He glared across the space at Leanna, who, arms folded, returned his scowl with equal intensity.
“Your dramatic entrance from the sky looked like a threat, okay?” she snapped. “Forgive me for not throwing a welcome party. It’s not like we get visitors from the Isle of the Dragon dropping in every day.”
“I’m not from the Isle of the Dragon—I’m a Valdier prince!” he snapped, then winced at his own haughty, defensive tone.
“Well, how was I supposed to know that, your princeliness!” Leanna retorted.
Bálint flushed. He knew he was being an idiot—he just couldn’t seem to stop himself. It wasn’t helping that even his dragon was shaking his head in disgust at him.
What wrong with you?
I don’t know! he silently hissed.
“All I know was one minute I was falling through a hole in the portal to—this place; and the next, I was tangled in glowing webbing between two trees!” Bálint stated, running his hands through his messy hair. “What kind of threat is that?! You-you blasted me with air then tickled my dragon!”
Leanna smirked. “Clearly, you’re a threat. And for the record—your dragon’s way cuter than you are! Besides, you did punch Geoff. I would call that threatening.”
“That’s different,” Bálint muttered. “Of course I punched him. He kissed my— He kissed Alice!”
Geoff, leaning against a tree with his arms crossed, straightened. “If you’d been there to protect her in the first place, maybe I wouldn’t have gotten the chance.” His eyes glinted. “Besides… that wasn’t the only time I kissed her.”
The words landed like a slap.
Bálint froze mid-step and turned, staring at Alice as if she’d sprouted horns.
“You… kissed him?” he demanded, his voice cracking on a high note. “More than once?”
Alice’s eyes narrowed, her cheeks flushing. “Excuse me? I can kiss whoever I want, Bálint! I don’t answer to you—or any of you!” She tossed her hair and turned to Leanna, ignoring the stunned silence now hanging between the boys like a drawn sword. “You said something earlier about the mist? Do you know where Adaline might be?”
Leanna raised a curious brow at the outburst, clearly enjoying the show. “The white mist you’re talking about? That belongs to the Mist Dwellers. They live on the island in the center of the lake.”
Alice’s shoulders straightened. “Can you take me there?”
Bálint stepped forward, schooling his voice. “Us. Can you take us to the island?”
Leanna’s gaze flicked between the two of them before nodding. “It’s not far. But it’s… forbidden. Wind Spinners aren’t allowed to engage with the Mist Dwellers.”
“Please,” Alice said softly, stepping closer. “Adaline is my cousin. She’s younger, scared, and probably thinks she’s alone on an alien world. She could be hurt. She needs us—needs me.”
Leanna hesitated. Then sighed and gave a sharp nod. “Fine. I’ll take you. But if I get grounded for a year, it’s on you.”
Bálint stepped forward, his voice quieter. “Thank you. Really.”
Leanna looked up at him, eyes unreadable.
Then—before he could process what was happening—she leaned up and kissed him.
Right on the lips.
In front of Alice.
“That’s payment in case I get in trouble,” she murmured with a smirk. “I hope you’re worth it.”
Bálint blinked.
His thoughts tangled like a net. Short-circuited. Scrambling.
Leanna had kissed him.
