by Sarah Noffke
She shrugged in response.
“All I ever see you do is keep secrets and pretend you don’t do nice things for others,” Liv stated. “Are you a goodwill ninja of sorts?”
“Seriously ridiculous,” Rory said, straightening up as they came to the end of the hallway.
The dim blue light of the shop was actually bright for a moment compared to the corridor they’d come through. Rory was almost able to straighten all the way when they arrived in a large tent with a pitched roof, his head barely grazing the ceiling.
Liv was overwhelmed by the array of strange and interesting objects displayed all over the place. Weird flowers that were full of corkscrews and spikes sat in vases on the far wall. Music that made Liv both sleepy and alert came from a flute hovering in the air like it was being played by an invisible elf. Gems and crystals hung from the ceiling, making it look like a starry sky overhead, and sparkling objects seemed to call for attention from all over the shop.
Liv had seen many strange things on Roya Lane, but nothing like this. It would take days to browse through the strange assortment of magical items in Zuma Zat, but Rory didn’t appear the least bit interested in any of it as he marched farther into the shop.
“Ooki!” a short elfish man greeted him, clapping his hands together. He wore flowing pajama pants, and a round hat on his bald head. His face was partially obscured by a black goatee and a skinny handlebar mustache. “It is good to see you. What brings you here? Need more artifacts? Another transport stone? Or do you want a candle that cleans out a space?” He indicated to a row of candles that were hovering in the air beside the far wall.
Liv strode in that direction and took a whiff, but immediately regretted it. The candles smelled like a mixture of dirty feet and tuna fish. “I’m not sure about cleaning out a space as much as clearing a room of people.”
Shin regarded her with mild curiosity, as if he were trying to figure her out. Rory leaned down and whispered in the man’s ear, and his eyes sparked with interest.
“For you, Ooki?” Shin asked him. “You know they don’t take to your type. Pardon me for saying this, but you’re much too big.”
Rory shook his head. “No, it’s for a magician. If it will work at all, that is.”
“Yes,” Shin said speculatively. “We’d have to see about that. But yes, just follow me to the back.”
Liv went to trail after them, but Rory stopped her. “You two stay here. We’ll be right back. And don’t touch anything.”
The two men disappeared into the back, and Liv gave Sophia a goofy expression. “Don’t touch anything,” she said, mocking the giant. “Is it strange that they just went to the back of a shop, which is in the back of another shop?”
The girl laughed, walking over to the strange flowers on the wall. “I wonder what these do?”
Liv was about to say that she didn’t know when she recognized the strange markings on the petals. She’d read about them in Mysterious Creatures. “Oh, stay back from those,” she warned. “Those are chusetor. It’s a rare flower that causes hallucinations and other mental disorders. It’s used in potions.”
Sophia took a large step back. “That’s good to know.” As she continued to browse a case of artifacts, she said, “Do you know much about potions work?”
Liv shook her head. “It’s on the list of things to learn about. Maybe you can help me since you have some experience with it.”
“Yes, I’d be happy to,” Sophia replied. “And they are really great for hiding magic use, just like many of the objects here.”
Liv took a closer look. The case was filled with gems, jewelry, and many things she’d never seen before. There was a busy bee clip like the one Bermuda had given her, and a bunch of stones that looked familiar. Liv pulled the one Rudolf had given her for summoning him from her pocket, and they were the same. Beside those were bowls of flower-petal-looking objects that she recognized as depours. Stefan had given Sophia a blue one that apparently created snow.
“What do the red ones do again?” Liv asked, pointing at the depours.
“They create fire,” Sophia answered. “And the purple ones make it rain.”
“And they are untraceable?” Liv questioned.
“I think so,” Sophia stated. “Although when I used the one Stefan gave me, there were bits of the depour left behind after the snow melted.”
“So there’s evidence left behind,” Liv mused, not sure why this would be of interest to her, although it was.
“I wonder what she does?” Sophia said, leaning down to inspect a small figurine of a woman who was knitting. She was about the size of Liv’s hand and made of copper.
The woman’s face snapped up to gaze at Sophia. “Would you mind? I’m trying to work. Unless you purchase me, I must return to my work for my master.”
Sophia hopped back in alarm.
“That’s a bulster,” Shin said, striding back into the main area of the shop, Rory following him, carrying a small trunk. “It’s made out of clay and cast in metal and then enchanted. She isn’t real, but the work she does is. She’s my servant, and is currently making me a sweater since my other ones don’t fit.”
“Ummm,” Liv mused. “Unless you’re on a diet, I’m not sure this one will fit either.”
Shin shook his head at her, stopping beside the figure and holding out his hand. “Bulster, show me your work.”
The garment in the statue’s hands vanished, and in Shin’s fingers appeared a gray, wool sweater. He held it up, inspecting it. “Yes, this is looking good. Hopefully, it won’t stretch out like the others. Keep going, and then clean the shop.”
The statue nodded as the sweater disappeared from Shin’s grasp and reappeared in the woman’s copper hands.
“Wow, that’s incredibly helpful,” Liv stated. “How much?”
“She’s not for sale,” Shin said. “She’s my personal assistant, and I can’t stand to lose her. Bulsters are incredibly rare.”
“Well, let Ooki know if you ever get another one, because I need someone to personally assist me,” Liv stated.
The small Asian man gave Rory a skeptical glare. “This is the one you want to test?” he asked, pointing at Liv.
Rory shook his head, indicating Sophia. “No, it’s her.”
“Oh, good,” Shin said with relief. “You know they don’t like humor. Well, at least most don’t. Each is different. It depends on many factors.”
“What are we talking about?” Liv interjected.
Rory set the trunk in front of Sophia and knelt beside her. Even on his knees, he was taller than her. “I’m going to open this trunk, and what I want you to do is hover your hand over each of the objects inside. Don’t touch them, though. Simply put your hand close, and let us know if you feel any of them pulling at you. Does that make sense?”
Sophia looked back at Liv as if asking permission.
“What’s in the trunk?” Liv questioned.
“You’ll find out,” Rory stated. “But first I need Sophia to clear her mind. Can you do that for me?”
The little magician nodded adamantly. “Yes, I can.”
“Okay, good,” Rory said. “Are you ready?”
“I think so,” Sophia answered.
“Take a deep breath and try to relax,” Rory urged as he unlocked the trunk and peeled back the lid.
Liv didn’t know what she expected to see in the trunk, but what she saw definitely wasn’t it. Sitting on thick blue velvet fabric were six large, shimmering eggs, all about the size of cantaloupes.
“Wait,” she interjected before Sophia stuck out her hand, making the girl pause. “Are those what I think they are? I thought they were extinct, or mostly, or something.”
Rory shook his head, his attention focused on Sophia. “We’ll get to that later. For now, Sophia, focus.”
She complied, hovering her hand over the first one, which was a deep red and covered in flakes of gold. After several long seconds, Sophia looked at Rory uncertainly.
> “Anything?” he asked hopefully.
She shook her head.
“Then move on,” he encouraged, his gaze flicking up to Shin with slight disappointment.
Sophia’s hand glided over the next egg, which was a dark emerald green.
“I don’t feel any—” Sophia’s words were cut off when her hand seemed to be yanked across the trunk to the far corner, where it hovered over the largest of all the eggs, an iridescent blue one. “What just happened?” she asked, looking up at Rory with astonishment.
He gave Shin a satisfied expression. “She’s been magnetized. I knew it.”
Shin nodded appreciatively. “That you did. But don’t get excited yet.”
“Excited about what?” Sophia asked, her hand still hovering above the egg.
Rory gave her a compassionate look. “There’s a chance that it still might not hatch for you even if magnetized. There are a lot of unknown factors.”
Sophia’s face was covered in uncertainty.
“You’re not seriously thinking of giving my little sister one of these?” Liv asked, glaring at Rory.
“Ooki has already purchased it.” Shin said it like it was a done deal.
“Liv, it magnetized to her just like I knew it would,” Rory argued. “But really all I’m giving her is an opportunity.”
“This isn’t like a puppy, where the worst he’ll do is tear up the pillows on the couch,” Liv fired back.
“Guys,” Sophia said, looking between them. “What are you talking about?”
A few days ago, Liv wouldn’t have recognized the eggs, but she’d been doing her homework. “My friend here wants to give you a very dangerous pet.”
“It’s only an egg. Don’t worry so much,” Rory said dismissively.
“What am I supposed to do with an egg?” Sophia asked.
“Crack it on the side of a frying pan and scramble it,” Liv said with a laugh, earning a contemptuous glare from Rory.
“Okay, sorry, bad joke, but seriously, this is your present to her?”
“She’s right for it,” Rory countered. “I just know it. I had a feeling about this.”
“Could you have told me about this feeling first?” Liv asked.
“I didn’t know if it would magnetize to her.” Rory pointed. “But look, it obviously has, and Shin will tell you that we can’t ignore this.”
“Ooki is right,” Shin stated. “I haven’t seen this happen in quite some time. I’ve had these eggs for longer than I can remember.”
“I still don’t like this,” Liv stated, her hands on her hips. “She’s going to keep this in the House? What if someone finds out about it?” Liv glanced at Shin, worried she’d given something away, but he seemed to think she was simply referring to a house in general.
“Sophia is a master of disguise,” Rory stated. “If anyone can hide something like this, it will be her.”
“What about when it’s the size of a large truck?” Liv asked. “What is she going to do with it then?”
“Well, it will move to the mountains or the ocean,” Rory answered. “They aren’t meant to live in captivity. Then it will only visit.”
“That one will most likely live by the ocean,” Shin offered. “Probably on a deserted beach nearby.”
“Guys,” Sophia said again. “Will someone please tell me what’s going on?”
Liv pointed. “Those are dragon eggs.”
Sophia’s face brightened. “I knew it! And one of them has magnetized to me?”
Rory affirmed. “Yes, which I suspected would happen.”
“She’s a child,” Liv fired. “You’re going to give her a dragon?”
“It’s right for her,” Rory stated. “She has the right temperament. She’s incredibly intelligent and patient. I knew that if I gave her the chance, this would happen. And like Shin said, this is rare. Also, not only is it important for someone to bond with the dragon before it hatches, it’s even better if the person is young. That allows them to grow up together.”
“Yes. If this works,” Shin began, “it could make for a perfect pairing.”
“And Liv, you don’t understand how rare it is that Sophia has been magnetized,” Rory continued.
“It’s true,” Shin stated. “I’ve had these eggs for over a hundred years. I gave up hope that someone would magnetize to one. But still, we must not get ahead of ourselves, which is why I keep my excitement at bay. The egg must still hatch, and that will only happen under the right circumstances, if at all.”
“Right circumstances?” Sophia questioned, doubt covering her face.
“You’ll have to care for the egg,” Rory stated. “And a lot of that is guesswork. But if the dragon desires, it will hatch for you, and you’ll raise it.”
“Me?” Sophia asked, sounding both nervous and excited.
“Seriously, Ro, what were you thinking?” Liv began. “Dragon riders have dangerous lives, and live away from others. They are an elite group. That’s the life you’re offering my sister?”
He smirked slightly. “I’m glad to see you’re finally reading Mysterious Creatures. And yes, dragon riders do have different lives, but there also hasn’t been a new one in over a hundred years. If Sophia’s dragon hatches, there’s a real possibility that she’ll go on to do incredible things. This is a true honor.”
“Ooki is right,” Shin stated. “I was saddened for a long time, thinking the artform had died. This gives me true hope, although I’m reserving my joy until the dragon actually hatches. That could take another century, or not happen at all. These things are impossible to tell.”
“But you just said that they needed to grow up together?” Liv questioned.
Rory nodded. “That would be ideal, but we can’t make it happen.”
Sophia’s hand hovered over the blue egg. “What should I do?” she asked, giving Liv an earnest expression.
She thought for a moment and shook her head. Liv didn’t want her little sister to be disappointed if the egg didn’t hatch, and then there were the whole set of implications if it did. And then there was the House, and hiding the dragon, which would grow up to be a monster by some standards. But at the end of it, this was Sophia, and she was the brightest light in all the world and deserved to have a choice her.
“This isn’t my decision to make, Soph. It’s up to you. If this is what you truly want, I’ll support it. But do this because you want to and not because you feel pressured to,” Liv warned. “Dragons live an incredibly long time, so this isn’t something you should enter into lightly. If that dragon hatches, you’ll be connected to it all your life.”
“Liv is correct,” Rory stated. “You have to want this. Doing this with half your heart will lead to dangerous consequences. Dragon magic is volatile, and completely disrupted by uncertainty.”
Sophia’s gaze drifted to the floor as she thought. She didn’t say another word, but simply let her hand fall onto the egg, sealing the bond she’d established with it. The egg glowed under her fingers, making a soft humming sound that dissipated as the egg dimmed again.
Rory smiled so widely that he showed a row of teeth, his canines pronounced. Liv had never seen him so happy. “This is wonderful. The magnetizing is complete.”
“That it is,” Shin said, striding forward carrying a thick fabric bag. “Here, you can take it home in this.”
Sophia tried to work her fingers around the egg to pick it up. “It’s really heavy. Liv, will you help me lift it?”
Shin shook his head. “Oh, no. From this moment forward, you are the only one who can touch the egg. If someone else does, it won’t hatch for you. Or if it does, it won’t be bonded to you.”
“What does that mean?” Sophia asked.
“It means it will try and bite your hands off,” Liv joked.
“It means that you have to care for the egg yourself, keeping it close to you and watching over it,” Rory offered.
Sophia was able to push the bag around the egg and pull it up, although it
hovered only inches from the floor. “Okay, I can do that. I promise to take good care of it. And don’t worry, Liv, everything is going to work out. I’ll be careful.”
Liv stared down at her little sister, nervous but also excited for her. The egg had been magnetized to her, and Rory was right. There was something incredibly special about Sophia Beaufont. If there was to be a new dragon rider in a hundred years, there was no doubt that it would be the incredible magician before her.
Chapter Thirty-Five
When Liv entered John’s electronic shop, he and Sophia were sitting on either side of the workbench, staring in awe at the blue dragon’s egg laying in the center of the table.
“They are exactly where I left them,” she said to Plato as she set down the to-go order she’d just picked up from the Mexican restaurant down the block.
The feline didn’t answer because it was a game he was playing with Liv to make her look crazy in front of John. She didn’t much care for the game.
“I still can’t believe it,” John said in awe. “There’s a real dragon in there.”
“I know,” Sophia agreed in a similar voice. “It doesn’t feel real.”
“What does your book say about getting it to hatch?” John asked.
Sophia pulled her copy of Mysterious Creatures to her, studying the page she had opened. Liv should have seen this dragon business coming because the last couple days, every time she’d open Mysterious Creatures, it would be to a chapter on dragons. Damn Bermuda, and the strangeness of her book.
“It’s not clear,” Sophia began, reading. “It says to keep it warm, but not too warm. And to keep it clean, but not too clean. And that it needs fresh air, but—”
“Not too much fresh air,” Liv cut in, unpacking the containers of food. “Oh, is it a wonder that Rory makes hardly any sense, having been raised by the woman who wrote that book?”
“I can’t believe it could take another hundred years for that thing to hatch,” John remarked.
“If it does at all,” Sophia said, leaning in Liv’s direction, her nose leading the way.
“Maybe it just needs some nachos,” Liv suggested. “I know I’d break out of my shell to get some of this goodness.
