Page 63 of The Teacup Dragon Sanctuary

Before anyone could move, Virginia shoved Portia aside and seized the tiny dragon. Her meaty hands closed around the long slender neck.

Jade let out a cry of pain, flapping desperately, tail lashing through the air. The other teacup dragons screamed, taking to the air in panic.

‘I will be leaving,’ Virginia announced. ‘And if any of you try to follow me, I’ll throttle the beast, do you understand me?’

Where she thought she could go or how she planned to get off the island, Noah didn’t know. It didn’t really matter. The woman was desperate and she was going to hurt Jade the way she was holding her, whether she meant to or not.

Before he could do anything, Portia grabbed Virginia’s shoulder, spinning her around, and punched her in the face with all her might. Virginia dropped like a stone, releasing Jade, who fluttered up to Portia, squawking, complaining, and crying in relief.

Portia shook her hand out. She was breathing hard, her chest heaving as she stared down at her foe with murder in her eyes.

‘Don’t you ever touch my dragon again,’ she snarled.

‘Portia!’ August exclaimed, horrified.

She turned on him. ‘What? You’re the one who taught me to throw a punch. And she deserved it. Well, Captain, are you going to arrest me for assault this time?’

Captain Zacarius wisely took a step back. ‘I think not, Lady Portia. I’m not that foolish.’

The royal guards took the dazed Lady Moorland into custody and headed back to the ship, ready to return to the capital to begin charges of illegal animal trafficking. Coupled with the events at the show and the evidence they could present, she was in a lot of trouble. Noah couldn’t bring himself to care. All he could do was gaze at Portia who was still cradling the teacup dragon who had wound her tail and half her body around her arm in return. Nothing was going to separate the two of them again, and quite rightly. They belonged together.

Portia’s righteous fury had made her the most beautiful being he had ever seen in his life. She had saved him from being used by a monster. Had he carried out Moorland’s plan to poison the dragons at the show, whether they were the Starling Island dragons or any others, he would have been ruined. It would have devastated him, mind and soul, to betray his calling in such a way. Noah had always thought he was meant to be the one doing the rescuing, but then, along came Portia Starling.

Iris and Gilden were gathering together all the other teacup dragons, which whirled around him in delight. In no time he was greeting each of them by name, the names Iris had given them and others, names in dragontongue which sounded more like music than anything Noah had ever heard. He ought to be helping, he knew that – he ought to be asking a million questions and finding out everything he possibly could – but he didn’t want to leave Portia and Jade.

After a while Portia relinquished the dragon to him, and Jade uncoiled herself, letting him check her throat and neck, extend each delicate wing carefully, listen to her heartbeat and her breathing. Though she was clearly shaken and afraid, she didn’t seem to have suffered any damage.

‘Some of your elixir might help perk her up but otherwise, I think she’s all right,’ he said at last, stroking under her chin just the way she liked. ‘She had a horrible fright. That’s all. But it’s over now.’

Portia sat on the settee, her feet curled under her. Her hand looked like it was going to bruise. There had to be something he could do about that, a cold compress or something. He took her hand, examining it. He didn’t want to let it go.

‘Thank you,’ she said softly.

‘What for?’

‘She would have got away with it if you hadn’t seen the papers. She would have just done it again. Gone back to her life and continued on stealing and abusing helpless teacup dragons and…’ She ran out of steam, finishing on a sigh.

He smiled softly. ‘I think I should be the one thanking you given everything that happened. Portia… I never set out to spy on the sanctuary or…’

‘I know that. I heard, remember? Her truth spell was so powerful and you still didn’t tell her about the elixir or… or anything really. It was clever, the way you managed it.’ Her eyes lowered a little, those long eyelashes that fascinated him so brushing her skin and when she looked up again, he lost the ability to breathe. She was beautiful, and brave and dear lord when she had thrown that punch…

‘If I may have a word, Dr Turner?’ said Ambassador Gilden. ‘I would appreciate a moment before I leave. I’m going back to Tesh to report on this before the captain arrives with his prisoner. Better to have everything ready. I also want to make sure none of her associates make a break for it.’

Noah reluctantly let Portia go and got to his feet.

‘Percival Harvey for example. I can give you a list of people to check if you’d like.’

‘Iris has already done so but let us crosscheck to make sure we don’t miss anyone. But I wanted to talk to you, about what Lady Moorland had promised you. Access to Elanholm.’

Oh, that. His heart sank. Of course, that would be impossible now. The ambassador had seen the damage that interaction with humankind did to the teacup dragons. He would never allow them entry into the realm of dragonkind now, would he? Especially not Noah. Not after this.

‘I understand,’ Noah said, his voice sombre.

‘Really?’ Surprised amusement flickered through his silvery eyes. ‘I don’t believe you do. Not looking like that.’ Gilden laughed. ‘You showed great fortitude and loyalty. We have always appreciated that. Should you wish to visit Elanholm, to see for yourself the realm as it should be seen, you would be most welcome. You are a defender of dragonkind, young man, even our smallest cousins, and perhaps that is more important than anything else. When you protect the least of us, you invite the respect of all.’

He slipped a signet ring from his finger. It was engraved with the profile of a dragon, with a diamond for the eye. Gilden placed it into Noah’s hand and closed his fingers over it. He held still for a moment and Noah heard the words of dragontongue again, drifting around him, through him, magical, beautiful, the sound of his childhood dreams.

‘There,’ said the ambassador. ‘You will be known and you will be welcomed and you will be allowed to see what others cannot. The kingdom of the great dragons is still there, though we may disguise ourselves to walk among you. And you would be our honoured guest when you choose to visit.’ He looked up at Portia then and smiled. Jade lifted her head expectantly. ‘All of you. Now, if you will excuse me, I should be going. My thanks, my friends. I am certain we will meet again. If nothing else when I visit here. Iris is most insistent and I am eager to see how her work here progresses. This really is the most magical place.’