Queen Coral said, taking a strand of pearls off her own horns. “You’re so unadorned, my beautiful dragonet. I have to start making up for all the presents I missed giving you.” She leaned forward and draped the pearls around Tsunami’s neck. They were heavy and smooth, sliding coolly across Tsunami’s scales. My first trea sure. It was a strange thrill, having something of her very own. All dragons loved trea sure — it was the only thing they had in common with scavengers. But this was more than a shiny, beautiful thing. It belonged to Tsunami and nobody else. And it made her look even more like her mother. Tsunami stroked the pearls with her claw and tucked her tail around her back talons. She wished Anemone would stop staring at her. She must hate me, she thought. I would if I were her. She must know I want the throne she thought was hers. But not yet. Now was the time for getting to know her mother.
