Dear Risa,

  Today Cali got the liondrakes to come down and inspect the wagon. It’s still not done, but they got to look it over and sniff it and decide if it was worthy of them or not. Thankfully the cover and tarp are all done and together, so they got to test out their future napping spot. It was deemed comfy.

  I assume. They all curled up on it and took a nap, and seemed pretty happy. And their weight didn’t break anything, which is good.

  Everyone in town ran screaming when they strolled in, which is understandable. I nearly had a heart attack myself. I mean, hearing they’re the size of a horse with a wingspan the length of a wagon is one thing, but having three of them walk into the yard you’re working in is another.

  Cali and her dad were with them, so it wasn’t like they were about to eat anyone, but still. Scary. My uncle said we’ll need to get them harnesses or something to immediately signal that they aren’t wild animals. That we have them at least a little trained. The liondrakes apparently said they’ll only wear something if it has an exceedingly high value. So gem-encrusted harnesses are the last thing we have to make before leaving.

  Well, we have to make some kind of harness anyhow, or else they won’t be able to pull the wagon. So yeah.

  In other news, Meriel is indeed having relationship problems. She finally talked to me about it.

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  Remember how I said this is a tiny town, and growing up there were only four kits my age, and when Maki and I left, Luke and Cali felt pressured to date even though they have never been interested in each other? Well, it’s kinda the same thing with Mer. Except there are only three kits her age; Hannah, a girl, and RJ, a guy. Hannah has a crush on RJ, RJ has a crush on Mer, and Mer doesn’t have a crush on anyone. In a city, this wouldn’t be a problem, since they could easily avoid each other and find different friends to talk with. In our lovely town of Fish, if they avoid each other, they pretty much end up spending all day every day alone.

  Mer doesn’t know what to do, and I feel bad because I don’t know what to do either, aside from tell her that in a few years she’ll be able to leave and find different friends.

  Poor kit.

  Echo noticed me thinking about it and asked what was up. She suggested we take her with us. It’s a bad idea, but the only one that would have a real impact. I might bring it up with Mom; see what she thinks about it. I mean, from an old person perspective, three years isn’t an extremely long time to deal with a problem. But three years ago, Mer didn’t even have a magic specialty; from her perspective it might as well be forever.

  Oh, Echo… is starting to act weird. Her birthday is soon, I think, and I suspect she’ll be leaving when she turns nineteen. Maki also acts like he suspects she’s going to leave soon. I like her; I don’t want Echo to leave. But it is her decision. We don’t have a contract or anything that says she has to stay with us.

  …

  Right, I have to go write a contract.

  Regards,

  Maeve Zee