Page 3 of Wrath of the Dragons
Not good enoughis on the tip of my tongue, but I douse the words in whiskey. “If anything happens to her…”
“We’ll all be on our guard.”
I crack the tension in my neck. “You have the day, but she’s mine tonight. Make sure Finnian knows that, too.”
Chapter
Two
Elowen
Snow blows in the winterwind and flutters to the ground, making the cobblestone streets resemble the sugar-dusted pastries behind the counter. Their aroma hangs heavy in Lemon Drop Bakery as the fireplace makes me forget about the chill beyond the window. Just as it was last time we were here, honeybuns, fruit tarts, and cakes with more layers than I thought possible are beautifully displayed. I’ve added a few jam jars into my basket, and will also be requesting a fresh loaf of bread to take with me as soon as it’s ready.
“Do you have a color palette in mind?” Saskia asks, drawing my eyes away from the mountain range in the distance.
“For…?”
“The wedding.”
“We’ll use the house colors.” I force a laugh. “I suppose that’s the benefit of choosing them yourself. Nobody would select colors that don’t complement them.”
After the dragon ceremony, I spent several hours deciding on the design of the House Veles sigil, along with our house colors and redecorating of the castle. Everyone kept looking at me like I needed to rest, but I couldn’t. Tasks keep my mind distracted from all the things I don’t want to think about. Every time I tried to fall asleep, I kept seeing Ailliard’s charred flesh and could swear I smelled it.
A petty part of me debated selecting a flower as our sigil andmaking the house colors pink and purple, but sigils are a way to show the world who we are. Vareveth is the kingdom of the dragon queen and demon king, and our banners must reflect that.
I’m spared from speaking on the wedding any further when the baker’s apprentice approaches, carrying a three-tiered tray in each hand. “Your Highness.” She curtsies after placing them on our table and offers me a shy smile. “All of our flavors are there as you requested, but please let us know if you require anything else.”
I try to ease her nerves by returning her smile. “Thank you. I’m sure this will be more than enough.”
She nods enthusiastically, looking over her shoulder as she rushes back to the kitchen. It draws my attention to the counter and my heart pinches in my chest. The memory of Cayden tucking a flower behind my ear flares so brightly in my mind, I bring the lavender cake to my nose to quell a forming headache.
“What was that about?” Finnian asks. “I didn’t realize your presence could cause such giddiness.”
“Elowen ordered a cake tasting. They probably think she’s here to sample the flavors for her wedding,” Saskia answers for me as she sips her tea. “Is that not why we’re here?”
“No.” I reach for a small rectangle of dark chocolate cake with raspberry filling, bringing a finger to my mouth to lick off some of the dark pink icing. “We’re here to fulfill my wishes. Birthday cakes for the dragons.”
My two companions exchange a perplexed look before Finnian turns to me and rests his hand on my shoulder. He speaks to me slowly. “Darling, they eat live animals. They don’t need birthday cakes.”
“They all have a sweet tooth.”
“Fang,” Saskia mutters.
“And besides,” Finnian continues. “Don’t you share a birthday? That’s not for another few weeks.”
“I’m making up for lost time.” I polish off the chocolate cake and gesture for Saskia to write that flavor down in her notebook before placing two cakes on Finnian’s plate and taking the blueberry formyself. “Tell me if you like the lemon or orange better.”
Finnian’s puzzlement is replaced by excitement. He’s used to going along with my absurd ideas; we’ve had practically a lifetime of them. He stuffs the lemon cake into his mouth and groans while nodding. I give Saskia a thumbs up to add it to the approved flavors list while I hand Finnian some tea so he doesn’t choke to death. She rolls her eyes, but the way her lips tilt up on one side gives away her true emotions.
“The lemon for sure, but not the orange.” Finnian looks down at his half-eaten cake with a frown.
“Interesting. I thought you’d prefer the orange considering the color of your hair.”
He furrows his brows. “That has no effect on one’s palate.”
“My hair is nearly black, and my favorite was the dark chocolate.”
He snaps his fingers. “You have a point.”
