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I hold my silence, but the girl isn’t finished speaking.
“Can you shift?” she asks, sounding so damn hopeful.
I’m not sure if I should give her that information or not.
“Your name?” I ask, still keeping a wary eye on the crouched dragon. Fucking dragon. I’m seriously staring at a dragon.
I’m starting to think the world is only getting crazier.
“Sorry,” she says, lowering her dejected hand. “My name is unimportant. The king wishes I only refer to him and his wishes, as I am merely a messenger.”
I’m about to say something to that, when another shadow cloaks us in darkness. I look up, poised to dodge an ambush, when a black dragon spirals straig
ht down to us, the way it did nine days ago when it attacked the harbingers.
It lands several feet back, far enough away to keep the dust from slapping us in the face. I watch, unable to look away, as the scales start receding, and the size starts shrinking. Reptilian layers turn to humanoid flesh so effortlessly and fluidly that it takes less than thirty seconds for a naked man to emerge from his crouch on the ground.
Short, spiky black hair gets a hand pushed through it as he walks toward us with a confident gait and menacing eyes. The girl looks over and glares at him, eyeing him like he’s done something wrong.
“Of course they sent you,” he says, eyeing the girl with a smirk on his lips.
She hisses—actually hisses—at him.
“Who’s the naked guy?” Dice asks the girl, pointing at the man who’s a few inches taller than me—which is definitely new, considering I’m well over six feet.
The girl turns and faces us, her jaw ticking. She doesn’t respond.
“I’m Audair Darius. Obviously not her Audair, since their Budair seems to think it’s entirely appropriate to send a powerless, flightless serf to a meeting where she may or may not be killed. But then again, red always has a streak of yellow. Am I correct, Teya?”
She darts her eyes away.
“Budair seems too close to bidet,” Dice decides to say. “I keep picturing their kings washing their butts while sending them orders.”
Why did I bring him?
Neither the Audair nor the serf seem to care what he’s saying. Now they’re glaring at each other. Teya is pissed. The new prince is amused.
“So there is apparently more than just one reign,” I say, drawing their attention back to me.
The man’s lips twitch. “Yes. And my people will remain under the rule of the Audair and Budair Hyken family. As long as you refrain from trying to assert your queen’s dominion over us, all will remain peaceful from my people. We’ve established borders, although they are a little crowded.”
His eyes swing toward Teya.
“You tried to claim the only land where we could grow the Mirenas. The earth is too sullied elsewhere, and you know it. Why are you here, Darius? You follow me?”
Dice looks at me like I somehow know what the fuck a Mirena is just because I have a little dragon in me.
Darius grins at her then snaps his teeth, biting the air. She flushes but looks back at us.
“My Budair also asked me to express his concerns about the dominion,” she says calmly. “We remain under his rule and our Audair’s. We will segregate ourselves from your people. The region we’ve selected is vacant and uninhabited by humans or immortals. Our numbers will not impose upon you, and we will all remain within our own boundaries. If you need to speak with us, we ask that you make a formal request. We will do the same with you.”
She bows again.
“Such a good little diplomatic serf. Why do you never show me such respect when your Budair sends you into my territory to broker arrangements?”
“I only respect those who have not given me a reason to detest them,” she states flatly.
He seems to love the fact she’s insulting him. I’m more annoyed and confused than anything.
