My initial dreadat Talon taking my place on stage evaporated the second he started making a fool of himself. By the end of his run, I was biting my lip so I didn’t wheeze with laughter. Though, if it were me answering that last question, I would’ve gotten hard remembering the sight of Thystle’s bare ass the night before. Maybe it was a good thing I was hidden among the crowd for that one.
As Talon trudged back to his seat, I tried to keep the shit-eating grin off my face. No need to rub salt in his wounds—even if hedidtry to commit identity theft in front of everybody.
Gaius swept across the stage and gestured to me. “All right, next contestant, please! Matteo, you’re up!” My heart tripped over itself as I stood. Muzo put his thumbs up, Poppy smiled, and Alaric gave me a knowing nod. Their encouragement overrode the nasty glare I felt on the back of my head, no doubt coming from Talon.
But I forgot all about him as I reached the top of the stairs. As my gaze met Thystle’s, warmth bloomed in my body, seeping through my limbs. There was something different in his eyes. A sharp, predatory knowing, like he’d stabbed his sword into the truth of who I was. My heart fluttered with a twisted mix of anxiety and relief. How much did Thystle know? How did he feel about it? Was he upset I hadn’t confessed earlier?
Meeting his hot gaze, I doubted that. They blazed with desire, the kind that would never be satisfied. A shiver ran down my spine. To be wanted by a dragon was thrilling. I felt like a butterfly pinned to a board, stared at adoringly by a collector for all time.
Biting down the urge to run to Thystle, I stepped behind the podium. Thystle’s mouth curved into a grin across from me. He stood in front of the throne, still holding the mic.
Gaius let out a playful laugh and stepped aside. “Well, it looks like I’ve been usurped as the host of this challenge, so take it away, Thystle. These questions are aboutyou, after all.”
Thystle nodded at his friend. “Thanks, Gaius.” Then his glittering amethyst eyes stabbed into me like fishhooks. “Matteo. First question.”
I shuddered at the sultry way he said my name.
“How long is the first track onWings of the Sun?” Thystle asked, staring directly at me.
I was keenly aware of the crowd’s gaze. Did they expect me to fail this niche question, or did they think I’d nail it like Talon did the first few times?
But the crowd didn’t know what Thystle did—thatIwas Aquila. I saw it in the way his hungry alpha gaze blazed with feralwant, yet also shone with the brilliance of a die-hard fan. The only thing stopping Thystle from jumping me was the cameras. Stupid reality TV.
I nodded at Thystle across the stage. “Five minutes even.”
He sucked in a breath, his fingers curling tighter around the mic. “Correct,” he murmured.
“One point for Matteo!” Gaius announced. “Wow, even I didn’t know the answer to that one.”
The crowd cheered, impressed by my arcane knowledge. A bittersweet feeling swirled in my gut. It had been so long since I was on stage with people cheering for me, and now it was happening again under such strange circumstances.
Thystle’s frame tensed in excitement, like he wanted to pounce on me. “Next question,” he said rapidly, as if out of breath. “How many albums did TalonStorm put out?”
“Including EPs?” I asked.
His eyes flashed. “Obviously.”
“Four.”
He inhaled a ragged breath and licked his lips. “Correct.”
The crowd exploded into shock and awe.
“That’s two points for Matteo!” Gaius announced. “And wow, what points they are. Who knew they had so much in common?”
That sounded like a pointed jab at Talon, but being on stage with Thystle made me forget all my disdain for him. Right now, it was just the two of us—the way it should’ve been.
“On which track is Aquila’s longest vocal solo?” Thystle asked.
A shiver jolted down my spine. I knew exactly which track Thystle referenced—the one with my long, raw scream. The same one he recognized in bed. It’d been ages since I sang that song, but Thystle had gotten a private taste of it.
He was such an ass for bringing that up in front of all these people. A breathy laugh came out of me.
“Destiny Rises,” I replied.
Thystle didn’t blink. His stare burned a hole into me. “Correct.”
Gaius laughed. “Wow. You’re on a roll, Matteo! Three for three so far.”
