Page 211 of Upon Buried Embers
“I see,” he chuckles, and then he looks to Drogonah, and like the grumpy dragon he’s just remembered he is, he takes his tail from around Sparks and turns the other way.
Gods forbid he’s seen caring.
“Oh, I saw, Drogonah,” Rohan teases.
Growls.
“You are not fooling anyone.”
Huff.
“He’s a softy, really.”
“Only for a select few,” Rohan says.
He must still hate me then.
“Come, it’s time to get ready for tonight’s feast. I have clothes for you.”
I look down at my pants and tunic. “We don’t go in these?”
“Not tonight.” He eyes his feet and I hop on with a smile. “With only a few days left before we travel to The Games, this feast could be our last. We make the best of it as much as we can.”
Fifty
Alara
Wearing a black dress, I walk out of the tent and meet Tofa. She’s wearing something similar, although hers dips lower at the chest than mine, but both come to our knees.
“Ready?” she asks, linking her arm with mine.
“As I’ll ever be,” I mutter. “And it’s in the center of the camp?”
“Yeah, we all get together in the middle, around a big bonfire.” I nod, and join the end of the line where others are walking down. “So,Alara,” she teases, and I grin at her. “How does it feel to have a name?”
I look up at the twinkling sky and smile. “Like it’s a dream.”
“Then keep dreaming.”
The smell of freshly cooked meats fills the air and the chatter gets louder the closer we get. The fire can be seen illuminating the sky as dragons fly above, their large bodies twirling and dipping, almost like they too are having their own tradition.
“Over there!” Tofa says, and I look to where she points at Rohan, sitting on one of the many log benches that have been placed around. He’s in deep conversation with Kaldar andDorkin. Their heads bent together, but his eyes flick to me and he freezes.
I wipe my hands down the dress self-consciously, nerves setting in. Does he like me in it? He picked it out himself.
I look around at others, at Tofa, and though I’m not as skinny as I was, I’m not filled out like them, and my chest is nowhere near as big.
I frown and look down, sighing.
“What’s wrong?” Tofa asks, but I shake my head. She goes to speak again but something catches her eye.
Calian is staring back at her, his drink half way to his mouth. The desire is clear in his eyes, but surprisingly, Tofa turns away. “I’ll catch up with you later.” She walks away, but not to Calian, she goes to Beau who is talking with another man.
I look between them, Tofa acting nonchalant and Calian’s jaw twitching with how hard he’s grinding his teeth.
“Why are you frowning?” I jolt at the deep voice and look at Rohan as he approaches.
“Nothing.” I smile, but I’m hesitant.
