The young dragons want to be around you because you’re the hip, cool one, right?
I guess. But I’m about to become a grumpy stick in the mud if they don’t get out from under my tail. Red chews with her mouth open and Greenie Face has a staring problem. Every time I look at him, he’s watching me.
Sophia laughed again. He’s studying you. That’s flattering.
It’s stalking.
Most dragon’s names weren’t known until they magnetized to a rider because that was the final test to the whole thing. If the rider was right for the dragon, then they instinctively knew their name, which was usually related to the element associated with the dragon.
Well, hopefully they’ll decide to spread their wings and fly from the Nest soon, Sophia offered.
Yeah, but the relief will be short-lived because they’ll invariably come back, Lunis said.
Then we’ll have to find you a place that’s all your own that they don’t know about. Leave it up to me. I’ll work with Quiet on it.
I have a few requests. Lunis sounded mischievous now.
WiFi, right? Sophia guessed.
Obvi, Lunis replied. But also I want hardwoods. No more of these damp cave floors. Carpet won’t do at all because we all know that’s hiding all the dust and dirt.
Wall-to-wall ignorance is bliss, Sophia joked.
Oh, and I need high ceilings or otherwise I feel trapped, Lunis continued as they soared over the lush green of Scotland below.
Cathedral ceilings, Sophia agreed. Only the best for my dragon. What else do you need?
Not much, Lunis answered. Sonus speakers for the home theater system, smart home features so I don’t have to get up to turn off the lights, and heated floors.
Is that all?
No, I haven’t gotten to the kitchen yet, Lunis replied. Oh, and a large bathtub. Like, I’ll lose square footage for that amenity.
This is quite the upgrade you’re asking for, Sophia said while enjoying being in the air. They’d been grounded for what felt like forever.
I’m worth it, Lunis stated with confidence.
Sophia patted her dragon’s side and smiled. That you are. That you are.
After passing through the portal to the Hawaiian islands where the Rogue Riders were stealing land and holding Wilder, Sophia and Lunis sped up to fly next to Evan. She cloaked them both so that the demon dragonriders wouldn’t easily spot them.
Sophia wordlessly pointed to the island where Simi and Wilder were, and indicated where the white dragon was stationed.
Evan nodded, pure determination on his face as she and Lunis pulled ahead to lead the way.
Chapter Forty-Seven
The ocean waters obscured Lunis’ landing as he coasted across the waves and arrived on the beach like a boat pulling up to the shore. Sophia still felt his unease but knew that his ego was preserved, which was the hardest part for him.
She slid out of the saddle once they were on firm ground and looked around for signs of Simi. Thankfully, that area of the island wasn’t inhabited since it was overgrown with jungle.
“So this is where those newbie evildoers are calling home.” Evan looked around and grimaced. “I mean, beach life would be nice for a vacation, but the sand gets old fast. For my next wedding, I think I’ll honeymoon someplace tropical.”
“Already planning the next one, huh?” Sophia asked. “Have you done the paperwork for getting rid of the first marriage?”
“Tiff says she’s handling it because apparently, she doesn’t trust me to do it. That was part of the problem. There was no trust.”
Sophia laughed as they strode for the trees while looking for Simi. “That was the problem? You sure it wasn’t that there was no love or foundation?”
“You saw her in the end,” Evan replied. “She was falling and hard.”
Sophia scratched her head. “Still trying to understand that.”
“Still, it never would have worked,” Evan continued. “Tiff was one of those people who said things like, ‘I’m not a big drinker’ or ‘I don’t really watch television.’”
“Those things are problems?”
“Heck yeah, they are,” Evan answered. “I mean only a goody-two-shoes brags that she isn’t that big of a drinker while implying that the rest of us get hammered all the time.”
“Don’t you?” Sophia questioned.
“Of course,” Evan stated. “I’m tipsy as we speak.”
“Oh good,” Sophia said dryly. “So happy you were my only option for this mission.”
“You’re welcome. Seriously, no one cares that someone isn’t a big drinker. Just like we don’t need to know that people are vegans.”
“Wilder is thinking of becoming a vegan,” Sophia added, remembering their conversation before she left him on the island.
“He would,” Evan said. “That’s fine. It will leave more of the good stuff for us.”
Sophia nodded. “I thought it was a good thing too. I don’t like to share my nachos because most people don’t know how to eat them right.”
“You won’t touch his strawberry ice cream made from almond milk and sadness,” Evan offered.
Sophia grimaced. “No, because I like my life and eat real desserts. Chocolate ice cream with fudge brownie and syrup.”
Evan nodded and gave her a proud look. “You know, for being awful and a total pain, you’re not so bad.”
Sophia batted her eyes and pretended to be flattered. “Why, thank you so much. I can tell you really mean that.”
“Anytime,” Evan chirped. “Speaking of awful, yeah, Tiff didn’t have television because she said that it rotted your brain. Like she’d know.”
“Her specialty was in psychoanalysis…of the brain,” Sophia supplied.
“Problem numero tres,” Evan stated. “Like I need someone analyzing my every move. I don’t know why I do half the stuff I do. The last thing I need is someone else trying to figure it out.”
“No, what you need is an exceedingly tolerant person. Someone who can see past all your many, many flaws, and love you anyway.”
“Not everyone is as fortunate as you, though,” Evan teased. “Sometimes I wonder if Wilder’s vision is going.”
Sophia couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, I wish you the best in your endeavors to find romance. I don’t really care if you’re happy or not, but it would be cool if you had someone to spend time with so you weren’t hanging around all the time and smelling up the Castle.”
Evan smiled at her fondly. “Sorry to disappoint you, but I think we both know that I’d be around the Castle a lot more if things worked out.”
She winked at him, enjoying that they were discreetly referring to Trin. Sophia hadn’t seen that one coming and didn’t know if it could work out, but it made perfect sense. She knew that the housekeeper was constantly challenged by the fact that she was forever a cyborg and would never be normal. No one seemed to care about that as little as Evan, who had embraced his cyborg dog NO10JO from the beginning, loving the animal because of what it was and not despite it.
That was the thing about love. It wasn’t about overlooking another person’s flaws. It was about embracing them. Everyone was flawed after all, and it was those shortcomings that caused growth and evolution. What was the point in living this life if not to grow?