“We know, sweetheart,” Papa said. He patted Mina’s shoulder, careful not to touch any part of Pixit, even though he wasn’t sparking anymore. At least not much. “But you couldn’t have hatched a lightning beast! Lightning guardians are brash and loud and brave. You’re not . . . Well, it doesn’t suit you. You and your beast are supposed to be perfectly matched in temperament.”

Mother corralled Beon and Rinna, who both wanted to get a look at the “sparkly puppy with wings.” “Super sparkly!” Beon cried, making grabby hands at Pixit.

Scooping up Beon and bouncing him on her hip, Mother snapped, “This needs to be fixed! Maybe he can be . . . I don’t know . . . changed somehow, to something more appropriate.”

Papa was nodding. “There must be something that can be done, a way to undo this—”

But I don’t want anything done or undone! Mina wanted to say. He’s my Pixit! She could feel the swirl of his dreams in the back of her mind, like a whispered tune. She thought that he was dreaming about flying.

Gaton snorted. “You can’t ‘change’ a beast. What are you going to do? Stuff him back into his egg and glue the shell together? When they’re born, that’s it. You have to love them as they are.” He tossed his arm around Arde, who had shuffled in from the field. The sun beast didn’t look any worse for wear after his fire-quenching adventure. If anything, he glowed a little brighter. He stuck his snout in one of the buckets and drank, spilling water on the grass.

As Mother and Papa debated how to fix this “mess,” Mina hugged Pixit closer to her. He barely fit in Mina’s lap, his serpent-like body spilling onto the grass. “I don’t want him changed, even if he could be. Not a single scale. Not a single spark.”

No one heard her, of course. So Mina repeated herself. “He’s not a mistake. He’s my storm beast, and I’m his guardian.” She was shaking as she said it. She rarely ever tried to make them listen to her when they were all riled up like this. Usually she bided her time until they were ready to listen. But this was too important for waiting.

Gaton stared at her, as did the twins.

“He’s my storm beast,” Mina said. “We’re meant to be together.” She felt as if she was flushed bright red. She hated speaking up and hated being the center of attention.

“Sparkly?” Rinna said.