Bael turned his attention to Charlotte, speaking softly. “Thank you.”

“You two did most of the work,” she said, waving him off.

“What’s her name?” Charlotte asked. When the parents stared at her, confused, she added, “For the blessing.”

“Really?” Jillian squeaked.

“That’s the job, deliver the babies and give them the gifts they need,” Charlotte assured her. “And yes, I know a dragon’s name is serious business. Her true name never leaves this cave.”

Bael leaned close to his daughter and whispered the baby’s name against her little forehead.

Charlotte giggled. “Dalinda Zedwin Melrissa Ramsay-Boone, I grant you the gift of kindness, so that all that know you may love you, and of hope, to maintain you during the darkest hours,” Charlotte said, her magic gathering in a series of silver threads, stretching from her hands to the baby’s heart. Jillian sniffled. “And strength, so that all that love you, know to fear you a little bit, too.”

“That’s a good one,” Bael sniffed, his eyes suspiciously wet. He turned to his wife. “Are we sure about the name?”

“Dalinda means noble serpent,” Jillian said. “It’s perfect.”

“It’s more of the Zedwin thing. Maybe we should make that the secret dragon name we don’t tell anybody, instead of Melrissa,” Bael said.

“Zed will be heartbroken if we don’t name her after him,” Jillian chided him. She turned to Charlotte. “Take all of the shell. Try to help as many people as you can.”

Charlotte picked up the remnants of the eggshell, watching the torchlight dance across its iridescent surface. And she realized that her first thought was, “I can’t wait to tell Leonard all about it.”

That was what she was missing all this time, she supposed. Someone to share this strange life with. Someone who got it. Leonard was all that and more. And even if he decided not to use the potion, she would keep sharing this life with him, as long as he wanted.

Her mother was never going to let her hear the end of it, making her home so far away. But Lizzie and Hank could come and visit. And hell, if the economic boom was really coming to Mystic Bayou, maybe they could even stay in a hotel, instead of crowding into the Silver Stork with her. That would be a nice change.

But first, she had to help Leonard. Charlotte carried the shell to the little “lab” station she’d set up near her cot and went to work.

7

Leonard

Leonard found that despite only knowing her for a short time, Mystic Bayou just wasn’t the same without Charlotte around.