Chapter 9 #3
All talking stops as servers arrive to clear what’s left of the main course and bring platters of fruits, breads, and cheeses to the table.
Idallia immediately grabs some of everything as she says, “Rannigan took her as a baby. If she’s even still alive, Cealastra only knows what lies he’s put in her head.
She might adore him and have been so isolated from the rest of the world that she thinks he saved her from…
” Her gaze flicks to me. “You, probably.”
My heart thumps so hard there can’t be a dragon shifter in the room who doesn’t hear it. Then again, there’s a lot of noise in the dining hall.
“Ugh, that’s probably true.” Maia’s face falls as she turns to me. “If she ever appears, she might be your other number one enemy.”
“Or she might learn the truth and turn on Rannigan,” I counter. That would be ideal.
“If she’s even alive—like Idallia said. I’m not convinced.” Danica takes only bread and cheese and ignores the fruit, which is mainly offered for the non-dragon shifter residents of Drayke Mountain.
“The next Council should tell you more, right?” Idallia asks me. “If there’s a tied vote or violence among the rulers and Cealastra doesn’t show up to weigh in, we’ll know she’s really gone. In that case, maybe the Fanghaven survivor is too.”
“A starborn successor can’t be chosen for Fanghaven if Cealastra isn’t there to choose,” I cautiously agree.
“Then maybe Rexton Hale will finally get what he wants,” Kellan says from the far side of the table. “He can claim the throne without being starborn or Cealastra’s choice.”
“As long as the person upholds Fanghaven’s traditions, I don’t really care who’s on the throne.” Idallia’s color has improved after eating. She looked even paler than usual before. “Blood violence isn’t tolerated there, and that’s what matters. They should be our allies, like they were before.”
Her our sends an unexpected thrill through me.
And I agree with her. I have no more issue with the way Fanghaven vampires procure their blood, whether it’s from a vein or a cup, than I do with how the vampires in Torridaig get their food.
The problem is Bloodwold, where consent doesn’t matter, and kidnapping victims are sold to the highest bidders at underground blood markets and taken to households where they’re fed upon until they die.
“If the Fanghaven heir ever emerges, I hope she’ll be our ally,” I murmur. “She and I would have a chance of keeping Rannigan Bloodthief in a cage.”
“Wouldn’t that be nice?” Arran sighs, handing off his empty plate.
I haven’t eaten much of the dessert course and pick up a fat, purple-black fig. I hand it to Idallia, then reach for the cheese and bread.
She gives me an odd look, and my inner heat rises, flushing my neck. “Did you know I like figs?”
I don’t know if I did. I just figured she would because of the color and texture. I shrug.
“Why didn’t you kill Rannigan Bloodthief all those years ago?
” Kellan looks right down the table at me and asks the question no one ever asks.
I give him a what-the-fuck look, but he doesn’t stop there.
“He wasn’t protected from firebreath back then.
How did he get close enough to slice through your chest scales when you could’ve burned him to a crisp or bitten him clean in half? ”
Even Wade gapes at Kellan, finding nothing to ease the tension this time.
“I was injured,” I say flatly.
“That was the injury,” Kellan insists. “How did he get that close? You’re not like Idallia. You don’t get distracted and stop paying attention in the middle of a fight.”
While his statement is unfortunately true, my pulse shoots off in anger just as I hear Idallia’s sharp inhalation.
“I kicked your ass today, Kellan,” she snaps. “Even when I was bored to death.”
He cuts her a stony look. “I didn’t fight back.”
“Well, then I guess that makes you the one not paying attention. The goal was to give me a challenge, not leave me yawning and annoyed.”
His chair scrapes back, and he stands. “I have things to do tomorrow. I’ll see you all the morning after for the race to the pillars.”
Kellan turns to leave, and I can’t help the words that catapult from my mouth.
“There won’t be a race. Maia flies right wing, since she was the only one to best Idallia.
Idallia flies left wing, since she bested everyone else.
The rest of you can work yourselves out.
” I lean back in my chair and cross my hands behind my head, not sure if I’m pleased with myself for stunning them all silent, or worried I’m making unprecedented decisions I can’t fully explain even to myself.
I strive for humor, if only to calm my own racing heart. “Come now. I know we’re carnivores, but let’s not catch flies in those open mouths.”
Everyone snaps their mouth shut except for Idallia. She laughs, and I instantly crave more of the spontaneous, soul-lightening sound. She’s the real reason I’m here tonight, isn’t she? The reason I don’t like solitude nearly as much as I used to.
Sensations from earlier today flood back to me again on a hard rush of blood.
The throbbing heat of her pulse jumping up to reach me when my lips don’t even touch her throat.
Her scent, like bright sunshine on crisp new snow.
The cold lake around us, and her battle-hot body under mine, shapely and strong.
A sense of doom settles over me as everyone finishes their meal, and I start to wish I’d just stayed alone in my lair tonight.
I wonder if there’s a name for a card player who keeps an ace up his sleeve for so long that he forgets what part of the game the card is meant for, and now just wants to keep it close to his skin, where it’s already been for years.