The Dragons of Ash and Smoke (Tales from the New Earth Book 5) by J.J. Thompson Page B

live in the next best thing. As servants to
old wizards back in ancient times, both Aeris and I have dwelt in
castles and they are very similar to this tower.”
    “ Hmm,
good point. Well, the castle would be a lot bigger, that's for sure.
The dwarves told me that most of the surviving Changlings have moved
in together. I wonder if it feels crowded?”
    “ I
would imagine it does,” Aeris commented thoughtfully. “If
you've lived with only a handful of people for years and then find
yourself surrounded by scores, it could feel stifling.” He
shrugged. “I suppose it must feel safer though.”
    “ I
hope so. I'm going to have to call them soon. Tomorrow probably. I
want to take the day to settle in and reconnect with my home again.
By the way, thank you,” Simon told them with an affectionate
smile.
    They both looked puzzled.
    “ For
what, master?”
    “ For
taking care of the place, watching over the horses...you know, for
everything. The place looks exactly the way it did when I left.”
    Kronk gave Aeris a smug
look.
    “ Told
you so,” he muttered and the air elemental rolled his eyes.
    “ You
are welcome, my dear wizard, but after all it is our home too. I for
one have become quite fond of the old place.”
    “ As
have I, master. There is no need to thank us for doing our duty.”
    “ Maybe
not, but I thank you anyway. Now,” Simon said as he stood up.
“I want to walk around, get a feel for the place again. Kronk,
I heard you say that you were going to let the horses out. I'll come
along. I want to see them again.”
    “ A
wonderful idea, master!” the little guy said enthusiastically.
“They have missed you, I'm sure.”
    The wizard finished his
tea and then went over to the clothes cabinet. He poked around and
found a pair of soft leather shoes to wear. The dwarven shoes were
serviceable but not all that comfortable. He sighed with pleasure as
he put them on.
    “ Aeris,
do you want to join us?” Simon asked as he followed Kronk to
the door.
    “ Thank
you, no. I have to finish my dusting first, according to the
taskmaster,” he said with a withering look at the earthen.
    Kronk just shook his head
silently, opened the door and went outside.
    “ Be
nice,” Simon said quietly after the little guy had left the
room. “He does what he does because he cares.”
    The air elemental hovered
silently for a moment and then nodded reluctantly.
    “ I
know that, my dear wizard. But someone has to poke him occasionally.
Keeps him on his toes.”
    Simon chuckled, shook a
finger at him and then followed Kronk out the door.
    He'll never change, he
thought to himself. And I wouldn't want him to.
    Simon walked down the
front steps and turned left. He wandered slowly around the tower,
taking in every detail. He actually stopped several times to pat the
weathered stone. It felt warm and familiar to the touch and he felt
more at home with every passing minute.
    Kronk had gone on ahead
but was waiting for him outside of the stable. At Simon's inquiring
look, the little guy smiled.
    “ I
wanted you to go in first, master. They will be very surprised to see
you.”
    “ If
they remember me at all,” Simon said a bit nervously.
    “ Oh,
I think they will, master. They really are quite intelligent.”
    “ That's
true.”
    The wizard took a deep
breath and opened the stable door. The smell of horses and sweet hay
wafted over him. He smiled with pleasure and walked in.
    The aisle between the box
stalls was clean and the windows let in the bright sunlight. Kronk
kept a tidy stable. Four heads were thrust over the doors to the
stalls, three large ones including Chief's, with his two long,
razor-sharp horns, and one smaller one, the filly, Sunbeam.
    She was in the same stall
as Sunshine, her mother, and both of them were looking at the door
curiously.
    Chief was the first one to
recognize Simon and he let out a blast of sound that shook the air
inside the stable. Dust floated down from the ceiling and Simon
clapped his