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“What about something that flies but is not a craft? A creature sort of like that killer bird, only more cuddly?” She gave Aidan a conspiratorial wink.
Cuddly, indeed.
One of the man’s fuzzy brows lifted. “As long as your flying transport is not motorized or mechanized, I suppose it would be allowed, but may I ask to what sort of creature you refer?”
“Oh, you’ll know it when you see it.” She held out her arm so he could scan her wristband before Aidan could talk her out of it. After a moment of reluctant hesitance, Aidan let the man scan him in as well.
As they stood off to the side waiting for more contestants to sign up for the next round, Aidan muttered darkly, “Don’t you think you should have asked if you could ride me before signing us up?”
Her smile came across sly and impish. “I didn’t think I had to ask, since I’ve already ridden you.”
He swallowed at the forced memory. “You know that’s not what I meant.”
She tsked. “Now, Aidan, you must have realized by now there was no way you and I would part ways without me finagling a way to soar through the sky on the back of your dragon counterpart at least once. If this mission proves too dangerous for even a fearsome dragon, you can fly us away, and we’ll simply forget about getting those two vouchers.”
She spoke with nonchalance, but his mind had tripped over the wordspart ways, and an odd sensation permeated his nerves.
Footsteps drew their attention. Caryn, Asher, and Lear were approaching. Lear was developing an angry bruise under his right eye. Asher’s left cheek was slightly swollen and discolored.
“Did you both win?” Onnika asked, then glanced curiously at Caryn. Her sister’s arms were crossed, and her expression was drawn tight with annoyance.
“They were being reckless and foolish,” Caryn announced in a tone sharper than Onnika had ever heard her use. “They each signed up for a second fight, even though they’d already won their vouchers.”
Aidan chastised them with a glare. “Why would you do that?”
Asher answered first. “He thinks he’s a better fighter than me.”
“Because I am,” Lear said matter-of-factly.
“I landed way more hits than you.”
“And I knocked out my opponent swifter, ergo…”
“That’s not even the worst part,” Caryn cut in. “Afterward, they started grappling with each other for no apparent reason.”
“What’s the matter with you two?” Aidan snapped. This little competition they’d started was clearly getting out of hand. “This isn’t why I asked you to…we have enough competition as it is without the two of you making enemies of one another.”
Onnika gaped at Asher and Lear, both of whom looked sullen and disgruntled as Aidan continued to reprimand them out of earshot. They were behaving like rivals. Was it just an act? Or was it all about besting the other? Their intention was foggy…unreadable. As though they weren’t quite sure what they planned to do next, but whatever it was, it concerned Caryn.
Caryn met her gaze and gave her an exasperated look.Men.
Onnika pulled her aside and lowered her voice. “What’s going on with them? They’re not interrogating you, are they?” Onnika had assumed that was why the two were focusing their attentions on Caryn, but now she wasn’t so sure. Their objective seemed to be shifting.
Visibly surprised by the question, Caryn shook her head. “They’re acting like they hate each other all of a sudden. They weren’t like this back on Latherial when we were shopping.” Onnika recalled staying with Priya, wanting to try on a few more outfits, while Caryn went off with Lear and Asher. Which one could claim to offer better protection was a tossup.
“What were they like on Latherial?”
She tapped her chin. “They were pleasant enough. Considerate.”
“How so?”
“Well, they explained more about the race and what’s to come. Lear bought me something to eat and then Ash decided we needed dessert. These delicious little cake things. He gave me the biggest one.” She smiled, as though it had been the nicest thing anyone had ever done for her.
Onnika felt a pang of sorrow over their difficult life, filled with more cruelty than kindness.
Caryn didn’t notice. “And then today he got me this necklace.” She hiked her thumb under the chain to lift a flower-shaped pendant with a red jewel at the center.
Onnika rocked back on her heels. “Ash gave that to you?” He was certainly showering her with sweets and jewelry. Was that Ash’s way of softening Caryn toward him, or had she bewitched them both without realizing it?
