"Are you even listening to me?" I ask, exasperated. "You hate Sam Sam."
"Partially. I'm too distracted to curse you to oblivion over that heinous nickname. Say, shall we go ride camels in Morocco? Or explore Venice in a gondola? Paragliding in the Barrier Reef? Swimming in the Amazon? I have an ache for travel."
"You're always antsy, dragging me halfway across the world on a whim. No, I don't want to. I want to go back to my flat and paint. You can pose for me or not, I do have some fruit fitting for a still life."
His shoulders slump. "Please, Shana? Just a quick trip to the Mediterranean? Don't you crave warm weather? I admit it, I'm a reptile – I need to bask in the sun to restore my vitality. That's why I made Hell so hot."
"No. I prefer the cold. I'm not a lizard like you, o great Dragon."
