are just Edwin! And have you got the titles? What are you?»
«I am the dragon master. That’s enough to respect me.»
That’s right! A dragon can only be owned by a very noble man, or rather a very noble elf.
«Where do you live? Do you have your own castle?»
«Yes, I do.»
«Are your estates large?»
«They are larger than this manor.»
«Then what are you doing here?»
«I flew to the fairy masquerade and my dragon noticed you needed help. The fairies attacked you.»
«Did they mistake me for someone else?»
«Fairies don’t usually make mistakes.»
«But in my case, they did.»
«Are you sure?»
«I am!»
Edwin’s skin and golden hair glowed by itself. She guessed all elves glow in the dark like stars. Flora liked Edwin so much that she instantly forgave him for burning her hand. He must have picked up dragon manners from his time with the dragon.
«Why is the way to the fairy masquerade through the Earth Garden?» Flora wondered. «Is my ancestral castle enchanted?»
«I don’t think so. The portal to the fairies’ residence opens in a new place every time. Someone must have practiced magic in this castle if the portal was found in your garden this time.»
«It wasn’t me!» Flora hastily hid behind her back her mask. It laughed at her mistress.
«Then perhaps a witch has taken up residence in your towers.»
Flora didn’t like that assumption. Maybe Edwin was joking. Sometimes he seemed to speak in riddles. He was difficult to talk to, but you could drown in his eyes.
Flora was extremely disappointed when he said:
«I have to go.»
«But why is it?»
«I must return to the fairies’ residence to restore order. The fairies can’t keep harassing random guests.»
«Do you think those beasts will listen to you?»
«They’ll have to,» Edwin’s eyes glittered coldly.
«And who are you for the fairies to listen to? Are you a local steward?»
«It is something like that.»
«You’d better stay here. It’s safe.»
«I wouldn’t say that,» Edwin sniffed the clear air above the towers. «There’s an aura of black magic over the castle.»
Again he alludes to the witch in the locked towers. This is too much! Flora was angry, but she still didn’t want to let Edwin go. It felt like if he left, the sun would set.
«Will you pay us a visit? Come to dinner tomorrow.»
«You’re inviting me?» Edwin looked surprised, as if she’d said something stupid.
«Of course I am.»
«What if the dragon comes with me?»
«I don’t suppose it would want to join a human dinner?»
«What if he did?»
«His face wouldn’t even fit through the door,» laughed Flora.
«Suppose he can shrink in size when he needs to, and he can even sit at the table with you.»
«I don’t think he’d like salads, pies, and baked apples. And I don’t think dragons drink wine.»
Edwin laughed.
«Are you so sure?»
Flora blinked her eyelashes. His laughter sounded like the tinkling of bells. The laughter of elves must mesmerize people and rob them of their considerations. She was willing to promise Edwin anything.
«How many dragons do you know personally?» Edwin asked her with a laugh.
«Only one so far, it is yours.»
«And not very close. You’ve only ridden it once. But I controlled it.»
«Would it have thrown me off otherwise?»
«It could have been worse.»
Edwin’s eyes glittered so dangerously that Flora backed away from him, her back against the parapet. There was nowhere else to retreat.
«What could be worse than falling off a dragon’s back and being smashed to bits?»
«It is being eaten by a dragon,» Edwin said helpfully.
«Your dragon eats people?»
«Sometimes he burns them,» was the streamlined answer.
«If you bring him to our feast and he manages to squeeze through the door, he should be offered a meat menu. I’ll keep that in mind.»
«What if the dragon decides to snack on the guests?»
«My father often has strange guests, so I don’t mind, as long as he doesn’t touch any of my family.»
«How easily you bargained with the dragon,» Edwin laughed again.
What did he find so funny about such horrifying topics? Flora felt uneasy.
«If you can persuade your dragon to eat the witch who lurks in my father’s castle, I’m welcome. I don’t feel sorry for witches,» Flora joked.
«And if the witch is you?»
«I’m definitely not a witch!»
«Can you prove it?»
«Witches are old, scary and fly at night on broomsticks.»
«Some witches are young and attractive,» Edwin said with the confidence of a connoisseur.
«But everyone flies on broomsticks.»
«So if you fly, you’ll think you’re a witch?» Edwin suddenly switched to «you,» as if he were an old friend, and put his arm around Flora’s waist.
«I won’t fly, because I don’t have wings like a fairy. Nor can I fly with brooms like a witch.»
«But you can dance with me. Maybe something will come out of it.»
«I don’t think a dance will make a flight,» Flora put her hand in Edwin’s confidently. He danced a circle with her across the roof and then suddenly pulled her
