“Yes, well.” I took another sip of my drink. I’d switched to the same non-alcoholic drink that I’d ordered for him—Earthbark Elixir. And after his comment, I’d actually allowed myself to take in and savor the taste. I’d forgotten how much I’d enjoyed it when I’d used it to soothe myself during my childhood, back when I’d been a highly anxious child. Par for the course, given my upbringing.
The roasted nut-milk was thickened with a little salt and lightly sweetened with smoked honey, which combined earthy with a trace of spice.
Winter smiled at me. “Some people still think Basilisks can shift into snakes.”
“They do, yes. They hear the name and think of snake shifters. When, in fact, there is no shifting at all. Unless my camouflage ability counts.”
“I’d say not.”
“You’re more enlightened than most.”
“My parents ensured it.”
“After the prejudice they each experienced from different sources for many years before you were born?”
“Something like that.”
“Well, it seems they’ve done a great job of breaking the generational cycle. Even beyond the scope of raising you.”
He nodded, fiddling with his mug. “It’s a lot to live up to.”
“I understand that deeply.”
His gaze flicked to my crown. “I’d imagine you would, yeah. Best to revel in these lighter moments while we can, huh?”
I smiled. “Lighter. Pleasurable.”
Our eyes locked.
Heat blazed in his.
And I wasn’t above it either.
His left thigh that kept inadvertently brushing against mine pushed more firmly into me and remained so steadily.
I smirked, then relished another sip of my drink, before putting it down and pushing it away as I leaned in and dropped my voice low, “You should be made aware that—”
A commotion just beyond the black quartz bar pulled me up short, taking my attention.
Taking everyone’s attention, in fact.
Winter had his back to the situation. I’d purposely arranged things to ensure he didn’t have to look out at the happenings after what had occurred with the Ifrit.
I, on the other hand, had a full view of everything.
Looking just to the right of Winter, I took in the pathetic scene unfolding beside one of the alcoves.
And, yes, it involved Zayn Riene.
His pink fire was blazing forth as he battled against an icy blue-gray stream being fired forth by Keuric Glastor.
I’d been paying attention to my surroundings while I’d been interacting with Winter, something that had been driven into me deeply because I came from a species that had been persecuted for centuries. Through that, I’d listened in and out with my supernatural hearing and determined that Keuric didn’t like that Zayn was garnering the majority of the attention, apparently used to being the one whom that was lavished upon.
That ridiculous egomaniacal tension had now culminated in this.
I saw Evira make a move to intervene, breaking from the circle of powerful women surrounding her who she’d been enjoying herself with—the vampire couple, four Light Fae, a wolf, and even that Celestial who had accompanied Winter here. She called out for Keuric to calm himself.
Actually, to“cool off”, which was rather amusing coming from one ice dragon to another.
