I had returned from my horrifying, scathing ordeal.

The kelpies (Loch and Morgan respectively) hadn’t given me much trouble … well, until they had tried to eat my hair.

The unicorns were too busy sparring to notice me, but I was nearly impaled by Theo during one of his many fits. Luckily, I was saved by Starr, a quite courageous female.

If I had a mom, I’d like her to be like Starr.

The baby roc was, ironically, the one that had caused the least upset for me. He was fairly affectionate, and I had gotten the heck out of the nest before his mother realized I was changing the bedding, managing in snagging myself on a briar bush.

And the fire salamanders had turned out to be spritely; Frosty, the one that had a cold, sneezed a lovely plume of flame onto my skirt, successfully singing the hem of my skirt and my slippers.

I sank into the chair, defeated.

Nico settled into my lap.

“If you so much as dare to nip my nose, I really will turn you into pillow stuffing.”

He blinked at me innocently.