“I’ll warn Kallias. He’ll know what to expect.”
“You should’ve seen the way people ogled Gyrak. No sense of self-preservation.”
“Radaan is used to horses, cattle, and sheep.”
“They’re soft.”
“No.” I closed my eyes and laced my hands behind my head. “Radaan’s fresh from war. They crave peace—Kallias craves peace.They’ve fought and bled for their land. Radaan’s people are proud, courageous. They may not be accustomed to dragons, but they are not soft. They’re just not Draconis.”
Silence reigned, and Scythe’s curiosity buzzed in the air. I rolled over to face her, locking eyes with her gleaming gaze.
“You called him Kallias again,” she said.
I groaned and grabbed a pillow, aiming it at her with a laugh. She shrieked and ducked, grinning as she dodged my assault.
“He’s my future father-in-law! I can call him by his first name!”
“Oh, but the way your eyes sparkle and glow!”
I chased her across the bed, whacking her with another pillow.
When Edith returned, we were a hysteric heap of laughter, my bedchamber in disarray.
When I entered the dining hall, I fought to keep my face neutral as Tallon offered me his arm. My gaze drifted to Kallias, who stood with a group of individuals engaged in easy conversation.
The Ivetti ambassador, a woman in a long flowing garment that trailed along the floor, wore a strip of matching cloth around her neck that cascaded to the ground. It was far more modest than the attire her people wore—or rather,didn’twear.
Behind her stood a guard clad in trousers and leather armor, a typical Ivetti choice. His arms, covered in intricate markings, hinted at their customs and rich culture.
“Neighbors of yours?”
The question, framed in his dismissive tone, irked me. He judged them based on appearances, unaware of their true nature. The Ivetti were among the most generous people I knew, their kindness extending far beyond what most understood. The only thing that kept other nations from threatening their island home was the whirlstorms, which made any siege impossible.
“Friendly ones, unlike yours,” I muttered.
He chuckled. “Vellos is friendly enough—if you know how to win them over.”
I stiffened as I realized he was steering us away from them—toward the dais. “We should greet the ambassador lest we fail to win them over,” I suggested, my tone sharper than I intended—though with Tallon, some force seemed to be necessary.
“Kallias will take care of it.”
He ascended the first step, and it took every ounce of restraint not to wrench my arm free and march straight to the group.
“This will be your kingdom one day. Perhaps you should develop some relations,” I hissed, my smile concealing my irritation.
“You’re right—”
He gave my relief no chance to take root.
“—it will bemykingdom one day.”
He led me up the stairs and to my chair, waiting until I sat before shoving it in, pinning me against the table. I grunted, bracing against the wood to keep from being crushed.
His breath tickled my ear as he leaned down to whisper, “You would do well to remember that.”
My fury flared like dragon’s fire, hands trembling as I pressed them into my lap. Tallon’s chuckle stoked the flames, turning my vision red. At that moment, Kallias stormed up the dais, his presence and indignation sweeping toward us like a raging whirlstorm.
Tallon moved to sit beside me, but the king strode around the table and snared his arm, hauling him upright. I kept my gaze down, unwilling to make a scene. Nobles exchanged glances, their attention shifting between the ambassador and the rising tension between the royals.
