“Caz,” Anna said uncomfortably, interrupting my thoughts. “Where are we going?”
“The Grand Hall,” I said. “Get some food. Are you not hungry anymore?”
“I am,” she said, slowing. “But there’s a lot ofalpha power coming from that direction.”
I froze, looking around like a swimmer just come up for air as realization hit me.
You idiot.
“You’re right. Come on,” I said, reaching down and taking her hand without thinking. I pulled her back from the entrance just as the double doors swung open outward, and a familiar voice carried through.
I managed to get Anna just around the corner before being seen.
“Casimir!”
“Uncle Mirko,” I said coolly, trying to hide my discomfort.
My father’s twin was the last person I wanted to run into. Under the guise of widening my stance as I faced him, I narrowed the gap between my body and the wall.
Please, Anna, have the good sense to stay hidden back there. Please.
If Mirko saw her, there would be trouble. He didn’t even need to know she was a grounded for that to happen. Seeing her would be bad enough.
“Is the cloak a new fashion choice I was unaware of?” Mirko smiled harshly at his joke.
The motion wrinkled his face, twisting the ugly black mark on his left cheek into something grotesque. I often wondered if he had learned to affect this smile simply to make others moreuncomfortable at the sight of his birthmark.
“No,” I said. “I was just out in public. It’s amazing how easily the masses are fooled by simply putting a piece of fabric over your head. Nobody thinks it’s me.”
Mirko snorted with disdainful laughter. “The idiots. Even a braindead clippy should be able to see that you don’t belong among them.”
Anna inhaled sharply. It wasn’t much, but it was enough. Mirko was an alpha too. He had served as Warlord under my father. He was in his fourth century, but that hadn’t begun to dull any of his senses.
Frowning, he moved to the side.
“You. Woman,” he growled. “What are you doing back there?”
Woman?Woman?
The snarl had barely left my lips before I was an inch away from his face, my scales pushing hard against my skin as I bristled at the insult to our mate.
Only the fact that Mirko was of our blood stopped my claws from opening him up. But the sharpened tips pressed into his skin nonetheless, making my point very,veryclear.
Which is exactly what I had hoped to avoid doing.
Mirko’s eyes widened, first in surprise and then in shocked realization. Never inintimidation. He was my father’s twin in every way except the mark on his face. Twin to one of the most feared ice tyrants of all time—a man known for his brutality and cruelty.
And Mirko had been his second-in-command. He didn’t fear me.
Maybe it’s time to show him he should. My dragon’s sentiment translated into words as easily as breathing. It wanted out. My eyes were glowing with the power of my monster.
“Submit,” I growled when Mirko didn’t immediately show fealty.
He bared a lip.
“Now,” I snarled, pummeling him with more alpha power.
I heard a wave of groans and whimpers from within the Grand Hall as my power flooded over the others. Chairs squeaked and something wooden shattered.
