Dragons can be monsters, deities, or even beloved friends. This 34 000-word short story collection explores dragons in their many roles, across fantasy and science fiction.

Contains 9 original short stories, including:

• With Less Lament: When the dragon reappears and strikes at her suburban neighbourhood, elderly Eloise races for her basement dragon shelter. In this moment of disaster, her own garden yields unexpected guardians.
• Cardiology: Trapped in his laboratory, running out of supplies, scientist Theodore hatches bioengineered reptiles. These flawed creatures are not the magnificent dragons he read about in books — but they're the scientist's only hope for survival in the ruined outside world.
• Clearsight: Two dragons use their vast power to tinker with prehistoric Earth. They are determined to help this planet produce life that will evolve to fellow dragons — a rare development in all the universe. But their work is interrupted by an extinction event that could wipe out all of Earth's potential.
• In Lifetimes Spared: She was once a princess, stolen away by the terrible dragon Vivekr. Now she is a queen, greying and wise, and she calls Vivekr her friend. There can be peace between humans and dragons: the queen is convinced of this, but the rest of humanity isn't so sure — and neither are Vivekr's fellow dragons.
• Raise: A novelette set in the Stories of Aligare world. Tenver, a weasel-like ferrin, was raised with love by a dragon-like korvi, Constezza. But when Tenver accidentally trades away the eggshells Constezza hatched from — the eggshells that are any korvi's most precious possession — he must fix his mistake. He goes journeying to find the eggshells — and he needs the help of Judellie, a young korvi just finding the courage to leave home on her own wings.