What’s a pig?
“Ahhh…” Skylar tries to send a mental image of a pig and gets asnort and a warm puff of smoky breath on her cheek—she’s not sure if it’s disbelieving or amused.
Skylar squares her shoulders.Okay, Alina—
There’s a hiss, and Skylar raises her eyebrows.I thought you liked that name.There is another hiss.
“Something wrong with her?” Simone asks.
“She doesn’t like ‘Alina,’?” Skylar explains.
“Ah. ‘Ember’?”
Hiss.
Simone chuckles.
Okay, back to “baby dragon” it is. Hiss.You are a baby, no getting around that.Her tiny wings pull in tight and she shifts on Skylar’s shoulder, angling her head away.
Those on the benches closest to the entrance stop eating as Skylar enters. A ripple of stillness runs down the length of the hall, conversations muted before turning to whispers. Claws tighten on Skylar’s shoulder.
Skylar turns her stride into a saunter, leaving Simone by the doorway and not bothering to acknowledge the heads that turn her way. These people are the ones who looked down on her, now daring to watch her with admiration. She can feel fury building, and knows if she meets any of their gazes, her power is likely to erupt.
The dragon nuzzles her ear, like she can sense it. Is it just because she’s little that she’s like this? Skylar can’t exactly imagine Mjolnir nuzzling.
The king stands as she approaches the royal table, which is set on a dais. He opens his arms wide. “My daughter.”
And this is clearly why he wanted her here. An opportunity to claim her in front of everyone, now that she is the Chosen Heir. She wonders if she’s locked into that—if she actuallyhasto unite the lands and bring glory to Vatra, or if it’s more of a negotiable kind of legend.
Do you know anything about this Chosen Heir thing?
The little dragon blinks at her, like she doesn’t understand the question. Helpful.
The king has made room for her on his right, the queen and Zryan to his left, the latter of whom is looking at the dragon with a carefully neutral expression.
Her footsteps falter. What is she doing? She doesn’t want to sit with the royal family. A hot, twisted panic curdles within her. These people took Cam, murdered her mother, tried to kill her. She doesn’t want to—
A familiar earthen scent wraps around her. Then Axel is there, one hand on the small of her back. “You can do this,” he murmurs, guiding her to the table and taking the chair next to her.
The moment she is seated, the king produces a large box. “A gift,” he says loudly. “For the Masked Ball.”
Skylar stares at the box, only taking it when Axel nudges her in the ribs. She opens it a crack, catches sight of something orange. And frilly.
“I took the liberty of having a dress made for you,” the king says, still in that loud, grand tone. It’s so creepy. When Skylar doesn’t respond, his eyes flash, though he covers it with a smile. Next to him, Ottilie’s expression is tight, and she seems to be trying hard not to look at Skylar—or at the dragon, who is currently crawling down Skylar’s leg and toward the edge of the dais.
Is the Little One safe?Thunder ripples through her mind.
She’s safe, Skylar assures him, as she does several times a day. Mjolnir originally told her that the hatchling should be taken to the island, where the other dragons could look after her. But said hatchling adamantly refused—and Skylar stood by this choice. After all, if she hatched for Skylar, surely she’s supposed to stay with Skylar? Given there is no precedent for eggs hatching for humans, Mjolnir hadn’t been able to disagree.
She reaches for the jug of juice, but a servant is there instantly, pouring it for her as if she’s incapable. She takes a sip once the servant steps back. Axel is in conversation with one of the Dreki behind them, while the king has his back to her, speaking to Zryan and the queen.
“What I want to know,” the king is muttering, “is how he escaped.”
Skylar keeps her head bent over her goblet. Who escaped? From what?
“He must have had help,” Ottilie says, her menagerie standing silently at her back. Skylar wonders briefly why the menagerie botherto serve the queen, given they are so much more powerful than her—have their lives been threatened, too? If so, why do they seem toenjoyserving so much? “But you said that there was no sign of forced entry anywhere in the castle,” the queen continues.
“I’ll help Axel look into it,” Zryan says, just as Axel leans toward Skylar on her other side.
