Page 4 of Orange Spell
“You don’t have to worry about me.”
“I always worry about you.As you pointed out, you’re my best friend.”
“Yeah, I am,” Marlin said happily.
Birch shook his head.“All right.I’ll leave you be, but please, don’t drink too much.You have to work tomorrow, and I’m not letting you off the hook.”
“Because you’re spending time with Aaron tomorrow.”
“Damn right I am.I deserve it after tonight.”
“You deserve a lot of things.”
Birch snorted.“Yeah, I do.I’m really glad I won’t have to deal with your drunk ass tomorrow morning.Drink something for me, too, all right?”
Marlin grinned.“I promise I will.”And he always kept his promises.
* * * *
“YOU NEED TO HAVE FUN!”Deryn yelled over the sound of hundreds of voices.
Curran’s head felt like it was about to explode, and he didn’t even have a headache.No, it was just the sheer amount of noise and people gathered around him.He’d known that most of the clan would be there tonight, but it was still a lot to take in, and he wasn’t sure how much more he had in him.He didn’t think he’d ever wanted to run back to his room and hide so badly, but every time he tried, Deryn found him.
“Iamhaving fun,” he said.
Deryn looked at him with wide eyes.“And I’m the new king.Come on, Curran.I know you’re lying.”
Curran was.He wished his best friend didn’t know him as well as he did because he might have been able to get away with it if Deryn hadn’t.As it was, he was sure that Deryn would have more to say tomorrow morning once he was sober.Knowing him, he’d complain about Curran not being fun.
Curran was fine with that.He loved Deryn, but sometimes, he needed his best friend to relax.They didn’t need to love the same things.They were friends anyway, and that was never going to change.
“Oh, I know why you’re so grumpy tonight,” Deryn suddenly said after taking a sip of his drink.
The thing was violently orange, and Curran wondered if it was radioactive.It looked like it might be.
“What are you talking about?”Curran asked.
At least the place looked nice.They were in the dining hall where most of the clan ate their meals, but it looked different all decked out for the party.Someone had put a lot of thought and work into it, and Curran felt a bit guilty for not enjoying it more.
Not that he thought that whoever had organized it would care.They were probably three sheets to the wind already.The place looked nice, though.
The main lights weren’t on tonight.Instead, the high, vaulted ceiling was illuminated by projectors that cast orange and pink lights as a call-back to the king’s children.The tables had been pushed to the side to leave a wide space at the center of the room, but all of them were decorated in orange and pink and laden with dozens of different dishes and drinks.The air was heavy with their smells, along with the scents and perfumes of the people talking, drinking, and dancing.Most of them were dragons, but there were a few humans here and there.
“Marlin is here,” Deryn declared.
Curran had to resist the urge to roll his eyes.“I’m aware.”
“That’swhy you’re grumpy.You don’t want him to be here.”
“Have I ever said that?”
“You didn’t have to.I know you.”
“Then you know I don’t care about Marlin.”
Deryn burst out laughing.“You’re a liar.There’s nothing wrong with being in love with him.”
“I know that.”
