Page 70 of Draekora

Aven closed his eyes in what looked like relief. “It means a lot to hear you say that.”

To lighten the suddenly heavy moment, she offered a quirky grin and said, “Well, you may think so now, but watch out, princeling. By the time I’m done subtly schooling you in the ways of mortals, you’ll be so in love with humans that you’ll want to ride off into the sunset with them.”

Aven let out a surprised laugh, which was thankfully the reaction she was going for, rather than the opposite, which could have happened just as easily. “Is that so?”

“It sure is,” Alex said with joking confidence.

“I could be wrong, but I think subtlety flies out the window when your declaration comes as a warning.”

“Well, darn,” Alex said, playing dumb. “And here I thought I was being oh-so-sneaky.”

Aven laughed again and gave Alex a nudge towards her door. “You need to leave me before your mortal infatuation becomes contagious.”

“Meyarins can’t get deathly ill,” Alex reminded him smugly. “So that leads to the conclusion that whatever you catch will only make you better. Like a new and improved version of yourself. Aven Two-Point-O.”

Rolling his eyes, he firmly said, “Goodnight, Aeylia.”

“Don’t worry, I’m sure we’ll have plenty of time to talk about this again tomorrow,” Alex told him with a jaunty grin. “And the day after, and the day after, and the day after, and the—”

“Star’s light, make it stop,” Aven muttered, interrupting her unending diatribe. He nudged her forward again, this time not so gently, and pushed her through the opened door. After making sure she was clear, he promptly closed it in her face.

It was then that Alex did something she never thought she’d be capable of doing after an encounter with Aven.

She laughed.

Twenty-Two

The next day, Alex was in thepalace library studying the extensive but monotonous history of the Seven Houses when she closed her book with a loudsnap.

“I just don’t get it,” she said to Kyia, whose brows rose in question. “It’sRoka. What can you possibly not like about him?”

“Everyone else may be willing to coddle you by speaking your language, but that doesn’t mean I am. You need to practise your Meyarin,” Kyia replied.

Alex made a frustrated sound. “Come on, Kyia. You now know the common tongue as well as anyone.”

When Kyia remained silent, Alex rolled her eyes and switched languages.

“Fine,” she said, somewhat belligerently in her now fluent Meyarin. “But if that was your attempt to get out of answering my question, think again.”

“And what question is that?”

Alex pinned her with a knowing look. “Roka, Kyia. I don’t understand your problem with him.”

Kyia stood to her feet and moved to the nearest bookcase, absentmindedly perusing the shelves. “Why are you so insistent about this? It feels like every day I have to argue my case all over again.”

“Because your case doesn’t make sense!” Alex cried. “Let me repeat, it’s Roka!”

Kyia turned and glared in irritation. “If you think he’s so perfect, why don’tyouchase after him?”

Alex made a spluttering noise, not sure if she was more amused or disturbed by the idea. Aside from their absurdly incompatible age differences, there was also the huge fact that they weren’t even of the samerace. It would be like… like pairing up a dairy cow with a prize stallion. The idea of Alex thinking ofanyMeyarin in the way Kyia was suggesting was just plain wrong.

Being unable to properly explain her reasoning, all Alex could do was grin and say, “Trust me, he’s not my type.”

Throwing her arms up in a rare display of emotion, Kyia said, “Then why can’t you accept the same for me?”

“Because you two are made for each other!” Alex returned, slightly desperate in her matchmaking attempt. “You just need to give him a chance, that’s all.”

Kyia stalked over to where Alex was sitting and slumped back down beside her. “Why would I do that when he’s nothing but an arrogant, conceited, overconfident, cocky, puffed up, bigheadedkregon?”

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