People called her Girl, or Nobody, or Hush, because she had never made a sound and no one had ever given her a real name. The night the snow fell purple over the peaks, she packed a crust of bread and started climbing. Under the mountain lived the dragon Vesper, who did not hoard gold. She hoarded names, stacked in the dark like cold little coins. The girl wanted just one. Her own.

Warm air breathed out of the cave mouth. The girl stepped inside and saw thousands of names glowing on the walls, each one a tiny silver coin. At the center coiled Vesper, huge and patient. 'A visitor,' the dragon rumbled. 'Most run. You climbed. Tell me your name.' The girl opened her mouth and nothing came out.

The girl saw one coin glowing brighter than the rest, near the back. Something pulled her toward it. Vesper's tail snapped down, blocking the way. 'Not that one,' the dragon said quickly. 'That name is mine. My own.' For a moment her giant eyes looked almost afraid, and the girl understood: even a dragon could be lonely. She bowed her head and left the coin alone, and Vesper let out a long, grateful breath.