Page 10 of Monsters of Air

Yes, because of my exploding strangling hair.

I gave him a look, which he couldn’t see thanks to my blinding hood.

“Come. We need to get food in us before the inn runs out.”

We took the first table we could find, the small wooden thing nestled between the fireplace and the bar where some kind of shrine had been set up. Candles circled around a photo. A loving looking couple were mirrored on the silver surface, the tin type reflecting the candlelight and turning all the gray’s blue. A necklace snaked around it all, two rings glinting on the chain.

“What is that?”

Da sighed and looked at the photo with a frown. “If I had to guess it’s the family of the dragon.”

He didn’t have to say more than that. He had told me enough before. It wasn’t a shrine, it was a memorial.

Except no one here seemed to be sad. I couldn’t help but feel like I was missing something.

The heat from the fireplace licked at my skin, warming the last of the chill that had managed to settle into my bones from our race through the wilderness. I didn’t realize how cold I was until the heat of the fire spread over me.

Da sat me down before going back to the bar and talking with the woman behind it. He ordered food, but I was already looking for dragons, not that I knew what I was looking for. Who knew how accurate the stories were.

“Dinner will be out shortly,” Da said as he settled into the chair across from me, his eyes fluttering closed as he leaned back in the chair. “We’ll eat then head back upstairs.”

“Not before I look around.” I was going to see a dragon tonight, like hell if I was going to let him stop me.

“Rayna. You need to remain as hidden as possible. We eat, we go back to the room. I’ll head out after dinner and get the rest of our supplies.” Of course he would get to go out, his lack of exploding hair, or any hair at all for the matter.

I scowled at him, knowing he was set in his decision, but also knowing I was for sure going to sneak out after he left.

“Yes, sir,” I said in my gloomiest voice. He didn’t even question me.

Da looked like he wanted to say something else, but he only leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes again.

I watched him for a moment, humming to the music and tapping my fingers against the table. People were laughing and cheering, downing drinks faster than they could be served. It was the perfect environment for me to just slip away. It wouldn’t take much…

Before I could find a time to slip away a woman came over and served both of us a huge glass of water, a bowl of stew, and a huge piece of bread.

“Let me know if you need anything else.” She walked away, stopping at the tables along the way back to the bar.

The food was absolutely delicious, all the flavors dancing across my tongue. Back at home, we were limited on seasonings, but they didn’t have that issue here. I only managed to eat a couple bites of stew when the room grew hushed. People shifted around, clapping breaking out as everyone turned to something behind me. I turned, already knowing what was coming. My whole body felt electrified, something new and foreign thrumming through my veins. The air felt heavier, hotter. Intense.

The crowd moved, making space for whoever came in, and for the first time in my life, I saw real dragons. Three of them.

My fantasies had nothing on the gorgeous monsters before me.

Massive leathery wings peeked over shimmering scaled shoulders, they wore no shoes, leaving room for small talons that clacked against wood. In fact, they wore nothing more than leather breeches, leaving their muscled chests, and the glittering scales that lined them open to view.

Despite the lack of light, their jeweled eyes practically glowed. It was enough to fuel my daydreams for all of eternity.

All the breath inside of me left and all I could do was stare at them.

They stopped, glanced in my direction only briefly, before finally claiming a table not far from us as theirs, those around them more than happy to give it to them as they patted their shoulders and spouted excited words.

All I could do was sit there, ass frozen to my chair, as I practically drooled over the beautiful specimens.

“We need to go,” Da said, sliding back into his panic.

I didn’t even hear him. I didn’t care.

Not anymore.

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