Book 3: Chapter 133 (1/2)

“Every time something passes through my portals, I use up mana,” Tafel said to the crowd of dragons staring down at her. “I can open the portal there, but there’s no way I can transport seven dragons.”

“Then you can go there yourself and bring them back,” Nova said. “I have to take time getting acquainted with my grandchildren anyway.” He smiled at the annoying trio, and they glanced at each other before smiling back.

“I’m your grandchild too,” Alora said and sat herself next to the annoying trio, pushing them partly out of the way. “I’m Alora.”

“Ah, Alora,” Nova said and rubbed his chin. “Your grandma’s told me a lot about you.”

“What about us?” Eldest asked. “What did she tell you about us.”

Nova chuckled. “I know that you’re Eldest, you’re Bonnie, and you’re Youngest.”

The annoying trio widened their eyes, staring at their grandpa as if they had seen a ghost. “You got it right!” Bonnie said. “No one’s ever been able to tell us apart before. How did you know?”

Nova raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t that obvious? Eldest looks like he’s the oldest; Youngest looks like he’s the youngest; and that just leaves you who’s in the middle, Bonnie.”

The annoying trio exchanged glances again before rushing towards Nova at the same time. They plopped down in front of him, close enough to touch his front paws, and stared up at him with sparkling eyes. Youngest opened his mouth. “You’re the best, Grandpa.”

“You’re the best grandpa too,” Eldest said.

“You’re the best best grandpa,” Bonnie said.

Alora rolled her eyes. “That doesn’t even make any sense,” she said.

“Yes, it does,” Bonnie said and wrinkled her snout at her sister. She looked up at Nova. “Right, Grandpa? It makes sense, right?”

Nova chuckled and patted Bonnie’s head. “It does, it does. I’m the best best grandpa.”

Bonnie turned around and stuck her tongue out at Alora. “See?”

Alora snorted and lumbered over to Tafel and Vur. “Make the portal bigger,” she said. “I’m going too.”

“You don’t want to fawn over your grandfather?” Alice asked, raising an eyebrow. “If you leave now, there’s no way you can become his favorite.”

“I only have to be Grandma’s favorite,” Alora said, keeping her back towards Nova and the trio. “She’s the one who makes the cookies.”

“People are worth more than the cookies they can make,” Alice said.

Mr. Skelly’s eyes widened, and he grabbed Alice’s shoulder. “What? That’s news to me.”

Alice brushed his hand away and rolled her eyes. “Anyways,” she said, fixing her gaze onto Alora, “if you want to make a good first impression with your grandfather, then the best way is to stay with him now instead of running away; otherwise, that trio is going to take up the most space in his heart.”

Mr. Skelly frowned. “Do you have some repressed feelings that you aren’t sharing with me?” he asked, leaning over so that his empty eye sockets were taking up most of Alice’s view. “Aren’t you an only child? Who robbed your parents’ affection from you?”

Alice placed her finger on Mr. Skelly’s forehead and pushed his skull away. “It wasn’t my parents. My grandfather raised this lion cub, and he liked it a lot more than me.”

“Your grandfather raised lions?” Tafel asked, looking away from her glowing staff.