That’s because Zenevieve is special, whispers a voice in the back of my mind. I thought so even when I was a boy. I was both captivated by her and envious of her. She had so much loving family around her, and it was obvious, at least to me, that she had an affinity for dragons. When she suddenly left Lenhale, I was sad to see her go, even though I barely knew her. I was glad she came back. I’m happy she stayed. Bringing her Minta and watching them bond has been the happiest I’ve felt since Nilak chose me.
I stroke my thumbs across her cheeks, smiling. “Now you and Minta truly belong to each other, inside and out.”
“We do?” Zenevieve runs over to the mirror on the wall. She touches her face and her hair, marveling at the changes in appearance. Her eyes fill with tears, but this time her tears have a little joy in them as well as grief. “I look like Minta. I wish Mother and Father could have seen this.”
There’s the sound of footsteps in the corridor outside, and then a knock on my door. With the ghost of a smile on my lips, I open the door.
My smile dies when I see who it is. A man of average height with brown hair and ruddy cheeks, and the comfortable softness of a mated man who’s never known combat. Lambert, Zenevieve’s eldest brother. He should be hundreds of miles away in southern Maledin. I was expecting him to reply to Zenevieve’s tearstained letter with one of his own, not turn up here in person.
“Dragonmaster Stesha. I understand that my sister is here?”
A cold feeling washes over me. I want to slam the door in Lambert’s face, but I stand back and allow him entrance.
“Lambert!” Zenevieve runs into his embrace.
“What terrible time you must have been having, my poor duckie.”
Duckie? What a ridiculous nickname for a dragonrider.
The right thing to do would be to give them space, but I stay rooted to the spot with my arms folded, an angry, ominous feeling in my chest. The fact that Lambert has come all the way to Lenhale bodes ill.
Lambert takes both her hands in his. “Zenevieve, I’ve come to take you back home with me.”
No. She’s mine.I almost snarl those words aloud, but I bite them back and say instead, “Lambert. Before he died, Alin asked me to take Zenevieve in.”
He eyes me with a wary expression. “While he was dying? I don’t believe Father was in his right mind.”
“He was.” I resist the urge to add,And how dare you question me, you lowly Beta.My teeth grind together as Lambert turns to Zenevieve.
“I’ll ask Zenevieve what she wants. Duckie, your nieces and nephews long to see you. They will love to have you home with us.”
I cast an impatient glance around the room. A promising young dragonrider forced to be a nursemaid? Has he even noticed that her hair and eyes have changed color? I’m offended from the top of my head to the tips of my toes.
“What about Minta?” Zenevieve asks.
“Who’s Minta?”
“Zenevieve’s dragon,” I growl.
Lambert hesitates. “The king’s dragons can’t be removed from the flare. I’m sorry, but she will have to stay here.”
“Then I will stay here.” Zenevieve comes over to me and slips her fingers into mine. I stare at our joined hands, feeling a weight lift off my heart.
When I forget to speak, Zenevieve adds uncertainly, “Stesha already said I can stay with him.” She looks hopefully to me for confirmation. “Isn’t that right?”
I squeeze her hand in mine and smile at her. “Always.”
She turns back to Lambert. “Then it’s settled. I’m going to stay with Stesha.”
“But you barely know the dragonmaster,” Lambert protests. “You need your family.”
“I have family here. Nilak knew me right away. Destrin was like a father to Stesha. Minta is my sister. I’m not leaving them.”
Lambert glares at me as if this is all my fault, and I glare right back. I don’t care if he’s her brother. I’m not letting her go. Zenevieve belongs in Lenhale.
“But I came all this way…” Lambert drops his hand and sighs. “You always were too stubborn for your own good.”
He mutters and mopes for a while longer, but finally he makes Zenevieve promise to meet him in the Great Hall for dinner, and then he goes away.
