Part 1: A Man on the Road. I’ve added the second part to that original post, but you can read it here, too.
The rain was everywhere: it drenched her from above, it ran off the brim of her hat, it flew into her face and dripped under her riding leathers, somehow getting under her rain cloak. Raina gritted her teeth and chanced a glance upward. Thick clouds the color of a new bruise blanketed the sky. The rain showed no signs of stopping. The cold wind tearing at her as Puffles flew through this soup was a lovely bonus.
In the distance, a white slash of lightning cut the darkness. Puffles dipped down into a sharp dive. She pulled the reins, urging him to flatten out.
“Steady. It will be fine. It’s far away.”
The dragon leveled, flying low above the dark forest.
Dragons didn’t fly during thunderstorms. Nobody knew exactly whether it was the scent of the scorched air, the sound of thunder, or the flashes of lightning, but it was impossible to get them off the ground and if the storm caught them in flight, they tried to land the first chance they got. No training could overcome that instinct. That Puffles stayed in the air was a minor miracle.
The storm had blown in fast. She first saw it coming in an hour ago, but there was no place to land. They were over the Sanha Basin, a massive peat bog that stretched for miles, and they had gotten too far in to turn around. Their only chance was to press on to the next stop on the dragon route, a small village. According to the map it was called Monge or Menge, and it should’ve been right below them by now but all she could see dark treetops. One lighting flash too close, and Puffles would crash through the trees just to get away from it. He’d done it before twice during thunderstorms back home, and both times it hadn’t gone well.
The village had to be around here somewhere.
Lightning stabbed the darkness, illuminating a collection of small buildings and what had to be a tavern with a stable next to it. The village sat in the middle of a wide clearing about a mile ahead.
Another bolt of lightning cracked directly overhead.
Puffles shied to the side and down. The dragon’s feet grazed the trees, snapping the branches. For a moment she thought he would tumble forward and smash into the field, rolling head over foot and crushing her into mush. The dark ground rushed at them, she gripped the seat, and then Puffles touched down and slid forward at full speed, skimming mud like it was slick ice. Jumping out of the saddle was not an option unless she wanted to break her neck.
Puffles dug his clawed paws in, slid to a stop, righted himself, and snapped his wings upright sending a shower of muck into the air. Foul smelling peat pelted her face and chest. Raina squeezed her eyes shut.
The dragon shook again and finally stopped, chuffing under his breath.
She opened one eyes to make sure it was over. Every inch of her was covered with mud.
Puffles huffed, his wings still raised, as if unsure how he ended up in one piece.
Any landing they could walk away from. She wiped some of the mud off her mouth with her sleeve and petted the drake’s neck. “Still the best dragon ever. Let’s get onto the road.”
The inn was the standard fair she’d seen before in Eastern Alsace: a limestone bottom floor with three half-timbered floors above it under a roof of clay tiles. The windows glowed with light and loud shouts came from inside. Someone was getting drunk and having a good time.
Half a dozen smaller buildings crouched in the rain around the inn. She’d visited a couple of settlements just like this with her father when buying new sheep stock and trading wool. They had grown in the middle of nowhere for the sole purpose of providing food and shelter to the travelling dragon riders, and without the inns to support them, they would wither.
She knocked on the heavy wooden shutter of the hostler’s window.
No answer.
She knocked louder.
“In here,” a male voice called out.
She leaned left and saw a man of about her age, dark-haired and lean, raking straw out of the open door of the massive stable.
“I need a roost for the night.”
“I figured. Three silvers.”
Pricy, but better than cold rain. She tugged on the reins, and Puffles followed her to the doors.
The stable was huge, well lit, and dry. Four horses rested in the stalls along the left wall, clearly a matched team: all white, with braided manes. Elegant, with high necks and delicate feet, they eyed Puffles as he moved past, but didn’t panic.
The hostler eyed Puffles. “That’s an old one. Are you taking him to Subatte?”
“What’s in Subatte?”
“The slaughterhouses. They pay decent money for the scales and hide.” He gave Puffles and apprising look. “A dragon of his size might be worth three gold, maybe five.”
And she bet the folk in Subatte didn’t care too much about where the dragons they slaughtered came from. She had to nip this in the bud, or the inn might be missing a hostler in the morning, and she didn’t need those kinds of problems.
Raina gave the hostler a flat stare and gave a quiet whistle.
Puffles lowered his head over her shoulder, his eyes fixed on the hostler, and slowly unhinged his massive jaws. Teeth the size of her forearms glistened in the lantern light. Drool stretched between the fangs.
The hostler raised his hands up.
“Some people confuse old and feeble,” she said. “I wouldn’t want there to be any misunderstandings.”
“Got it. This way.”
He led them deeper into the stable. They passed another stall on the right, this one dragon sized and walled in with logs as thick as her waist. Each log was sunken into the ground and extended all the way to the ceiling. Thick metal chains held the logs together. It wouldn’t hold a really pissed off dragon, but it would delay one. Even Puffles in his prime would’ve had to work to get out of it.
A barrel sat next to the enclosure, reeking of slop. Feeding mutton and beef to dragons got expensive fast, and the innkeepers had adapted by making slop, a bone stew that was cooked in big vats in which the cooks threw everything that humans wouldn’t eat. Bones, horns, hooves, chicken carcasses and so on. It got the job done, but it smelled awful and looked even worse.
Something shifted within the stall, behind the massive logs. Something large. It didn’t sound like a dragon. It didn’t smell like one either, although that might have been the slop. She caught a hint of something sour and rancid.
A deep serpentine hiss cut the air. The small hair on the back of Raina’s neck rose.
Puffles loomed over her, lowering his head over her shoulder again. Small puffs of smoke escaped his mouth.
Acidic rotten fish stench, hissing… “Is that a wyvern in there?”
“Yeah. Nasty bugger, too. Nearly took my arm off.” The hostler moved to the far wall and slid open a heavy gate, revealing a decently sized roost.
She’d never seen a wyvern up close. They came from the Dacian coast. They were rare and rumored to be hard to ride, because, unlike drakes and other continental dragons, they only had two legs and they temper was foul.
She patted Puffles’ nose and nodded at the enclosure. He walked into it and lay down.
She fished a silver and a fifty piece and dropped them into hostler’s palm. Half now, half in the morning.
“Water him, but don’t give him any of the slop.” She’d buy him a nice meal once they got to Bellesere.
“Will do.”
“I’ll be back.”
She started back toward the inn.
“I wouldn’t if I were you,” the hostler called out.
“Why?”
“We’ve got some rowdy guests tonight.”
Rowdy guests were bad, but she had to use the bathroom and wash the mud of her face. A meal would be nice, too.
“Thanks for the warning.”
He shook his head and went back to raking.
She made a short dash through the rain to the inn’s door. The windows of above her painted warm rectangles of light on the muddy street. Muffled voices filtered through the walls.
Something thudded inside.
She stared at a tall wooden door, reinforced with metal strips.
The sound of male laughter burst on the other side.
She could always turn around and go back to the stable. But she was also too old to squat behind some building in the rain and she was damn hungry.
Raina tried the handle. The door swung open on well-oiled hinges, and she eased her way in.
A large half-naked man bore down on her. She barely had a moment to register the shaved head with a horse mane patch of hair running toward the neck, a red beard, and bands of tattoos on his huge arms. A Jute. She ducked out of the way. He tore past her, spun around, grabbed a Gallian man and rammed his head down into the smaller man’s face. The Gallian hung limp in his arms, dazed. Another Gallian lunged at the Jute from behind and hammered punches into his kidneys.
Chaos reigned. Several Jutes, some in white linen shirts, others in leathers, pummeled their way through a much larger group of Gallians. Tankards flew. People snarled. Someone screamed, “Kill the Icemen!”. The innkeeper stood behind the bar, grimly brandishing a bat studded with nails, the two serving women next to him, one with a bat and the other with a rolling pin.
She scooted along the wall toward the bar.
The Jutes kept swinging and laughing. Clearly, this was a good time. One of them, a scarred tree of a man, sat at the table, drinking beer in the middle of the melee. He wore a beautiful shirt the color of gentle pink and flecked with gold. Above him, on the second floor, a man leaned on the balcony rail, half hidden in the soft gloom. Another Jute, wearing a plain white tunic. He was around mid-twenties, maybe slightly older, tall and muscled like a bear. His pale blond hair was cut short and a short blond beard hugged his jaw. He surveyed the floor below like it was his personal battlefield. His expression was calm, his posture free of tension.
The man in the flashy pink tunic was for show, she realized. This was the leader. This man as trouble, and she wanted none of it. Raina hugged the wall, snuck over to the counter and dropped a few coppers on the bar. “Bathroom and a meal. I’ll take it to go.”
The woman with the rolling pin pointed it to the back. “Through there.”
It took Raina a couple of moments to find the door to the bathroom. She got inside and barred it. The privy was decent for an inn, clean enough to use without wincing, and the sink had a sliver of soap on it.
Washing mud off her face took a bit. Whatever this peat was, it stuck to her like glue.
Three minutes later she slipped back out and padded to the main floor. The fight was still in full swing. The serving woman handed her a basket and a small ewer of water. She threaded her left arm through the basket’s handle, grabbed the ewer with her right hand, and snuck along the wall to the door.
Almost there.
Almost…
A tankard hurtled through the air. She jerked back and it shattered against the wall in front of her. A tall man in a blue shirt charged her, his blond hair loose.
She had nowhere to go. He jerked her off her feet, his blue eyes filled with rage, a gold earring glinted in his ear. She realized he barely even saw her. She was just a body in the way.
He smashed her against the wall. The tavern swam for a moment, suddenly under water. She had to get free now or he would break her like a twig.
The Jute looked at her chest, which was almost at his eyes level, then at her face. A spark of sanity flared in his blue irises. “Wo..”
She smashed the ewer over his head. It shattered, drenching him.
The Jute dropped her. She landed on her feet and hammered a short, vicious punch just below his breastbone, right into the bundle of nerves.
The tall man folded over, his wind knocked out.
Suddenly everything stopped.
She’d witnessed enough brawls to know that one wrong move turned a drunken free-for-all into a deadly fight. If she pulled out a knife now, there would be blood on the floor, most of it her own.
The Jutes and Gallians stared at her.
She gave a long exaggerated sigh and shook her head.
The scarred man in the pink shirt laughed.
Everyone looked at him.
He grinned back and punched his palm with his fist. “One hit and she didn’t even drop her basket.”
Smiles broke on the Jutes faces.
“Ey, Haran?” someone called out.
“Do you remember how to breathe, hero?”
Haran made a valiant effort to suck some air into his lungs.
Raina glanced up at the man on the balcony. Their eyes met. He smiled slowly, like a wolf amused by a brave bunny. It was time to go.
She deliberately looked away, at the bartender, and pointed to Haran. “Put the ewer on his tab.”
The Jutes guffawed.
The scarred Jute jumped to his feet and raised his tankard to her. “Ekta sharlek!”
More laughter.
Raina headed for the door.
“Wait, beauty! Don’t go!” one of Jutes yelled.
“Our Gallian women can take any one of you any day,” one of the villagers snarled.
“You better go and get your women then. You should get women to fight all your battles for you…”
She made it to the door and slammed it shut behind her. Outside the night had fallen and the rain gave no indication of slacking. She tucked her basket under her arm into her cloak and started toward the stables.
Her mouth tasted like metal.
A carriage tore down the street, the four white horses galloping at a break neck speed. She jumped back. The wheels rolled over the spot where her feet were a moment ago, the door with a white rose etched on it flashing by. Mud splashed her face.
The carriage thundered down the road and vanished into the night.
Perfect. Just fucking perfect.
Raina wiped the mud from her face with her sleeve and marched to the stables.
The hosler eyed her. “Told you not to go in. Did they throw you out in the mud?”
She ignored him, went to Puffles’ enclosure, pulled the gate open, squeezed through, and shut it behind her. The old drake raised his head and rolled to the side, giving her space between him and the wall. She climbed there and sat down, leaning against his warm chest.
“Hey,” the hostler knocked on the enclosure. “What are you doing?”
“I’m bedding down for the night. Tomorrow I have to be in Bellesere and there is a brawl in the inn, so I want to get some rest.”
“You can’t be in there. It’s not safe. I know he’s your dragon and all, but they’re still beasts.”
She had slept with this dragon since she was five years old. “I’ll be fine.”
“Suit yourself. Your funeral.”
She opened her basket. A small loaf of bread and a chicken drumstick wrapped in a leaf. She tried the bread. It was a couple of days old but serviceable. The drumstick seemed a bit slimy. She tossed the chicken to Puffles and watched it vanish in his maw.
She missed her room. She missed laying in her warm bed, tucked under a blanket and listening to the rain drumming on the window. She missed her family.
She’d made her choice. It was too late to turn back. As her mother often said, regrets were of no use to anyone.
Raina finished her bread, drew her cloak around her, and snuggled against Puffles. If she squinted just right, the dark ceiling above them looked almost like the ceiling in the Belford roost. It would have to do.
She closed her eyes and willed herself to sleep.
Yeah
WOOT WOOT WOOT! SO Excited! much appreciated
~Thank you thank you thank you~ <3
😯😯😯 Puffles!!!!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Ooohh, me like! Tell me more about the blond Jute. . .
Lovely!
Thank you! Yay!
Merry Christmas to us!!!!!!!
I would read this book in a heartbeat and come back for seconds.
Thank you! Your generosity knows no bounds and I want you to know I deeply appreciate and treasure every story House Andrews shares.
Just for the record, I’d love more. It’s brilliant! I would most definitely preorder if I could ;-).
A big thank you for this unexpected second part! Every one of your worlds is intriguing
Thank you!
A great treat for the day. Thanks so much!
Ooh, it’s so lovely visiting with Raina and Puffles again , wonderful Christmas treat, Thankyou.
That was an awesome chapter 2. I love Puffles the dragon rider story. If you write it, I’ll buy it.
I would sell my soul for puffles
Wonderful! As always, so appreciate you sharing your stories
Loved it. Cheered up my afternoon. Thx.
Mud. Once mud gets involved, it rarely leaves before it gets worse.
loved this story so so so much!
I 100% support you taking a long break and then continuing to the next project so I don’t want my enthusiasm to create pressure.
I love this story so far, am dying to know what happens next to Raina and these mysterious men and hope to buy it someday.
thanks for sharing
Awesome! Thank you for this treat!
I’ll never refer to anything as “slop” again – disgusting!
We love Puffles and Raina!
I love this story already! Puffles is the best.
“Put the ewer on his tab.”
LOL!
Oh my gosh this is fantastic. I grew up reading Terry Pratchett and something about the world building here reminds me of it. It feels magical and giddy.
Christmas presents!!
Fantastic I love Puffles and Raina. I would definitely buy their book 💖
Thank you for the holiday treat
Thank you!! ❤️❤️
So thrilled to see Puffles and Raina again! And to have A NEW CHAPTER!!! Thank you, House Andrews, for the early Christmas prezzie! 💜💜💜
Thank you! This story is delightful.
Puddles! Yay! Have a great break House Andrews
Auto correct. Sigh…
Puffles!! Yay! Mind you there were puddles too so maybe my first comment was also right…?
I needed this after spending two hours in the dentist chair yesterday!
Great story ^^
Thank you for more Puffles and Raina!!!
Loved it!
Thank you sooooo much!! I needed this today. <3
What a great Christmas present!
Thank you!
Fabulous addition to Puffles, thanks. A large cake of woe covered in mud, with a helping of testosterone-riddles meatheads on the side – poor Rania!
What a delightful treat! As others have mentioned, please rest, relax and recharge… when you’re ready, we’ll take any and all books. Puffles already has me invested. Happy holidays to you all.
I really hope this becomes a book someday. I see interesting times ahead for Raina 😁
Everything you write is magic.
You write it , I’ll buy it!
Thank you.
*vibrating in extreme curiosity*
Very intrigued by the historical European setting plus dragons!
Really enjoyed that! Thank you so much!
this is fantastic. the chapter has offered a calm moment during crazy holiday preparation, something I’ve very greatful for.
loved it and would buy it
I am so invested in this story! I love that his name is Puffles.
This is fantastic, thank you so much! I love Raina! #TeamPuffles
Puffles! Thank you so much!
love it
Just curious, are there any plans for this to ever become a full story? (After Maggie and everything else that House Andrews has on the docket lol.) As always, even a tiny snippet is enough that I am 100% invested!
Great story so far. I would love to read more
LOL. Love it. We have a retired from polo horse named JR. People are always counting him out and we are happy to say we found the best barn for him near the beach and he’s still my daughter’s best friend. I won’t let anything happen to him! Dogs, horses, dragons…Thank you for this, it was really fun and light hearted, it’s been a month in a week!
Hope you get some rest and recovery from work, really good, quality down time. 🙂
lots of love to Puffles the fictional dragon.
I Hope this turns into a serial.
+100000!!
I really miss serials on the blog 🥹
I hope this turns into a beautifully massive book. Trilogy. Epic series that extends into the foreseeable future…
Love. It.
*insert greedy gimme hands*
+1!
So much fun to read! *crosses fingers*
Dude I want this in a book sooooo bad!!!!!
Thank you
Puffles ! Puffles! Puffles!!!
Thank you for this.
🖤
yay puffles!
i needed this. my brother died today. it was long in coming and its a relief he’s not suffering anymore. but its been a crummy year. it is nice to have things to look forward to in 2025.
I’m so sorry for your loss. Hope he found peace.
Sending love
Laura, I’m sorry for your loss and hope 2025 is a better year for you.
I’m so sorry, Laura. Sending you virtual hugs and wishes for peace…
My condolences.
Thank you for the snippet! So much fun to read.
Thank you! Love Raina and Puffles. What a great surprise
What a lovely, enjoyable surprise. A gentle highlight in my otherwise rushed day. Thank you.
You had me at dragon..
❤️
Wonderful snippet. I would love to see more
Sooo good. Really hoping to get more of this at some point. <3
Love it!
Yay!!
Thank you!
Love love love!! Thankyou for the gift of second Puffles!!
Puffles!!! Thanks so very much, love these characters.
Laura, may his memory be a blessing.
Thank you for this ! It was a wonderful way to chase away the grumpiness of a long and taxing day ❤️
Thank you for the surprise snippet 😁
Awesome! When you get that urge to write more? Yasssss! Do it please lol! I want more Puffles almost as much as I want Maggie and the next Wilmington ! Maybe not quite as much as the next Innkeeper or Iron and Magic 2 lol but close! Thanks!
How lovely! I always thought this story had legs. I am so glad to read another chapter. Hate waiting for Maggie or any of the other stories, but I do love this one. You finish it and I will buy it
I’ve loved this story since the first time it was posted and I’m so freaking excited to see a part two! Squee! Thanks for making a rough week better.
Sooooo good – I’m in love with Puffles allready!
This was great! thanks for the treat.
Thank you 💕
Puffles!!! Thank you!
Hope you find other chapters hiding somewhere! 😘
So glad you are continuing Raina’s story!
Yay! Love Puffles and Raina!
thank you for the surprise snippet
I have been jonesing for a Puffles book since the first teaser chapter. Please, have mercy and write it. A novella would be ok, but a full blown book to start a new series would make my 70 yr old self wiggle like a golden seeing cheese. No matter what, thank you for these two snapshot gotchas. Tell the powers that be that the BDH will pounce and that whoever thought dragons were passe should be keel hauled at worst, made to drink nasty cough syrup thick like Jager at the very least. Dragons always intrigue. An assassin for a mom and an old almost blind dragon-every horse lover and dragon rider wannabe is going “kill that fool hostler if he tries to take Puffles for dog food”. I feel the rage all the way to Mn. I hope “mess with the bull, get the horns”, comes into play. Merry Christmas. I hope you get rest and feel energized. You take care of yourself and let the world keep yapping away. Again, thank you. Best present ever!!!
❤️❤️❤️ if you write it we will buy it ❤️❤️❤️
I want a puffle to cuddle with!!!!
It’s simultaneously quite odd and really cool to see your name in a story.
Loved reading this, would love to read the whole book if y’all decide to write it.
Yay! Love Puffles! Please give us the rest of his story!!
omg yayyy!!! I know you guys are in the middle of tons of other projects so thanks for this snippet! you totally turned my bad day around <3
oh wow! been waiting a long time for this. Thank you!
Thank you for this snippet. I just love Puffles, and what a nice surprise this was! 😁
Yummy bit- a nifty appetizer!
PUFFLES!!!!!!!
I’m so excited to see more of this! Thank you.
I love Puffles!!! Thank you!
I love Raina and Puffles already!
Ooh, please tell me this is our new holiday serial. The BDH eagerly awaits. ✨
Please please turn this into a book! It already has me hooked. I want to know what happens to Raina and Garan the Proud (okay, Puffles). Is the Jute in the white shirt on the balcony of the hostel actually Alasdair Rock? In my opinion, a book is better than a serial.
more puffles, so delightfully. ty
2025 is gonna be the most EPIC of epicosity lol
Thank you, I loved this snippet. I’m off to read them both again. I totally agree about the trilogy 😆
I’m sat in bed cuddled up with my 2 Westies, it’s raining and blowing a gale outside, what bliss 😊
What a generous snippet! Thank you so much.
I’m so glad this was posted after I checked yesterday. I was up all night with my 17-yo boycat. Two different emergency services* and three veterinary nurses diagnosed the symptoms and video I sent as an “extended epileptic episode” and told me to wait until morning to take him to our vet. He’s there now, they’re keeping him for a few hours.
I have zero idea what the outcome will be. He’s normal in every way except he can’t walk properly and has no real control of his limbs. He literally fell out of the litterbox trying to go (and peed on the mat). Dragged himself to the food bowl and 4am and complained that it was empty, then ate an entire bag of in-between meals food. Eating and peeing: good! Great! Not being able to stand and having his legs suddenly go wild on him: bad!
I haven’t slept in 48 hours. I dropped him off, got home, and suddenly a next installment to a two-year old teaser is here. It’s like HA KNEW somehow.
Thank you, and I’ll add my voice to what is certainly many already begging for more.
I’m so glad you found a bit of relief! 🤗
Thank you.
thank you for the story – I’d love to see where Raina gets to go.
I had a collie like Puffles. I still think about her.
This made me so happy! Hurray for Puffles.
I love it! TY! So glad to see Puffles again
Please-Please—Please—— Make this a LONG book.
Yes, pleeease!!
Thank you, that was great!!
I agree. I’m hooked! Would buy it up quick!
Thank you! This is awesome ❤️
thank you, thank you, thank you. love puffers. off to read this now.
all the best
Awww Puffles! Thankyou for chapter 2. If this becomes a novella or novel in future I would run to buy it!
please make into a long book and publish 🙏🏿
Another wonderful story with intriguing characters! Hoping there will be more from the Land of Gallia and the adventures of Raina and Puffles. : )
Wow! Really good ! Thank you for the present! And she has a Bulgarian name too! How cool!
PLEASE continue! Already in love with Puffles & the world!
If this chapter came from thinking of a pink Viking…wow! I wonder whose wyvern is it in the roost with Raina and Puffles? Could it be the one who was standing the shadows with the white shirt smiling at Raina after she hit the Jute in his chest?
I guess I will find out in, possible, future episodes of the adventures of Raina and Puffles the magnificent. 😀
Thank you for this lovely Christmas gift.
I quite like Puffles. If you decide to finish it, I’d very gladly buy it. That’s not standard BDH “I MUST HAVE” either.
Thank you and Merry Christmas 🎄
Even the short snippets you write are better quality and worth reading than a full novel elsewhere
Cool; thank you!
I love puffkles and Raina. Not the standard and that makes them fascinating.
The small part of the story was wonderful. It kept my attention I want to read more. I hope this will end up into a book.
I am not one to read books set in the past or ones that are not very close to the “real” world. BUT this, this I would read! The first chapter draws me in every time!
Love loved it!
Go, Raina!
I loved this addition!
Absolutely captivating! Looking forward to more! Thank you!
As usual, House Andrews gives us a fascinating story that leaves me wanting more. Thank you and I look forward to more adventures with Puffles.
God, I can’t wait!!
I love that Raina and Puffles are still flying around in your sky dreams. Thank you sooooo much for this!
I hope you are enjoying your cozy!!!
Thank you so much!! This is the best Christmas present, and I really hope it does become a book one day. I’m so in love with this world already.
I know you have a lot going on, but just so you know, I will happily buy this book if it gets finished. Yay, Puffles.
Some confuse old with feeble… indeed.
Thanks for the treat!
Given the success of the 4th Wing, dragon books are making a comeback. Puffles could do very well commercially.
*hint muddy hint*
These chapters are so good! Really hope you expand this into a novel!
Thank you for a great present! I hope there are more discovered chapters. I think Raina will rule the capital once she ever gets there.
Merry Christmas!
Thank you and happy Christmas to all 🙂
Thank you for the lovely gift! I love Puffles, and I hope that there will be more to this story someday…when you guys finally catch a break somewhere! Happy holidays to you and your family, and to ModR and the BDH.
Thank you for this. It was a nice, unexpected surprise, the kind that make a boring, exhausting week a little better.
Oh thank you thank you! I think I read the first chapter ages and ages ago, loved the characters, and hoped it would turn into a longer story. Pink vikings… This is brilliant. As ever. 😍🤩
Look I hate to be the stereotypical BDH but PLEASE will you write this for us 🙏
Stereotypical BDH is great 😁
Yeah, but we have to be a fluffy, stereotypical BDH. Otherwise, we get yelled at by Ilona. 😀
Never! We are beloved 😀
What a lovely Christmas present to the BDH. Thank you so much.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to the best writers and readers ever.
Thanks! I’ve been wanting more Puffles for a long while now. that was wonderful.
I would buy this, if it were a novel or a novella, in a heartbeat. This is gold! Love Puffles and Raina
On the nth day of Christmas, our author lords gave to me…
a wonderful gift!
Thank you for sharing:)
Oh, Puffles, how you’ve stolen the Horde’s collective heart. Thank you for the special surprise!!
Thank you for spoiling us with an early Christmas present. Best wishes to you and yours.
You’re so awesome! Thank you for Puffels and for Maggie, they both shine.
thank you for the new story section!
Puffles!! One punch and a broken ewer! 😂
What a wonderful treat! It makes me want more. Thank you! ❤️❤️
Puffles! YES! Love dragons! Thank you so much for this gift. Merry Christmas to House Andrews and Mod R! I have been waiting for more Puffles….thank you so much. Yes, I will buy it?! LOL
So fun, thank you!
I’m hooked again! As with everything you write, I’m hoping for more.
love it!
Thank you so much for the snippet. I look forward to knowing Raina and Puffles better.
you truly amaze me. how you can come up with so many scenarios that are so different is truly the definition of a great writer or should I say writers. I have read everything you have written multiple times. please keep coming up with different stories and I will keep buying them.
I know the first post said it was a non starter. I hope this, in fact being started. Ever since Anne McCaffrey in my formative years, all I really want out of book life is a badass FMC and some dragons.
Meu deus! Que maravilha é essa? Por favor post mais sobre esse incrível mundo!
Yay for Puffles! Loved it and thank you for sharing! 🤗
I’ve said it before – You two are absolutely unable to write a bad story.
They always reach out and grab me in the first paragraph.
Thanks for holiday Puffles!
Love it. Thanks so much! ❤️
love this. thank you.
Thank you for this dragon treat.
Has the Gordon family visited the American GI museum, and if yes do you recommend a visit?
Asking for my hubby who just noticed its existence.
Happy Holidays!
So good, everything I ready by you guys sucks me in and makes me wish for more! I spend hours searching “authors like Ilona Andrews” and sadly they are never as good. 😊 this was fab, thanks for sharing.
You are way good! Don’t ever stop writing!
Thank you from Seattle
All I want for Christmas is full length Puffles. 😍
Seriously though, the snippet was amazing, thank you so much!
oh my goodness. I love it!
I love this story and want a complete book please!
*straightens collar* May I have some more please?
1 chapter and totally sucked in. I read a whole series the other week and I barely remember the names of the book!
This is a non-starter, eh? Not sure I agree!
Love everything you post!
Raina, kudos for loving Puffles.Brave dragon flying in such weather. Love dragons and riders since Anne McCaffery Dragonriders of Pern fifty years ago I believe. Please your books are great reading and audible and graphic audio, more dragons. I read and listen to all your book.
Thank you for the great story. I don’t know how you do it. Very impressive how you come up with the ideas and get them out so fast.
Thank you for the second part ( and the first one again!) So many great possibilities what may follow! that nice, long snippet very much made my evening. I wish you a relaxing remining advent season and us BDH that the next chapter might not be tooo far in the future 🙂
Puffles: still the Best Dragon. Woe betide his enemies! A world without Puffles would be a sad world, indeed.
love this new chapter thank you!!
I cannot resist a dragon story… Thank you for the pretty in pink viking!
Thank you for the chapter, I love Puffles and it is a well rounded world.
So happy to get more Puffles. Thank you!!! Of course now I want more….
Thank you for this!! A welcome holiday gift. 🙂
I seriously want the whole story 😭 what are our chances? (I know I’m greedy and I don’t mean to add pressure to HA / I just want to know IF not when)
Dear lord, I need this as an entire book. Please influence HA to make this happen for me, amen.
Woo hoo! Puffles part 2.
Mod R, does this mean that the proposed Puffles novella won’t be happening? Just curious.
There was never a proposed Puffles novella, as far as I remember. All this means is that there was another chapter of Puffles that Ilona was inspired to write 🙂 .
House Andrews have just finished a huge edit and deserve their rest now. I’m sure plans will be announced as soon as known, they’ve always been transparent with us.
This was very enjoyable. I look forward to reading more if that ever suits you/would be profitable. Thank you for sharing this with us!
Thank you!
Loved it 😻
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and plenty of fun ( writing more Puffles 🙏) , happiness and joy with your family, and the best health!
Always liked this story. Thanks for the extended snippet.
Love Puffles!
Love it!
Thank you. I enjoyed it very much. Always loved Puffles.
Merry Christmas.
Yep, I definitely need the rest of this story. I love it Puffles every time I read it!!
Thank you for this awesome continuation of Puffles and Raina’s story!
I hope you get a chance to rest on your enormously-deserved laurels over Christmas and just enjoy yourselves the way we enjoy reading your stories 🥰
My gosh, I love this story.
yaaaayyy Puffles!!!!
this makes us even more curious, though, and definitely looks like it’s going somewhere…
Puffles! Puffles!
Thx and happy holidays to HA!
Thank you, so good, and I agree with the likely annoying horde (because we always want more and more) that this would be a great book. But, no pressure…
(yes, I’m sitting here trying to manifest this book into existence, shhhh)
Puffles Part 2 was a great present for the holidays, now take a breath, recharge and enjoy yourselves. Time for some tea and cookies.
I love the characters. Makes me continue the story in my mind. It ticks my interest and I want to know how it ends. I bet it would be fabulous like everything else you write. Thank you so much for sharing this again.
Love this so much. Thank you x
sometimes you just need to say it with a sound … Squeee!
Oooh lovely!
More thoughts on why pink dyed cloth was expensive:
When dying with natural dyes there are preparations made to the fiber that allows it to have a ‘clear’ colour. Firstly, the fibre must be white. Bleaching a cellulose fibre and maintaining a nice hand (feel) is challenging. Wool and other protein fibres must be genetically bred for colour, and kept clean during growth (have you seen the messes that sheep get into?). Then they must have a tannin applied, and a clear tannin (ex oak) is more expensive than coloured tannins (ex poop). Then you apply the mordant, which is what binds the dye particle into the fibre (a must for longevity on cellulose fibres, and enhances protein fibres). Again, clear is more difficult/expensive (alum) than coloured (iron/copper).
Having all of the hooligans wear white linen tunics is another subtle display of wealth. Especially if that garment is directly touching the skin.
love it.Please make a story of this one. I love the beginning.
More fun from the Author Lords! Thanks for the gift post!
Yay Puffles!!!!
Thank you. You have no idea how much I needed something good.
Man, that was amazing and evocative. You guys are awesome.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Maybe, just maybe you could write a teensy weeny chapter at the end of the month instead of a whole book??? How do you like that idea? Then we could see how Puffles got on & of course how Raina got on with the gorgeous guy at the Inn.
Wishing the House Andrew’s a joyful Christmas & a Healthy 2025
Puffles!!! I love Puffles so much!
Also, I’d love the power to will myself to sleep.
sooooo many fun elements here! enjoyed them all!
Someone should crochet a puffles! Majestic and cuddle-rific
Adorable
I would totally buy one!!
Thank you for the wonderful snipped, can’t wait for more chapters!
This is soooo good!! More! More! *coughs* Sorry, sorry, thank you for the lovely snippets. I will now return to being fluffy and not demanding.
Loved it. I hope you carry it on as a serial xx
Sure got my interest …
Ooh. Thanks for the story. Hoping that as you get back to your normal you will be ble yo give us more of this story.
Thank you! I hope you write more about Raina and Puffles!
Ditto! I was interested after the first snippet. More has me more interested!
Thanks!
I enjoyed that SO MUCH! Thank you! Also, Merry Christmas ❤️
That was AWESOME!
Thank you! Sounds like an interesting world. Happy Holidays.
Snippets are dangerous, it makes us want more. I really really needed that. I cannot wait for the Christmas break. Life is just a bit much these days with the world as it is.
Love this story! Thanks for adding to it.
Such a nice snippet. Savored it was.
Love this small piece, i remember the others, enjoyed it. Thanks
Soaked it up! More please…
Thank you!! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year.
Wow that was a great teaser too what seems like a very interesting world, would love to read more.
Merry Christmas!
Loved the snippet! Thank you, I needed that. Had a horrible evening that could have been even worse and thankfully wasn’t, but I needed to dive into something new and distracting. Your timing is great. So appreciate your creative storytelling.
I am atruggling to stay a fluffy BDH’er
but I must say,
Theeerrreeee be Dragons!
(contentedly sighs)
if ‘Tomorrow I have to be in Bellesere’ that’s when she’s meant to send puffles home.
I don’t want Puffles to go
Though i do want him to be safe and i think he’ll only be safe at home. Bellesere doesn’t seem like it will be safe.
I never thought Puff made much sense as a name for a dragon, even a magic one.
Puffles, on the other hand, makes perfect sense as a family nickname for an enormous flying, fire-breathing war steed…
Love it! Thank you for the treat.
I am so happy I get to hear your stories on graphic audio. They are so good I listen to them over and over again.
Florida U.S.A
I love this story ❤️ the discriptions are so vivid.
OK, I’m hooked. I’d love to see more of the story.
Love it! Can’t wait to read more…. but…No pressure!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Next year will be better, right?
Listen, I really hope you’re revisiting this manuscript. I loved the first chapter, now loving the second. It is, of course really well built. You can practically smell the nasty peat.
Love it, would be delighted to read more. Thank you!
I am so pumped about every snippet we get of Raina and Puffles!
Yay Puffles!
if you ever decide to flesh out this story, i’d be happy to buy it and read it 🙂
thank you for sharing this snippet. and the backstory of the pink glitter shirt.
Thank you for this additional snippet! I loved the first one and now with the second will we perhaps 🙏🏻 be able to anticipate more?
Merry Christmas 🎄 to you and your loved ones, and thank you for the wonderful stories that brighten our days! 🥰
Wonderful! Thank you and happy holidays!
Thanks for the early, wonderful Christmas gift. Yes, please, sign me up. So up for reading the book, novella, whatever feels right. Love the world, the characterizations. What amazes me is that while there are certainly similarities in your heroines, they all have distinct voices, and Raina is clearly still a very young woman, not all that far out of childhood. The description of her room, etc…so perfect. I bet she named Puffles when she was tiny – 5 years old.
Okay this is F A N T A S T I C and while the original post said it wasn’t going anywhere, I strongly disagree – it’s DEFINITELY going somewhere and I’d like to come for the ride.
Love it, but don’t remember them. Where can I re read about them?
The first chapter is linked at the beginning of the article 🙂
I love this story! It was such a treat to get a little more of Raina and Puffles. Thanks so much!
Oh, lovely! Tomorrow is Friday, and I have all of the weekend, the 23rd, 24th and Xmas off work! Yayyyy!!! A 5 day rest. But. What to read, oh what to read? Snippets!!!
Hi! I LOVE PUFFLES!!
It doesn’t have to be right this minute, right now, or even this new year. BUT! I would really,really,really,really appreciate it if you would take this wonderful start, and make it into a novel. Please?! It doesn’t have to be serialized, it can be a stand alone. I know that, just from this snippet, folks are hooked.
I know Maggie and a host of others need to be finished or written first. I’m waiting for those, too, and I am ready for those ripper cushions! ( And have one of my own!) *grin*wink*
Just…please consider it? No pressure intended.Thank you.
This is what I also came to say, but much better.
I will love all the books you write, but really hope one of them is Puffles story.
Oh how wonderful! I enjoyed “Puffles” from the first read. It’s so great to get another installment. I read this while sipping some cinnamon hot tea from my “if the sky could dream” dragon mug!
Thank you for the Puffles prezzie 🐉
Merry Christmas to HA and family.
I need a giant puffles to sleep with…. thank you. I got sucked in.
Yes! That’s a great merchandise idea. I’d buy one too. Love the picture of him too in this snippet. He’s old but still mighty!
love it. world building is chefs kiss.
Very much enjoyed – thank you!!!
Should the muse/schedule/budget blow you this way, I will happily buy this and gobble it up. Merry Christmas!
THIS WAS FABULOUS!!! Thank you thank you thank you.
I love this!!
Thank you for the snippet gift!!
I know your list of projects is looong, but if this continues into a book/series (she says with hope) I would love to read.
Have a a wonderful holiday with lots of holiday cheer!! Damn it! (I just loved that comment. 😂)
As always, such lovely writing. Thank you
Haha. This was a fun read. Thank you.
More please. I am hooked. Thanks for the snippet and eagerly awaiting more in the adventures of Puffles and Raina.
Ok, so this isn’t about Puffles- though Puffles is amazing! It’s just- you know those glass bugs that Andrea and Ascanio fight in Gunmetal Magic? Did you know there is a real living analog?
Cool video: https://bsky.app/profile/rebeccarhelm.bsky.social/post/3ldjym6lgmc2y
Actually real proof these are real: https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/animals-a-to-z/crystal-amphipod
I thought that was pretty cool.
Happy Hogswatch!
This is really really cool 🤩! I woul love to read Raina‘s story 🥹😁!
Thank you!
Such an interesting story. I want more, please. You can’t present such a good gift to us and not complete it. Please, I’m begging. 🙂
Vikings in pink & gold glitter is quite a visual! I just love Puffles & Raina. I’m holding out hope for more 💜💜. I love that Puffles is older and has a history. I love Raina for her savviness and capability. I would so follow their stories through whatever you choose to write about them. Thank you for Puffles part 2
tyvm for the story!!!! I hope one day this might become a novella.
Woot- love me a new story.
Hope Wangkarnal brings you more gifts than abject terror, Crew IA!
(Wangkarnal is Gija word for crow and visits Warmun on 25 December. Wangkarnal would probably be welcomed by Roman and his mother…)
This is awesome!! Thank you so much!!
That was magical. I would love to keep reading. I really need to know who those dudes are (in terms of story/plot) and why they need an outsider in the palace. And what that dude said.
Gonna be a great story when / if it’s ever finished. Along with Maud &Arland, Arabella, and a few others
I would pay very good money to read Raina’s whole story!
Thank you for this. After a difficult week, a most welcome break.
I want this whole story sooo bad! I have trouble believing this could be an economic non starter. It is cool and, importantly to me, set in Europe. Absolutely adore it!
This is wonderful! i’d be thrilled to read more. Imagine a society w dragons and wyverns so plentiful, they have a slaughterhouse where it’s only 5 gold for an adult dragon’s hide. Wow.
So funny to come across this now… I’ve been googling everything I could think of for weeks (pieces of part one) trying to find the story. I thought I had read a sample of some book and couldn’t find it anywhere. And here it is! I had remembered that I loved Puffles, and really really wanted the rest of the story. I had just forgotten that he was in the story pieces that I was try to google. Thank you! I will not forget again. I hope someday to read the rest of the story. After Maggie and …. well… you know, everything else that’s on the plate first!
Thank you
Puffles makes for a perfect snippet
Thank you. As you could probably tell, we would all love more. Whenever you could fit it into your schedule, that is…
I loved this story, thanks.
Cool – Thanks 😊
I hope you continue this one. This reminds me of Patricia Briggs’ Hurog/Sianim books. I’ve missed that style of fantasy.
Fantastic read! Go on…
Thank you. Gratefulto get another snippet of the relationship one can developmover time with any animal
This is a great opening. Please write more!
I want Raina’s story too! All of your stories just suck us right in
You got me — hook, line, and sinker.
Hi, thanks for this. I really enjoyed it. Like so many others, I’d love to have more of this story. Seasons Greetings. Alison
I really enjoyed reading this and wanted more when it was over!! I would definitely read a book about Raina. I already feel invested and immersed in her world! Thank you for sharing ☀️
Oh, please, please, please, make this into a book then a series!! I love y’alls work!!
I love this! it’s like a beautiful Christmas gift. Thank you.
Ohhh how I wish this was the book coming out next year!! Love puffles and Raina!
Ilona,
I read this snippet when you originally posted it, and loved it then. Thanks for the repost, and the addition of the second chapter. I can only hope that you adding to the original might mean that you will keep adding to it, and posting it for the Horde to read. Then, when it is finished, you can collect ot all together into an ebook to sell us!
Puffles!!!
Such a delightful treat. I have always wanted to know more about Raina and Puffles.
Thanks for this snippet.
I’m a Long time reader but I’ve never posted anything. I love Puffles and Raina. Happy holidays.
❤
i’m enjoying this story! I love all your work. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
I have been waiting for it almost two or three year now!
Keep writing it is really awesome!
How did such perfection not become a book? I’m grateful for the snippet but wish it were a ‘sneak peek’ of an actual book in progress. Now I’m just sad. This surpasses what sometimes passes for literature in the Kindle store by light years. I truly hope all the positive responses help you reconsider.
I really like this, and would love to see how it finishes. Sigh…..
Dragons! Sweethearts!
Pre order link please???? Why was this set aside???!!??
Can we have more Puffles? Please? Pretty please?
Thank you and Happy New Year!
Puffles! Thus you hath baited the horde & they have awoken 🤣🤣
Thanks for the snippet, hope you’d a lovely holiday meal & wishing you all a peaceful, healthy & prosperous 2025.
Thank you so much! I don’t know what it is about this world, but I want to know it better. I hope this story makes it to the top of the pile sometime soon.
Another piece of Puffle‘s world! Thank you!
Wargs. Shadow men. The Night King. Wyverns. Jutes.
Raina can fly. Raina can fight. Puffles is still best dragon ever.
This is going to be sooo good!
Please continue this story—- fantastic! I love her family and I need more!
Perfect!
BOOK! BOOK! 🙏🙏🙏
I may be misremembering, but didn’t Innkeeper start in a similar manner. This is a great story and a little bit different in the genre.
You had me at dragons with an Ilona ANDREWS female badass, I’m sold:)
YES! I was so excited for another tidbit of Man on the Road! Thank you so much for writing this