The Wyvern's Spur - Kate Novak [136]
"All right. You're one for one. Here, in the second paragraph, Rhigaerd writes, 'I don't think your colleague has ever gotten over' something. What is it?" Olive demanded, feeling her toes going blue on the chill roof tiles.
"Never gotten over? Never gotten over Dorath's refusal."
"Who'd she turn down?" Olive asked.
"The letter doesn't say."
"Tell me anyway," the halfling insisted.
"Vangerdahast," the old man snapped.
"Really?" Olive asked. "Old Vangy? Azoun's court wizard?"
"Really," the wizard said grimly. "Now, you little pest, would you come down so I can fireball you without setting Giogi's roof on fire?"
*****
This landing thing could be tricky, Giogi thought as he circled around his townhouse for the fifth time. He was circling closer each time, looking for a clear spot in the garden, when he noticed Olive Ruskettle on the roof, waving at him. He couldn't imagine what the halfling would be doing on his roof, nor could he hear what she was shouting, but it was clear to him that the roof was a very dangerous place for her to be.
Just as Olive began climbing back toward the window, Giogi swooped down, as silent as an owl. The halfling was just beside the window dormer when the Wyvernspur wyvern snatched her up in his talons and swooped away from the roof.
Olive's screech could be heard down at the Five Fine Fish. The sensation of the roof dropping away from her feet, combined with the icy wind slamming into her face, took all the pleasure out of her bird's-eye view of Immersea at sunset. What does he think he's doing? Olive wondered. My fragile body can't take these reckless stunts!
The halfling had once been snatched up by a red dragon, and while she had been terrified that the monster would eat her, at least she could be certain the dragon knew how to land. He's going to land on top of me and smash me to halfling jelly, she thought as Giogi dropped downward rapidly. At the last moment, he veered up suddenly. He was indeed uncertain how to make his touchdown with cargo. On his second approach, though, he dropped Olive over a yew bush just before he smashed into the side of his carriage house.
Olive's teeth chattered from the cold. Ches is too early in the spring for flying, she noted, scrambling out of the bush. Drone and Thomas rushed out of the townhouse's front door as the halfling was brushing herself off.
"Giogi, my boy. Are you all right?" Drone asked.
The wyvern wobbled to its feet, hissing.
"You'll have to change back to human form," Drone said. "I can't understand a word you're saying. Concentrate on turning human. Think about afternoon tea; that's what your father used to do."
The wyvern shape wavered and shrunk until it was Giogi.
"Uncle Drone! You're alive!" the young nobleman shouted.
"Shhh! Not so loud," the wizard whispered. "It's supposed to be a secret."
Thomas tapped Drone on the shoulder. "Excuse me, sir, but perhaps we should go back inside, just in case-"
Drone shot a glance up at the sky. "You're right, Thomas. Come on, everyone."
Drone and Thomas hustled Giogi and Olive back into the townhouse. Drone motioned to the parlor doors, and they all trooped into Giogi's parlor.
Drone shoved some books off the couch and flopped down. "It's nice and warm in here. You should get a fireplace in your attic, Giogi. It's cold up there."
"What were you doing in my attic?" Giogi asked. "We all thought you were dead. Uncle Drone, how could you let us think that? What were you trying to do?"
"Sit down, Giogi," the old wizard said, patting the cushion beside him.
Giogi sat down with a huff. Olive took a seat on the footstool by the fire. Thomas remained standing by the parlor doors and explained that Cat had ridden to