Dragons of Asgard 3 by Logan Jacobs (first ebook reader txt) 📗

were bringing the egg back from Alfheim. That’s where the largest dragon trade is.”

“You’re right,” I agreed. “But then, why hide where you’ve been?”

“Maybe they wanted to throw us off,” the redhead suggested with a shrug.

“That’s feasible.” I shook my head and reached up to rub the stubble on my chin.

The majority of the dragon trade was in Alfheim, or at least, that’s what I’d assumed since dragons were more easily accessible there. However, this had me rethinking that suspicion. Perhaps the trade was even larger than I’d previously considered.

“We’re going to continue to look into the incident,” Beyer said, and his deep blue eyes regarded me with respect. “We will let you know our findings.”

“I appreciate that,” I told him with a nod. “And the egg?”

“It is safe,” Preyna assured me. “I’ve put it in the room with the others.”

Dragon eggs could remain dormant for centuries, and the council had been collecting them from incidents like this, or other realms during battles, since the dragons had been banished. They’d accumulated quite a few at this point, and I’d personally seen them up close. Each one was more beautiful than the last, and part of me wanted to hatch them all, but that was out of the question for the moment.

One day, though, I’d bring them to life. They didn’t deserve to stay in their eggs forever. They deserved to live.

“Thank you.” I smiled softly.

“We will always do what we can to help you and the dragons,” Preyna told me.

The little yellow dragon made a small cooing noise then, and she peered out from behind Eira’s long, elegant neck.

“Speaking of dragons,” Rinbar laughed in his deep, booming voice. “It seems you have a new addition.”

“Yes,” I chuckled. “We freed at least twenty dragons from a dealer today, most of whom were babies. She was with the group, only she didn’t have a home to go back to.”

“Oh, you poor thing.” Preyna frowned.

“She’s alright.” I smiled. “She seems to have really taken to Eira.”

“I can see that,” the golden-haired sorceress said. “May I come see her?”

“Of course,” I said, and I turned to the little yellow reptile. “Are you up to meeting some friends?”

The little girl looked at me with hesitant pink eyes, but then she took a deep breath and nodded.

I waved for Preyna to come down, and Beyer and Rinbar followed. All three of them were obviously excited to meet our newest baby, and I couldn’t blame them. Puppies were cute and all, but there was something so incredibly adorable about a baby dragon.

I suspected part of it was that dragon’s grew to be huge, magnificent creatures, and to see one so small and vulnerable sparked a natural instinct to care for the little beast.

A wide smile spread across Preyna’s face as she approached Eira and the little dragon. Blar laid down at her feet once she stopped, and she absentmindedly brushed her toes back and forth to pet his belly.

“Aren’t you just the most beautiful little creature?” Preyna cooed, and she held out her hand for the little girl to sniff her. “What’s her name?”

“Svass,” I said. “Eira named her.”

“And a fitting name, indeed,” Preyna said as she turned to flash Eira a smile. Then she turned back to the little yellow dragon. “You are a sweet girl, aren’t you?”

Svass let out a little coo and rubbed her head against Preyna’s hand.

“Don’t hog all the dragon love,” Rinbar chuckled, and he playfully bumped into Preyna and held his hand out for the little girl to smell. “Hello, Svass. I’m Rinbar.”

The yellow dragon’s eyes widened slightly, and she looked to me nervously, but I simply smiled and nodded to reassure her.

Rinbar was a large man, so of course this tiny creature would be somewhat intimidated at first, but there was no reason to be.

The council member had earned a reputation for being quite ruthless over the years, both on and off the battlefield, but I’d yet to see that side of him since I’d been working with the council to free the dragons. The large man was easy to laugh, and Uffe seemed to really like him. To me, he seemed just as soft as anybody else. Then again, most people didn’t get to see him interact with baby dragons.

Svass bumped her head into Rinbar’s fingers, and he laughed and scratched under her chin. Her entire body lifted up for a second from the force of him pushing on her jaw, but it was brief, and she sneezed and let out a little coo that sounded like a laugh.

“I think she likes me,” Rinbar said, and his laugh echoed in the great hall.

“May I?” Beyer asked, and he held out his hand palm up for the little girl.

Svass looked at me and then sniffed Beyer’s hand before she stepped off Eira and onto the council member’s palm.

“You are magnificent,” Beyer said in his soft, serious voice. He smiled and reached his other hand up so he could gently stroke her head with a single finger. “Svass. A sweet name for a sweet dragon.”

Svass cooed again, and then she yawned, turned in a circle, and laid down in Beyer’s hand.

We all shared a laugh, but Beyer just pulled her close to his chest and curled his hand around her so she could sleep soundly for a moment.

“And I thought she liked me,” Eira said, and her voice was tinged with a playful hint of jealousy.

“She does,” I chuckled. “But it seems she likes Beyer, too.”

“He has a very calming presence,” Preyna said, and she patted her fellow council member’s shoulder. “I’m sure this little girl appreciates that right now. She’s been through a lot.”

“She has.” I nodded.

I watched Beyer look down at Svass with total adoration. As much