"Look, I've never been anybody special," he said, just loud enough for the dragon to hear. And maybe Shavi. "I'm just a kitchen servant. But they say I might be able to help you dragons, you and your mistresses. My name is Tlan." He raised one hand, tentatively, and moved it toward the steaming muzzle. "And you're Khanna."

He let his fingertips touch her scales and she let out an acrid snort. Smoke drifted away on the breeze. He touched her leathery cheek, and she nudged his face and sniffed at his hair. Her mouth opened, and he felt a wave of heat on his bare skin, and saw her...