Almost Magic by Kathleen Bullock

Author:Kathleen Bullock
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Spencer Hill Middle Grade
Published: 2015-12-07T16:00:00+00:00

Watermelon, fully awake now, cocked his head and blinked his big yellow eyes. He yawned, and hot steam poured from his throat. I hugged his neck, and the dragon purred like a small engine.

“I won’t let you take him.”

“We must. Plus, you won’t be able to hide him for long. Auntie will smell him out wherever he is. And there will be consequences. Let me have him now, without a fuss, and…” Bob leaned forward conspiratorially. “I’ll smuggle you onto the ranch for visits.”

I felt hapless, hopeless, helpless. As valiantly as I tried, I couldn’t stop the tears from coming, or the hiccups, or the runny nose. Bob was right. Aunt Rose would track me to the ends of the Earth, or farther, and Wanda would be on her side.

Bob gently pulled the leash from my fingers. “He will be fine, I promise.” Then he stood Watermelon on his feet, and directed the most extraordinary sounds at him. Something between the hiss of a snake and the gobble of a turkey. Watermelon nodded and flapped his wings.

My jaw dropped. “You speak Dragon?”

“Dragon-lite, actually. A form of Creature. Amazing, isn’t it? My only special talent, and the single reason Auntie keeps me around.”

I was impressed. I remembered how I’d bound the dragon to me with a hair dropped into his formula, and decided now that it had been a selfish thing to do. “Ask him if—no, never mind. He won’t go willingly. He’ll want to stay with me.”

Bob rubbed his chin. “If that’s the case, we’ll just have to take you with us.”

My pulse raced. “What do you mean?”

“Come out to the ranch and make sure he gets settled properly. Auntie won’t mind. Oh, she’ll grumble, but that’s mainly for show. Your parents will let you, won’t they?”

I pursed my lips and looked at the sky. The idea began to sprout like a wild weed in my mind. I was going to lose, that was a given. My heart belonged to Watermelon, but I had to admit it had been a childish fantasy to think that I could keep and care for a fire-breathing dragon. Maybe Bob’s idea wasn’t such a bad notion. If Watermelon were in a place with friends, where he’d always be safe, and as long as I could visit him ANY time, I might agree.

“I’ll think about it…but he’ll always be mine!” I wailed.

“No one can legally own a dragon,” Bob reminded me.

That was cold! And yet, Bob Bibbetty had offered me a deal—a better one than I’d get from Aunt Rose. I’d be stupid to refuse.

“All right. But do it quick. Before I change my mind.”

“You’re making the right decision.”

He wouldn’t think so if he were a new parent.

Bob whispered again in Watermelon’s ears, lifted him into his arms, and headed for the house. I followed, stroking his floppy, spiked tail as Bob and Watermelon gurgled at each other companionably.

Suddenly an eardrum-bursting siren came from the direction of the house. I clapped my hands over my ears in pain.

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