held her back as she almost took a step into the abyss.
«Be careful! You don’t have wings anymore!» He warned her.
«What do you mean? Didn’t they used to be?» He’s probably confusing her with some kind of fairy.
«But I can always lend you my wings. Would you like to fly? Or dance over the abyss?»
«And then you’ll throw me down?»
«Just because a girl has a dragon suitor doesn’t mean she’ll end up dead,» Edwin said sternly. «I knew a case when a princess’s romance with a dragon ended in marriage. You don’t remember that?»
«No!»
Why would she remember something like that? She spent her whole life in the backwoods of Argania. Nothing interesting ever happened here. Flora often regretted that her father wouldn’t let her into the royal court, and there was no one to meet in the provinces. And then came the fateful hour when she met the dragon! Who would have thought that such a magical beau would fly into such a wilderness! There was only one downside to the encounter: it might end in Flora’s death or in Edwin bewitching her. It seems he had already intended to do so. Glittering star dust formed on the tips of his fingernails.
Flora shrieked, afraid that he was about to turn her into a toad and complete the magic masquerade, but Edwin gallantly handed her a necklace of stars and a bouquet of roses. The roses were black as night, but velvety to the touch.
«You always liked black roses,» Edwin explained.
«I don’t remember such a thing!»
«No wonder! You don’t remember anything! You don’t even remember me!» Edwin put his arm around her waist and pulled her to him. The rose thorns couldn’t hurt him, but his burning breath could burn Flora’s face. Too bad she didn’t have the marvelous living mask with her right now. That one would scandalize but protect her from dragon fire. Though the mask itself was frightened of fire, Flora noticed that it was fireproof.
«You’re so cute even in a dead body!» Edwin whispered.
It was an insult again, but Flora let it pass her ears.
«Do you want to fly to a magical empire?»
«Is that where the entire population is made up of fairies?»
«Not just fairies. It is home to elves, dwarves, goblins, trolls, nymphs, naiads, mermaids, woodlanders…»
«It’s too fairy-tale! I’d prefer something more real, but luxurious. Take me to King Argania’s castle!» Flora decided to make the most of her encounter with the dragon. She had long dreamed of going to court. It would take at least a week to get there in a carriage, and even then it would take a long way, but on the back of a dragon you could fly there in one night.
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