“Jaromar Elond Perchaz,” I poke his chest to the beat of each name and push closer. “You are the gentle giant! The smart kid with glasses! The magic spark character that makes a book worth reading!” He gulps, cheeks darkening all the way up to his horns. “You think so?” “I know so! Ugly? Let yourself go? Ugh. That’s the kind of talk that sets everyone back. I mean, big guys are all the rage right now. Plenty of folks would love to climb you like a tree!”

