I was only going to get dirty again tomorrow.
Peeling off my sweaty socks, I tucked them in the cabinet behind the shampoo, instead of in the hamper. Hopefully Mom wouldn’t sniff them out – I only had one pair of socks in my team’s color and I needed them for my football game tomorrow.
Mom rapped on the door. “I can’t hear the water running.”
Sighing, I turned on the faucet.
“Use soap,” she called. “No cheating.”
I tipped some liquid soap into the bath. Soap was evil, of course, but if I had to use it, I might as well have bubbles.
When the water was deep and sudsy, I dumped my clothes on the floor and got in. Wrinkling my nose at the floral stench, I looked down. There were so many bubbles, I looked like a corpse-less ghost, or an alien with froth for a body.
“It’s not fair,” I moaned. “Why should I have to wash every day?”
The toilet seat clunked.
I turned so fast, a mini tsunami sloshed onto the floor.
Nothing was there – except the clothes I’d dropped and the water I’d spilt. Nothing that could’ve made the toilet clunk. And now my underpants were swimming happily in the aftermath of my tidal wave.
I lifted my right knee above the water and scrubbed it with the washcloth.
Clunk!
I whirled back. Oops, another flood.
Before my eyes, a long claw slid between the toilet seat and lid.
My heart thudded, like I was running for goal.
Two more claws reached over the edge. A scaly limb slithered out and flung the lid open with a crash. Another taloned limb grasped the seat. With a grunt, a dripping wet lizard head emerged from the toilet!
“Whoa!” I yelled, as a little dragon clambered out and perched on the seat. It was green with baby-blue eyes and had an odd crest sticking up on its head. Luckily I had lots of bubbles or that dragon would have seen too much.
“I heard you yell,” called Mom. “What’s going on in there?”
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Acknowledgements
A big thank you to my readers. Your energy and enthusiasm for my stories keeps me writing. I love your emails, messages and having fun with you on social media. It’s wonderful knowing you’re waiting for my stories! Readers and reviewers, you’re an awesome team that carries me through the long hours writing and editing!! Thank you.
Thank you to my editor, Charlotte Kieft, who always has great sense of humor and a careful eye—great qualities in an editor. A shout out to the rest of my writing tribe, Alicia, Peter and Kevin, for their support, and to Christian Bentulan who designs my covers!
My kids and family are cool and support me with ideas when my brain is fried and humor when it’s not, and a helping hand in keeping the household ticking. Thank you and much love.
I look forward to writing the next exciting adventure in Dragons’ Realm!
Please check out my reader’s group on Facebook, if you’d like to say hi! Riders of Fire: Eileen Mueller’s Fan Zone
About Eileen
Eileen Mueller is a multiple-award-winning author of heart-pounding fantasy novels that will keep you turning the page. Dive into her worlds, full of magic, love, adventure and dragons! Eileen lives in New Zealand, in a cave, with four dragonets and a shape shifter. She writes action-packed tales for young adults, children and everyone who loves adventure.
Visit her website at www.EileenMuellerAuthor.com for Eileen’s FREE books and new releases or to become a Rider of Fire!
Please place a review
I absolutely love reviews! Hear the dragons roar and me squeal with enthusiasm when you post one. Readers are my lifeblood, so I’d love you to pop a line or two on Amazon or Goodreads. Thank you.
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Every author needs a team on their side to help them fight tharuks, imprint with dragons, and keep the realm safe. Being a Rider of Fire gives you early copies of my books, the chance to name characters, dragons and villages, and other special glimpses into Dragons’ Realm, the world of Riders of Fire. I’m always grateful for reviews, social media shares and recommendations. If you’re keen, please contact me at www.EileenMuellerAuthor.com
Herbal Lore in Dragons’ Realm
Arnica—Small yellow flower with hairy leaves. Reduces pain, swelling and inflammation. The flower and root are used in Marlies’ healing salve.
Bear’s bane—Pungent oniony numbing salve with bear leek as the primary ingredient.
Bergamot—Citrus fruit with a refreshing scent.
Clean herb—Tangy, pale green leaves with antibacterial properties.
Clear-mind—Orange berries, used to combat numlock. Stronger when dried, but effective when fresh.
Dragon’s bane—Clear poison that, when it enters the blood, makes wounds bleed excessively, and then slowly shuts down circulation and breathing.
Dragon’s breath—A rare mountain flower that, when shaken, produces a soft glow.
Dragon scale—A gray powder that when swallowed gives the appearance of being numlocked, i.e. gray eyes and fingernails.
Freshweed—A weed that is chewed to mask the user’s scent.
Healing salve—A healing paste that contains arnica, piaua juice, peppermint, and clean herb, and promotes healing.
Jasmine—Highly-scented white tubular flowers. Promotes relaxation.
Koromiko—Thin green leaves that, when brewed as a tea, prevent belly gripe.
Lavender—Highly-scented lilac whorled flowers. Relaxant, refreshing.
Limplock—Green sticky paste with an acrid scent used to coat tharuk weapons. Acts on the victim’s nervous system, causing slow paralysis, starting with peripheries and making its way to the vital organs.
Limplock remedy—Fine yellow granules that reverse the effect of limplock. Dose: one vial for an adult; three vials for a dragon.
Numlock—Thin gray leaves, ground into a tangy powder. Saps victim’s will, determination and coherent thought. Used by Zens and tharuks to keep slaves in submission. Creates a gray sheen over the eyes and fingernails.
Owl-wort—Small leaves that enable sight in the dark.
Peppermint—Dark green leaves with aromatic scent. Good for circulation, headaches and as a relaxant.
Piaua juice—Pale green juice from succulent piaua leaves. Heals wounds and knits flesh back together in moments.
Rubaka—Crushed leaves produce a pale green powder used as a remedy against dragon’s bane.
Skarkrak—Bitter gray leaves. A Robandi poison. In mild doses causes sleepiness and vomiting; in strong doses, death.
Swayweed—Fine green tea. Reverses loyalties and allegiances.
Woozy weed—Leaves that causes sleepiness and forgetfulness.
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