I tried to not let the price bother me too much as we went through the evening. I sampled so many desserts that my mouth was practically numb from the sweetness, although Micah devoured all of it without a second thought. I hadn’t even known those dessert stores existed. I thought that it was nearly impossible to get sweet things out of the palace, since dragon-kind usually preferred other tastes. We passed by a drerkyn doing a fire dance along the way. I was mesmerized by the fluid way he moved, and how the fires almost made pictures in the air.
A couple of pins decorated my hair—gifts from the princes—and we’d gotten some books from the bookstore. Kael insisted I tried reading some novels, even though I argued not to buy them. I was always too busy with reports to read for pleasure. He bought them anyway.
For once, it felt like I was living. Not just trying to get ahead of everyone, but enjoying the sights and pleasures Constanria had to offer.
But Rylan hadn’t said much since we left the palace. His silence was a reminder of how all this was temporary unless I started fighting my way up again.
“This is the bar,” Kael said, halting in front of a dingy entrance.
“This?” I asked. “I thought you guys would go to somewhere more…”
“Posh?” Gaius said. “Upper class? Stuck up? Nah. Bars aren’t fun unless they’re rowdy.”
Micah pushed open the entrance and let me in. A dim interior greeted me. There were both men and women huddled together in close proximity. Many were playing card games, and others just sat around and talked. A bard was sitting in a corner, playing his lute and singing a folk song.
“Master Kellen!” the bartender, a chocolate-skinned, middle-aged man, greeted Kael. He wore a plain leather vest that exposed his chest and belly. “Master Gage, Renar, and Mirahl? You four know each other?” The bartender finished wiping his cup, set it down, and meandered through the crowd toward us. “And who’s this?”
“They’re my brothers, and this is Sera,” Kael said, not bothering to give me an alias. I probably wasn’t important enough to raise any alarms.
“Aren’t you warm, lass?” the bartender asked. “It’s killing me in here, and I’m wearing this.” He gestured at his torso.
“I’m used to it,” I said, smiling, although he probably couldn’t see the smile through my scarf.
“The usual?” he asked Kael.
“Yep,” Kael replied. “Same seat as always.”
The bartender led us to a corner that had a good view of everything. I slid into the seat after Kael and Gaius. Rylan and Micah followed. Rylan still seemed out of it, and I was afraid about what he was going to tell me tomorrow. I redirected my attention to the bar and its happenings.
The bartender grinned. “We have a new concoction. A Lass’s Kiss, we call it. It’ll give you a good burn.”
“Are you sure?” Kael asked. “Last time I was here, that’s what you promised, and it felt like drinking water.”
“That’s because you’re a draerin, Master Kellen… and one who apparently doesn’t have a sense of taste.”
Kael sniffed. “We’ll have one each.”
I raised a hand. “Not me. I’ll take water.”
“Water?” Micah said. “You’re coming all the way here to drink water?”
“Fine. The lightest liquor you have, then.” I wasn’t even certain if I could stand that.
The bartender nodded. “Understood.” He strode away.
“Why not something stronger?” Gaius asked.
“I’ve never tried alcohol before.”
“What?” Kael said. “That’s ridiculous. You’re nineteen. Most people try it at ten.”
I pressed my lips tight. “They don’t serve alcohol in the council. It makes some of us too tipsy to work.” The hidraes and draerin didn’t have to worry about it because they had to drink copious amounts of it to get drunk.
“Not everything has to be about work,” Micah added. “Learn to relax. Enjoy life.”
“You guys are teaching me that.” I smiled. “I’m just afraid to be left behind sometimes.”
“Life isn’t a race.”
But it felt like a ladder.
Kael stretched, then leaned back. “Even Rylan here has his downtime every so often, but I say he’s almost as strung out as you are. Aren’t you, Rylan?”
The corners of Rylan’s lips curved up, but his smile didn’t reach his eyes. “You’re probably right.”
“Four cups of Lass’s Kiss, and one of Morning Dew,” the bartender said, setting the mugs down in front of us. “Would you like me to call Mariah and Santia over, Master Kellen?” His gaze darted to me. “Or is it inappropriate because you’ve brought your sister along?”
Who in Aereala’s name were they? That was when I spotted two women at the opposite end of the bar. Their dresses were so low cut they might as well just let their ample breasts spill out. They had tied their hair up in an elaborate fashion and stuck far too many tacky accessories into it. They were waving at Kael and giggling at each other in a way that made my stomach turn. I draped an arm around Kael and pulled him close. I didn’t want to share, because I was possessive like that.
“I’m not his sister,” I told the bartender.
“Oh, uh. I thought… well, since they were brothers…”
I wanted to tell him that they were all mine, but that might strike him as odd. “Well, I’m not related to them, and Kellen’s with me.”
“Oh, then… Really sorry, Master Kellen.”
Kael shot him an annoyed look and waved him away. And then Kael chuckled, nuzzling into me. “I like it when you get jealous.”
I grabbed his hair and dragged his lips onto mine. I kissed him as hard as I could before pulling back, then shot a satisfied grin at the two whores. They looked at me with flabbergasted expressions, which sent a spike of contentment through me.
“I really like it,” Kael said, wrapping his arm around my waist.
Gaius took a gulp of his drink. “Gah, it burns.”
Kael did the same. “Really? I can’t taste anything.”
“Burns in a good way,” Micah said, setting down his mug.
Rylan sipped his and didn’t comment.
I picked up mine and brought it to my lips.
“Go on,” Kael said. “This will be interesting.”
I took my very first sip of alcohol, then flinched. Morning Dew had a sweetness to it, but mostly an acrid taste. I stuck out my tongue. “This tastes absolutely terrible.”
Three of them burst into laughter, and even Rylan cracked a smile.
“One of our many firsts with Sera,” Micah said. “What else haven’t you done before?”
I scratched the back of my neck. “Lots of things. Watched a play? Do one of those stay-overs I’ve been seeing noble ladies do. I always wondered how long it took to get their nails painted like that.”
Gaius squinted. “Not sure if we could do that with you. I mean, I could try painting your nails. But I’d rather not, and I think I’d make a huge mess out of it.”
“Yes,” I agreed. “Let’s not do that anytime soon.”
The customers in the bar started slamming their mugs on their tables.
“What’s happening?” I asked. It sounded ominous.
Kael downed his drink and waved for another. “Oh, it’s starting.”
Then the knocking didn’t sound ominous anymore, and it morphed into a rhythm that reminded me of drums. I could bob my head to the tune. The bard stood up, and started with a loud “Ooohh!”
And everyone in the bar began singing an upbeat tune:
Let us drink to our youths
And our days’ abandon
With not a care in the world
Let our thirsts be the proof
Of our hearts’ desires
Splayed out on the bar and unfurled
We drink to our sorrows
We drink to our joy
Our worries thrown to the morrow
Forget our regrets
Our pain and our debts
In this tavern
No room for laments
The whores who were waving at Kael earlier stood up, grabbing a few lads as they did, and kicked their feet into a dance. Suddenly the whole bar was on its feet and dancing. The bartender took out a tambourine, accompanying the tune.
Kael leapt over the table and joined the fun. He did a twirl and even took a jolly, pudgy-looking boy who looked like Frederick as a momentary dance partner, before soloing the rest of his dancing. My eyes widened at how well he could move. He was just as fluid in his movements as he was when walking, reminding me of the wind.
He pointed at me. “Sera, come on!”
Gaius and Micah slipped from their seats. Gaius tried to move to the rhythm but ended up tripping and catching himself, while Micah just leaned on the table and crossed his arms, tapping his feet to the tune.
“Rylan?” I asked the crown prince.
“Go ahead without me,” he replied.
“You’ve been sulking all day.” I took his hand in mine and dragged him to his feet, before tugging him to the middle of the crowded dance floor. I adjusted my scarf over my face, making sure there was no chance of me touching anyone else.
“You’ve done this before?” I asked him.
“Yeah.”
“You’ll have to lead me, then, because I’ve never.”
“Just try and move to the rhythm.” He took both my hands in his and lifted it them to chest level. “Your feet should follow it naturally.”
I tried to move to the beat. “Like that?”
“You’re horrid.” His walls were breaking down, and joy began to seep back into him.
“Don’t make fun of the beginner.” I attempted to mimic a spin I saw one of the other women doing, but ended up missing a step and falling. Rylan caught me before my face hit the ground.
His eyes met mine. Hints of sadness lingered there. I didn’t want to look at it, so I pressed my lips into his.
“Sneaking in more time with Sera, I see?” Kael said, pulling Rylan away. “I’m the better dancer.”
“You’re amazing at it,” I told Kael.
He took me from Rylan and led me through the music. It was almost like I didn’t have to do anything, because Kael had control of the activity and showed me exactly where to put my feet.
I haven’t had such a blast in forever.
Gaius and Micah took turns. With them, I was back to feeling like an awkward duck with my terrible dancing moves. Gaius and I were trying too hard not to fall together, and Micah didn’t have any rhythm, like me. I didn’t care that we were horrendous at it. It was still the most fun I’d had in my nineteen years.
I was thoroughly exhausted after the night was over. We stepped out of the bar after the music ended and we’d had some time to settle down. The brothers had called for more drinks, and the table was piled with rows of empty mugs by the time we were done. I was contented sipping on my single mug of Morning Dew through the night.
My fingers were interlocked with Gaius’s and Rylan’s as we stepped out.
“So who’s giving Sera a lift back?” Gaius asked.
“Rylan,” I said in a heartbeat.
Kael shot a look at me. “What? But Rylan’s had his turn. Too many turns.”
“It’s not that… It’s just… Rylan’s been out of it. Haven’t you?” I asked Rylan.
“Sorry,” he replied. He rubbed a thumb over my temple and kissed it. “I’m still caught in my thoughts.”
“We’ll be okay,” I said, not believing myself.
We paced down the street for a while longer. I didn’t want to go back so soon because the night was so much fun.
“Hey, isn’t that…” Micah squinted.
We followed his gaze, seeing a gray-haired woman carrying a toddler in her arm. She was holding another child at her side. She was tall—at least a head above me—and had a svelte figure despite her age.
She ambled toward us.
“Josephine,” Gaius said.
“She’s old,” I said, not quite thinking through my words. My possessiveness had taken over again, and my grip on Gaius tightened. I didn’t want him to look at her. Just me.
Rylan nodded. “A darmar ages more quickly than most dragon-kind.”
She stopped beside us, noticing all of us studying her. Time had weathered her figure. She was still gorgeous, but the raven hair Micah had described was gone, and wrinkles were etched into her face. “Uh, excuse me, gentlemen.” She shuffled aside and quickly scampered off. It occurred to me she wouldn’t recognize the princes because they were all in disguises.
“You’re not going to talk to her?” I asked Gaius.
He shook his head. “She’s my past. I don’t see any need to reopen those wounds.”
“But you loved her.”
“I did. I loved her. But I’ve set her aside.”
“And me?” I wanted to cover my lips, hating how needy that sounded.
“You’re all I think about these days.”
My chest constricted. I couldn’t hold back my grin.
Rylan took me into his arms and lifted into the air. The other princes followed him. When they were high enough in the skies, their illusions shimmered, and they were back into looking as how they should.
I was so tired and comfortable that I might have nodded off in Rylan’s arms.
But then he spoke, waking me. “We haven’t seen Josephine in years. I didn’t expect her to be that… aged.”
Kael added, “She’s a darmar. What else could we have expected? She lives on a different timeline. When she was with us, we never thought she’d follow us to the end of our life span. Then again, I don’t think any of us cared about that, except for Gaius.”
“And Sera?” Micah said. “Will she age as Josephine did? Perhaps faster.”
Gaius looked at me. “I don’t know. I guess we never considered it.”
I hadn’t either. What if… because of my being human, I’d grow old and gray, while the princes remained just as gorgeous as they’d always been? “I can use soul magic,” I said. “If I use it enough, it’s said to extend the life span of witches.”
“Let’s hope so,” Kael said, looking solemn. “You’ll have to use it a lot. And even then, maybe it’ll give you an extra fifty years, unless you dabble in the dark art, which I doubt anyone would want to.”
I pursed my lips. “An extra fifty sounds nice.”
“It’s not enough,” Gaius said.
Nothing ever was for me.
I clutched myself closer to Rylan, and we flew back to the palace in silence.
Eighteen
Even trying to get the basics of soul magic was a challenge. Why was I fooling myself? Telling myself that I could solve the food shortage with this even though I was such a beginner in the art? I had gotten ahead of myself.
I knocked my head against the wood of my desk.
The clank of metal on stone sounded behind me.
I spun around, lifting a brow. Kael was standing there with a sword in his grasp.
“What’s this?” I asked.
Kael grinned. “I thought I’d teach you how to fight.”
“I’m busy,” I said. I didn’t want to go anywhere near that sword. Pointy things and I didn’t go well together.
“Don’t be a downer,” Kael said, pulling me from the chair. “You, Gaius, and Micah have been working over spells together all night. At least leave some time for me.”
“They were helping me with work.”
“You looked like you were having fun.” He forced the weapon in my hands and gripped me by my waist. He rested a hand over my belly and pressed. “You have to focus on your core.”
“My core…”
His voice was breathy behind me. He lifted both my arms and circled my left hand over my right, guiding me into a fighting stance. “Yeah. This is the neutral position in the stone formation. You want to stand like this when you’re on defense.”
&nb
sp; “Defense…” I was parroting his words like a fool because he was so close, and he ran his touches over me so intimately.
“I liked that dress you wore yesterday. I’d like it to be just for my eyes.”
And so he really wasn’t in this to teach me how to fight. I cleared my throat. “Rylan’s been out of it since last night.”
“Anybody can tell.”
His left hand had lowered to my hip. “It’s what King Gisiroth told him yesterday,” I said.
“He always gets so worked up over what Father says.”
Kael was so tall, and with him wrapped around me like that, enveloping me with his body, I felt small, but also protected. “Was he… Was he hurt, as a child?” I recalled how Rylan said that Gisiroth wasn’t forgiving with mistakes.
Kael shook his head. He was resting his chin on my head now, and I doubted he was going to teach me to fight. “Nothing of the sort. Nothing physical, anyway. But Father doesn’t mince his words. His praises are few and reprimands many. It’s more of… that look he gives when you’ve disappointed him.” Kael shrugged. “I’m used to it, but I never had the pressure of having to be crown prince. Rylan’s suffered it his entire life. Sometimes I wonder how he deals with all that pressure.”
“He’s a good man.”
“Too good, perhaps. I’d never compare.” He nudged my legs with his, guiding me into a better position. He stepped backward, making me miss his touch, and drew one of his daggers. “When you swing, make sure the force is coming from your center. Your core, and not your wrist or your shoulders.” He demonstrated a move. “So follow through.”
He looked at me and tipped up his chin.
He actually expected me to mimic him? I sighed and entertained him with a swing, feeling like I had two left hands.
“That was ridiculous,” he said, smirking.
Bane of Dragons (Sera's Curse Book 1) Page 20