“Sire?” Sir Hapsedes motioned at the carriage.
“Take it to the White Feather District.”
“That's miles away.”
“Yes, I'm going to walk with my mate through the other districts first and end with Feather.”
“Yes, Sire.” Hapsedes climbed onto the driver's ledge and clicked his tongue as he snapped the reins.
I guess some things were the same on every planet. Cat's like fish, kings don't walk, and horses respond to clicking tongues. I mean, as far as that last one—who doesn't?
The other three knights took their positions around Kas and me as the King of Aravult led me down the street. The orange cat kept pace at my side.
“Hoping for more fish, eh?” I asked the cat. “You'd best know your way home because we're wandering far today.”
“We shouldn't have fed it,” Kas said.
“Him.”
“We shouldn't have fedhim. Now, he'll follow us home.”
“You sound like a human.”
Kaspian turned to look at me with wide eyes and a snarl.
“Is there somethingwrongwith being human,Mate?” I lifted a brow at him.
Instead of feeling guilty, as a normal person would for insulting their significant other, the King said, “Yes, when you compare a Dragon to a human. Definitely.”
I gaped at him.
Kaspian burst out laughing.
“You're an asshole!” I let go of his hand to shove his shoulder.
He didn't budge, just kept laughing.
I swear that cat looked at us and shook his head. It was a shame Serai didn't have Tiktok. That cat would have made me famous.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
The first neighborhood we came to was occupied mainly by Ricarri—the big guys with sparkling gray skin. Like any good tour guide, Kaspian told me about the neighborhood and the people who lived in it while we strolled through.
“They're mountain folk with their own kings. We allow them their loyalties because they don't make trouble. Not usually. And they're impressive warriors which we Dragons greatly respect.” Kaspian jerked his chin at a couple of Ricarri men strolling down the opposite sidewalk.
Brawny, tall, and dressed in leather, they were exactly what I'd expect savage warriors from an alien planet to look like. Straight outtaStar Trek. But I wanted to keep an open mind about the races of Serai. Assuming anything about these people would be a mistake. Kaspian's assumptions about Earth and its people had taught me that.
“So, they're warriors. What else?” I asked.
“They have Metal Magic.”
“Is that what makes their skin sparkle?”
“I believe that's the minerals in their skin. They are kin to the foundation of the world—a race forged of stone.”
“But not literally.”
Kaspian stared at me.
