“She wastellingme that she knows so much! About what? Dresses? Hair? How long her nails should be? She spends whole days with the Beauty Girls. Hale often saw her slipping around at night, but she wants people to believe her beauty is natural.Ha!” Aradella stopped, hands on hips. “She couldn’t wait to tell everyone that she’d coaxed Zeon’s son into blabbing about some man. Qip! Doesn’t she understand that he has awife?”
“Qip?” Mekos asked.
“No! Tam! He has a wife and a child, but my cousin can’t bear for any man not to lust after her. I should warn Tam’s wife. I should—”
“I like what you have on,” Mekos said. “Why don’t you come to bed?”
“This is not the time for that.” She squinted her eyes at him. “You certainly didn’t protest when you were told to sit next to her.”
“I could better see you from across the table.” He smiled, proud of himself for coming up with that.
“It didn’t help you defend me when she attacked.”
His puzzlement showed. “When did that happen?”
Aradella looked aghast. “Really? You didn’t see it? Didn’thearit?”
Mekos could see there was no winning this battle. He got up on all fours and stealthily moved to the end of the bed. Like a fox stalking prey.
She’d not seen him do that before and it made her stop talking. In the next second, he pulled her onto the bed and wrapped his body around hers.
“Then she—” Aradella said, but Mekos kissed her and finally, she stopped talking.
14
When Aradella woke, it was still dark but Mekos was up and dressed and staring out the window. She knew by his stance what he was thinking. If they didn’t find a solution to the problems they’d caused, he’d be letting down his whole family, and maybe even all the people who were under the rule of the Empyreans.
Yesterday, after the burden of taking care of her cousin was dropped onto her, Aradella had overlooked what Mekos was facing.
She got out of bed and put her arms around him, her face against his back. “We’ll solve this. We’ll find this man Qip and he’ll tell us what we need to do.”
He lifted her hand and kissed it. “I hope so. Last time we tried to thwart the Empyreans, they destroyed our home and killed my great-uncle. This time—”
She moved in front of him. “Come on, let’s finish packing. Do you think my cousin can dress herself?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Are you asking me to go help her?”
Aradella’s throat closed so tight she nearly choked. No words came out.
“Tell me,” he said, “are you going to be jealous of all women I look at or is it just the beautiful Bree?”
She stepped away from him. “And here I was feeling sorry for you. Did you pack my things too or just your own?”
“I put that big brown coat you wore to dinner in the magic bag. I’m sure you’ll want to wear it when another pretty girl shows up.”
With an eye roll, Aradella went to the bathroom.
It was barely daylight when they left Zeon’s very comfortable home and went to the big courtyard. Coming slowly down to them was Perus. He was saddled and looked well-fed.
When he landed, Aradella put her arms around his neck. “Were you treated well? Ian wants one of your scales. If you shed any, let me know.”
Mekos ran his hand down the dragon’s neck. “I would imagine that you’re glad to get away from Nessa.”
“Aren’t we all?” Aradella said.
“Good morning.”
They turned to see Zeon. He had on a light blue robe embroidered with yellow and pink flowers, and he was holding something wrapped in cloth.
