Zara groaned and thunked her forehead lightly against her palm. “Can you two stop? You don’t even talk like that. You’re being rude.”
“Rude?” Liora pressed a hand to her chest. “Us? Never.”
Elian added, “We’re just being relatable to the youth.”
“Neither of you are the youth,” Zara said flatly.
Hektor didn’t understand half of it, but he definitely understood Zara’s frustration. And the faint pink in her cheeks that said she knew exactly why they were doing it.
All of it aimed at her.
He frowned slightly as Zara scolded her siblings. He couldn’t make sense of why they kept poking at her on purpose, why needle someone you clearly cared about? It wasn’t malicious, just…relentless. He supposed that was a sibling thing. He wouldn’t know. He’d grown up without that kind of built-in chaos.
Before he could dwell on it, movement across the bar caught his eye. A familiar face. He muttered a quick, “Excuse me,” and pushed back from the table.
The Drakkon who approached him grinned widely, clasping Hektor’s forearm in the traditional handshake: tight, forearm to forearm, the brief flare of warm scales brushing warm scales.
“Did I hear right?” Talen said, eyes bright with disbelief.
Hektor groaned. “That was fast.”
“You know how it is,” the other Drakkon laughed. “News travels quicker than flame. I can’t believe you’re working here in Alindale. Never thought you’d leave.”
“Couldn’t pass up the opportunity,” Hektor said with a shrug.
“Right, right. You’re working for Lord Eros and a gorgon?” Talen drawled, eyes bright with mischief.
Hektor narrowed his eyes. “Where are you getting your news from?”
“If I told you, I wouldn’t be the best at what I do,” Talen replied breezily.
“You mean keeping on top of gossip?” Hektor shot back.
Talen clutched his chest in mock offense. “Information, Hektor.Intelligence.Not everyone likes spending their life punching people.”
Hektor snorted, and they both laughed, loud enough that a few monsters turned.
Then Talen’s gaze shifted over Hektor’s shoulder.
His brows lifted. “So…who’s that cute girl? Does she have a mate?”
Hektor blinked, genuinely confused, then followed Talen’s line of sight.
Zara, tiny, expressive, pink-cheeked Zara, was watching the two of them talk, chin propped on her hand, as if trying to guess what they were saying. Her siblings were arguing quietly beside her.
A sharp, unexpected stab went through his chest. Jealousy. Irrational, immediate, and absolutely unwelcome.
“Oh. No,” Hektor said quickly. “I’m working with them too.”
Talen raised an eyebrow, unconvinced but amused. “Uh-huh. Sure. Working.”
They talked a bit longer, updates, a few jokes, a half-serious promise to grab dinner sometime soon, before Hektor finally said, “I should get back. They’ll start speculating.”
Talen smirked. “Pretty sure they already have,” he said, then clapped Hektor on the shoulder and disappeared into the crowd.
When Hektor returned to the table, Liora and Elian were already getting to their feet.
“We’ll leave you two to…strategize,” Liora said with a suspiciously sweet smile.
