Gaius let out a hearty laugh. "Crimson, come on! Everyone loves a Hawaiian shirt. It adds to the beach vibe."
"It makes me want to gag."
Gaius clapped me on the shoulder. "Gag over these sexy omegas instead. Some of them are smoking hot, my friend."
The twins snickered over the wordgagand mumbled something about dicks.
"Better run, you two," Gaius warned. "Duke is coming this way."
Aurum and Saffron bolted just as the angry kobold stormed towards them, shaking his fist.
"Yeah, you run, dragon runts!" Duke shouted. "Damn kids... Are you two ready?"
"You bet, sir," Gaius replied cheerfully.
I sighed. "Ready as I'll ever be."
"Good." Duke snapped his fingers. "Omegas at the ready. Crimson, Gaius, on stage. Shooting starts in five."
Being ordered around by a kobold wasn't my idea of a good time, but I obediently followed Duke's orders. I figured I should be grateful that he knew what he was doing. He'd make this process go as smoothly and painlessly as possible.
"You're stiff," Gaius pointed out. "Loosen up, brother."
"Sure. Let me relax before I go on television to be gawked at by a bunch of lecherous, gold-digging omegas."
Gaius was completely unfazed by my comment. "It's going to be great! Look, here they come now."
A parade of men approached the filming area. The staff had equipped them all with hidden microphones and given them directions.
Gaius excitedly scanned the new arrivals. "Aren't they all stunners? You could take your pick at random and still be happy."
"Appearances aren't everything," I mumbled.
"I bet they're all nice, too."
"Anyone can fake being nice."
Gaius chuckled. "Except you. Don't scare them away."
"I'm a dragon. We'resupposedto be scary. Fire? Talons? Fangs? Any of that ring a bell?"
"Give it a chance, Crimson," Gaius said merrily. "You never know what life has in store."
I wished life would let me go home to my hoard, but I was stuck doing this instead.
Duke scowled at me from below the platform. "Smile like you mean it, Crimson! You look like an angsty teenager next to Gaius."
"Everybody looks like that next to him," I said.
Duke muttered some kobold curse under his breath.
Gaius didn't seem as bothered by my face. "You look great, brother. Handsome as usual."
Oddly enough, his compliment quelled some of my jitters. "Thanks, Gaius."
He flashed me a grin just before Duke's hand shot into the air.
"We're on in three... two..."
