Page 65 of Built By Magic
We both turned toward the dragon. He sat curled up in the middle of the festival, perched on a growing mound of gold coins. The beast was clearly basking in the attention. Folk kept wandering by and scattering gifts around him. He was even allowing them to touch his tail.
I smiled when Logi approached him and patted him on the nose. My brother had been beside himself when I’d first introduced them, and I’d half-expected him to remain here, just so he could see the dragon every day.
“He’s certainly enjoying the attention,” I said fondly.
“Finally,” Lilia said. “After he got caught in a storm a couple of decades ago, he hid away in his cave and refused to see anyone. I thought he’d never come out, if I’m honest.”
“So that’s what happened,” I said. “A storm?”
“Lightning even struck him. He was pretty badly hurt,” she said sadly, then shook her head and brightened. “Nevermind about that, though. You got him out of that cave, and that’s all that matters. Want one of these for Rune?”
She set down a second tankard. I took it, passed her some coin, and thanked her for the drinks. Then I wound through the crowd to find Rune.
He stood just beneath the drooping willow tree with his arms tucked behind his back, his cream tunic rolled up to his elbows and a dragon pin attached to his collar. The spark of light in his eyes made it hard to breathe. Looking at him made me feel like every wrong turn I’d taken was worth it, just to be standing in front of him now.
He was my home. The only home I ever needed.
“I have something for you,” he said, his lips curving into a sweet smile around his tusks.
I walked toward him, something in my chest fluttering. When I reached him, he leaned down and brushed his lips across mine.
“Hmm. That’s nice,” I whispered, my mouth still pressed against his.
He pulled back. “Well, that’s not your gift. This is.”
Rune pulled his hands from around his back and thrust something toward me. It took me a moment to understand what it was. Something small and rectangular, wrapped in gauzy cloth. Shooting him a quizzical look, I took it from him, finding it surprisingly heavy in a very familiar way.
“Is this a book?” I exclaimed.
His smile widened. “Go on. Open it.”
I tossed aside the cloth and drank in the words etched into the leather cover.
The Orc’s Bride
by Silva Sweetwater
First Edition
I gasped.
Rune shifted on his feet. “Now I know your father is sending all your books here, but that’s the one you said you didn’t have. I hope it’s the right one, anyway.”
“Itisthe right one.” I shook my head, staring down at the words. “There are only a hundred of these in existence, if that. They never printed a second edition because of the war. Rune, this is incredible.”
He grunted. “I’m glad you like it.”
“Like it?” I looked up at him, smiling with wild abandon. “Rune, I love this. It’s the most generous thing anyone has ever gotten for me. It means the world to me to have this. How did you even find it?”
“I have my ways,” he said with a secretive smile. “Looking forward to reading it?”
I giggled. “You have no idea.”
He slid his hands around my waist, then tugged me against his chest. “I just hope it doesn’t disappoint you.”
“How could it possibly do that?”
He leaned in, brushing his nose against mine. “Because no fictional romance could ever compare to what we have.”
“Hmm.” Sighing, I closed my eyes. “Maybe that just means I should put quill to parchment for our love story.”
“And what would you call it? The Orc’s Elven Lover?”
I smiled. “Built by Magic.”
