‘I think not,’ I said, turning crimson.
Thanking Merl for the information, Fae and I headed for Dagon’s house, which was on the other side of town. We did not attempt to hide the Vulmessians as we walked through the streets. Many people stared at the creatures, others fled. Some children cried, whilst others laughed. There was even one little boy who was brave enough to ask if he could pat them. On the whole, however, the normal reaction was one of fear. Fae seemed to be enjoying herself thoroughly, revelling in the commotion she caused astride Shadow.
We carved a path through the townspeople, and I noticed that no one was looking at me or Fae. All eyes were drawn to the animals. It occurred to me that I could probably walk down any street without being recognised.
Finally, we found Dagon’s home; a little cottage tucked behind a bakery. The smell of fresh bread reached my nostrils, and my stomach grumbled loudly. Without hesitation, I dismounted Hawthorne and walked to Dagon’s front door, knocking upon the wood loudly.
I could hear heavy footfalls from inside the cottage, and the thought of large Dagon in this tiny house made me smile.
The smirk was still plastered to my face as Dagon answered the door. At first, he seemed stunned to see me, but his face broke into a grin after the initial shock passed.
‘Avalon!’ he said, seemingly pleased. ‘What a surprise!’ Dagon’s eyes travelled over my head to the company I kept. His smile faltered when he saw Hawthorne, Emilija, and Shadow.
‘Can we come in?’ I asked.
‘We?’ repeated Dagon faintly.
Fae dismounted Shadow and stood by my side; Willow and Rue in her arms. She looked at Dagon shrewdly, a discontent expression on her face.
‘Fae and I,’ I said. ‘Oh, and the pups.’
Dagon exhaled, relieved. ‘I thought you meant those big animals.’
I smiled. ‘I don’t think they’ll fit through the door.’
‘They’re not going to tear up the lawn, are they?’
‘They’ll behave perfectly,’ I promised.
Dagon stepped aside and let me and Fae cross the threshold. It was a very cute cottage inside; all the furnishings were wood, and the ceilings were low, which meant Dagon had to stoop to fit through the doorways.
‘Your house is lovely,’ I said, following Dagon through the hall into the sitting room.
‘Thanks, it was me Ma’s. Sit down.’ Dagon indicated to the floral sofa in front of the hearth. ‘Want anything to drink? Tea?’
‘Oh, yes, please. I haven’t had a cup of tea in ages,’ I said.
‘And you?’ said Dagon. ‘I’ve forgotten yer name already, sorry.’
‘It’s Fae, and no, I’m fine,’ she said coldly.
‘Right yeh are. Just a moment, Lass.’
Dagon retreated into his tiny kitchen where we heard him rummaging about.
‘Need me to boil the water?’ I called to him.
‘Nah, Lass, yer all right. I boiled it not a moment ago. Just sit tight.’
We waited only a minute before Dagon came back into the room with a tray laden with a pot of tea and biscuits. I dug in immediately, my stomach rumbling loudly.
‘So, erm, what are those things?’ Dagon pointed to Willow and Rue, who were still bundled in Fae’s arms. ‘Pets?’
‘I guess you could call them that,’ I said through a mouthful of food.
‘They’re house trained, right?’
I sipped my tea, and swallowed. ‘Not sure, really. They’ve never been in a house before.’
‘Grand.’ Dagon picked up his teacup and drank it in one gulp. ‘So what brings two pretty lass’s like yerselves here, to my humble abode?’
‘Watch who you’re calling Lass,’ scowled Fae.
Dagon paused halfway through pouring his second cup of tea, his eyebrows raised. ‘Erm, sorry.’
‘Don’t mind Fae,’ I said, kicking her underneath the coffee table. ‘I come here with a proposition for you.’
Dagon sat back in his chair, which creaked loudly, protesting under his weight. ‘How’s yer leg, by the way? Yer walkin’ fine.’
I could tell he’d ignored my question on purpose. ‘It’s fine, thank you,’ I said.
‘Oh! One moment! The bread will be ready any second!’ said Dagon as he jumped up from his seat and hurried into the kitchen.
‘The bread?’ I repeated, slightly annoyed. ‘Dagon, we need to talk to you.’
‘One moment!’
‘He’s like an old, bloody housewife,’ Fae muttered under her breath. ‘Are you sure he’s a fighter?’
I sighed. ‘He’s just a … soft soul, is all.’
Fae scoffed, picking up a biscuit and cramming it into her mouth. ‘Hey, these are pretty good.’
‘Baked them myself,’ said Dagon as he re-entered room. He was wearing mittens and carrying a bread-tray. I inhaled deeply as he placed the tray on the table.
‘That smells amazing,’ I said, my mouth watering.
‘Help yerself. Yeh look like yeh haven’t had a decent meal in days.’