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My thoughts must have tangled me so tightly I forgot the rest of the world existed.
Dex laughed and lounged against the railing beside me. "Unless you're a sea serpent, you might need more time than that."
I smiled. "Perhaps I am." If I was part shifter, then it might as well be sea serpent. I might enjoy the taste of seamen.
He chuckled. "Is that the secret you keep?"
I barely contained a flinch. "My…secret?"
He eyed me speculatively. "Of course. Everyone has them, is that yours?"
I realised he was teasing, or at least fishing for information. He gave no indication he asked about anything specific.
I gave him the side-eye. "I hope not, I'm a terrible swimmer and hate having pruned skin." I wrinkled my nose.
"Perhaps you're better suited to being a garden dragon then." He smiled as though he remembered something. A past joke maybe? As far as I knew, there was no such thing as garden dragons. Although, until this morning I thought the Vault was in the middle of Sydney, so what did I know?
"I like trees and flowers better than water," I agreed. Uncomfortable with this line of conversation, I changed it. "You were looking for me? Was I supposed to be somewhere?" Czari hadn't said anything, but I hadn't seen her for hours. If she let me miss something important, I'd be pissed.
Before Dex could reply, Bain trotted to the top of the stairs. He nodded toward me. His eyes lingered for a moment before he looked away.
"Keeper, you got a moment?" he asked. His face was as unreadable as ever, but he seemed uncomfortable.
"Excuse me." Dex flashed me a smile, but his brow was creased.
"Of course." I stepped aside so they could speak without me overhearing. That didn't stop me from trying.
Bain whispered something in an urgent tone and slipped something into Dex's palm.
The Keeper said something back, but nodded and shrugged.
"Go and enjoy yourself," Dex told him. "I'll be fine."
Bain gave me a look, his dark eyes unreadable.
I regarded both men and my heart skipped a beat. I remembered the statue of Hades, Persephone and the other god and wished we were all alone.
Silence hung between the two men like a mist, before Bain disappeared back down the stairs.
Dex moved to stand beside me, but his body was stiffer than it had been. He seemed…tense.
He cleared his throat. "Most people are in the great hall celebrating the hunt, but you don't have to be there if you don't want to."
I didn't know where the great hall was. The sound and smells of 'most people' would probably guide me if I bothered to look.
"I don't have a map," I reminded him. "Shouldn't you be there? People will notice if you're not." The smell of spices, smoke and blood washed off his skin. They were heady, if a bit overwhelming.
"They'll be too busy drinking to notice," he said with a shrug. "Besides, I have something for you." He held out his hand and opened his fingers.
I looked down onto his palm and my eyes widened. "Is that—"
"A dragon scale," he finished for me.
The size of his palm, it was almost perfectly round, and nearly the exact green of my t-shirt. No way in Hades that was a coincidence. I would bet every cent in the Vault Dex told the tailor what colour to put me in. Uneasy was an understatement. His control was more benign than the Covener, but for how long? No, I totally didn't have trust issues, much,
"Was that his?" I asked, confused. "Bain's?" Why the fuck was Dex giving it to me?
"No." Dex shook his head, his eyes intent on mine. "He always insists I claim one." He looked amused for some reason. "He knows I will only give it to someone else, so he suggested you. I think he thought you'd be impressed."
