Self-conscious, I let my hair fall loose, covering them, praying it looks like I’m showing off my hair, not hiding my ears.
“You probably don’t look exactly like your ancestors either. Hard to keep the bloodline pure and clear,” Jestin says boldly, catching my hand and giving it a gentle squeeze, and I want to throw my arms around his neck for that.
“She does, actually,” Riven mutters, glaring daggers at Baba Yaga as he openly toys with his axes.
He looks deliciously savage.
“Where’s your mommy, dragon slave?” asks the hag to Margorate’s left, the tall one, with short blond hair and a mean little smile.
“Low blow,” Aidon mutters.
I tense, bracing for the carnage. If someone mocked my Grams like that, I’d lose it.
“Where are your wings?” Riven shoots back, surprising me by keeping his cool.
Aidon blinks, then lets out a sharp, shocked laugh.
“Took guts, nice!” Aidon gives Riven a half-hearted high five.
Riven eyes it like it’s poisoned. Aidon looks at him the way he looks at me when reading my mind.
With a sigh, Riven painfully mimics the gesture.
The hags aren’t impressed. I need to end this before it turns into a full-blown fight.
“Can’t you see by the golden crowns on my irises that I am indeed who I claim to be?” I raise my voice, ending the shenanigans. Only the Berigander’s connection to the Arken power manifests eyes like mine. Gorok’s eyes. I have always been proud to claim that Trisha’s were slightly duller. While my mother’s are as brown as the shit she is.
“I have no doubt you are. But are you mighty enough? Your predecessor didn’t take much time to finish the trials.”
“I don’t plan on staying here long, either,” I say.
“Right.” She turns to the tallest hag. “Bogda, show them their cottage. Let’s meet at dinner to discuss the trials.”
“They’re going to serve us dinner. They can’t be as bad as you were told,” Aidon says out loud.
FUCKING MORON.
Bogda and the other one sneer loudly as Margorate steps even closer, but Riven blocks her with his axe, moving forward to stand in her way. Jestin exhales slowly, casually gathering sand in front of me, while the cronies bare their teeth and draw their swords.
“Excuse Aidon, he has been without the pack for too long, his manners are lacking,” says Jestin, but Margorate doesn’t spare him a glare.
For fuck’s sake… I focus on my power, getting ready to create a shield if anything goes to shit.
“I am touched that my life means so much to you.” He turns to me, offering me a sweet smile, and blatantly ignoring Baba Yaga.
She is almost in his face, and a growl builds up inside me at their proximity.
“Maybe you want to be dinner?” She stares him down, letting her gaze travel from his scarlet eyes to the very pronouncedbulge in his pants, calculating and playful. “Or perhaps I should serve a special dinner… just for you?”
Rage simmers in me, my head full of creative ideas on how to end her, but then Aidon grabs my hand, pulls me close, and, stunned, I let him.
“I am already sated by another lady. I need to decline,” Aidon says, diffusing the situation, and something purrs inside me with delight.
She tilts her chin and fucking blinks. “If you ever want a change of scenery…”
“I don’t see myself losing interest. She has so much more to unravel.” He winks at me.
“Pity.” Margorate turns to me and smirks.
