Chapter 43
Fern
I was used to people turning and staring when I entered the room. Every time I walked into a ballroom or the drawing room of a neighbour’s estate, women flapped out fans and then whispered furiously as I passed by, casting me sly looks, then finished with a mocking snigger. Men barely noticed me at all. They’d look from my sister, Rose, to me, expecting another beautiful girl, then frowned in disappointment when they saw what I actually looked like.
The men in the tavern stared now. When we walked through the door, the place was full of shouts and rollicking music. Then the patrons noticed us. Head after head turned our way, conversations faltering, the music trailing away, and that had my feet slowing, then stopping. The memories of what my suitors said to me arose unbidden.
If any of those humans dare disrespect you in such a way, Auren growled.I’ll burn the place to the ground and everyone in it.
I swallowed hard, then turned to Lance.
“Perhaps we should go.”
As he moved to take my hand, another man lurched from his seat and over to us.
“Gods above…” He was wavering a little on his feet and he reeked of ale, but his focus remained fixed on me. “Look at the tits on you.”
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
Lance had the man by the shirt and was hauling him backwards, but his head popped up over the rider’s shoulder. A sloppy leer spread across the man’s face. “Care to dance?”
“Dance…?”
I’d barely whispered that when another man rose.
“Ignore Sam. Pisshead, he is,” he said, and it took me a moment to realise he was talking to me. A hand was extended and all five of us watched it reach for me. “I’m Jonas.”
“You’ll be drinking your beer using a bloodied stump if you don’t put that hand away.”
Lorien was all smiles when I talked to him, but I saw something far darker and more intent right now. His eyes glittered with a dangerous light, which had Jonas pulling away.
“Bloody dragon riders…” he muttered before returning to his seat. “Always get all the pretty girls.”
Pretty girls?
Another man, then another stood up, and that’s when Kael’s grip tightened. I let out a little squeak as he pulled me closer, plastering me against his side. Leather, smoke, and the unmistakable musk of a man filled my nose as he regarded the tavern.
“Sit down before me and mine put you down.” His voice rang out through the entire tavern. “Unless you’ve got a death wish, keep your eyes and your hands off what belongs to us.”
“Belongs…?” I shoved myself away, forced to straighten my uniform. “We’ve talked about this.”
That smile, sharp enough to cut, made clear what Kael thought about our previous conversations.
“Shame,” one man said, then took a long drink from his beer. “Comely filly like that? I’d give her the ride of her life.”
The men around me growled, even Dain, but before theycould respond, I stepped forward. I looked the stranger up and down, watching his smile spread.
“To give me the ‘ride of my life,’ you’d need to be a stallion.” I cocked my head sideways. “And you look more like a gelding to me.”
Apparently, that was exactly the right thing to say. The tavern was filled with noise again. First, a roar of laughter, then the musicians picked up their instruments and started a new song. People turned back to their fellows and continued their conversations. Kael took advantage of this, steering me towards a booth. I was seated right in the middle, with two men sitting on either side of me.
“Maybe you had it right, Lance.” Lorien’s focus was on everyone and everything as he shifted in his seat. “This might not have been a good idea.”
“An opportunity to show our girl off to everyone we know?” Kael’s arm landed along the back of my seat, then went to curl around me. I shoved him off, but that just made him chuckle. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
His smug expression had my spine snapping straight.
“Using me as a means to swell your oversized head?” I shot him a dark look. “What a surprise.”
