Page 54 of Beautiful Beast

“All right. Can Varí come?”

This time it was a true smile. “I think everyone would love that.”

Where he sat on my shoulder, I felt him start to purr, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw him turn a deep crimson red. Nearly like a ruby. “I think he’d like that too.”

The path to the room was familiar, and my stomach twisted with nerves. But the atmosphere was entirely different. It was far more joyful than it had been yesterday.

Dragons were sitting around the room working on projects both magical and not, chattering much like the ladies of court would do as they worked on the same. Though there would have been a distinct lack of magic.

On that same large pillow, the elder female dragon lounged. I looked at her more closely than I had. Silver streaked her hair, which told me nothing about her age because that same silver touched her eyes. Even seated and lounging, she carried an air of power, and the easy smile on her face turned toward me. “There you are. I hoped you would come to us again.”

So she must be Ellemar. Yesterday she hadn’t been introduced.

“Thank you for having me. I did not know this was your hoard. I am honored.”

She snorted and sat up, reaching out to put the glass she held on a nearby table. “I would normally accept your honor, girl, because my hoard is indeed impressive. But given what has happened, I must apologize for how it was weaponized.”

Tightness clung to my chest. This was a landscape I didn’t know how to navigate. I opened my mouth and closed it, aware of how many eyes were on me and completely unsure of how many in this room felt the same.

Ellemar lifted her chin, and I saw understanding in her eyes. “Dragons value honesty above all else. We would rather hear a painful truth than a pretty lie. And further, none here share the sentiment. Or if they do, they can remove themselves.”

A command that held power. But no one moved.

I bowed my head. “Thank you. Nothing bad happened, and I did not ask for their punishment. I tried to stop it.”

“Yrre has said as much. Despite her pain and punishment, you might have changed her mind. Belleo,” she raised her voice and called.

The blonde dragon who accompanied her yesterday appeared from the back room, and her whole being lit up. “Oh, you’re here.”

Ellemar chuckled. “Take her and get her something that doesn’t have her walking all over Skalisméra in the Heirs’ scents, please.”

I flushed crimson.

Varí nuzzled my neck, and Ellemar caught the motion. “Who is that?”

“This is Varí. He came with me from Rensara.” All the dragon’s interest sharpened. I turned my head toward him. “Stay here with her while they make me clothes?”

He leapt from my shoulder, gliding over to Ellemar, already growling in greeting. I couldn’t help but smile. The older dragon seemed captivated by him, which wasn’t surprising. Everyone was captivated by him.

Belleo appeared at my side. “Come.”

I followed her into that secondary room, stuffed to the rafters with every kind of fabric in creation. Upon closer inspection I spied doors I hadn’t noticed before. No doubt this hoard was bigger than I imagined.

“I didn’t know dragons allowed their hoards to be used.”

She laughed. “Ellemar is very particular about who and what for. No doubt she will be even more so now.”

“I am sorry.”

“Don’t be. If it hadn’t been this, it would have been something else. Soza has been daring fate to bite her in the ass for over a century. Most of us were not even surprised.”

I blinked, unsure of how to react.

“Once upon a time, the Elders presented her as a potential mate for the Heirs. They said no, and she’s never stopped trying. She went to them herself in the manner she sent you more than once and was rejected every time. If I’d been present last night I would have put an end to it.”

“Thank you.”

“Now.” She stared at me. “Let me think. You have unusual hair for a human.”

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