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I reached out a hand to stop her from moving away and smacking me in the head with her wings, like I was sure she was about to. “Please don’t be mad at Malachi for this. He truly just wanted to take me to do something fun. And doing things I love is still restful for me. Still helping me recoup my magic.”
Her gaze was on my hand on her skin, so I quickly removed it. “Sorry.”
But she stayed put, looking me over.
“You’re staring again,” I offered playfully and more quietly.
I just—she paused.I appreciate your zeal for life.
I sent a breeze of my magic to knock the sand off my boxers. Nothing was more annoying than sandy undergarments. “Among other things?”
Could you please get some clothes on now?
I grinned. “I knew it.”
She swung around and I allowed her wing to smack me in the head, though I had definitely seen it coming. I instinctively knew she was talking to both me and Malachi now.I am not mad you two wished to have some fun. Next time just bring me with you.
Malachi trotted over to us, his hearing magically fixed, and I threw an arm around his neck. “That we can do.”
* * *
By the timewe made it back to the castle, I was ravenous.
We must find the prince some breakfast,Malachi told the queen.I forgot to feed him before we left.
Dex went to check in with the others while we took a trip to a dining area I hadn’t ever been in while in Dra Skor. Apparently, the queen hadn’t eaten yet either. There was a very large platter piled with meat. I think a turkey? Possibly multiple turkeys. They were the shape of some sort of huge bird.
I dug into my own food, giving the plate at the end of the table for the queen not another glance. There were carrots and apples cut for Malachi at another setting. “How do your diets adjust in your shifted forms?” I asked, curious. “And I mean no disrespect.”
Human food doesn’t taste the same,Malachi offered.Nor is it enough.We eat to stay healthy, but it is truly a struggle. Adapting to the diet of our shifted form helps, it seems to strengthen us.
“And what is a dragon’s diet?” I asked as I looked up, the queen picking her teeth with what looked like a kind of leg bone.
Lots of protein,she offered.I treat myself to the occasional fresh deer. But even then, we have to be careful not to disrupt the ecosystems of Dra Skor. Though there are only four of us in our winged dragon forms, if we all went binge eating on deer, we could decimate their population.
“So not even that is fun,” I muttered.
No,Malachi responded.Just necessary.
We finished eating in a contented silence, and then Malachi excused himself to go check in with Whit.
How often did you wave ride at home?The queen sent me as we moved to begin walking down a hallway, heading back to my rooms.
“Dail—” Before I could elaborate, she put her huge arm out and stopped me.
Shhhh.
After staying still and listening, more than a minute later, I heard footsteps and muffled voices.
It sounded like they were heading in the direction of the dining room, where we had just come from, but down the other hallway from the fork in the halls we had just passed.
“Even just the way he speaks,” I heard a familiar voice say, followed by laughter. “What a blubbering old crone.”
Someone said something else and the first voice, who I now recognized as Zaire, stated, “Yet he hides away with his hoard. A coward.”
“What else is he to do though?” the second voice asked.
“When you are as ancient as Serkan? I do not truly know. He could at least run more patrols around The Drak. Even just appear to make himself useful.” A pause. “He hides away from his wife, but I don’t know if he even remembers who his wife is anymore, he is too demented.”
