Chapter Seventy Eight

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Outside . . .

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Clara had been involved in a staring contest with a young dragon for about thirty minutes when Shamira returned, swooping down into the cleared area and landing far more gracefully than Clara might have imagined. The smaller dragon instantly perked up, moving to Shamira and placing itself in a subservient position at the big dragon's feet.

Shamira moved her enormous head over to Clara, who just grinned and stroked her scales.

"You're still pretty damn gorgeous," she said softly.

Shamira opened her mouth to reveal a number of dragon eggs, nestled in between her sharp teeth and tongue. * We need to take these somewhere safe, and we need to do it soon, * Shamira sent.

Clara waisted no time and started grabbing the eggs out of Shamira's mouth. "You are the strangest girlfriend that I've ever had," she said. "Hey, Lacroix --"

* -- is no longer among the living, * Sh