“So easy.”
If only Tate didn’t have a history of weird things happening unexpectedly.
Ashwin stepped back, guiding her to face the mirror. “Done. What do you think?”
Tate was briefly taken aback by the reflection in the mirror. She touched the fabric of her jacket softly, an awed “wow” escaping her.
Ashwin had decided to buck tradition when it came to Tate’s outfit for court. Far from being the dress she expected, it had a lot more in common with a uniform. An eye catching one at that.
While it was standard for women to wear dresses for formal events, it wasn’t a rule. Ashwin had used that fact to her advantage.
Fitted pants tucked into a pair of soft, calf high black boots. The floral pattern embossed on the leather of the boots was feminine but not overtly so. It was easy to tell they were a custom design. Tiny dragons flitted around the trim and eyelets.
Tate didn’t even know how they’d managed such detailed work.
Ashwin had chosen to base her outfit on the colors of her dragon—a dark blue with silver embellishments. Ilith’s approval hummed along her senses at the detail.
The coat cinched in at her waist before falling to mid-thigh. Ashwin had her leave it open over a silver shirt with a long flowing ribbon around the collar that had been tied into a fancy knot, the surplus spilling down her shirt. Buttons marched up the forearms almost to the elbow.
“This is—” Tate trailed off for lack of words.
She couldn’t believe this outfit. It was everything she could want. Even more than she had known.
The deep blue set off the copper-colored hair that waved around her collar. Ryu liked to say her hair reminded him of a sunset with the way the gold melted into the copper and auburn.
Bright green eyes peered out from striking features. Freckles were scattered across the bridge of her nose, giving her the appearance of impishness.
Tate wasn’t a tall woman but in these clothes she felt invincible.
No, that was too mild a word. Badass was more fitting a description. Someone fit to act as host to a dragon.
“You’ve outdone yourself,” Roslyn said, coming up to stand beside them.
Ashwin beamed, pleased at the praise. “I based the uniform off the Dragon Corps and made a few modifications. Do you like it?”
Ashwin took Tate’s shoulders, turning her so she could get a better view of the back of the jacket.
A dragon with wings spread was embroidered in a darker blue thread on the back, the pattern of those wings wrapping around the sides to end on the front, over her chest.
It was a subtle touch that you wouldn’t notice until you were standing right next to her. It made Tate love the jacket even more.
“It suits you,” a masculine voice said.
Everyone glanced in the direction of the voice to find a man leaning against the now open window that led to the rooftop balcony.
Tate went still. “Ryu.”
FOUR
“You’re back,” Tate said before she could stop herself.
Her chest was a tangled ball of emotion. Happiness. Anticipation. Feelings that made her almost breathless at their intensity.
Tate had never considered herself someone who sought love and companionship. If asked, she would have described herself as pragmatic. She didn’t need others to survive.
Dewdrop and Night had started the process and shown her that the warmth of others wasn’t to be feared. But Ryu’s presence was like a bonfire—burning her up from within.
She’d fought their attraction. Avoided him when possible and stubbornly resisted when running wasn’t an option.
