The next two hours transformed Linda's normally peaceful home into what could only be described as supernatural chaos with a side of grandmother efficiency. Linda had taken charge of packing with the kind of military precision that would have impressed ancient generals, while Detective James Carter—her boyfriend and the town's supernatural detective—sat at the kitchen table looking like a man who'd walked into someone else's fever dream.
"Let me get this straight," James said, adjusting his reading glasses as he watched Linda stuff baby supplies into what appeared to be Mary Poppins' magical bag. "You're all going to ride dragons to another realm to meet a Council that wants to evaluate your family dynamics in front of four hundred other dragons?"
"That's the simplified version," Marcus replied, folding clothes with precision while keeping one eye on Baby Nova, who was currently making tiny-dragon-Draven glow like a Christmas ornament every time she giggled at him.
