Page 29 of Fate and Flame
“As are you, Fenlas,” she answered.
Umari yanked her bo from my hands, spun on her heel, and went back to her seat. She waved, and the dracs sprang back into action as if that had never happened.
That went well,Fen told me.
Yeah, she’s a real peach, Fen.
To be fair, I warned you.
“Welcome home,” I told Greeve as his gaping mouth slammed shut.
“If you die in your sleep, it will be at her hands,” he whispered.
“I’ve got worse things to worry about,” I answered. “Can we go see the Cetani yet?”
“Wait here.”
Gaea and I exchanged looks, and I decided I could at least try to be nice to her until we made it home. We waited together until Greeve and Fen made it back through the crowd and ushered us out the door.
“The draconians wish to show you a traditional dance followed by a parade of Cetani.” Greeve placed his hand on the small of Gaea’s back as we walked out of the building.
She stepped away from him and closer to me.
I tried to ignore the dejected expression on Greeve’s usually indifferent face.
“We will sit on Umari’s stage for the presentation in the arena,” Fen said, pointing.
We waited a long time while the dracs lined the sides, eager to see the show as well. Eventually, a steady drum began to beat and the crowd of draconian fae chanted and hollered as painted male and female fae, naked as the day they were born, danced their way into the enormous arena before us. As one, we stood to watch. Some carried giant weapons, some small. The beating of the drum struck something inside of me as the warriors began their elegant dance, swinging their unique weapons and crying out as warriors.
I was completely hypnotized by the movement and the precision of each drac as they moved through the air and tumbled along the ground in perfect unison.
An ear-piercing scream sounded, and my head snapped to the back of the dancers as a female was thrown into the air swinging a massive double-ended sword like her entire life counted on that one moment. And it did. If she missed even a single second of perfect timing with that weapon, she would kill herself.
The draconians pounded their chest and chanted as her dance continued.
She was utterly stunning, with a lean, petite body and hair plaited back and tied with leathers, beads, and ribbons. She bent her body in half as two males swung their blades over her while she continued to dance with her own. The bedtime stories had not done the draconians justice.
“That is what my grandson deserves,” Umari said from behind me as I stood stunned.
I glanced up at Fen, who, like me, hadn’t taken his eyes from the female dancer.
Enjoying yourself, Prince?
He blinked and the world crashed back to him as he realized he was staring. He hadn’t even heard what his grandmother had said, and as I looked back to her, she grinned in absolute satisfaction. So much for a deep and powerful mating bond. One naked female and he forgot I was standing next to him.
I want that,he said down the bond.
“I’m sorry, what?” I fumed.
“The sword, I want—Wait did you?” His vision snapped to the show and back to me. “Did you think I was looking at the female?”
“Don’t pretend like you weren’t.” I scowled.
He grabbed me by my shoulders, leaned down until his face was so close to mine I could feel his breath, and said firmly, “There’s a male drac in the back row with a silver-dipped sword, and the hilt has a jewel that is the same silver tone as your eyes when your magic flows. I want the sword, not the female, Ara.”
“Oh.” I paused, trying to hide my shame. “So you can just go around demanding others weapons now?” I was ridiculous. I knew I’d overreacted and played right into his grandmother’s hands, who snickered in the corner as if she had won. Because she had. Damn it.
Fen pulled me into a hug, and I let him hide my face as the draconians in the arena finished. They had danced for him anyway. Not for me. I was just the stupid mate to Prince Fancy Pants.
