《I Took A Job Hatching Dragons And Instead Grew These Horns!?》 Chapter 1 - Help Wanted at the Eggery Finn held his breath as the dragon flew overhead, It¡¯s bright pink scales reflected off the morning sun. It¡¯s long snake-like body blanketed him in shade, but as quickly at it came it passed over him and vanished into the skyline towards the city beyond. He and few other freshmen had stopped to watch it go. To the rest of the student body of Almaster University, however, it was just another Tuesday and so, walked on by. He wondered when such things would become normal to him but couldn¡¯t imagine it. His body still shook with anticipation. Dragons! Real dragons! Not the ones he¡¯d seen on the web! As he made his way to the H Building, he wondered what kind he¡¯d meet. The advertisement hadn¡¯t mentioned the species. After ferreting out the correct room number he followed the paper¡¯s instructions and rapped the door. When no one answered he reread it. Had he come to the right building? Between the chipped paint and broken water fountain this part of the school seemed run down¡ªthe heavy metal door opened and a tuft of curly red hair poked out from pointed hat. ¡°I came about the ad.¡± He said brandished the wrinkled paper. ¡°I¡¯m not too late, am I?¡± The woman blinked in surprise. Had he come to the wrong place after all? ¡°This way.¡± she finally said cinching the door open and he followed. She was tall, even taller than him. Unlike the usual black and blue robes the student body wore hers were emerald green. Her pair of bell earrings tinkled as they made their way to another door. ¡°And you¡¯ve never touched or made contact with another species of dragon before? Not even a head pat on the street?¡± ¡°No, I¡ª¡± ¡°Had Dragonblight when I was a child. I kept trying to steal my neighbor¡¯s silverware to make a hoard. It¡¯s like sending an angry letter to humans except we''re also the paper and the ink convinces us to glide off of dining room tables. This way please.¡± She said gesturing to an unmarked door. They walked through a hallway and stopped at a yellow bin. ¡°If you have anything enchanted on you leave it in here, otherwise it¡¯ll stop working.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± She stood there stone-faced, saying nothing. He produced an automatic pencil enchanted to never run out of graphite and placed it in the bin. ¡°I trust you have the papers filled out?¡± she asked holding out her hand. ¡°The one students need to sign before¡ªOh.¡± She said as he handed her the form. After a moment she took out a pen and signed on the bottom. ¡°Can you begin today?¡± He blinked. ¡°I thought there would be an interview or¡ª¡± ¡°There would if anyone else applied.¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m the only one?¡± The witch sighed. ¡°Do you want the job or not?¡± He only hesitated for a moment. ¡°Yes, yes of course! When do I start?¡± At that the tall woman opened the door leading into the Eggery. Finn guessed this place used to be a greenhouse as the entire ceiling was composed of misty single-pane windows. A few steps in the hot, humid air burrowed his robes. He broke into a sweat as passed three rows of six enormous yellow-red eggs; each rested in planter boxes packed with dirt. A distinct triangle pattern that glowed when he neared them. ¡°They¡¯re¡­ eggs?¡± ¡°Dragon¡¯s Eggs.¡± She said as if it explained everything. ¡°Are there any dragons?¡± He asked, the enthusiasm bleeding from his voice. ¡°This is where you¡¯ll be working.¡± She said ignoring his question. ¡°You¡¯ll need to stay hydrated here so get a water bottle or two. Penny will show you how to channel magic into them¡ª¡± As if on cue a woman about his own age with purple hair in an updo surfaced from under a table. She wore a gardening apron that held an armada of magical implements including a tuning fork he¡¯d only ever seen the professor¡¯s use. Now though, she held a wand with a wicker pattern pointed down. ¡°Hi, I''m Penny! It''s great to meet you!¡± she said. ¡°Hello Penny, I¡¯m, uh,¡± he always hated saying his name out loud. ¡°I¡¯m Finn.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you Finn.¡± She said. ¡°Are you going to be working here with us?¡± He shrugged. ¡°Yeah,¡± he said eying the eggs. ¡°He''s disappointed there aren''t any ridable dragons here.¡± The witch explained. ¡°I¡ª¡± ¡°But you can ride them,¡± Penny said gesturing to the eggs. ¡°Eventually.¡± He began to deflate. ¡°Unlike humans¡± The tall woman began. ¡°Dragon¡¯s can¡¯t regulate their own magic until they¡¯ve hatched. We provide them with our own until then.¡± He frowned. ¡°Is that what you¡¯re doing with that wand?¡± He asked Penny. ¡°This? Oh no. We use this for that.¡± she said producing a small undulating crystal the same color as her hair. ¡°And you¡¯re taking care of them because... their mom can¡¯t?¡± Penny nodded. ¡°The school put us in charge of these eggs: we clean them, keep them warm and safe. It¡¯s a lot of hard work but one day it¡¯ll all pay off.¡± ¡°Which means,¡± The witch went on. ¡°They need heat regulation, hydration, and most importantly: magic.¡± ¡°So¡­ we¡¯re like batteries?¡± Finn asked shielding his eyes against the sun. ¡°We¡¯re Dragon Hatchers.¡± She corrected. ¡°Eventually Dragon Caretakers. Also, you''ll have to buy your own crystal. Whatever color you end up using will dye your hair to match.¡± A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°I had rainbow all last month!¡± Penny chimed. Finn fished his pockets and held out a clear colorless crystal he used for basic channeling. ¡°Even this?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you try it out?¡± The witch said. ¡°Though it could turn your hair transparent.¡± He blanched. ¡°We¡¯re short on equipment so I¡¯ll have to share my tools with you.¡± Penny said gesturing to her tools. ¡°I¡¯ll teach you how to use them. Gosh, it¡¯s been so long I had someone to work alongside. We¡¯re gonna make a great team!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re all settled, I have paperwork that needs doing. Oh, and my name is Gale.¡± She said already walking away. ¡°If you have any questions for me save them until the end of your shift.¡± Before he could say anymore the door to a small room facing the eggs was closing. He turned around and saw Penny beaming. ¡°Where do I start?¡± Finn asked. ¡°We need to go to the supply closet and grab your gear.¡± She had snatched him by the hand and guided him to a door. As she did, he was suddenly grateful for the heat. Her grip bit into his wrist as he stumbled along. When they arrived, save for a few barrels covered the tarp, the supply room was barren. ¡°You¡¯ll need a watering can and a thermometer and¡ªI think we still have one left.¡± Penny said pillaging shelves and cabinet drawers. ¡°Roomy.¡± He remarked as a dust rabbit no larger than his thumb sprinted past his shoes and out the open door. ¡°We¡¯ve had a few cutbacks.¡± She laid down a compass with no arrow, a string that didn¡¯t bend and finally two shabby gloves. ¡°Don¡¯t have another apron but we do have a bucket you can carry them in.¡± She went to rifling through a broom closet. ¡°What am I supposed to do with these things?¡± he asked picking up the string. ¡°I¡¯ll show you!¡± she said emptying a metal cylinder. She lead him back to the Eggery and pointed to one in the far corner of the room. For whatever reason, its shape was loosing definition. ¡°It¡¯s time we channeled into them, you ready new newbie?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to show me what to do.¡± She nodded and dashed over. Finn trailed behind, his bucket rattling with magical equipment. Finally, he set it down and inspected the egg. Penny pulled out the crystal he¡¯d seen earlier, now dull. She removed her glove with one hand and palmed the mineral in the other. Her body stood ramrod straight as though being tugged by an invisible wire. After a moment she unfurled her hand revealing a glowing purple light. ¡°This one¡¯s been craving lots of magic this month. Both of us should feed them.¡± ¡°My hair isn¡¯t going to become transparent is it?¡± ¡°Only if you want it to.¡± She said. ¡°It also took weeks for mine to turn purple.¡± He shrugged and mimed Penny¡¯s actions. His nostrils flared, his eyes bulged and he flexed his biceps. The crystal remained dull. ¡°I¡¯m out of practice.¡± Finn said not meeting her gaze. ¡°Enchanting is one of my worst subjects.¡± Penny frowned. ¡°That¡¯s okay. I wasn¡¯t any good at it either. Let me show you what Gale taught me!¡± She said wrapping her now gloved hand around his wrist. ¡°What¡ª¡± he started. The crystal fluttered a soft light when she did. ¡°Imagine a time in your life where you felt alive.¡± She said moving her hand under his upturned palm. ¡°But I¡¯m alive right now.¡± He said pulse rising in response. ¡°Imagine a time where you felt more alive. Like when you listen to your favorite song or drank a good cup of coffee.¡± ¡°A cup of coffee is going to enchant my crystal?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s one you really liked!¡± He bit his bottom lip and thought of his graduation ceremony. It had been the first time he¡¯d ever seen an Archmage before. A tall spindly man with a bushy, unkempt beard had spun himself into existence using the school theater¡¯s curtains and custodial equipment to construct his body; much to the delight of his and other parents. He gave a speech and at the end dissolved into rainbow snowflakes to the applause of faculty and students alike. After the show, his parents bought him an enchanted pencil now sitting in the yellow plastic bin. He loved that pencil. Something shifted inside him as a small trickle of light bled into the crystal. Embarrassed, he held it up for Penny to inspect. She nodded and placed hers at the foot of the egg, he did the same. The egg shimmered, the triangle pattern reverted to its original definition and the crystal¡¯s light faded. He tugged on his locks of wavy hair. ¡°Did it change color?¡± Penny shook her head. Relief washed through him. ¡°They didn¡¯t take much. I was worried I wouldn¡¯t have enough for classes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s morning right now. They¡¯ll get hungrier as the day goes on.¡± ¡°How often do you feed them?¡± Penny frowned as if she hadn¡¯t given the matter much thought. ¡°I think twenty or so times a day. Sometimes more.¡± He gaped at her. ¡°There¡¯s no way¡ª¡± ¡°Gale helps too and now that you¡¯re here it¡¯ll be a three person job!¡± Finn thought about this. He eyed the bucket on the white linoleum floor heavy with gleaming instruments, the roof-windows with the sun cascading on them, and finally at Penny. Her grin hadn¡¯t faded. Did he really want to do this? This wasn¡¯t what he signed up for. No one would blame him if he walked away. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll give it shot.¡± he found himself saying. --- Finn spent the rest of first day shadowing Penny from egg to egg. If he walked out now, he reasoned, the Eggery would be shorthanded. He owed it to her to stay until the end. Hours passed and his crystal channeling hadn¡¯t improved. The task robbed him of focus and his breath. All the while the room¡¯s humidity sapped his strength and sent him searching for more water. By the time the sun had reached noon his undershirt had glued to his chest. ¡°Sorry what?¡± Finn stammered realizing Penny was speaking to him. ¡°I said, the fork is for measuring how much water they have.¡± She said hovering it over an egg. As she did the prongs emitted a low whine. ¡°The higher the sound, the more water they have. If it¡¯s low you¡¯ll need to use the watering can.¡± In his head, all he heard was water, water, water. He could use some water. ¡°How are you able to use that anyway?¡± He asked pointing to the fork. ¡°I thought enchanted items stopped working here.¡± ¡°These are simple enchantments: they only work if we channel magic into them. Too much and they¡¯ll try to eat it.¡± Finn blanched. ¡°Eat¡­ the enchantment?¡± She nodded. ¡°They don¡¯t know any better when it comes to magic. It¡¯s up to us to show them!¡± He shivered. No wonder they were so far away from the main campus. She continued her explanation then move onto the string. It frayed or wobbled depending on how hot or cold an egg had become. If the room grew too hot and they pried the heavy windows open to ventilate the room and cool it down. ¡°It¡¯s hardest during the summer and the winter.¡± Penny explained shooing a fly that had wandered inside. ¡°Because we can¡¯t use magic to change the temperature.¡± ¡°They eat Elem magic too? What can¡¯t they eat?¡± He asked sticking his head out of a window. Penny pressed her lips together and thought. Finally, she replied, ¡°Coffee. I tried once.¡± The rest of the day passed in a blur. While he hunkered for breath Penny jetted past him. Her energy seemed boundless, her routine precise. She was patient with his questions and cheered him on when he channeled. Meanwhile, his magic reserves strained further and further. When no light bled into his crystal he knew he¡¯d tapped too deep. Using magic, he decided, was easier than leeching it away. By the time the sun had set, he was heaving. His clothing was sticky with sweat, legs burning from dashing with Penny from one egg to another. ¡°You did better than me on my first day.¡± she said putting an arm on his shoulder. ¡°How long did it take you to get used to it?¡± he rasped. She put a finger to her lips in thought then answered: ¡°A week.¡± The look of incredulity on his face must have shown because she followed up with: ¡°I wanted to be marathon runner, so I was already in good shape.¡± ¡°What made you stop?¡± She shrugged and looked away. Her face became a mask. ¡°It wasn''t fun anymore.¡± Finn returned his equipment to the supply closet, certain he¡¯d never return here again, and shuffled away. As he opened one of the double-doors Penny called out to him. ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± It was a statement, not a question. He cocked his head to look at her, then at the eggs, then at the ceiling where the sun was vanishing into the horizon. ¡°Yeah.¡± He found himself saying. ¡°You can count on me to be there.¡± He regretted it immediately as Penny¡¯s smile returned. The door to Gale¡¯s office opened and the weary-eyed woman yawned loudly. She surveyed the room and began talking with Penny. He took his cue to leave. ¡°What have I gotten myself into?¡± he asked aloud. He plucked his pencil from the yellow bin and left the building. Chapter 2 - On the Hatching of Dragons Over the course of the week, Finn began to understand why no one else had applied for the job. Each morning, he groaned as his flabby body rose from bed. Limbs stiff and eyes heavy, he''d stumble his way to the Eggery at the edge of campus discovering either an energetic Penny zooming about or Gale jotting on a clipboard and nursing a Big Swig. Gale never lingered after he arrived. She''d dropped her equipment in his arms and sealed the office door behind her, rarely saying a word. Whatever small talk the green-robed witch lacked, however, Penny made up for. She had an almost supernatural talent for sensing whenever he felt dismayed or frustrated. She must have noticed what he had: his channeling abilities had declined. He knew why. The graduation ceremony memory now contained hundreds of strangers. All of which had heard his name spoken aloud. She was worried that I''d quit. He thought mind drifting back to Penny. And why hadn''t he? It''s true he needed the money, but he could have applied for an internship in the Teleportation Department and made more. He wanted to be there when dragons hatched but did he need to be the one taking care of them? In more ways than one, this felt like a dead end than a career-starter. Maybe they¡¯ll hatch soon. He thought. How long could it take? He¡¯d stay a little longer, he decided, as he nestled his crystal under the bottom of an egg labeled ¡®E2¡¯ one hot afternoon. During his shifts he tapped them lightly with a conch that made ocean sounds after spotting movement inside; if it had then he couldn¡¯t tell. When he asked Penny about them her answer was devastating. ¡°It¡¯s my second year here!¡± She replied while jogging to an egg labeled ¡®I3¡¯ in the corner of the room. Finn frowned. ¡°How long does it take to hatch a dragon?¡± he asked, matching her gait. ¡°Gale says it usually takes four to five but without their mom¡­¡± she paused adopting a pensive look. Finally, her eyebrows creased forming a determined expression. ¡°They can take all the time they need. I''m not going anywhere.¡± Finn¡¯s mind reeled. He could spend all four years working here and never see the eggs hatch. What was the point? As the day pressed on and the eggs demanded more and more, he fought the urge to walk off. His dragon riding dream seemed as distant as the one he glimpsed on his first day. After much internal debate, he would ask Gale to search for a replacement. It was the adult thing to do. A few more days here wasn¡¯t going to kill him, he decided. The next day, he tried approaching Gale but as he did the words caught in his throat; then either Penny or the eggs caught his attention. During daylight, the tall woman emerged only to drag trash bags from her office. They teemed with disposable coffee cups and drained soda cans. He guessed she thrived on it as much as Penny did. He was a week into his new job and today Finn worked alone. The greenhouse felt emptier without Penny, but her Elem 1 midterm was this morning. As he waved a tuning fork over an egg labeled ¡®A1¡¯, Gale emerged hands full of refuse and sped away. The office door was left open; it swung on its hinges as if waving to him. When she disappeared past the double doors, he stowed his fork and sauntered over. He expected to find a lived-in office with hills of papers and acres of spilled coffee. Instead, he found a compact ecosystem of furniture: rows of bookshelves, a bed complete with stuffed Guinea Pigs, a cabinet packed with snacks and coffee grounds, brewing equipment, and a hamster wheel all evenly lit by wander-wisps. He was scanning the floor for rodents when a hand fell on his shoulder. ¡°I use the wheel myself.¡± Gale explained with an amiable grin. ¡°I was¡ª¡± ¡°Sometimes I just need to run on four legs. If we all did every-so-often the world be better for it, don''t you think?¡± ¡°Uh¡ª¡± ¡°Would you like to try?¡± she asked grinning mischievously. ¡°I could cover for you.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Shame.¡± she sighed. ¡°It¡¯s great fun.¡± ¡°I should get back to work.¡± He crept back to his fork and went back to taking A1¡¯s temperature. He didn''t see Gale again until the end of his shift. She emerged from her office, her green robe shimmering against the setting sun. Wordlessly, he exchanged equipment with her. The witch¡¯s face had set to an unreadable mask. Eyes locked on the exit, he stepped towards it. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Oh, and Finn,¡± she called just as he made it to the door. He turned around slowly. ¡°The next time you want to see inside my office: ask.¡± That night, after finishing another shower in his shorts, he found mosquito bites on his wrist. His roommates must have left the window open, he decided. He rubbed some ointment on it and went to bed. A long night of tossing and turning followed. When he awoke the bites had gotten redder and itchier. Feeling uneasy, he wrapped his wrist in bandages doubled the ointment. The irritation finally died down and he felt relieved. --- It was the second day of Penny¡¯s Elem 1 mid-term and of Finn working alone. The day was uneventful. With the sun setting and his shift ending Gale emerged from her den, a soda fizzing in hand. ¡°Good evening.¡± She warmly. ¡°Off to dinner?¡± Finn shook his head. ¡°I gotta study History of Elem Magic. It''s ramen for me.¡± ¡°You know, if you stick around I could you show something.¡± she said. ¡°Have you ever seen inside an egg?¡± ¡°You can do that?¡± he asked. ¡°Also, why would you do that?¡± ¡°To check up on them, of course. Done once every two weeks to measure micro-changes in growth patterns and diameter...¡± she trailed off seeing his face grow blank. ¡°I¡¯d be nice to have company for a change.¡± To his surprise, he said: ¡°Show me.¡± ¡°Eggcellent.¡± she punned. ¡°Put these glasses on and channel but be careful. Too much and I¡¯ll have to have them re-enchanted.¡± He felt a telltale tingle spiral across his skin as the instrument synced to his eyesight. He blinked and slowly, the shell surrounding the egg vanished revealing a dragon. It had a pair of long straight horns jutting out like bamboo shoots from each side of its head; they were large compared to the rest of their body which resembled bits of a bird and bits of a lizard. It¡¯s long milk-white claws curled behind its back. They matched the ends of their peg-like legs, which twitched helter-skelter. Sharp triangular scales, the same shape and pattern as the eggshell, flapped in accordance with a rhythm he could neither see nor hear with the membrane. He didn''t know what a developed dragon looked like, but this was close. ¡°Be a dear a: fill this out.¡± She asked, handing him a clipboard. He inspected the document. ¡°How do I measure ¡®Scale Density Variance¡¯¡ª¡± he cut off as neon-green numbers materialized on the lenses. Astonished he asked: ¡°Did you make this?¡± Gale shook her head. ¡°On loan from a friend. It¡¯s her project for the semester and she needs ¡®real world¡¯ data to present to her professor.¡± she explained. ¡°I¡¯ll miss it when it¡¯s gone.¡± ¡°How do I check if they¡¯re a boy or a girl?¡± Again, Gale shook her head. ¡°Dragons are magical creatures. To them gender is opt-in.¡± He had just finished writing down the cranial measurements and turned to Gale. Instantly, the numbers faded. ¡°It doesn¡¯t work on humans?¡± She shook her head. ¡°You need special permissions to monitor humanoids.¡± ¡°Makes sense.¡± He ended his channel and took off the glasses. ¡°I thought they were, uh¡ª¡± ¡°That they were gooier?¡± He nodded. ¡°Not these ones,¡± she explained. ¡°They''re hibernating, you see. If their mother was still alive, they would have hatched long ago.¡± Her voice was sad now, distant. A long silence passed between them. It was the perfect time to tell her he wanted to quit, but when the lump in this throat finally cleared, he asked: ¡°Why are you taking care of them?¡± Gale looked at him as if for the first time. Eyes soft she replied, ¡°Because I am human. Because I couldn¡¯t refuse when the University told me their story. Because I''m on the side trying to make right. So, I give my days to this place.¡± When he said nothing, she asked: ¡°And what about you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He said. ¡°I thought I was going to quit.¡± ¡°I did too. You were much more out of shape than previous applicants. You scowled whenever anyone called your name. You¡ª¡± ¡°Okay, okay.¡± he said cutting her off. ¡°Do some soul-searching.¡± she suggested. ¡°No one stays here for long without good reason.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Penny seems to get along fine.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a special girl.¡± Gale replied. ¡°And I¡¯m happy that she¡¯s here.¡± So was he, he realized. The smile hadn''t left Gale¡¯s face. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Nothing, nothing.¡± She replied. ¡°I think I can handle the rest from here on out. Why don''t you go study?¡± He nodded. ¡°Have a good night then.¡± Had he said something funny? When no answer came, he returned to his dorm room. That night he examined the mosquito bites. The redness had faded but the skin around it had dried and cracked. Did his room have a bug problem? Rubbing lotion on it soothed him and it soon left his mind. Today was sweltering day both inside and out. Penny¡¯s midterm had come to an end. Her usual optimism had been replaced by quiet contemplation. She must have failed, Finn thought as he cracked open a window. He tried speaking with her, but she responded with one-word answers. He decided to give her space and began watering B2. At last, she seemed to come to a decision and walked over. Her face took on a dark shade of red as she spoke. ¡°We¡¯ve been working together for awhile now, so I thought, if you felt more comfortable being called by another name¡­¡± she paused to let him fill in the blanks. The pit of his stomach sank. After a moment too long, he replied: ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean.¡± Pitch raised in alarm. His expression begged her to drop the subject. Before either could say more, however, a newfound itch surged through his hand. It took all his concentration to keep his eyes focused on Penny. ¡°You always look distant whenever I say your name, I thought¡ª¡± His hand was shaking now; every instinct bent towards his scratching it. He broke. Sweat pouring down his face he tore off his glove and ripped at his bandages. Penny gasped. He gaped. The mosquito bites hadn¡¯t gone away, they had formed into little red triangles: the same shape and color as the pattern on the eggs. Chapter 3 - Dragonblight ¡°And how long have you had those marks?¡± Gale asked from behind her desk. All three of them were in her cramped office now. Penny had shoved him through the door only moments after she¡¯d administered first aid on his raw right hand. She made him promise that he wouldn¡¯t scratch again. Gale, meanwhile, stared at him, a look of barely contained fury on her face. ¡°A couple of days now, I-I didn''t think¡ª¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t think working at the Eggery had anything to do with why you broke out with Dragonblight!?¡± ¡°Gale, he''s scared and you¡¯re making it worse!¡± ¡°The ad stated,¡± Gale said ignoring Penny¡¯s outburst. ¡°That we needed someone who never made physical contact with a dragon before. To prevent this from happening!¡± She said, voice rising. ¡°I thought you were smarter than this Finn. Why didn¡¯t you just tell the truth!?¡± He racked his brain for an answer, but none came. This made no sense. ¡°Does it really matter? We need to take him to the infirmary!¡± ¡°Wait, what?¡± He said. ¡°If I do that then they¡¯ll find out¡ª¡± The woman with her tall, pointed hat gave him a pitied look. ¡°It doesn''t matter how it happened but if we don¡¯t report this the Administration will remove us all from the program and you¡¯d still be expelled.¡± ¡°There has to be another way!¡± He turned to Penny. ¡°Isn''t there?¡± ¡°If you don''t seek treatment far worse things will happen than an itchy wrist: you could die.¡± Gale said. He felt a lump rise to the top of his throat; guarded emotions seeped through. The tightness in his chest was too much. He sobbed into his sleeve. A pair of arms wrapped around him: Penny¡¯s arms, he realized. She was hugging him. Slowly, Gale¡¯s glare softened. ¡°Please,¡± Penny said. ¡°He''ll lose everything.¡± Gale gritted her teeth and as she was about to speak, froze, then smirked. ¡°We could do a shaping.¡± ¡°You,¡± Penny said comprehension dawning. ¡°You want to use the dragons to cure him?¡± ¡°They do have the monopoly on magical panaceas.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s dangerous! We could hire an alchemist or a witch to¡ª¡± ¡°Either would expose us to expulsion and worse. The materials needed to create an antidote take weeks to brew and they aren¡¯t cheap nor easy to obtain. They''d be obligated to report to their council or coven to cover their bases. I''d do the same in their place. I hate to say it, but this is our best way of helping him.¡± ¡°H-Help me how?¡± he sniffed. Gale let out a sigh. ¡°When the University recovered these eggs many of them were smashed or broken. Even broken eggs have some educational value which is why they¡¯re still in our supply closet. We simply grab one and¡­¡± she made stuffing gesture. ¡°Put you inside it.¡± He blinked. He wasn''t sure what he just heard. ¡°Inside the egg?¡± ¡°She wants to turn you into a dragon.¡± Penny explained, uncoiling her arms. Stolen novel; please report. He stared at Gale and finally blurted, ¡°but I''m too big.¡± ¡°I can reshape you into whatever size we need. In case you missed the Archmagis Staff collecting dust next to the wastebin.¡± Gale said. ¡°The magic inside the egg will keep you from changing back into a human and keep the sickness at bay. After eight to ten weeks before you¡¯ll be cured.¡± He groaned. ¡°But my studies! I have a plan¡­¡± he trailed off. ¡°Take a semester off. Tell the University you''re going abroad while you consider changing your major. It happens all the time. I''ll send the necessary forms to your phone so you can make the arrangements. Penny and I can watch your things while you recover. But it needs to happen tonight! Otherwise, no amount of shape-changing is going to help you.¡± Finn looked at Penny then back to Gale. ¡°Whatever you decide Gale and I have your back.¡± Penny said putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. It was warm and stirred emotions he''d given up on feeling. He almost reached out but held himself back. ¡°I need a few hours to gather the materials and prepare the spells.¡± Gale explained rising from her chair. ¡°Take some time to think about this. You can¡¯t back out once we get started.¡± She began pouncing on nearby bookshelves stacking them one after another as she drifted out of the office and into the Eggery. ¡°Be back here by sundown!¡± At that, he and Penny were alone. Before she could say anymore, he was already out the door. He showed too many emotions to feel anything but shame. He needed to be alone. A minute later he was back in the hallway with the yellow bin. The only object there was his automatic pencil which he hammered. Was he really going to do this? He began this year with his life on track. He wanted to be done with this. He thought of that night when Gale and he spoke. Why did he stay? These last few weeks had wrung him out, yet he kept coming back. Because I want to, he realized. He wanted to be near Penny and Gale and the eggs. There was more though. He loved this place. He loved them both. He didn''t want to lose them. Overwhelmed, he leaned against the wall and wept. He found Gale in the supply room. She had drawn three concentric circles onto the floor, each held a series of elaborate shapes and angles. Every corner of the ritual had etchings in a fluid script beyond his acumen. ¡°Have you come to a decision?¡± she said not looking up. He exhaled. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°Good, I was worried I had done all this work for nothing.¡± She stood up and pocketed her stencil. ¡°We¡¯ll get started right away.¡± ¡°Right now?¡± ¡°The longer you wait the worst the blight will get.¡± She said. He nodded, took out his phone and fired off a couple of messages. ¡°It''s done.¡± he said setting it down on a shelf. Penny took this moment to enter the room carrying a pink pillow. ¡°I brought it from my dorm for you to rest on.¡± she said cheerfully. ¡°Am I going to feel that if I¡¯m inside an egg?¡± She frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but you can tell me if it does!¡± ¡°Stand in the center of the circle.¡± Gale instructed hands on hips. When he was in position she explained: ¡°The spells needed for a successful shaping are ones I''ve mastered. It''s restoring the broken egg and putting you inside that''s going to be challenging. I''ve only ever done something as complex as this once and that was for an arch-masters.¡± ¡°Even if this doesn¡¯t work.¡± he said glancing between Penny and Gale. ¡°Thanks.¡± Gale¡¯s face resolved into determination; wand in one hand, spellbook in other and a shattered egg at her feet she began to chant. Finn watched as a shimmering opaque film covered his body. A warmth spread out from his torso to his arms, legs and head. His pulse raced and took on an alien rhythm. Thunder raced across his skin as an unseen force yanked his skull and shoved his limbs into his torso. He convulsed as his itchy wrist flared then died altogether. His bones twisted and cracked and after a crunch loud enough to deafen him a second heartbeat joined the other. Gale and Penny both grew taller. He cried out but no voice came. He went blind; face nestled in clothes that no longer fit him. A chill swept through him and by instinct dug into his still-warm jeans. An invisible hand plucked him from the floor by the neck. After a moment they pushed him into a tight container sealing the entrance with a snap of reassembling puzzle pieces. Finally, mercifully, the pain subsided. The world outside became still. Fatigue swept through his aching muscles and ringing head. Surrounded by a protective shell of warmth he gave into exhaustion and lost consciousness. Outside the egg, Gale fell to her knees gasping. Finally, she rasped: ¡°It¡¯s finished.¡± ¡°You did it!¡± Penny exclaimed and ran up to hug her. Gale stood dumbfounded staring at her wand then at the egg. Finally, she said. ¡°What a rash thing I¡¯ve done.¡± As if in response, the eggs glowed softly.