As I inspected the hall, I ventured forward among the Dragon Court of Latur, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw that every stare was on me. At first, I strutted a bit and grinned, looking to pick a group to join. But then those stares skittered away. When I started to veer toward a gathering of Litoto to introduce myself, they turned their backs on me, wings coming together to form a wall.
My steps slowed, my swagger vanished, and cold crept into my belly. I'd been treated so well in the Sken Court that I'dforgotten how elitist some of the other races could be. And these people were courtiers, many of them noble, born into their titles and wealth. I wasn't just a lowly human to them, I was also a commoner.
I lifted my chin, pushing down the old pain and insecurity that rose with those silent but pointed rejections. It felt like the first day of university again. All those eyes staring in the worst ways. Judging me. I'd eventually made friends there, but only because the university was packed with men and women of knowledge who valued other men and women of knowledge. My intelligence won them over.
I didn't think it would help me in Latur.
I looked for Gunrel, hoping to see a familiar face if not exactly a friendly one. We had flirted so he should be welcoming. And what happened to his promise that I'd have an abundance of suitors to choose from? The Dragon knight had sorely overestimated this court. But then, the knights in a Dragon Court weren't meant to mingle with the courtiers. They were there for one purpose and one alone—to protect their King. The King wasn't there, so neither was Gunrel.
I sighed and surveyed the room as I would a garden. All those unwelcoming faces became prickly blackberry bushes that I had to avoid until I was able to chop them down. I located a safe patch of grass—a chair of normal height pressed up against the wall—and grabbed a glass of wine from the tray of a servant as I headed for it. Once seated, I felt a little more secure. I had a drink, higher ground, and a wall against my back. I sipped my wine and steadied myself.
That servant woman had been right to be impressed. It had taken a lot for me to prove myself to the heads of theUniversity of Sken. From a young age, I studied plants, learning everything about them and the things that affected them. I had to prove that knowledge to the University Council in practical and written ways. Then I had to convince them verbally that I'd be a good fit for the school.
And that was just the beginning.
I was accepted on a trial basis. And I knew that if I wasn't accepted by my peers, I wouldn't get to stay. So, I had to prove myself yet again. It would have irritated me to prove my worth to my fellow students, but I hadn't lived a sheltered life. I knew where humans were on the hierarchy of races on Serai. The bottom. The absolute bottom. I could either hate those above me, or I could accept my position and do everything I could to rise above the status I was born in. Humans could become wealthy, even noble. I wasn't the first human to become a scholar either. It had been done, so I knew I could do it. Huh, so I'd been inspired just as I had inspired that woman. That was kind of great.
And I'd never been one to dwell on bad things. I set about winning over my classmates and succeeded. Well, mostly. Enough that I was kept on and eventually graduated. But it was a rough road, and the professors were harder on me than the other students. I had gotten through it, but that pain still lived inside me, waiting for moments like this to rise and bite me in the ass.
I took a swig of wine and looked closer at the courtiers. Stares darted away. I caught the hint of interest in one. Not surprising. People are often attracted to what they shouldn't want. My being common and human was probably just as appealing to some of them as it was distasteful.
My excitement over the Litoto had dwindled, but once I decided to look past this instant rejection from the court, I was able to stare back at them openly. What did I care now? So, I gawked at the races I'd never seen before. The Litotos drew my interest first, but then I moved on to the Osomah with their broad faces and tufted tails. Their hands were especially fascinating as they were triple-jointed. I knew there were Neraky in the city, but I'd met many Neraky, and I also knew that they rarely became courtiers. Not because they were scorned. Neraky were sea folk and wouldn't enjoy being bound to the land.
Raltven, however, were a mere step above humans in most kingdoms. They were seen as criminals, probably because a lot of them were. But who could blame them when their magic suited crime perfectly? Unfortunately, this meant they were rarely chosen to be courtiers, and I'd never met a Raltven noble. But there were two other races that inhabited Latur who were represented in the court—Zaknir and Eljaffna. The former claimed my attention first.
Zaknir were shapeshifters like Dragons. Their other forms weren't as massive as dragons, but they were beasts. I greatly wanted to see a Zaknir shift. Because if their main forms were any indication of what their beasts were like, they'd be amazing. The Zaknir men and women wore pale garments, all the better to show off their midnight black skin. Pointed ears stuck up through their intricately braided hair, and within the outer shell of those ears was another ear, an inner ear that twitched and moved to focus their hearing. Their sleek tails weren't tufted like the Osomah's, but I found the blunt ends more attractive. There was a lot that could be done with a tail like that. But most of note was their presence. As in the fact that they were there.
Most Zaknir kept to their own kind. They lived in the forests, in Zaknir kingdoms, and rarely emerged. But this was yet another way that Latur differed from other kingdoms. The Zaknir here mingled with the other races. They mingled enough to become courtiers.
Then there was the Eljaffna. The blood drinkers. I'd heard their bite could be erotic, that having an Eljaffna suck at your neck while they fucked you was an experience that could change your life. Looking at the trim bodies of the Eljaffna men, watching their graceful hands caress their glasses of red wine, I suspected it was true. They were so beautiful. Both the men and women. But I had read that their slender physiques were misleading. Those sleek muscles were nearly as powerful as a Dragon's.
Beyond the races was the costume of the region to enthrall me. As I mentioned, the masculine garments were similar to what was worn in Sken but only in the most basic way. The women's clothing, however, had nothing in common with those in my home kingdom. For one thing, the women here wore skirts and tops instead of dresses. The skirts were full and beautifully embroidered, but the tailored tops were cut to fit their upper bodies perfectly, skimming over their curves. They had sleeves that went only halfway down the upper arms and scoop necklines, and only covered them to a few inches below their breasts, showcasing a shocking length of belly skin. Instead of being subtle about this, their bellies were highlighted with sparkling belts and necklaces that hung low.
“I expected to find you mingling,” a masculine voice said from my right.
I looked over to find the King standing beside me. Behind him was Gunrel and another Dragon knight. The knights went tostand to either side of the royal dais, beside each set of steps that led up to the King's table. And the table was impressive. Wooden elephants supported the corners. Not life-sized. Of course not. But they were still impressive, carved with great precision to match the royal couch.
Yes, couch. Instead of a throne, the King had a broad, low chair wide and deep enough to fit two men of his size, with a wood base and fluffy, silk-covered pillows. The back of the seat was carved with two elephant heads, their trunks lifted to form a graceful arch. Although there were sides to it, they were slim, so the armrests were cylindrical pillows covered in deep blue silk to match the others. And the entire wooden base was gilded. That being said, none of that grandeur could hold my attention when the King was near.
“Your Majesty!” I jumped to my feet.
The Dragon Court had seen the King before I had and were already bowing to him. King Shaleros, however, either didn't see them or didn't care. He was focused on me.
“Is there a reason you're sitting here by yourself?” the Dragon King asked.
“Oh.” I looked at the chair, then at the room, and shrugged. “Well, you know. I'm human.”
“And?”
“And sometimes it can take a while for people to look past that.”
“Are you saying that my court has snubbed you?”
“Um, I wouldn't put it like that. They just need some time to warm up to me.”
King Shaleros grunted and looked out at his court. They quickly lowered their gazes. Lowered them, not looked away. They didn't ignore him as they had me. They showed him submission, not scorn.
The Dragon King's mouth tightened. “Join me, Sebastian.” He didn't wait for my answer, just walked away.
