I'm Afraid You've Got Dragons

by Peter S. Beagle

His name was Lucan. He was tall, handsome, sincere, broad-shouldered, slim-waisted, well turned out, and possessed of precisely the brains of a rutabaga; sadly, his cheekbones were the sharpest thing about him.

men believe themselves to be all straight lines and right angles—an illusion you will find it important to allow them, though in fact they are as hopelessly snarled as a ball of yarn after a cat gets through playing with it.

would they ever, ever let you toss your crown over the windmill to run off chasing dragons on a moment’s notice with someone who’ll likely never know exactly who or what he is?” He covered her mouth before she could answer him. “Would I ever let you?” She bit his hand. Robert pulled his hand away and gaped at her, then at the blood. She had bitten him far harder than Adelise ever had, or even the new ice-white one, Marie-Galante. But her eyes were remarkably tranquil, as a dragon’s eyes could never have been. Her voice was a voice he had never heard before, as she said, “Robert, my one companion, love of my life forever, ‘let’ is not a word you will use to me again.”