Page 69 of Dragon Charmed

“She feels hot to me and she is uncomfortable, like she can’t keep still. She’s never been sick while she’s been with me. I’ve taken care of lots of fevers in my life, but with her being a dragon, I don’t want to make assumptions.”

Evelyn opened the bedroom door. Lily was sitting on the bed. She smiled when she saw them, but it didn’t reach her eyes and her face was flushed.

“Are you not feeling good, sweetheart?” Tessa asked.

Lily shook her head. Tessa rested her hand on Lily’s head and she was warm. “Dr. Murphy is going to come see you and fix you up. I bet he’ll let you use his stethoscope while he’s here.”

Lily gave a slight nod, and Tessa caught Ben’s worried expression that more than likely mirrored hers.

An hour later Lily sat propped up against the headboard with Ben sitting on the bed reading her a book.

Ian packed up his bag and came over to speak with Tessa and Evelyn.

“What’s wrong with her?” Evelyn asked.

“She is starting to show signs of her transition to dragon. She’s running a fever, and the lines on her back are pink. They’ll continue to darken to a bright red before her wings come out for the first time. After that the lines will fade away and her back will be clear.”

“Why is this happening now?” Tessa asked.

Ian set his bag down. “Lily has been living with humans, right?”

“Yes, for over a year at least,” Evelyn said.

“Normally a dragon child will imprint with their parent or guardian around the age of three or four and their wings will emerge. Lily hasn’t had a dragon to guide her, and she’s passed the normal age of transition. Now she’s been thrust into a houseful of dragons, and it’s triggered her change. We need to figure out who she linked to so that they can guide her through the change.”

“So it can’t be just any dragon?” Tessa asked.

“No. Her dragon has chosen someone to help her.”

Tessa stomach dropped as Lily giggled at something Ben said to her. “I think I have a good idea who that might be.” The one dragon in the house who didn’t know how to teach her.

Ian nodded. “That’s what I was afraid of.”

Once they had settled Lily in bed and Evelyn stayed to look after her, they adjourned to the office to meet up with Eric, Megan, Marcus, and Sienna.

Ben paced back and forth as Ian explained what was happening to Lily. “How can I coax her dragon out? I don’t know how to handle my own!”

Eric answered. “Sienna, Marcus, and I can help. So can Ian for that matter.”

“I’ve tried for days now and nothing worked. Now Lily is in pain because of me.”

Ian held up his hands. “This is normal for kids. Lily isn’t ready yet to change. The marks on her back are still pink.”

“How long do you think we have until they turn red?” Tessa asked.

“Maybe tomorrow or the next day.”

Ben started pacing again.

“We’ll figure it out, Ben,” Eric said. “If we need to change ourselves, that might prompt your dragon, which would start her transition.”

Ben pulled out the necklace from under his shirt and gripped the pendant. It was supposed to be magical, some sort of lucky charm that was failing him…and now Lily. “Maybe if I could remember who the hell I was, I could actually remember how to turn.”

“I’ve asked Marilyn to make some herbal tea I gave her,” Ian said. “It’s a special blend to help Lily relax and get some rest, which is what I would suggest for the rest of you as well.”

Sienna and Marcus walked Ian out.

Eric gripped Ben’s shoulder. “We’ll figure it out, brother.”