Page 47 of Beautiful Beast

Staring at them, I couldn’t quite figure out why I kept having to look twice. They looked one way, and then I nearly swore their face changed. Or appeared differently.

“Do I have some of my last meal on my face?”

Blinking, I shook my head. “I apologize. You are… unlike anyone I’ve encountered. Your face appears to shift, and I do not understand.”

“It does not surprise me. I do not believe you have many of my kind among the humans. Or rather, you must, but they will never tell, and you shall never know.” Setting the pile of shimmering fabric on the table, they assessed me again. “Most of the world comes in pairs. Light and darkness. Sunlight and rain. Masculine and feminine. Most living things claim one or the other. I am neither. As a dragon, my form is more fluid than that of a human.” They laughed then. “It does as it pleases more than I would like.”

Now, as I looked at their face, I understood more. The dichotomy between soft and harsh that appeared and disappeared. “You are correct. I’ve never encountered a human like you.” I smiled. “Then again, I’ve not encountered many things.”

They glanced out the window into the sunset. “Not all of our kind disdains humans. I am sorry you’ve encountered ones who do so quickly.”

“The Heirs haven’t decided whether I shall live or die,” I said. “I can’t say I expected everyone to be kind.”

Laughing, Idroal looked at me. “Haven’t they decided?” Suddenly their head snapped toward the door, and they gathered the dress up again. “Come. The Heirs summon us.”

“How do you know?”

“I hear whispers. Through the stone of the mountain. It is one of my gifts, and also how I knew who was to blame. I heard the whispers and took them as nothing but idle gossip.”

We left the Heirs’ chambers and went down several spirals. My gut twisted, recognizing the open chamber we approached. The empty peak, open to the sky. The cells I’d been imprisoned in were across the space and through the darkness of that hallway. But on either side of the mountain, the mouths of the chambers yawned wide.

The setting sun burned orange, red, and yellow, reflecting off the stone. And against the entrance open to the sea, three silhouettes stood. I already knew who they were, despite having known them for no time at all. It was only after I realized they were standing, looking at me, that I saw two more silhouettes on their knees.

Idroal walked beside me, so I whispered. “I asked them not to hurt them.”

They hummed softly. “You did. But this isn’t the human world. Their actions mean more than you can know. By using you, they have attacked the Heirs, and that cannot stand. Whatever their punishment, it has nothing to do with you, Princess. They made their choices and will bear the consequences, no matter what they are.”

It was true. If we were in the court of Rensara and someone had taken an action against me in this way, my father would have taken their life. It didn’t comfort me, but I understood it.

Blinking against the brightness, we approached. Soza and the dragon with the violet hair. The second stared at the ground, but Soza stared at me with undisguised hatred. I stopped when I saw her look. Idroal gently set their hand on my shoulder and guided me forward.

Zovai met us, stepping close enough that I had to look up at him. The way his gaze roved over me was filled with so much more heat than when I’d been dressed in nearly nothing. It was me looking at his lips this time, wondering what it would feel like to be kissed. Endre came so close, and I still didn’t know.

For one eternal moment I sensed that Zovai wanted to reach for me, but he didn’t. “It is our custom that the wronged observe the punishment of those who have committed a crime against them.”

My breath shuddered in my chest. “I would ask that you do not make me watch them die. Please.”

His eyes softened for the briefest moment. “They will not be killed. But neither will their behavior be tolerated.” Zovai paused, then sighed. “If it eases your mind, it is bigger than you. Even if you had been a dragon, they would be punished.”

“Idroal explained, but a dragon would not have been taken in by their own customs.”

He smiled, though his eyes were still full of fire. “It does not matter. Will you witness?”

“How do I know that witnessing this will not make them hate me more and do something worse next time? If I am alive long enough for a next time.”

Zovai went rigid. More than once I’d seen people attempt revenge in court for smaller slights than this. And given Soza’s glare, I didn’t doubt she would try.

“They have been bound by the commands of their punishment, in the way that dragons can be, and humans cannot.”

I looked over at Idroal, hoping for some clarity.

They knew. “Power, Princess. Dragons rule by right of power, closely followed by blood. A decree made by the Heirs cannot be defied by any but the Elders themselves.”

“And they will not touch you,” Zovai whispered, taking half a step toward me and stopping, only just catching himself. “I swear it.”

Swallowing, I met his gaze. More than this moment rested there. A drawing—like the quiet movement of a river beneath the surface, forever pulling to the center of the world. Toward them.

“Thank you,” I finally managed.

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