The dragon’s eyes lit up. “Ooooo. The rarest of morsels. Can I eat an arm or a leg? I hear you taste delicious.”

“Told ya,” Gemma whispered in my ear from behind me.

“Not now,” I whispered back.

“As interesting as having you eat me sounds,” I said to the dragon, “I’ll pass for now.” I shook my head to clear it. The longer I talked to the dragon, the more something seemed off, but I couldn’t put my finger on what.

The dragon’s whole demeanor changed. In an instant her posture became like a tiger ready to pounce and she narrowed her eyes at me. “No? No?! No one says no to me. Let the uppity elf send another emissary. I’ll eat you as a down payment.”