(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!
A knock came at the door. If it's Chase Dubois, I'm shooting him.
"Go away!"
The door flew open instead. I turned around, ready to fling the thirteenth-century 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," Electra announced. "And even if it was, you are not hiding from Talia 'raccoon-face' Goodworm."
"We heard about Talia and her thieving little hands," Jovina added. "She couldn't keep them off Chase. Such a wench!" Coming from Jovina, that was the highest cuss word she could use.
"More like a cunt," Electra said, opening 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 is a bad influence on 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 had to put that wicked old bat in her place." Electra grabbed my hand and brought it to my face. "Oh Tilly, 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. "So scandalous!"
"Oh Tilly. You love him, don't you?" Jovina asked, her big brown eyes fixed on my face.
My face went hot. If I didn't know better, I'd say I was blushing. But I wasn't the blushing type.
I stood up and opened my wardrobe to grab my riding whip, buying myself time. "The dragon bonding ceremony is days away. Let's focus on that. Not on my infuriating family guest."
"Infuriating?" Electra poked 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 gave her the pout I usually use when she's on my last nerve. She backed off slightly.
"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!"
"Ellie!" Jovina cautioned. "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 gritted teeth and walked out of the room.
They ran after me.
"I do!" Electra yelled. "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.
---
Dragon practice was brutal, as always. Afterward, I was sweaty, covered in soot, and my mood had only slightly improved from "murderous" to "vaguely homicidal."
I skipped my bath. I needed air.
My feet carried me up the familiar path to the Highfalls, the tallest cliff in the world. The roar of falling water was usually calming—the only thing that could quiet my mind. Tonight, I needed that more than ever.
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 startled, his hands gripping the wheels. He didn't look at me. His voice was rough, like he hadn't spoken in hours. "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 fucked-up amount of pain for a dragon to do that."
"Yeah," he murmured, 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. His blues against my greens. And held.
Neither of us moved. Neither of us spoke. The waterfall roared between us, and for once, the silence felt like something other than a war.