Another Fine Myth by Robert Asprin

That brought me to my senses. A dragon? What did I want with a dragon?

“Well.” I said haughtily, “I guess I’m not just any fool, then. If I had known the consequences of allowing him to eat my sleeve, I would have…”

“Look, sonny!” The Deveel snarled, poking my chest again. “If you think you’re going to….”

Something inside me snapped. I knocked his hand away with a fury that surprised me.

“The name isn’t ‘Sonny,’ ” I hissed in a low voice I didn’t recognize as my own. “It’s Skeeve! Now lower your voice when you’re talking to me and keep your dirty finger to yourself!”

I was shaking, though whether from rage or from fear I couldn’t tell. I had spent my entire burst of emotion in that tirade and now found myself wondering if I would survive the aftermath.

Surprisingly, the keeper gave ground a few steps at my tirade, and was now studying me with new puzzlement. I felt a pressure at the back of my legs and risked a glance. The dragon was now crouched behind me, craning his neck to peer around my waist at the keeper.

“I’m sorry.” The keeper was suddenly humble and fawning. “I didn’t recognize you at first. You said your name was … ?”

“Skeeve.” I prompted haughtily.

“Skeeve.” He frowned thoughtfully. “Strange. I don’t remember that name.”

I wasn’t sure who or what he thought I was, but if I had learned one thing traveling with Aahz, it was to recognize and seize an advantage when I saw one.

“The secrecy surrounding my identity should be a clue in itself, if you know what I mean,” I murmured, giving him my best conspiratorial wink.