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“Hel,” Layala snarled as a warning. “How could you bring her here? She tried to murder Thane and it would take all night to name all the other things she’s done to us.”

His grin vexed her even more. “Are you upset with my choice of a date? You left me, you shouldn’t care who I fuck.”

Layala’s body flared with heat. “Don’t get too attached to that bitch, she’ll get what’s coming to her soon enough.” She swung her gaze to Varlett. “Mark my words, dragon, your days are numbered.”

Varlett’s upper lip curled, her fingers grew into long black talons, and she took a step for Layala, but Hel jerked her back to his side. “As much as I love a good girl fight, now isn’t the time. We have an audience.”

“If you touch her Varlett,” Thane snapped. “I’ll tear your arm off.” Thane tugged on her hand with enough force she couldn’t resist, and it was only a few long strides to the double balcony doors and the cool night air hit her face. Layala took it in, rushing over to the stone railing and gripping it. The stone beneath her fingers cracked with spider-like webbing, and with a start she let go.

Lifting off his mask he leaned his back against the stone barrier beside her. “You’ll get your chance at her one day, but not tonight.”

“Why in Maker’s name did he bring her? I hate her. Ihaaateher, Thane.” Layala stared out over the landscape, the pink weeping lilac swaying in the breeze, and up at the mountain looming above. “She threatened to cut out my tongue andeatit. She almost killed you. She murdered my friend Ren. She’s insane.”

“We knew they had some kind of history. I expected it. I don’t know why you didn’t.”

“I thought he’d bring Talon or something to piss you off.”

“Getting inbothour heads seems to be his goal tonight. He’s the god of mischief. It’s what he does. It’s a sort of show to let us know even if we’re on the same side against the council, he’s still Hel. But remember, us being together gets in his head too, so it’s not all one-sided,” he said with a sly smile. “I bet watching me kiss you in front of everyone got to him, even if he says he hates you now, he doesn’t.”

“How much more do you remember about him?”

He exhaled slowly and glanced up at the night sky. Luminor crickets chirped below and the music from inside drifted out through the doors. Layala expected Hel and Varlett to darken the doorway at any moment.

“I remember much of the time we grew up together, fighting beside him. The younger years.” He half smiled. “There was this time we went to a mountain notorious for giant eagles. And when I say giant, I mean a wingspan of at least twenty feet, talons much like dragons, beaks perfect for tearing flesh. We dared each other to steal an egg and whoever got one would get bragging rights. To make it more challenging we decided against magic and climbed the steep cliffs by hand to invade their nests.” He chuckled at the memory. “I got up top first but was caught by a mother bird and she knocked me out of her nest, sent me freefalling from what must have been a thousand feet. I couldn’t levitate then and as a god it wouldn’t have killed me, but it would have hurt for damn sure. Hel grabbed an egg, tucked it under his arm and jumped after me. When he caught me, he gripped my arm and in a puff of smoke we were back on the ground. He handed me the egg and said I got there first.”

“So, you see him as your friend, and he wasn’t always a monumental ass, is what you’re trying to say.”

Thane let out a soft laugh. “Yeah, I guess so.” He was quiet for a moment then said, “There’s something about Varlett that bothers me, other than the obvious reasons. You’ve been around her more than me but when I see her, I think she reminds me of someone I knew but I can’t place.”

Thinking back to some of the things Varlett said to her, she wondered if it may be true. “She told me once that she knew you even better than I did… she said I would remember something I saw between her and Hel.” Layala pressed her lips together.

“And that would only be possible if she knew us from before,” Thane finished. “Even if it was any of the three lives we lived before this.”

“But she’s not a god. How could she live that long?”

“I believe most dragon shifters can live thousands of years if they take care of themselves… or maybe that’s only in their home world,” Thane mused, tapping his chin. “Ronan said the only dragon old enough to remember Ryvengaard was losing his mind, which would mean none of the dragons are over two thousand years old except for the one that paints but no longer speaks.”

“And Varlett,” Layala said and gritted her teeth.

“Varlett is a master sorceress. She must have found a way to preserve herself here.”

“It’s probably all the blood she drinks, although it wouldn’t surprise me if she drank it just because she’s sick in the head.”

“Remember, she is a dragon. They like raw meat and blood wouldn’t be that far off.”

“I’m going to kill her,” Layala promised. “One day.”

“I love it when you’re vicious.” The corner of Thane’s mouth lifted. “Let’s go back inside and make sure those two aren’t causing any problems. And I’m sure the boys and Piper would love to see you.”

On the way back inside, Layala beamed at Thane. “When we danced, I remembered something about you and me from before.”

He smiled. “Tell me.”

* * *

The swishingof ballgowns and the shuffle of feet to a slow intimate melody filled the ballroom. Seeing the elves move with such unison and elegance captured her attention. Hair pulled into braids and lovely styles in various shades from the blondes to red to black as coal. She spotted Leif in the crowd. With his copper-brown skin, fiery red hair, and tattooed face, dancing with an unknown lady. To Layala’s surprise, Fennan and Piper danced. She flashed perfect white teeth, enraptured with whatever Fennan was telling her. Whether Piper would admit it or not, she still loved Fennan. Perhaps she’d get some wine in her and get Piper to confess and give Fen another chance.

The two Layala wanted to find the most among the crowd, she didn’t, and that made her nervous. Not that Hel had done anything that would risk revealing his identity, but he always had a trick up his sleeve.