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“You never come by and see your favorite arms master. You know how much I’ve missed having you two in class.” There was a hint of teasing to Hazel’s voice.

Kol grinned. “Are you admitting to possessing feelings, Miss Storm?”

Her eyes were like lightning, and the air in the room charged. It seemed to connect all of us. She would be a force to be reckoned with when she found her ryder. “Occasionally, I get fond of a fae or two. Very occasionally.”

Every eye in the room was on her. Even Zaria was drawn to Hazel.

“Glad to be on the right side of your selective admiration.” Kol stepped toward the middle of the room, and the trainees parted like the sea, allowing him to walk to the front of the space.

As a decorated flyer, Kol had the instant respect of the trainees—damn, of most of the kingdom. I, too, commanded respect, but it wasn’t earned; I’d inherited it from a fae who’d been nothing like me. He was feared, cold, and driven. An asset to the King and the Twelve Kingdoms, but not worth shit as a husband or father.

It was not a legacy I wanted. I knew I’d never live up to what my father was, but I had to forge my own success to maybe live up to what they all expected of me. I yearned to part crowds the way Kol did. Because fae saw the deeds I had done to defend and serve the kingdom. If I could get my ryder in the skies, it might finally start happening for me. Until then, I had to settle for fae scattering in the halls to clear a path for me should it be a case of like father, like son.

“Consider yourself lucky, Asra,” Hazel quipped to Kol, pulling me back from my thoughts. She waved Zaria forward. “Join us.”

Zaria crossed the room without ceremony. I could tell she was uncomfortable under the stares of the class, but she did it for Hazel. I knew it was irrational, but I was jealous of Hazel and the ease with which she clicked with Zaria. She was going to drive me to resent all the fae I cared about by simply being herself and making them love her.

Hazel directed the class through stretches and then had them pair off to begin warm-up footwork.

“Not him,” Hazel said to Zaria when she stepped over to pair up with Kol, who had stayed purely to boost his ego with all the adoration.

“Who would you like me to work with?” Zaria asked, sidestepping away from me.

I shot Hazel a look, and she pressed her lips into a line, which told me enough.

“I’ll work with you while these two manage the class,” Hazel replied without missing a beat.

“So, you have us here to do your job?” I hid my disappointment with the tease while sifting through the practice swords to see if my favorite was still in use.

Hazel rolled her eyes and turned to Zaria. “See what I have to put up with?”

Zaria glanced between us. “I think you set yourself up for that one…but I do think he could use something to occupy his time so he’s not nosing into other fae’s business.” The cut stung.

I lifted my upper lip and let my teeth show but quelled the dragon. “I like my hobbies as they are. Stalking, kidnapping, and hoarding—those things that are most important to us dragons.”

She shifted, avoiding my gaze, clearly flustered.

“Can you not give all of us a bad name?” Kol groaned.

“I’d deny it but, sorry, Kol, Nyx is right. If I found the right male, I’d carry him off and keep him to myself, too.” Not a flicker of apology from Hazel.

Zaria covered her mouth, and at first, I thought it was in horror, but then I heard her laugh. “I’d watch.”

All three of us turned toward her, stunned. She even seemed shocked she’d said it.

“Excuse me?” Kol asked slowly, sounding certain he must have misunderstood.

Zaria’s shock quickly turned into a grin. “What? Look at her! She’s beautiful. Any male she deems the right male… well, they’d be worth watching.” She shrugged.

Kol tipped his chin. “She has a point.”

“You’d better believe I have good taste.” Hazel smirked at me, and I wanted to know what was on her mind. “Now, all of you, stop distracting me. I need to see how her footwork is.”

“Then, you can’t blame me for taking you, Sol,” I said into Zaria’s mind, so Hazel wouldn’t get pissy.

“I can do whatever I please,” Zaria said out loud before taking her position in front of Hazel.

Kol snickered, elbowing me. “She is a handful.”