"My name is Alaric. You'd do well to remember it, since I'll be the undisputed winner of the Dragonfate Games."
Muzo casually sniffed the air. "Why do you smell like a baby's ass?"
Never mind. I take back everything I said about Muzo. Hearing Alaric's mortally offended gasp was worth it.
"It'sperfume," Alaric shot back. "Very expensive, and clearly not a brand you recognize. And it doesnotsmell like a baby's bottom."
"Ass," Muzo said.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Alaric's white arm hair standing on end with fury. It reminded me of an animal's hackles rising. I figured he was some kind of mammal shifter, at least. Even while standing next to him, it was impossible to tell. He reallydidsmell like a baby's freshly powdered ass.
Poppy tugged on my sleeve. "Um, the line's moving."
I nodded. "Thanks, Poppy. Let's get on the plane."
Muzo wriggled his fingers at Poppy. "It's about to gobble us up! We're gonna sit in its big plane tummy!"
"Are you eight years old?" I grumbled. "Leave Poppy alone."
Behind us, Alaric sniffed loudly. "I thought you had to be at least 18 to apply."
"I don't remember inviting you to this conversation," I said without looking at him.
Sensing Poppy's anxiety, I put my hand on his shoulder as the lady at the counter took our tickets with a big smile and told us to have a great flight. I wondered if she was human, or some kind of shifter hired by the bigwig dragons.
"Tunnel!" Muzo yelled as we entered the tunnel connecting the airport with the plane.
I sighed and didn't bother telling him to behave. He was like a kid who'd eaten three pounds of sugar. What would happen when filming began? Would Muzo even last one day, or would the dragons send him packing?
I thought of Poppy, too. He shuffled beside me, clutching his backpack tightly to his chest. I was honestly surprised he'd accepted the offer to join the Games.
"Hey, Poppy," I said quietly as we waited for the people in front of us to enter the plane. "Why did you decide to join, anyway?"
"Um... I don't know." Poppy put a hand to his shirt. "I got this weird feeling in my chest."
"Anxiety?" I suggested.
"No. Well... yes, but something else, too. An important feeling. I knew I had to try, even though I was scared."
I smiled. "I'm proud of you. It's not easy to push past your fear."
Poppy smiled back. "Thanks, Taylor."
"Oh, so the big brute has a name," Alaric remarked.
My annoyance sizzled into anger. Alaric had yanked on the tiger's tail too much.
I whirled on him with a snarl. I felt my canine teeth elongating into thick fangs. It was something I held back when I was among humans, but everyone was a shifter here, so I didn't feel pressured to contain the beast.
"Listen," I growled. "Stop butting your head into my life. Mind your own business, and I'll mind mine."
Alaric's eyes flashed, but he didn't move. I noticed for the first time that he had heterochromia—one eye was blue, the other green.
"Touchy, touchy," Alaric mumbled. "You think you can boss people around with yourbulk? Well, I won't stand for it. The winner of the Dragonfate Games will have poise. They won't need to bully their way to victory."
"Who's bullying anyone?" I demanded, annoyed and baffled.
Alaric smirked. He glanced at the other contestants watching us. I noticed how the scene must've looked—a broad-shouldered, tall man snarling at a shorter, slimmer one. Alaric had tricked me into looking like a villain.
