Page 44 of Betrayed By Dragons

"Do go on," Rafe says, coming to stand behind me.

I glance up, a warning in my eyes, but I hold it in. Ember is with him, her brow furrowed as she looks Tsing over.

"I rest my case," Tsing says, leaning back in her seat. She flutters a hand in Rafe's direction as if he encapsulates everything she has to say.

She isn't wrong. He represents every Fire Kingdom stereotype. Rash, temperamental, promiscuous.

I flex my jaw. He's also--for better or worse--my ally now.

"Look," Rafe starts.

Tsing holds up her hand. "I can't stay long. I only came because apparently you"--she cuts her gaze to me--"couldn't take no for an answer, and insisted on continuing to stick your nose into affairs that do not concern you."

"I'm the crown prince. Everything happening in this kingdom concerns me."

It's her turn to laugh. "So much happens that is beyond your purview, Crown Prince."

The same fire that threatened to consume me back in my father's office grows inside me now. But I clench my jaw and my fist, swallowing bile. "Did Bedrock sabotage the peace summit? Yes or no."

Tsing considers me for a moment. She taps her nail against her glass. "No."

"Why should be we believe her?" Rafe asks.

"Believe me or don't." She shakes her head. "I honestly don't care." She glances between me, Rafe and Ember. "But if you really want to get to the bottom of the attack on your beloved peace summit, I'd look a little closer to home, Crown Prince."

I can't hide my flinch. "What does that mean?"

"What do you think it means?"

I don't like what she's implying here. Combine this veiled suggestion with her earlier comment about things going on in this kingdom that are beyond my purview... Then combine that with the way my father spoke to me when he found out I was still investigating Bedrock...

I don't like it one bit.

Tsing's gaze goes to someplace over my shoulder. I glance at the glass in front of me and catch the reflection of someone I can only assume is a security consultant.

"I've dallied too long." Tsing picks up her drink and moves to rise.

I stand as well. My throat is tight, my head spinning with revelations and suspicions--none of which I want to look at too closely, but I have no choice.

There's also a nagging sense in the back of my head. Tsing's desire for power... My father's suggestion that she would make and advantageous match...

"Tsing..."

She shakes her head subtly, glancing around. Leaning in close, she says, "Take care of yourself, Jianyu."

She brushes a kiss to my cheek before fixing me with her gaze. Her words don't represent a casual parting. They're a warning.

I watch her go before sitting back down. Rafe drops himself into the seat she just vacated, and Ember slips into the booth beside me.

"Well, that was useless," Rafe declares.

To our search? Yes. To me and to my future as the heir to this kingdom?

I'm not so sure.

But as I'm watching Tsing take her leave, movement at the edge of the crowd catches my eye. The nape of my neck prickles.

Suddenly, I'm pretty sure she's not the only one who's being watched.

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