“It's a very fine necklace, for a human horde,” Herb told the little mage. She'd brought it to him for an appraisal before she sent it as a gift. It was a very gracious thing to do, for a dragon. Even if he was only a little tempted by the gold.
“I think my mother will like it,” she said with a slight smile.
“But it's not so valuable that you must deliver it yourself. Surely the college can loan you a courier?” It wasn't the gold in the mages hand he coveted.
The little mage laughed and patted his eye ridges. “I'm not important enough for a courier. And I'd be going home for the holidays even if I didn't have the gift to deliver.”
Herb grumbled and a whisp of steam fled his nostrils. “I do not like these holidays. They're interfering with important work.”
“I promise to pick up the latest romances,” she told him.
“And the new installment of Sir Carl in the Dungeon,” Herb insisted quickly.
“Of course,” she agreed.
The dragon still didn't like that she would be gone far away for so long, but the books would almost make up for it. Especially since he'd convinced her he needed her assistance to read his books. There would be hours for them to curl up together and read. He could wait…for a while.