“Yes.” Eira glanced between him and Alyss. “What’s wrong with asking?”
“I doubt they’ll want our help.” Ducot grimaced. “The draconi are the least keen on this arrangement.”
“I’ll go get her.” Eira started behind Alyss, but her friend had set a surprisingly fast pace. “Alyss!” she called. But Alyss had already knocked on the door.
The door swung open with purpose to reveal a large draconi man. His free hand was balled into a fist. The smooth, dense scales that covered his body created an armor-like appearance across the plane of his hard chest. Eira recognized him instantly as Harkor, prince of the draconi.
Eira was close enough now to hear the conversation.
“We’re remaking our homes for the tournament and I thought I’d see if you wanted some help?” Alyss offered.
Harkor loomed over Alyss with a wicked grin, his slightly pointed teeth gleaming in the fresh moonlight. It was an ominous contrast to the orange glow of the lantern in the hall behind him. “Why do you think we would need some help from the likes of you?”
“I hadn’t seen the draconi use any magic that would show me they would be able to change their house on their own.”
“Do you think we need to change our accommodations?” he snarled.
“Well—”
“We are notweaklike Solaris, or Qwint, or Meru…we do not need to lavish ourselves in finery.” He seemed angry Alyss would even ask.
“She was just offering to help. No need to be rude.” Eira finally reached them, linking elbows with Alyss defensively.
“You would dare call me, a prince, rude?”
“If it fits.” Eira shrugged casually.
His eyes narrowed slightly. Harkor slowly leaned forward. He still had yet to wash from the tournament and wore every zigzag of blood on his scaled flesh like a badge of honor.
“You would do well not to insult me, Adela’s bastard.”
Ice crackled around her hand as it balled into a fist. The temperature dropped dramatically.
“Does the truth upset you?” He flashed his teeth.
She grit her teeth and forced her own smile. She wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction. But he knew he was under her skin.
“What are you going to do, human?” Harkor leaned even closer, his reptilian snout almost touching her nose. “Have a spar with me here and now? I welcome it. I would get no greater delight than to be able to say that I killed Adela’s—”
His words were cut short as he suddenly tumbled backward. With a flick of Alyss’s fingers the floor had come alive underneath his feet like a springboard. She turned her wrist and the door slammed shut.
“Let’s go.” Alyss tugged on Eira. “You’re right, he’s rude, and thus not worth the effort.”
The door swung open again right as they had taken two steps away.
“You would dare attack the Prince of the Skies?” he growled after them.
Eira looked over her shoulder and said coolly, “Here, you’re nothing more than a competitor, just like the rest of us. Here, a prince is no better than a pirate queen’s bastard.”
He seethed in the doorway before slamming it shut, so hard the house rattled.
“If you break your house with that temper I’m not fixing it!” Alyss shouted back.
“Alyss!” Eira could hardly scold her friend over her laughter. Though, in the back of her mind, part of her did wonder how he had heard the rumors of her potential parentage. The idea of it being common knowledge on Meru made her uneasy. Though, after her showing at the ball, anyone who knew anything of Adela would suspect…
“Sorry I didn’t warn you in time,” Ducot said when they returned. Noelle was at his side. Slightly closer than Eira would usually see friends standing.
“It’s not your fault,” Alyss said. “Harkor is the one with the problem, not you. Spoiled princes.”
