Emma (Dark Fire) by Jodie B. Cooper Page A

into his serious blue eyes, too floored to say anything. She was still trying to pull her scattered thoughts together when the female dragon started issuing orders.
    “There are shroum trees all over the place. You two go find a pixie that’s willing to bite us,” the woman said, never taking her eyes off Emma’s uncle. “While you are there, make sure the colony understands they are welcome to take sanctuary in the city.”
    Uncle Keith, speaking in English, said, “Emma, I don’t know whether to shake you for scaring the crap out of me or ask how you’re talking to these two. And exactly why are you in his arms, young lady?”
    Emma grinned. Pulling away from Tyler’s embrace, she dropped to the ground in front of her uncle.
    He immediately wrapped her in an engulfing hug.
    “They’re dragons,” she said with an impish smirk on her lips, “and I’m going to find a pixie that will bite you. Then you can understand them as well.”
    He glared at her, putting his hand on her forehead, she watched him fight a smile. “Emma,” he warned with a stern look, “now is not the time for jokes. It’s pretty obvious he isn’t human, but pixies?”
    “Who’s joking?” she chuckled and jumped to her feet.
    Tyler reached for her hand, entwining his fingers with hers.
    She blinked in surprise, flushing as excitement bloomed through her stomach.
    He tugged her toward the giant mushrooms and she knew he restrained his strength. “Come on. Once shroum heads mature, they turn tough as old leather, and pixies carve their homes out of the larger heads or sometimes the trunk.”
    “Shroums?”
    “Those,” he pointed to a mushroom tree, “are shroums. The thorns running up the stem protect pixies from bask lizards.”
    “We don’t have bask lizards either. Are they dangerous to everyone or just pixies?” she asked, glancing around the ground with a cautious look.
    “Everyone,” Tyler said, frowning down at her.
    The same pixie that bit her met them halfway across the field. For a price, two cups of sugar and a bar of chocolate, Mari agreed to bite her uncle and the woman.
    After the woman and her uncle received the pixie bite, Emma quickly made introductions. “Tyler, meet Keith Baker, my uncle. Uncle Keith, this is Tyler, and his, um...”
    “My Aunt Lydia,” Tyler said. His lips curved in a knowing grin.
    Keith didn’t seem to notice the byplay between her and Tyler. He stood with his arms crossed, keeping his back ramrod straight. He nodded, looking the older shape shifter directly in the eye. “Is this some kind of invasion?” he asked harshly, all humor gone; a look of dread covered his face.
    “No, we aren’t sure what’s going on.” Lydia grimaced, but the smile in her eyes never dimmed, focused entirely on Keith. “Though, I ran into a druid and she said she sensed a tremendous surge of energy an instant before the sky turned from pale purple to black with storm clouds laced with faerie dust.”
    “A druid?” Keith muttered in disbelief. “Faerie dust? You’ve got to be kidding me.”
    “It sounds weird, but if undiluted faerie dust was involved it would explain a lot,” Tyler said, glancing up at the sky.
    “A lot, but not enough,” Lydia agreed.
    “Well, whatever happened, I’m glad you’re here. I thought you were still at Middleton Outpost,” Tyler said, motioning to the south.
    “I was until a few weeks ago. When several of the border villages were attacked I followed the scum north,” Lydia said as a snarl curled her lip in anger. “We’ve been tracking the vermin, but can’t catch them. They’re using wizards to hide their movements.”
    “Yeah, I killed a zombie not far from here, and Emma ran into Lester. Bernie attacked me and I gave him a good swipe in his mid-section. I also saw a girl, but she was too far away to tell if she was vampire or witch.”
    “That doesn’t sound good, especially if Lester’s father, Lord Quarklin, is involved. As soon as I reach the