“June? Can you hear me?” Annabel whispered into her phone. She was talking low to keep anyone from hearing her.
“Yeah but why are you whispering? Is your date going that well?” Music played in the background. Annabel wasn’t sure whether or not June was in their apartment or out for the night. She might be having some sort of party if she was home.
“He's a dragon,” Annabel said trying to keep her voice low. Crispin warned her not to tell anyone about that. She couldn't help but tell June this. June could be trusted. If she didn’t, then the other girl was liable to find out about it on her own.
“The gang that hangs around the south end of town?”
“No. He's a real dragon. Or at least he claims to be,” Annabel said as she tried convincing June. She would believe her if anyone in the world was capable of doing so. She was always finding crazy people so this was right up her specialty.
June paused.
Annabel checked her phone to see if she lost the signal. No, it was still there. June must be thinking about something or have gotten distracted. “June?”
“Annabel, I believe you're taking this break-up over Greg too hard. I've never seen you this crazy to make up that someone is a dragon.”
“I'm not crazy.”
“Does he have wings?”
“Wings?”
June sighed. “I know dragons have wings. Everybody knows that. Does he have wings?”
“I...I don't think so.” Annabel didn’t remember seeing any. He could be hiding them from her.
“Problem solved. He's nervous. Do you have a picture so I can see for myself?”
Annabel shook her head while talking into the phone. “I didn't take one yet.”
“Go take one and let me see. I'll tell you if he's a dragon or if he's a normal guy. I’m thinking it's the second option.”
“Fine, I'll go take a picture. I'm only taking a picture of him so you can see him and know he's a dragon.” Annabel hung up the phone before June responded. Now she needed to sneak downstairs and take a picture of him without him noticing. If she kept talking to June, it would’ve evolved into gathering more evidence.
She opened the door. No one was visible in the hallway. She wasn't positive she was allowed to walk around or if they preferred she remain in her room. Making her way to the top landing, she heard voices talking below. She listened in on what they were saying.
“You can't ask her that question,” Crispin said. His voice sounded tired.
“It's a simple question. I think I have the right to know the answer,” Sera said, her voice agitated.
“It shouldn't matter. She's in trouble and we need to help her.”
“Your statement would be more convincing if you hadn't gone on a date with her tonight.”
“It wasn't a date. I wanted to know more about her in an informal setting.”
Henry laughed. “That's the second time you've said one of my lines today. I should copyright them for the future.”
Crispin sighed audibly. “I don't see how any of this relates to what's going on right now. We have solid proof the Unseen is after her. Tomorrow, Jules is running tests so we can see why. At this point, we’re in the dark.”
The conversation became muted and Annabel could only heard random words with no real meaning to them. Footsteps sounded in different directions a few minutes afterward. The television was turned on, helping mask whatever conversation was happening.
Annabel crept down the stairs, holding on to the railing as she walked. She was convinced no one was coming up. She saw Crispin sitting on a chair, reading a thick book and not concerned about the new houseguest. Sera was nearby as well. She was the one watching television and laying on the couch.
Annabel aimed the lens at Crispin and zoomed in. Her phone couldn't zoom in as much as she wanted. The image was still blurry. This was the best she could get. If June complained, she could take her own picture. Annabel pressed a button and heard a click, placing her hand over the speaker in an effort to cover up the sound which escaped.
Crispin looked at the stairs. He heard a click coming from that direction. His attention drifted to the phone still held by Annabel. He up from his chair and walked past Sera, not giving any indication that something was out of the ordinary.
Annabel backed up the stairs and tried to keep herself away from Crispin. She felt he wasn’t pleased with the fact she took his picture. It must be some kind of dragon code violation. She slipped on the carpeted stair and scrambled to her feet once more. He was gaining ground on her and she needed distance from him.
“Give me your phone,” Crispin hissed as he made his way up the stairs. He was running up the stairs to get to her, taking two at a time without any sign of difficulty.
Annabel thought momentarily he had wings to run up the stairs that fast. It’d definitely prove he was a dragon. “No.” Annabel pressed the buttons on her phone. She needed to send this picture to June before he took her phone. He’d smash it with his claw.
Crispin grabbed her arm. He pulled her in closer to himself. “Give me your phone,” he said in a harsh whisper.
“No.” She passed the phone from one hand to another to keep it away from him. She was shorter than him – this game wouldn’t last long.
“Are you going to make me take your phone from you?”
Annabel grabbed her phone with both hands and pulled it closer to her. “You can't have it. Does that bother you?”
Crispin reached for the phone and started wresting it from her hands. “You can't take my picture. That’s all there is to that.” The two fought over her phone until he pinned her arms against the wall. He pushed her fingers back, uncurling them from their position until he finally had the phone in his hands. He pressed a button and deleted it the picture. He handed her the phone back, satisfied.
“That was rude of you,” she said to him with a frown. She had never been this close to him before. He didn't look like a dragon. He looked normal, although right now he wasn’t her favorite person in the world. June was right.
“You can't take a picture of me.”
“Why not?”
“There are people who would kill me if they knew I was here. They will stop at nothing to get to me. If you send that, I'll have to leave and keep moving. It'd be too dangerous to stay here. I won’t be able to protect you.”
“Maybe I want that. You said you didn't want to get involved with me. I wouldn’t want to tempt you with having to stay.”
“It appears we're going to be involved regardless. Can you promise me you won’t take any pictures of me?” He was pleading with his eyes.
“Not one single picture?”
“Not one.”
“Okay,” she said moving from against the wall. “I'm going back to my room. I'll see you in the morning.” She masked her smile by biting the inside of her cheek. She already sent the picture and was certain June would send her a copy when needed.
“Good night,” he replied, watching her return to her room.
She closed her door and heard it click into place. That was interesting.