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Her eyes flashed with indignation and she gaped at him for several moments. Then she snagged a glass from a nearby server’s tray, took a defiant sip, and, with a parting glare, turned to walk away from him.
“Insufferable,” he muttered, then noticed Cale smirking at him. “What?” he snapped.
Cale put his hands up. “Nothing.” Then he merely rumbled out a low mocking chuckle that made Tristan want to punch him in the face. Instead, his gaze to follow June through the crowd.
* * *
Excitement had practically tangled in the base of her stomach when she’d spotted Tristan, one out of a handful of people she knew here in this strange land. She wasn’t comfortable in large crowds. Add in the fact that she was surrounded by aliens, her anxiety was next-level heightened. She was good at hiding her emotions, however, had become an expert at a young age, and when Tristan accused her of flirting and ordered her to “stay out of trouble,” the offense had spurred her pride into hyper-gear.
Had he not turned into such a troglodyte, he would have gotten exactly what he wanted. She would have glued herself to his hip just for a small measure of security.
Now the opposite was her goal. No matter how uncomfortable she became, she would bear it and grin. She’d not allow herself to be ridiculed, controlled, and cowed by a man ever again.
One problem. She was like Alice, transported to a land where nothing made sense. Magic, dragons, demons? This place was not made for her. When the healer had come and placed his hands on her, though she had been grateful, she had also been terrified by the rapid changes happening within her body. Her bruises had vanished, and she could literally feel her organs knitting together; only then had she realized she’d had some internal damage that hadn’t yet presented. The sensation has nauseated her and boggled her mind.
Though at first she’d been mad at Tristan for taking her knife, she understood—she was a stranger among a royalty. Of course they’d be protective—but she’d wanted something familiar, someone to talk this through with.
She almost shoutedhail Mary, halleluiahwhen she spotted Zoey across the courtyard. Unfortunately, her only link to home was following the Faieara queen onto a wooden dais, where a large sheet of fabric covered something massive. When the queen called everyone to attention, June realized the ceremony was beginning.
8
As Kyra stood on stage, preparing to begin her speech, Tristan spied June from the corner of his eye. She was weaving through the crowd to get a better view. She ended up standing next to a tall Faieara guard with flowing black hair. The guard gave June a double take and then introduced himself, presenting his hand. When she placed her palm in his, he brought it to his lips for an imprudent kiss. Tristan thought he saw June’s shoulder cinch, even as a blush crept up her cheeks.
Tristan halfheartedly apologized to the Faieara in his path as he barreled past. June must have sensed him coming up behind her because her head snapped around, her iridescent eyes widening before she pointedly turned away. She hadn’t appreciated his behavior before and was now giving him the cold shoulder. No matter. She was his responsibility for the time being. At least until he returned her to Earth. She had best get used to that fact.
He plied the guard with the same look as the last male who had shown an interest in her, but this one was unfazed. “Your Majesty,” he bowed in respect, but then returned his attention to June. “Aside from that nasty business before, how are you enjoying our planet thus far?”
“It’s simply stunning,” she replied, all smiles for the complete stranger. “I never knew such a place could exist. Tell me, do you do magic?”
“I do indeed.”
June practically bounced as she clapped her hands together. “No. Really? Will you show me?”
The guard looked too pleased by the request. “I would be more than happy to after the ceremony.”
Tristan cut in, “You are exceedingly interested in magic.”
She sighed as though he were an annoyance. “Wouldn’t you be if you were me?”
“No’ in the least. If I were you, I’d stay as far from it as possible. Magic has been known to seduce the weak of mind.” June gasped, incensed, and he realized his phrasing had been taken in a way he hadn’t intended. “I don’t mean to say—”
“I am not weak of mind,” she seethed, stabbing him in the chest with her finger.
“I didn’t—”
“In fact, I worked two full-time jobs to put myself through school while taking care of myself and my little brother.” He stumbled back from the potency of her rage. “And I might have blundered my way here, I’ll give you that, but that doesn’t mean I’m incompetent, or stupid, or incapable of staying out of trouble.”
He tried not to notice how the passion of her anger made her eyes flare brighter. Humbling his expression, he gripped her inciting hand in his. “Hey, I’m sorry.”
Her head reared back and she blinked at him twice, as though that was the last thing she expected him to say.
“I didn’t mean to imply any of that. I just—” His words cut off when Kyra began her speech.
“Welcome everyone. Thank you for coming. Tonight, we’d like to honor the sacrifices of our dearest friends and allies and of King Mar himself, leader of the fierce Okora dragon clan. King Mar, like many others, Faieara and dragon alike, gave their lives to free the Faieara from the blight of tyranny and injustice. Their sacrifice can never be repaid. Their bravery will never be forgotten. And I promise, as long as I am on the throne and able to fight, our alliance with thrive stronger than ever and the terrible loss of our loved ones will not be in vain.”
Kyra glanced over, cueing Zoey, who yanked away the heavy tarp to reveal a majestic alabaster dragon statue, body rearing up, wings spread wide as though ready to take off from the ground. The crowd heartily clapped for the display.
When the applause died down, Kyra continued. “This statue, prominently displayed in the heart of our kingdom and carved from the strongest stone found on Evlon, depicts the power and might of our dragon brothers and sisters and will stand as a representation of our undying gratitude to the Okora clan. Whenever anyone looks upon it, they will be reminded of the noble actions not only of those who fought and lived, but of those who fought and died, for those who made it possible for the oppressed and abused to stand up and say no more! For the exploited and abused, chained and enslaved, to rise up! To seize the power that had been stole form them. To demand their freedom! Totaketheir freedom. By might and by right!”
