(Tilly Ann)
I made it back to my room, slammed the door, and screamed directly into my pillow until my throat hurt.
It didn't help. Why was he so infuriating?! So confusing!...so damn beautiful!
I heard a knock on the door. If it was Chase Dubois, I'm shooting him! I thought to myself
"Go away!"
My door flew open instead. And I turn around, ready to fling the 13th century ming vase at his infuriating head but came face to face with my best friends.
I dropped the vase. "Girls, I'm not going to practice"
Electra and Jovina stood there, already in their riding leathers.
"Dragon practice is not really optional and even if it was, you are not hiding from Talia raccoon face Goodworm." Electra announced.
"We heard heard about Talia and her thieving little hands, she couldn't keep them off Chase. Such a wench!" Jovina announced. And coming from Jovina it's the highest cuss word she could use.
"More like a cunt" Electra responded and opened my wardrobe to grab my riding outfit.
"Electra!" Jovina yelled and we all started laughing.
"I swear to the Creator, you are a bad influence on Electra" Jovina grabbed my boot from the corner and together they started dressing me.
"Bad influence...she cusses more than me"
"Now. Before you set something on fire with your mind. Tell us all about Chase Dubois...we heard he mouthed off to Lady Alphonse on your behalf." Jovina said
"Good. Someone all to put that wicked old bat in her place. Oh Tilly" Electra grabbed my hand and brought it to my face. "He is prince charming, isn't he? Coming to your rescue, putting Talia what's her face in her place. Publicly calling you baby..."
"Baby, to your father's face" Jovina added.
"And his father" Electra added.
"Oh Tilly. You love him, don't you?" Jovina asked, her big brown eyes fixed to my face.
I felt my face turn red. If I didn't know better, I would say I was blushing. But I wasn't the blushing type.
I stood up and opened my wardrobe to grabbed my riding whipp, buying myself time. "The dragon bonding ceremony is days away. Let's focus on that. Not on my infuriating family guest"
"Infuriating?" Electra asked, coming in and poking my side. "We're all out of sympathy for you, princess. You got defended by a Lycan prince in public. That's a win"
I turned around and looked at my friend. I did that pouting thing I usually do with my lips when she was on my last nerve. She backed off a little but then followed up by saying.
"Fine" She said " Let's focus on the bonding ceremony. Rumor has it that the Lycan Alpha is only making this deal with our kingdom to get himself a dragon. We need to ensure you successfully bond with one during the ceremony. Because no dragon...no incredibly dreamy wolf prince!" Electra said.
"Ellie!" Jovina cautioned her. "Don't say that to her. Don't worry, Tills. I'm sure he will love you regardless of dragon or no dragon"
"I. Don't. Care. About. Stupid. Probably. Insane. Chase Dubois, capeesh!" I said through my gritted teeth and walked out of the room.
They ran after me.
"I do!" Electra yelled after me. "Have you met his brother yet?! Slow down, Tills, this is important. Do you think he wants a wife too?!"
I rolled my eyes and kept walking to the training ground.
**
After, I was sweaty, covered in soot, and my mood was only slightly improved from 'murderous' to 'vaguely homicidal.'
I skipped my baths.
I needed air.
My feet carried me on the familiar path up to the Highfalls, the tallest cliff in the world. The roar of falling water was usually calming.
Except it wasn't calming today.
Because there, at the very edge of the stone overlook, was Chase.
His wheelchair was parked dangerously close to the drop. He was just staring down into the misty abyss, motionless. The wind tugged at his dark hair.
My heart did a stupid, worried flip.
"I don't think a dragon would survive that fall," I said, announcing myself. "Let alone a wolf."
He was startled, his hands gripping the wheels. He didn't look at me. "It's that deep, huh?"
"Yes." I walked closer, but not too close. "It's called the Isle of the Dragon. When a dragon is old and in too much pain to go on… they jump. Right here." I took a deliberate step back from the edge. "It hasn't happened in almost a hundred years. It takes a… a screw up amount of pain for a dragon to do that."
"Yeah," he murmured, his voice almost lost in the waterfall's thunder. "I figured."
He finally wheeled himself back a few feet. The tension in my shoulders loosened a fraction.
Our eyes locked against each other. His blues against my greens. And they stayed with each other.