PAPER STARS: An Ordinary Magic Story(11)

Myra nodded. “He’ll love it. When is Ryder supposed to be here?”

I tried not to let my worry show. “A couple hours ago.”

“That’s not too bad.”

“More like five hours ago.”

“Weather?”

“That’s what I’m guessing.”

As if to punctuate the point, the wind and rain battered the west facing windows hard enough I could feel the sturdy little cabin take the hit.

The near-freezing rain had flung onto shore last night with seventy-mile-an-hour gusts.

The storm had already galloped east over the Coast Range and dumped five inches of snow there, iced up the valley, and according to weather reports, was in the process of slapping blizzard warnings across the Cascade Range.

Children from the Coast Range eastward were vibrating in joy over the white Christmas they’d be getting.

Travelers were advised to stay home and stay away from the passes. All the stores were out of milk and bread.

I wondered if Ryder had decided not to chance the trip. He might have turned back or sheltered somewhere along the way.

That would have been the smart move. The forecast called for more ice to follow the snow, enough to shut down the passes and much of I-5.

“Have you called him?” Myra asked.

“It goes to voice mail.”

She didn’t say anything while I hung the rest of the ornaments. Whatever Christmas spirit I’d been feeling was getting railroaded by worry.

“He’ll be okay.” Myra pressed a mug of coffee into my hand, and I realized I’d been standing there for a while, staring at the tree, my mind a million miles away.

Or exactly one hundred and ninety-one miles away.

“I know,” I said. “He’s lived in Oregon and Chicago. He knows how to handle snow. He won’t do anything stupid.”

But my heart was heavy and my pulse was rapping. Why hadn’t he answered his phone? Maybe he’d been stranded, ran out of battery on his phone. Maybe he was stuck in traffic, moving slowly along.

Maybe he was just outside of town and almost home.

“Are you sure it’s a dragon?” She pointed her coffee at the fireplace.

The dragon-pig had acquired several more stuffed things and had stacked them into a pile. Spud must have offered enough of his toy hoard to have gained the dragon’s favor.

The dog was curled up on top of the toys. Dragon was right there with him, sprawled on his mountain of treasure, little piggy head propped on a blissed-out Spud’s back.

That dog and that pig could not look more content.

It was cute. They were cute.

“I’m sure it’s a dragon,” I said.

“Isn’t it too small and soft? I know they can be anything, but I’ve never heard of one that turned itself into something so…adorable. Plus, this is Crow we’re talking about. Crow.”

“You know what?” I said in a loud conversational tone, “you’re right. I should take some of those toys back to Spud’s box. They don’t need that many.”

The pig opened one eye. It glittered with fire, and a little puff of smoke drifted out its snout.

The pig drew the toy hoard in closer, making it clear I touched it at my own peril.

I raised an eyebrow at Myra.

“Okay,” she said. “I see it. It’s a dragon. I thought he was joking.”

“Nope.”

“Any idea why Crow wants you to have it?”

“Something to do with it bothers Bathin. He can’t hide from it? They weren’t very clear.”

We both drank our coffee and stared at the mythical farmyard conundrum.

“Crow called him Black Heart,” I said.

“The pig?”

“The demon.”

“Huh.”

“He also called him Prince.”

Myra sipped her coffee. I knew she was turning those little hints over in her big, beautiful brain, seeing which pieces of her research into all things demon fit with that information.

“Want me to try and figure the dragon out?” she finally offered.

“Gods, yes,” I said on an exhale. “I was hoping you’d volunteer. I’ve asked it a hundred yes/no questions but it just ignores me.”

“I’ll check the books. See if we’ve ever had this dragon out of its cave before and if so, what happened then. See what kind of history it has with demons. And trickster gods.”

“Perfect. I owe you one.”

She handed me her empty coffee cup.

“You owe me so many more than one. I’m going to check in at the station before I head home. I’ll call if there are any emergencies. Otherwise, try not to worry too much about Ryder.”

“I won’t.” Lies.

“He’s okay and he’ll be home soon.”

“I know.”

She narrowed her eyes. “And don’t sell your soul while I’m gone.”

“That joke’s getting old.”

“Not a joke. You promised us you’d make no stupid decision without consulting with at least one of us.”

“I promise I will make no deal, do no stupid deed without either you or Jean consulted and on board between now and when I see you next.”

“Good.”