Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 129584 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 648(@200wpm)___ 518(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129584 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 648(@200wpm)___ 518(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
“You could bubble wrap all the chairs in the library,” Sora suggested, after pushing down his sigh of relief.
“Ha! Yes!” Ravi lunged at Sora, wrapping his arms around him and spinning them both around.
Sora’s heart leapt into his throat as he held onto Ravi’s shoulders for balance. The fresh scent of Ravi danced around his nose, reminding him of a warm summer breeze after the rain.
“You’re brilliant!” Ravi declared when he stopped spinning them.
“You’re going to need some help. It’ll take time to shrink-wrap things and cover the chairs with bubble wrap. Is there a time when Gunter leaves the library for at least an hour? Maybe a meeting with King Alric?”
Ravi released him and grabbed his phone. His fingers were practically a blur as he shot off some rapid texts.
“No meetings with Hoheit today, but I think I’ve recruited some help.” He looked up at Sora again, his grin spreading. “I will need you to distract Gunter and keep him busy for a little while.”
“What? Me?”
“Yep. In about twenty minutes Gunter will head up to the main dining hall for afternoon tea. Not a lot of dragons and mages take part, but it’s one of the few times that Gunter somewhat regularly takes a break. You need to be there and catch him. Keep him busy for at least thirty minutes.”
“Keep him busy?” Sora repeated, his mind seeming to lock up. “How?”
“Get him talking about his research. Or, better yet, the history of the Burkhard Clan.” Ravi paused and frowned. “Well, maybe not that or you’ll be stuck for at least three hours. Maybe just how we came to live in this castle after the last one got blown up by a bad cooking spell.”
Okay, maybe he did want to hear that story.
Before Sora could ask another question, there was a knock at the door that had Sora jumping, feeling guilty that they were in there plotting against another dragon.
“Come in!” Ravi called out.
Sora was surprised to see Cameron and his twin sister, Cassie, poke their heads into the room.
“You texted about a Gunter prank and bubble wrap?” Cassie inquired.
“This is who you enlisted to help you? The consort and his sister?” Sora raised an eyebrow. He looked at Ravi to find the dragon rubbing his hands together and laughing.
“Of course! We never miss out on a Ravi prank.” Cassie laughed.
Cameron shrugged and closed the door behind them. “He had me at bubble wrap.”
With the co-conspirators in place, Ravi quickly laid out his plans with military precision, giving everyone a job. Sora found himself grinning like a fool and practically bouncing on the balls of his feet. He’d not gotten to play many pranks growing up, and certainly nothing quite like this. To be included in this unexpected fun was a special treat.
Once everything was hashed out, Sora darted out of the room and briskly walked toward the dining hall, following the exacting directions that Ravi had given him. His heart was pounding in his chest when he reached the massive room.
Slipping inside, he found only a handful of dragons scattered around the tables, sipping tea and munching on tasty treats. Most were deep in conversation, but a few were reading books or using eReaders.
Sunlight poured through the windows, gilding everything in a golden light and giving the room a peaceful glow. It was definitely a pleasant spot to while away an hour or two, but that was true of most of the castle. While there was an opulent, regal beauty to the place, there were also many cozy spots around the castle that invited a person to sink in and get lost in a good book or conversation with a friend.
In one corner of the room sat Gunter in a cushioned high-back chair. There was a cup of steaming tea at his elbow and a little plate with a few cookies on it. He had a book in his hand and looked completely lost to the world. Sora was half-tempted to leave him to his book, but he’d agreed to play his part in his plot, even if it sent butterflies fluttering through his stomach.
Grabbing a cup of tea for himself, Sora walked over to where Gunter was sitting, struggling to keep his steps slow and meandering. He didn’t need to look like he was a man on a mission, even if it was the truth.
He cleared his throat, and Gunter’s head popped up from his book, blue eyes blinking at him from behind glasses.
“Sora!” he said in surprise. “It’s so wonderful to see you again.”
“Hello, Gunter. I’m not disturbing you, am I?”
“No, of course not.” Gunter closed his book with a decisive snap and shoved it down into the chair next to his thigh. “Please, have a seat. Join me.”
“I don’t want to take up too much of your time,” Sora started as he dropped into the identical chair opposite Gunter. “I’ve heard from a few dragons that the Burkhard Clan hasn’t always lived in this castle. That there was a smaller one that served as home for the dragons, but there was some kind explosion. I figured if anyone knew the story it would be you.”