“I heard Talon made an ass out of himself last night,” Alaric commented. A smirk played on his lips.
I barely withheld a snort. “That’s one way to put it.”
A familiar lithe figure wriggled through the crowd towards us. Muzo appeared with a big grin, dragging a grimacing Poppy behind him.
“Hey! Did ya hear what the final challenge is?” Muzo blurted. “We’re doing karaoke!”
Karaoke? That came out of nowhere. Unless Thystle had a particular scheme up his sleeve...
The word alone made Poppy whimper in fear. “I can’t do it!”
“Aw, come on, Pops, sure you can,” Muzo encouraged. “Just belt it out!”
The wolf shifter swayed on his feet like he was about to faint. I put my hand on his shoulder to steady him.
“Poppy, I’m sure you can ask to sit it out,” I said gently.
“Yes, especially since the winner of the Games has been chosen,” Alaric remarked, his eyes flicking towards me.
Muzo didn’t notice. He cocked his head. “Who?”
Poppy released a relieved sigh. “Oh, wonderful. I don’t have to sing...”
“Refusing to participate should result in disqualification,” Alaric said under his breath, “but it seems the rules in general are looser than I realized.”
Whoops. Having sex with Thystle behind the scenes definitely bent the rules, but it was too late to take it back now. Besides, I didn’t regret it. The current soreness in my rear end was a pleasant reminder of me and Thystle’s beautiful moment.
But there was no malice in Alaric’s comment. It seemed more like a private realization, a hopeful comment instead of a chastising one. Would Alaric break the rules to acquire his dragon mate? Honestly, Taylor and I had done the same. Skirting the made-up rules of a TV show to be with your fated mate was an acceptable crime. I fully supported Alaric’s future love infractions.
A moment later, Gaius appeared to summon the contestants onto the beach. I heard it before I saw it. The rhythmic thumping of a bass track carried far across the sand. Its fluctuating volume made it clear the AV people were running a sound test. It was kind of nostalgic.
When we arrived at the beach, we saw the imminent musical arena. Two huge speaker sets thudded while kobolds fiddled with the settings. The staff recycled the quiz show stage from yesterday, but gave it a flashy makeover. It didn’t resemble a normal karaoke stage in a bar. It was grand and opulent, almost concert-like. Something about it was strangely familiar.
But I didn’t dwell on it long. My gaze zoned in on Thystle, who stood next to Gaius in front of the stage. My pulse stuttered as our eyes met. The same fuzzy warmth I’d felt all during last night blossomed in my chest again.
Thystle flashed me a smile. It was innocent enough to pass as a polite TV smile, butIknew it was for me alone.
Gaius bounced forward and cleared his throat. He was cheerier than usual, if that was possible. “Welcome everyone to the third challenge of the Dragonfate Games! I’m excited to reveal our final event...” He gestured dramatically to the stage. “Karaoke!”
Poppy trembled like a leaf next to me. Since Muzo and I flanked him, we pressed closer so he wouldn’t topple over.
Gaius waved towards Thystle. “As we learned during the quiz show, Thystle hoards music. So, we’re putting your musical talent to the ultimate test!”
My heart clambered into my throat. It dawned on me what Thystle wanted.
A private concert from me. From Aquila.
I sucked in a long, slow breath. He catered this challenge towards me with laser precision. HeknewI could sing everyone else out of the water.
But after a decade of hiding, could I really get on stage and perform the way I used to?
Gaius went on. “Each contestant will take up the mic and sing the song of your choice while we provide the backtrack. Come on, you all know how karaoke works.” Gaius winked. “Thystle will watch from the front row. So, let it all out, and have fun!”
Judging by the excited whooping behind me, most of the contestants were eager to try, whether or not they’d be chosen to win. It was a relief that most of my fellow omegas were enjoying their glorified vacation even if they didn’t win the dragon’s heart.
Alaric’s hand shot up.
Gaius nodded. “Go ahead.”
