It was the wrong thing to say. Her desire to defend Jax had pulled the words from her mouth before she had the chance to think them through, and now her father knew without a doubt that Jax was the person responsible. Boris struggled visibly with his anger before his face cleared, taking on a cold, calculating look that Odessa feared more than his wrath.
“You care for him.” His upper lip curled slightly. “You’ve managed to twist him around your finger, and you think he’ll be the one to break your curse.”
“He won’t. He doesn’t see me that way.”
Saying the words out loud, even in her head, made her traitorous heart ache. Boris looked at her shrewdly.
“We’ll see about that.”
“What do you mean?”
With a hidden strength in his thin arms, Boris scooped her up, holding her wings tightly to her body to prevent her from trying to escape. He moved down the path through the Menagerie with long, purposeful strides.
“It means that you’re either correct, or that bird-brained idiot just might be the one to ensure that your curses become permanent. Either way, his days are limited. I’ve worked too hard and come too close to the prize to be stopped by a fool who thinks himself in love.”
Chapter Eighteen
JAX
“I certainly hope Drosselmeyer was right, or I’m going to look like a fool,” Jax muttered to himself as he walked around the perimeter of assembled nobles and royalty. “And not just a fool, but a fool with a broken heart, which is even more pathetic.”
The Menagerie had been transformed, with delicate lanterns hanging from the trees that lined the wide paths, twinkling and flickering and casting a delicate, magical glow over the guests. Dmitri had chosen the center of the Menagerie for his soiree, where the paths converged in a large circular courtyard with a tall fountain as the central focus. Tables with food and drink were strategically placed along the edges, and a quartet of musicians was stationed under a large willow tree beside the path that led to the large cat enclosures. Their soft music mingled with the chatter and laughter of the guests, adding to the festive atmosphere.
He stopped by a table of artfully arranged fruits and cheeses when the light from the lanterns glinted off a pair of large,sapphire eyes hidden in a cluster of tall shrubs. Jax quickly scanned his surroundings to ensure that no one was within hearing distance before whispering harshly, “Bean! What are you doing? You’re not supposed to be here.”
“I wanted to see Mother. You didn’t tell me there was food here.”With his dark scales, Bean was almost invisible in the shadows, but his sapphire eyes glowed faintly at the mention of food.“They have strawberries.”
A flash of panic darted through his chest.
He’s a month old. It’s about the right time developmentally, but it really couldn’t be a worse time logistically.
He threw his head back with a groan. “Please don’t tell me you’re going to choose tonight of all nights to claim a hoard. And strawberries?”
“I love strawberries.”
“Right, but they don’t exactly keep very well, do they? Maybe it would be better to hold off on claiming until you find something that will last for longer than a few days.”
Bean huffed, filling the air around them with the scent of smoke and fire, but his eyes returned to normal.“Mother would let me.”
“Don’t try playing us against each other like that. You know she would tell you the same thing I am. Where is she, by the way?”
“I thought she was with you.”
A sense of unease began creeping up his neck, but he brushed it off. “I’m sure she’s somewhere around here, but you need to leave before someone sees you.” Jax smiled and gave a casual wave to a pair of guests who had wandered closer to peruse the refreshments. He waited until they were gone before continuing, “I don’t think Dmitri will be very happy if his party is interrupted by mass pandemonium when someone spies a dragon lurking in the shadows.”
“Maybe that would be a good thing.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
The dragon was suspiciously silent.
“Bean? What do you mean? Why would it be a good thing?”
“You’re here to find someone to break Mother’s curse,”he finally grumbled.
Jax’s eyes widened in surprise. “Of course I am. You might be happy to remain a swan, but I don’t think she is.”
“You want us to leave her.”
