethany blinked, surprised by Luna’s lament. The pale woman stared at the grey waves and the white foam caps. “But I barely knew how,” she turned to Bethany, imploring her to understand, “not just speech…”

  “You mean the way Eustace can communicate with words without speaking?”

  Luna nodded. “I have instinctive knowledge but not understanding…and many things that imposter mother imbued on me were likely untrue…”

  Hundreds of years being hammered by the mother dragon’s insidious thoughts…

  Bethany shuddered. Forget brain washing. That was when you had white space in your mind and could think clearly. What had happened to Luna was mental abuse, consistent, malicious abuse until her brain was murky and dark.

  “I felt my body’s readiness for fertilisation…and I reacted to it the same way my body reacted to Eustace when we…” Luna’s words drifted away but her eyes glanced to the sand of the beach. Bethany hoped she wasn’t blushing. She knew now was not the time for adolescent embarrassment. Luna and Eustace needed her to listen. “I slapped his head with my tail. I couldn’t tell you why…I just did…and then I fled, not in fear but…”

  “You wanted him to give chase?”

  Luna licked her dry lips which were becoming cracked. “It was the same rush as when we kissed in the sand, the same surge towards an end…and then we met in the waters…and all instinct abandoned me. I had done what I needed to do…”

  Bethany cleared her throat. “We know nothing about how dragons mate in this world. What you did is very possibly a natural and normal way for you to propagate...”

  “Except that I did not conceive when we were dragons…not that time nor the three other times it happened.” Luna’s arms were trembling. She hugged her legs against her chest.

  “Maybe it doesn’t happen like that with dragons in this world,” Bethany offered, “maybe it’s a way of establishing that you’re his mate?”

  Luna shook her head, her hair rattling with a hollow timbre like dried grass. “No…it was the reason the dragon mother tried to kill me and kept me in her belly…”

  “Because you and he might have conceived…and he would have become a father which is what she was trying to keep from happening.” Bethany sucked on her teeth. “So…what about the night before you disappeared? The night you remained human?”

  “It was like nothing I expected…” Luna peeked shyly at Bethany. “The waves kept washing over us, healing, rejuvenating…we could have continued for days in that way…but Eustace reached a point where he wanted to hold me, our bodies dusted with sand…” Luna turned away. “I woke first, hearing the call of the water. The tide had pulled back so I eased myself out of his arms and went down to the edge, ready to transform…”

  Bethany wasn’t sure how long she could hold her breath for.

  “And?” She finally gasped.

  “A violent urge threw me backwards, as though I was repulsed by the water. I was afraid,” Luna looked at the waves, “I am still afraid…”

  “Why?”

  “I did not know…”

  Her words caused Bethany to pause. “But you do now?”

  Luna shivered. “I realised I was with child,” she turned to Bethany, her hands covering her belly, “a human child…”

  Bethany’s jaw fell open. There was nothing she could do to stop it. “A human…but you’re a dragon! Eustace is a dragon!” She gulped, stunned by the turn the conversation had taken. “Maybe because of the manner in which it was conceived…” Her eyes widened. “Luna, what does this mean?”

  “I hardly know,” her voice cracked, “I can tell you nothing except my body knew…and when I approached the water, readying myself to change…it defied me, warned me…”

  “Wait,” Bethany stood up, unable to be still now, “you can’t revert to being a dragon?”

  “A dragon babe is protected in an egg…a human babe would not survive the internal workings of a dragon, let alone the transformation.” Luna’s fa?ade was cracking, the panic she’d been feeling all week seeping through. “I don’t even know if…if it’s even going to survive! Bethany, what am I going to do?!”

  Strangely enough Luna’s complete breakdown caused Bethany’s calm nature to come to the fore. She’d had a lot of experience recently dealing with crisis situations and while she wasn’t particularly good when she was at the centre of it, when she needed to care for someone else, she found she was more than capable.

  “We’re not going to panic,” she told Luna, taking her hands, “we’re going to call Eustace and he’s going to carry us to House of Figs.” She twisted and called his name before turning back to Luna. “Then he can fetch Bronwyn from Faelan’s book. She’s an elf who has become our fictional midwife. She’ll examine you and we’ll go from there…alright?”

  Luna’s usual presence of ethereal, calm and poise could be quite intimidating but in this moment she seemed to shrink into an adolescent, frightened and small. She lowered her head to Bethany’s shoulder as they waited for Eustace to appear.

  “If you haven’t reverted to being a dragon, how have you been eating and drinking?”

  “I had some internal stores…but as a dragon I would draw nutrients from the water.”

  Bethany thrust the muffin at her and the tea. She didn’t need to coax Luna into consuming either. The poor woman was starving. By the time Eustace clambered onto the beach in his large, rippling white dragon form, Luna had finished both.

  “Luna needs to be looked over by Bronwyn.” Bethany explained. “Luna, you need Eustace to carry you.” She eyed her sharply but Luna’s strength was gone. She obeyed and sat on his back with Bethany behind. “Back to House of Figs and then, if you wouldn’t mind, down to Elvan to fetch Bronwyn.”

  To Eustace’s credit, he didn’t ask one question although his big blue eyes were filled with concern. Once he’d deposited them on the floating isle and they crossed into the Observatory, Eustace changed into his human form and walk into the book lined decagon, ready to go straight to Elvan, the town populated with elves and humans and their descendants in Faelan’s book. Though he must have been brimming with questions he kept his mouth shut, ready to pass through without a word but Bethany reached out and caught his hand. She didn’t say anything. She only squeezed his fingers and smiled at him. That alone was enough to reassure Eustace that she was taking care of Luna.

  He crossed into Faelan’s world, the doorway opening in the exterior ruins of the once majestic realm of the elves of Xephis. They were extinct now, barely a memory and their civilisation, that which was exposed to the elements, was crumbling with time.

  It was midday with the sun brightly shining, touching the tops of the dense forest with gold. Eustace had plenty of room to transform although he was mindful to not do so too close to the doorway. He didn’t know what would happen if the ancient stone doorway crumbled. It’s possible it would take the doorway to the Observatory with it. Once he was airborne Eustace dove down the far side of the mountain, keeping as far from the boundaries of Iffah as possible. Dragons were not unknown in Faelan’s world but Eustace did not want to chance that his people, who were extremely skilled with bow and arrow, mightn’t try to bring him down.

  Cross contamination across fictional worlds. It was impossible to avoid but they’d all been drilled on keeping those were ignorant out of the picture for now. The Observatory, House of Figs, reality and fantasy, fiction and faction…there were too many questions and not even those who were at the heart of the paradox had all the answers.

  Eustace headed for Elvan as stealthily as he could, changing back to human before he reached the outskirts. It was a town of cobblestone roads, a watermill churning, fields of harvest and winding, almost labyrinthian streets. Eustace knew which was Bronwyn’s house and went straight there. Elrond answered the door.

  “Mama,” he called into the house, “James’ father is here.”

  “Eustace?” Bronwyn opened the door wide and urged him in. “What is it?”

  “I need your help.” He said, unable to keep the quaver out of his voice.

  Bronwyn nodded, instantly understanding. She put her hands on Elrond’s shoulders. “Run to the orchard and tell your father I need to visit House of Figs.”

  “Can I come!” Elrond begged. “Please mama!”

  “James is there if he wants to play with him.” Eustace offered.

  “It is not just Elrond.” Right on cue, disturbed by the unfamiliar voice in the house, a baby started crying. Eustace cringed, knowing he was the cause of her disturbed slumber. Bronwyn went into another room and cooed gently, returning with Elrond’s little sister in her arms. “We are quite a crowd these days.”

  “I can carry all of you, Asher too if he wants to come.” Eustace offered.

  “I will write him a note.” Bronwyn scribed quickly on a piece of parchment, asking Elrond to fetch a few things for her as she did so.

  Eustace gazed at the slender elvish woman who had left her culture behind and fallen in love with a human. Her hair was the same shade of pale gold as Faelan’s and her eyes were the same green. She could have been his sister the way elves remained ageless when bathed in the divine light of their people. But Bronwyn had a maturity about her presence. It’s possible Faelan tried to emulate it yet came across as a little cool and unfriendly. Bronwyn’s steady nature was a result of being a mature elf. Eustace could feel his panic subsiding even more. Bethany and Bronwyn…they would take care of Luna…and find out what he'd done wrong.

  “Would you hand me that basket?” Bronwyn asked as she deftly tied her hair back from her pointed ears then untied her apron. The basket had straps so that she could carry the girl babe and still have her hands free. “Elrond, the books for Jo.” She looked at Eustace apologetically. “I am sorry. I used to be able to leave the house without a second thought…”

  “I’m the one who should be apologising, interrupting your day…interrupting your fiction…” Eustace blurted.

  “I know you would not do so if the matter was not urgent.” She heaved the basket onto her back. “Would you put Arwen in?”

  The little girl, named after a famous elf in another book, slid into the basket, her chubby legs sticking out of the holes in the bottom. Two leather straps kept her securely in place. Arwen stared up at him in awe. She wasn’t very old, just a few months and was just starting to observe the world and the random people that turned up on the doorstep of her home.

  They left the house, taking the path out of the village that led over a bridge then turned off, skirting a low cliff face that acted as a natural retaining wall and into the clearing beyond.

  Eustace changed and Elrond squealed with delight at the water spray. Bronwyn put him on Eustace’s back then climbed up herself.

  “Ready.” She called and Eustace took off. He made sure to make his ascent to be as smooth as possible when carrying passengers, especially small ones. It took longer to reach the doorway than it had taken to reach Elvan but if they’d had to climb the mountain, it would have been days…unless you were an elf. At the top Elrond slid from Eustace’s back with ease and Bronwyn followed, Arwen in her basket, bemused but happy. Eustace changed and headed for the door, Elrond charging ahead.

  “Hold up little man,” Eustace put his hand on his shoulder, “House of Figs is open. We need to be calm and very human like…and not make James sneeze.”

  Elrond grinned but nodded. The little half elf could encourage flowers to bloom and had done so to a wattle bush, tufts of yellow bursting into the air…and James had promptly sneezed, unable to control his water dragon nature and soaked Elrond and half the garden.

  Eustace made sure the coast was clear then they slipped out of the Observatory into the exterior courtyard. Because of the fine weather, people were dining outside. Bronwyn quickly untied her hair, letting it fall straight and cover her ears. Elrond and Arwen’s elvish features were less pronounced and could be dismissed in the brevity of their appearance by anyone not completely distracted by their meal and coffee. Inside Eustace led them to the stairs but allowed Bronwyn to ascend alone.

  Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

  It killed him that he couldn’t help but Bethany hadn’t asked for him. She’d called for Bronwyn.

  So Eustace returned to his coffee station where Rafael was deeply relieved to see him.

  “I don’t mind,” Rafael blurted after venting his exhausted frustrations, “but I’m not a vampire anymore and I just don’t have the same speed that I used to.”

  Eustace nodded, sure he was supposed to say something comforting or apologetic…but all he could do was thinking of Luna…and hope that Bronwyn had good news as to what was troubling her.

  Luna was waiting in the room Bethany and Adela shared. She sat on the armchair that was nestled in the bay window where the fig tree batted the panes of glass with its wide, waxy leaves. Bethany had brought her more food and drink. The sensation of eating in such a way was like a memory from a dream but her hunger moved her past awkwardness and embarrassment.

  A slender, fair haired woman arrived with two children in tow. Luna looked achingly at the littlest one, still in her mother’s arms.

  “James is in the lounge room.” Bethany explained and the boy darted away, knowing his way around. “Bronwyn, thank you so much for coming. I hope Asher doesn’t mind you leaving Elvan so much.”

  “Asher is more than understanding and completely supportive,” the fair woman said warmly, “he knows my skills are held in tangent with my understanding.” She turned and smiled at Luna, her eyes filled with compassion.

  “Bronwyn, this is Luna. Luna, this is Bronwyn, the mother of one of our other fictional staff members.”

  “I was at the gathering when you arrived, Luna.” Bronwyn explained. “How are you?”

  Luna couldn’t take her eyes off the little girl.

  “Luna…we think she is pregnant.” Bethany explained and Bronwyn nodded. “Let me take Arwen for you.”

  “Thank you.” Bronwyn relinquished her baby and came around the two beds to sit on a footstool in front of Luna. “I am an elf, Luna and as such I have the ability to sense things that humans are often unable to. However, I have never tried to ascertain the health of a water dragon before,” Bronwyn paused, “that is what you are, is it not?”

  “Yes.” Luna said in a hoarse whisper.

  Bronwyn’s brow flickered into the briefest frown caught by Bethany.

  “If you would allow me to put my hand on your abdomen…”

  Luna held still, even holding her breath as Bronwyn closed her eyes and concentrated. Bethany held onto Arwen like a little shield around her heart.

  After a ten seconds Bronwyn opened her eyes and smiled at Luna. “I can confirm you are indeed with child…and though I suspect you conceived not more than ten days ago, I could sense a heartbeat.” Bethany breathed out and Arwen squirmed, tugging on a black ringlet. “I am going to concentrate on your health now, Luna.”

  Rather than be comforted, Luna tensed and Bethany could see her lean back as though it would keep Bronwyn’s elf senses from reaching her from where her hand held her wrist. Bronwyn frowned, tilting her head, her lips pursed and Bethany began to suspect the worst. Was there something wrong with Luna after all? Bronwyn drew back, her hands clasped in her lap. Luna gazed at her with unmistakable fear in her expression.

  “Luna…” She breathed. “Were you ever going to tell him?”

  “Please,” Luna whispered, “please…”

  “He needs to know, Luna…” Bronwyn put her hand on the arm of the chair and stood, turning to Bethany. Though the question was in her eyes, Bethany didn’t ask and Bronwyn didn’t volunteer the information. She sighed and looked back at the miserable young woman. “Regardless whether you choose to tell him the truth, you cannot revert to your dragon state while you carry this child. You must carry it as a human and give birth as a human.”

  “Bronwyn,” Bethany gasped, “that means months without reverting to her natural state.”

  Bronwyn’s eyes were sad but she said nothing. Luna didn’t look at them, staring at the leaves pressed against the window, listening to their whisper on the glass. She felt as though she was coming undone, unravelling until she was shapeless…a pitiable mess. She knew Bronwyn spoke the truth. Up until she had uttered it, Luna had remained in the fragile illusion that she might be able to keep her secrets hidden. But no longer.

  However, that didn’t dispel her greatest fear. “He will want nothing more to do with me.”

  “I rather doubt that,” Bronwyn remarked with elven clarity, “however, should I be wrong, and it would not be the first time, I know those here at House of Figs will not abandon you.”

  “We’ll get through this,” Bethany added, “I promise.”

  Luna found it somewhat presumptuous of her to promise to care for her when she didn’t know what Luna really was. And yet she knew she spoke the truth.

  “Eustace has duties to perform…”

  “When it quietens down in the café, Rafael can man his station and Eustace can come up.” Bethany bit her lip. She hoped Rafael was in a receptive, obliging mood. “Perhaps before he does you might like a shower?”

  “The child…”

  “As long as you do not revert to being a dragon,” Bronwyn reassured her, “I do not think the unfamiliar sensation of a shower will force a transformation. Besides, you are not at the whim of your instincts. You can choose.”

  Luna stood in the thing called a shower and pondered this notion of ‘choice’. Eustace had said it too on the beach before they’d…

  Was it the warmth of the water or the heat in her veins that was turning her pale skin pink?

  Then Luna gave a sad little laugh.

  Unlike most others, she could ‘choose’ that too.

  Standing in the shower held none of the terror she’d felt when she’d gone to the water’s edge. Perhaps it was an initial warning that her body gave and now the consequences were on Luna and whatever she did. Or perhaps the shower was so strange, warm water summoned from silver pipes to cascade over her in a glass box while fragrant bubbles cleaned her hair, that her dragon instincts didn’t view it as dangerous. After all, if she should change into her natural state in there, she’d shatter the shower, the bathroom and most of the top storey of House of Figs.

  Then Luna gave a sob.

  Her natural state indeed…

  What was Eustace going to say?

  Luna wasn’t sure what absorbing water would do to the child she carried so she dried herself with a rectangle of fabric. The dress she had ‘worn’ was part of her human disguise. It had ebbed in the shower, dissolving like the bubbles before they were pulled down the drain. Luna could summon more clothing but again, she was frightened how far she could push her ‘illusion’.

  Unfortunately neither Bethany’s clothes nor Adela’s would fit her. And as Annie’s figure was based on Bethany’s, her clothes were also ill fitting. Jo found a tiered skirt in her wardrobe the hue of a squashed cherry. She also found a white, long sleeve top and a plaited belt with a large buckle to drape around her slender waist.

  “I know you don’t need the belt but it was part of the outfit when I put it together.” Jo explained, taking Bethany’s place as she helped Luna to dress.

  Then all that was to be done was wait for Eustace to come upstairs and for Luna to upend his world. Bronwyn remained at House of Figs and offered to brush Luna’s hair. Luna wished she had condemned her for the secrets she possessed. It would have been easier to keep them with an air of defiance…but Bronwyn refused to make her promise to tell the truth. Instead she told Luna some of the things for her to do and to not do during the early stages of carrying a child.

  “And even if you do everything right, sometimes miscarriages happen,” Bronwyn said in her kindly way, Luna almost lulled into a trance with the gentle brushing, “know that I am here for you, only a short dragon flight away.”

  “I guess that’s my cue…”

  Luna’s trance popped like a bubble. She heard Bronwyn put the brush down. “I will leave you two to talk.”

  “Do you want me to take you and the children back to Elvan?”

  “Not yet. I want to be here in case you have questions.”

  Luna barely heard Bronwyn leave, her footsteps as soft as freshly fallen snow. Eustace’s tread was decidedly heavier as he walked into the room, sitting in the armchair. Luna remained on the bed.

  “You look good.” His voice was low and calm, albeit it hesitant. “Much better than this morning.”

  Luna’s heart ached. She must have frightened him. She hadn’t thought about him at all until she’d heard his voice. Her own fears and situation had overwhelmed her but when he’d said her name, brokenly…like her absence was a mortal wound. She knew she had to come forth even if she couldn’t stay.

  “I am sorry I frightened you.” She said in a voice barely above a whisper.

  Luna could see nothing of him except his feet, his calves and his knees. Her eyes remained on the carpet. She heard him shift forward and his clasped hands came into view.

  “Luna…did I hurt you?”

  “No.”

  “I never meant for things to go as far as they did.” His voice was becoming agitated. “I…when you kissed me…it was like when I would chase you in the water…it was as though my veins were suddenly electrified and I barely even thought…”

  Luna put her fingers over his lips, his words dying as she looked up at him. “I need to tell you something,” she swallowed, “to be honest with you.”

  Eustace, with his white hair tipped with blue and his sapphire eyes nodded and waited. Luna’s body trembled. She’d never known fear like this, not even when she’d been chased down and eaten…

  “I am with child.”

  To his credit, he handled it well…but then, he’d had time to process it. “I heard…” He tapped his ears. “Even over the noise of the café...”

  Which meant Bastian and Faelan and even Rob would have heard too. Only Rafael, whose recent return to humanity meant he’d lost his vampiric hearing, would have been unaware but Luna doubted that would last.

  “Luna…that night…we…”

  “Yes. Conceived from that night.” Luna pressed her lips together. “Only when we were both in human form…”

  “Not when we were dragons?” She shook her head. Eustace blew out a long, cold breath. Luna could feel the moisture in it and taste the salt of the ocean. “That’s a little odd…but regardless, I care about you,” he grasped her hands, “and I care about this baby and when it hatches…”

  She pulled her fingers out of his, his words fading. “It will not hatch. I am carrying a human child.”

  Now Eustace’s jaw fell open. Luna allowed the news to sink in. She didn’t rush him.

  “A human child? But…because of the way…” Eustace moaned. “I didn’t know. Luna, I swear I didn’t know that if we conceived in that state that you would be unable to revert to your natural dragon form for months on end…”

  “Stop…please, stop!” She cried, standing and walking away from him, trying to distance herself from his distance, from his apologies…because he owed her none. “Eustace, this is not your fault. It is mine.”

  “How could it possibly be…”

  “I am human.”

  The fictional characters who staffed House of Figs sat around the largest table in the café after closing. There was Bastian, the werewolf, Faelan the elf, Rafael the former vampire and Rob and Annie the artificial beings designed to be human. With them was Jo West, the owner of the café who was like a mother to all her ‘boys’ that had emerged from their various fictional worlds. Eustace had flown Bronwyn, Elrond and Arwen home after his rather confronting conversation with Luna. When he’d returned, he found his friends, people he considered family, waiting for him.

  When he told them what Luna had said, they were understandably stunned and more than a little confused.

  “She’s human?” Bastian asked after the silence had stretched out to an uncomfortable length.

  Eustace nodded.

  “I take it this is different to the way you look human?” Rafael held a cup of coffee, not as black as he used to drink it.

  “I am a dragon who can take human form…but inherently I am still a dragon.” Eustace said softly, his eyes on the table, anchoring himself to one spot to keep from surging about helplessly on the sea of emotions he could feel battering at his reason. “Luna is a human who can take dragon form…but she is inherently…”

  “Human…” Eustace nodded. Faelan leaned forward, his elbows on the table, his hands clutched together and his pale green eyes thoughtful and calm. “Eustace, how is that possible?”

  “It has to do with the foundations of my world…the lost foundations…”

  “Here,” Bethany walked into the café holding a larger than average book with a beautiful embossed cover, gilded with gold, “I thought this might help.”

  “My book…” Eustace whispered.

  “I’ve read it,” Bethany explained as she sat to his right, “during the times when we felt the need to lock the door to your world.” She propped it up and opened the pages. There were more illustrations than story and the beautiful images were painstakingly drawn and coloured, depicting a vast landscape. “This is what Eustace’s world used to look like.”

  Rafael leaned closer then realised he was the only one doing so. He gave a frustrated huff, knowing that his human eyes were no longer as powerful as his vampire ones.

  “I’ve only seen a little of your world from the floating isle where the door rests…but I didn’t think it looked like that.” Bastian admitted.

  It didn’t. Eustace had travelled the length and breadth of the world he lived on. There were landmasses, the size of islands and not continents and they were populated by the earth dragons who buried themselves deep into the ground and slept almost constantly. There were the floating islands which seemed to congregate naturally in clusters and that the wind dragons played endlessly around. There were several large volcanoes where the fire dragons liked to nest, enjoying the heat from the lava flows.

  But the illustrations in the book were very different.

  There were rolling hills of meadows covered with clover, yellow and white flowers bobbing in the breeze. There were cliffs of white that dove into the crashing surf and pillars of sandstone that water had eroded into arches and caves filled with stalactites and hanging vines draped over the openings like curtains of dark green and teal. There were endless forests that looked as though the forest of Iffah had been transported to the world of the dragons and cultivated land that could have easily been the fields around Elvan. There were plains of waving grasses and rocky outcrops that reminded them of Alte Fehde and Bastian’s heart leapt at the sight, feeling the wildness of the land call to him.

  While Bastian’s heart was leaping, Eustace’s had sunk.

  So…this is what his world had once looked like…

  “It looks beautiful,” Faelan breathed then caught himself…or perhaps Rafael’s foot did beneath the table, “but it is simply the way the artist depicted it…not how it might have been.”

  “Given how exacting Gar’Dian was about his work, I think we can safely say that the illustrations are accurate.” Bethany said sadly. “Don’t forget, all the worlds were created from memories he had of his own world so that the incantation would work when he tried to rebuild what he’d destroyed.”

  “I see plenty of dragons,” Rafael admitted, “but not many humans.”

  “They lived in cities,” Bethany turned the page and they saw incredible cities sprawling over the various biomes, “cities that were designed with both dragons and humans in mind.”

  There was one made out of stone, like a castle one that was riddled with archways and huge tunnels so that dragons could fly through the city. There were landing platforms and rooms where they could rest comfortably, humans littered around them, going about their days as if dragons were completely normal. There was one city taking advantage of the tunnels of a mountain, threading through it like an ants nest. And there weren’t just cities but villages tending fields, floating homesteads upon the water and on the isles that drifted in the sky, homes that were disconnected from everyone and everything…unless you knew a friendly dragon.

  “Look,” Bastian pointed, “there are humans riding dragons!”

  “For the most part, humans did not see the dragons as mounts and the dragons were not falling over themselves to offer to do so,” Bethany laid the book down, reciting what she’d read, “they respected each other as equal yet entirely different species. That’s what their utopian society was built upon. But, sometimes a dragon and a human would forge a…soul-tie. It was a bond deeper than friendship, than family…they are the only ones who rode dragons with any consistency and even then it was not so much about the convenience but the time spent together.”

  Eustace swallowed and glanced up at the room where Luna was waiting, still shaken from having told Eustace the truth.

  “What happened to utopia?”

  Bethany opened her mouth but it was Eustace who replied.

  “Just because they could…didn’t mean they should…”

  His strange words, heavy with bitterness, caught them off guard.

  Bethany turned to a new page where there were four elements. “As you know, the dragons of Eustace’s world are arranged into four elements. Fire, earth, water and air, or wind if you prefer. Every dragon fell into one of those categories. In their arrogance born from enjoying a utopia that their ancestors had built and out of boredom, the humans decided to use their science to create a dragon that possessed more than one element.” She tapped an illustration of many broken eggs. “All the hatchlings either didn’t survive in the egg or died not long after hatching.”

  Even the humans in the room could almost taste the disgust in the air.

  “Did the dragons know?” Bastian asked, his lips curling in disgust.

  “I don’t know…”

  “They did not,” Faelan said surprisingly, “in not one of those illustrations is a dragon except the hatchlings that died…the dragons were ignorant of the experiments of the humans.”

  Eustace looked sadly at Bethany. “Remember how the dragon mother accused you of corrupting me? She likened you to the humans of old…”

  Bethany nodded. “Yes, it makes sense then…” She sighed and turned the page again. “Finally they decided to forge a dragon out of all four elements.”

  Eustace shuddered, knowing the room all too well. It had been where the imposter mother had presented herself as a little girl dressed in rags on a broken throne upon a dais where there were four pillars surrounding her. Only now, with eyes of understanding, did he see that the pillars were each marked with one of the four elements and the broken throne was actually a black egg upon a pedestal, broken when the dragon of four elements had emerged…as a human.

  “The humans rejoiced,” Bethany continued in the hallowed silence, “they had succeeded and more than that, the dragon could take human form, an ability not previously known among the dragons…but the dragon, though possessing four elements, didn’t seem to possess a soul…or empathy or mercy…or a conscience.”

  “It sowed discord among the dragons,” Eustace’s throat was tight and speaking pained him, “telling them what the humans had done, that dragons were seen as cattle and not equals…and it taught the ability to change form to the dragons…”

  He couldn’t speak. He couldn’t say it.

  All he could think about were all the lives…the deception…the horror…

  “Eustace?”

  He didn’t realise that rivulets of water were running out of his eyes, streaming down the sides of his face from his hairline, his body weeping as if tears were not enough. Arms wrapped around him and he gave a little sob, burying his face into Jo’s embrace.

  No one knew what to say. They turned to Bethany who was as pale as milk.

  “Dragons disguised as humans walked among them,” Luna’s soft, sorrowful voice reached them from the stairs where she sat, gazing down at them, “they slept with them…and the women conceived…”

  Eustace had forgotten how to breathe. He was trapped in a waking nightmare and all he could see were bones. Hundreds, thousands of bones…hollow eyes…

  His legacy.

  “Their bodies were not capable of carrying dragon babies…most women died during the time of carrying, the element the dragon possessed killing them. The hatchlings that were removed never survived…”

  “And the humans raged at the foulness of the dragons, even those that had been bonded deeply…for some of them were like lovers that could never be…and when the dragon discovered it could and experience human intimacy…”

  “They didn’t stop to think about whether or not they should,” Rafael’s coffee was as cold as his tone as he set it down, “just that they could.”

  “Their once utopian society descended into civil war, the dragons using their elements to attack and revenge themselves upon the humans.” Bethany held the book up to show a landscape filled with a wall of fire from the fire dragons that the wind dragons had whipped into a tsunami of flames, blackened silhouettes of humans in the red and gold haze. Water dragons caused tidal waves to completely drown coastal villages and the earth dragons caused the mountains to crumble, crushing the cities within. “But the humans had their own devices, weapons of warfare forgotten during the time of utopia. The dragons…they didn’t stand a chance…”

  “The waters boiled,” Luna whispered, “the sky was on fire…the earth cracked and the volcanoes were drowned…then the ocean rose, blotting it all out and when it receded…”

  “All that was left were the baby dragons that had been protected in their shells and the only adult dragon, the mother.”

  “And me…”

  They all looked up at Luna who gazed only at Eustace. He was sniffing, trying to pull himself together. He caught her eyes and she looked away.

  “Not that I don’t enjoy a good dose of heartbreak and sorrow,” Bastian said as strongly as he could, forcing his voice to be firm though a slight quaver did break through, “can we just return to the present problem? Luna,” he said her name and she turned him, her eyes skirting past Eustace like a thief, “you’re a human carrying, essentially, a dragon child. Won’t what happened to those other women happen to you? Shouldn’t we be concerning ourselves with your wellbeing?”

  Luna shook her head. “No. The child I carry is inherently human.”

  “What does inherently mean?”

  “I am inherently dragon,” Eustace managed to speak though his voice sounded like his tongue and throat had been scraped across sandpaper…the really coarse kind, “even though I look human, I am fundamentally, wholly and entirely a dragon.” He gestured towards her without meeting her eyes. “Luna is inherently human…but she can take dragon form…”

  “Yes, but you’re a dragon. How did Luna conceive, congratulations by the way,” Rafael’s dry humour which was out of place yet appreciated by all as a strange way of reminding them all that there was something to be joyful about, “a human child?” His pale blue eyes darted between them. “Or is it un-inherently dragon?”

  No one pointed out that ‘un-inherently’ wasn’t a real word.

  “The child will take after me, a human who is able to take dragon form,” Luna rubbed her arms and stared at the floor, “at least, that is what Bronwyn believes…”

  All talk dissolved into silence. It wasn’t that there wasn’t more to be said but everyone had seemed to have had their fill of surprises, shocks and information, not to mention the emotional upheaval of it all.

  “The first thing we need to do is find you somewhere to stay in the real world.” Bethany said firmly. “After all, you might feel ‘triggered’ to change in your world whereas here there shouldn’t be as many natural triggers. And we know the floating isle can be temperamental about staying upright.”

  Bastian leaned back on his chair to speak confidentially to Rafael but used his normal volume. “Remember the nervous, emotional wreck who showed up here a year ago with no clue?”

  “The one that couldn’t seem to hold it together for more than twenty four hours without needing Faelan to pull her back together?”

  “That’s the one.”

  Bethany gave them both a scolding glare. “That’s unfair…and not at all helpful.”

  Eustace smiled. Bethany had not been in a great state of mind when she’d first arrived in Glenwilde. There were those who were frustrated and annoyed with her, that she couldn’t just suddenly cope with fictional characters on her doorstep, her aunt’s coma and deal with running a café on top of the loss of her mother, a very controlling, passive aggressive former boyfriend, not to mention the possibility of the world coming to an end.

  “We’re running out of beds,” Jo mused, tapping her teeth together, “not to mention space. Most of House of Figs is taken up with the café…”

  “I don’t suppose Jet would welcome a house guest?”

  “I know he has the spare room but honestly I don’t think he’s able to handle it, not with everything that’s been going on…”

  Eustace glanced at Luna who looked as though she wanted to disappear.

  “Luna may stay in my house.” Rob’s words stunned everyone. They turned to the artificial man and stared. “Query, did I say something wrong?”

  “Not at all…but Rob, it’s your house.” Jo blurted. After all the time and energy she had expended getting Rob to accept that he could have a home of his own, she was overly protective of his independence.

  “And I would wish to continue to use it as you have demonstrated, to be a place of sanctuary for fictional characters.” Rob replied, not taking offence. He couldn’t. Eustace was quite envious of his emotionless state at times. “However, it is not yet finished or furnished. The single bedroom the house possesses does not even have a bed.”

  “On it.” Bethany whipped out her phone and began tapping then scrolling. “Buy, swap and sell…” She tapped her tongue on the roof of her mouth. “Hmm…nothing listed that’s appropriate. I’ll write a post saying I’m after a double or queen bed...see if there are any replies.” She looked around at their surprised faces. “You never know.”

  Within the hour there were three responses to her query and after the usual flurry of photos and negotiations, they were able to source a bed and two bedside tables that matched.

  “Been sitting in their shed for over a year,” Bethany explained as they waited out the front of House of Figs for the arrival of the furniture, “said they bought it for one of their children who promptly moved to the city so they turned the bedroom into a craft room.”

  “Kind of them to deliver it.” Jo sighed. “It’s one of the drawbacks of not having a car…or room to put it.”

  “Rob has that covered,” they glanced at the building that was a close replica of the one that had burnt down not long after Christmas, “he’s got a garage and a carport if we ever need a car and a place to put it.” Bethany glanced at her phone. “Not bad getting the mattress for just a little extra.” She laughed at her aunt’s shudder. “We’ll put three fitted sheets on it…and a coverlet to keep the second-hand cooties away. Here they are!”

  The bed, bedside tables and mattress were quickly off loaded and Bethany paid the gentleman who’d brought it. He thanked them for ridding him of shed clutter.

  “More room for model trains.” He chuckled.

  “Our pleasure.”

  Eustace and Rob carried the bed between them. Of course either one of them could have hoisted it onto their shoulders and carried it alone but it was decided that would raise too many questions from the neighbours. Rafael was frustrated that he couldn’t carrying the bedside table with ease and even more frustrated when Bastian came along and scooped it under his arm, the other table beneath the other arm.

  “You can open the door for me.” He taunted lightly.

  Rafael glowered after the brawny werewolf who delighted in flexing his muscles. Rafael glanced at Faelan.

  “Did you have to save his life?” He demanded.

  “No,” Faelan replied, helping Bethany carry the mattress, “but he did not want me to.”

  “Bastian was torn between thanking him and thumping him.” Bethany panted. “Rafael, take my place…”

  “You don’t have to fumble to make me feel better.”

  “I’m not. You’re taller than I am.”

  Luna watched their antics and conversation from the lawn by the door through which they were carrying the furniture, manoeuvring the bed inside with many grunts and grimaces. She couldn’t decide if she was grateful for their help or guilty for the burden she’d put on them. Jo brought piles of linen from House of Figs. Bethany came up beside Luna.

  “It’ll be fine, I promise.”

  Luna allowed herself to be propelled inside, across the paint splattered floor of the open plan living space and past the kitchen fittings that were sticking out of holes in the walls, waiting for various items to arrive so that they could be attached. There were only three rooms to this floor of the house. There was the large living/dining/kitchen area, a bathroom and a bedroom which had shrunk in size with five men wrestling with a bed, a mattress and two bedside tables.

  “Do you think you could take turns?” Jo yelled into the fray.

  “And let one of the others go first?” Bethany snorted.

  They waited until the chaos settled down and the guys came out of the room.

  “I have arranged the bed and tables in the manner in which I envisioned the room to be laid out,” Rob explained, “however, if it is not to your liking, Luna, we can change it.”

  Luna had no intention of being any more of an inconvenience than she already was.

  She followed Bethany and Jo into the bedroom, Rob standing in the doorway.

  “I apologise for the lack of carpet. I did not anticipate a resident so soon.”

  Luna didn’t know what carpet was.

  “We’ll cross that carpet laying bridge when we come to it,” Jo huffed and panted as she and Bethany fought the mattress into a white gusseted sheet. And then, because Jo seemed mortified at the notion of a ‘second hand’ mattress, a dark blue green gusseted sheet was fitted over the top. “I know, I know…” Jo said brusquely at Bethany’s teasing. “I doubt the side we’re using has even been slept on and it’s been protected by plastic wrap in the shed…I just don’t like second hand mattresses!”

  Another green sheet, one without gathers at the corners, was laid over the top, tucked in firmly. Bethany disappeared inside a cover with a plush looking white blanked in her hands. Jo grasped the corners and Bethany withdrew, leaving the blanket inside. Between them they shook and pounded it until the thing inside lay flat, edge to edge, corner to corner. There was a pattern of leaves on the cover, thicker at the end of the bed then gradually fading as they went up towards the bed head where the top sheet was folded over. Rectangular things called pillows were crammed into cases, two that matched the sheets and two that matched the cover. Jo put a round cushion in a lighter blue green with a fringe around its perimeter in the centre of the pillows and stepped back.

  “Not bad if I do say so myself.” She pushed her hair out of her eyes. “Good grief that’s a workout!”

  “No wonder we always make your bed together.” Bethany laughed. “What do you think Luna?”

  Luna stared at it. It was lovely to look at but she wasn’t sure what it was for.

  “It is very nice…what do you do with it?”

  Their jaws dropped open and Luna shifted uncomfortably. Jo regained her composure first. “You sleep in it.” She peeled back the cover that she had only just smoothed out and gestured. “Head on the pillow, cover yourself up and sleep.”

  Luna felt stupid. Of course that’s what it was for. It made sense now that it was explained. She wished she knew what to say. Fortunately she didn’t need to. A little whirlwind ran through the door and flung himself on the bed.

  “James!” Jo exclaimed. “I just made that!”

  “Sorry,” Adela called, running into the room, “he was desperate to see what you were all up to.”

  Luna looked at James who was sitting on the bed, beaming brightly. She loved his innocence, his joy…his zeal…

  “Honestly James,” Eustace came in and scooped him up, throwing him over his shoulder, “beds are not for playing in.”

  “Depends what game…” But Bastian never finished his remark because Rafael elbowed him in the ribs. “Right…well…time to go home. Elke might feel like ‘playing’ tonight.”

  Rafael looked at Bethany as Bastian sauntered out of the little house and shrugged. “There aren’t enough elbows in the world for that werewolf.” He gave a half salute. “See you tomorrow.”

  “I will also take my leave.” Faelan bowed. “Sleep well, Luna.”

  “I should probably start dinner.” Jo turned to Luna. “Of course you will eat with us and until Rob finishes the bathroom, you will need to come to House of Figs for showers and to use the toilet.” She looked at Eustace. “Are you staying for dinner?”

  Luna’s eyes flickered to his. Eustace swallowed and looked away. “I should probably go home,” he said gruffly, trying to hide his awkwardness and failing, “James needs to burn off some of this energy.” James squealed with laughter as Eustace tickled him. “I will see you tomorrow.”

  There was a tense moment where they both debated about farewelling each other.

  In the end, there was only silence.

  “I’ll try to wrangle some time off tomorrow,” Bethany said when Eustace, James and Jo had gone, “you and I can go to a store that’s new in town. We’ll get you some clothes.”

  Luna realised she couldn’t go around wearing the same thing she was in day in and day out. It hadn’t mattered when she could change her appearance at will but now, of course, everything was different.

  “Thank you does not seem enough…” Luna finally blurted.

  Bethany’s hand squeezed hers. “Believe me, I know what it’s like to be overwhelmed in this place…and it’s funny but we seem to react just as badly to good overwhelming as we do to bad overwhelming.” She tilted her head. “You’re worth the effort, Luna. We’ll get through this.”

  Luna nodded. Bethany left her to become accustomed to the space she would be occupying. She sat on the bed, trying to steady her erratic breathing.

  Rob knocked on the doorframe because there was not yet a door in the gap.

  “I was able to find some curtains for the window.” He nodded to the large glass panels that let in fading light as dusk set in. “They will not match the bedlinen.” Luna could feel tears bubbling up in her eyes. Any moment now they would break free. “I apologise for the lack of bathroom. I will endeavour to finish it as soon as possible…Query, Luna…are you alright?”

  She couldn’t stop the tears. They were streaming down her cheeks.

  Rob moved around to go down on one knee in front of her.

  “In a thousand years…I have never felt so loved…”

  Rob blinked, his eyelids moving in perfect synchronicity. “Query, what is love?”

  Luna gave a laugh then buried her face in her hands.