"Yes."
The word sat in the air for exactly one second.
Then Neve's brain arrived.
"Huh? Yes? No—" He turned to face Vaelthorn fully, which was a mistake because that put their faces very close together. He started waving his hand between them. "No. I said no. I don't want... I didn't mean yes, I was just — no. Absolutely not. Not right now. Not—"
Vaelthorn laughed.
It was a real laugh. A full sound that came from somewhere genuine and carried down from the podium clearly enough that the people below could hear it.
Several of them stared.
Neve suspected the dragon king did not laugh often in public, judging by the reactions of everyone within earshot.
"I understand," Vaelthorn said, when the laugh settled. "You're exhausted. The leopard wore you out."
Neve's face went the colour of his ears.
"That's not—" He stopped. "I'm not exhausted."
