Page 12

12

Saffron

I was grumpy as hell when I arrived at the site of the second challenge. Not only did I barely sleep last night, but my spat with Rorik still plagued me. Just when I thought it was smooth sailing between us, he went and had an emotional aneurysm.

But it wasn’t all his fault. Rorik was confused, and our tumultuous relationship wasn’t helping.

Maybe it was immature of me to run away last night, I thought, feeling a pang of guilt. I wonder who was at the door?

A terrible thought struck me: what if it was Kaskian, picking another fight? He should’ve left by now, but if he stuck around to grief Rorik...

My protective instincts surged, along with a second slash of guilt. If Rorik had gotten injured because I ran away like a coward, I’d never forgive myself.

Energized, I ran towards Gaius. Before I could say anything, he flashed me a dazzling, too-white smile and asked, “Why the long face, my draconic friend?”

“Have you seen Rorik?” I demanded.

“Good morning, Saffron! It’s nice to see you, too. Wonderful weather, isn’t it?”

“I don’t have time for this,” I snapped. “Where’s Rorik?”

Gaius grinned, unbothered as usual. “Oh my. Not even two challenges in, and you’re so smitten that you even sound like him.” Before I plucked off all his feathers, he gestured at the crowd forming beneath the hill crest. “He’s right there, safe and sound. Can’t miss him.”

Relief washed over me when I glimpsed Rorik’s tall head among the contestants. He looked adorably cranky, but unharmed.

My heart swelled. Our argument was suddenly unimportant to me. What mattered was his happiness and safety.

“Sorry for freaking out,” I mumbled to Gaius. “What is the challenge, anyway?”

“Looks like round two of a certain scavenger hunt,” Gaius explained.

I furrowed my brow, then realized what he meant. During Aurum’s season, one of the challenges was to differentiate us by scent. Mylo had no trouble, of course. But would Rorik? He didn’t even know I had a twin at first. Could he tell Aurum and me apart? And if he couldn’t, wouldn’t that prove we weren’t fated mates?

I chewed the inside of my cheek, frazzled by doubt. Ugh, I’d been so excited for my season of the Dragonfate Games, but it wasn’t what I expected at all. Whose stupid idea was it to host a game show with challenges, anyway?

Oh.

Right.

It was mine.

I clenched my eyes shut, resisting the urge to bash my head into the nearest tree. None of my brothers struggled this badly. By challenge two, most of the pairs had hooked up, or hell, even gotten knocked up. All I’d shared with Rorik was a kiss, a blowjob, and a dumb argument.

What would make Rorik accept my love? I knew he was mine, but he was too guarded to let me in. I had to prove it beyond a shadow of a doubt.

But how?

Gaius cleared his throat and stepped forward onto the lip of the jagged rock, lifting his arms to summon everyone’s attention.

“Good morning, contestants! Gorgeous day for an outdoor activity, is it not? Your challenge today is… drum roll, please…” He slapped his thighs in a convincing imitation drum roll. “A scavenger hunt!”

The response from the crowd wasn’t pretty. I overheard a random omega mumble, “Didn’t they already do this two seasons ago?”

Another responded, “They must be running out of ideas…”

I could’ve died from secondhand embarrassment. The urge to smack my head against a tree grew stronger until I could barely resist.

They were right. Aside from the fact that I was a twin, this challenge had nothing to do with me as an individual. Dammit, Jade. Wasn’t he supposed to be good at planning the Games? I had some stern complaints for him after this was over.

Gaius ignored the stray comments and grinned like he was having a great time. At least somebody was.

“You all know our wonderful bachelor Saffron here is a twin,” he went on, gesticulating at me. “But can you recognize him?”

As the contestants’ eyes swiveled onto me, I tensed. I’d always imagined this kind of moment to be a fun ego boost. What alpha wouldn’t want a group of omegas staring at him?

Instead, I just felt like a collectible, a toy wrapped in packaging that was only worth something as an object, my value stemming only from what others perceived of me: a wealthy celebrity alpha dragon.

I hated it.

But one pair of eyes was different than the rest.

My heart skipped as Rorik met my gaze. His black, brooding eyes were changed from last night. He looked… lonelier.

Claws gripped my heart. What happened after I left?

Dammit, why did I run? I should’ve been there for him.

I wanted to throw myself into the crowd and talk to him, but before I could move, a casual arm looped around my shoulder. The golden glow in the corner of my eye told me who it was before I faced him.

“Yo,” Aurum said, flashing a grin.

He wore the exact same outfit I did, and since he’d stopped dying his hair after meeting Mylo, we were visually identical. Immediately, Aurum’s arrival caused a stir in the previously disheartened crowd. People murmured, glancing back and forth between us as they tried to memorize which twin was which.

Rorik didn’t look at Aurum. His shadowed gaze was pinned on me. There was something like desperation hidden in his dark pools.

“Earrings, please, boys,” Gaius instructed, producing an outstretched palm.

I frowned, then grudgingly removed the dangling topaz from my ear. Aurum did the same. Our movements were mirrored as we dropped them in Gaius’s hand.

“These will be your prey,” Gaius announced, showing off the earrings to the crowd. The crystalline facets gleamed in the sunlight. He tossed them expertly to a pair of kobold staff members nearby, who immediately darted off. “They’ll be hidden in the surrounding woods, so use your sharp senses to hunt them down! To win, you need to find both earrings, and divine the correct owner.”

My stomach turned. This was stupid. Couldn’t they just guess? It was a 50/50 chance to get it right. If Jade had rigged the challenges in Rorik’s favor, how did this help him at all?

After the kobolds returned, Gaius finished his long-winded spiel and officially started the challenge. All the omegas shifted into their animal forms and bolted into the trees—all except two.

Rorik and Poppy.

They stood an awkward distance apart, not looking at each other. The tension was palpable.

I was so confused. Weren’t they friends? Did something happen between the nurse’s office and now?

Aurum leaned close to my ear. “Hey,” he whispered, only loud enough for me to hear. “You like that polar bear, right? Want me to help him win?”

My chest tightened. In my era of uncertainty and confusion, I’d forgotten I had a twin I could rely on.

“How d’you know where the earrings are hidden?” I asked.

“I eavesdropped on Jade’s instructions earlier. I know exactly where they are.”

I felt a thrill of excitement. I’d helped Mylo win during his scavenger hunt, and now Aurum was returning the favor.

“I mean… I won’t stop you,” I teased. Then my nerves crept in. I added in a whisper, “But be careful, okay? Rorik’s not like other omegas.”

“How so?”

“He’s been brainwashed by a freaky ice cult. He’s stupidly stubborn and proud. He might take your offer to help the wrong way, so try to be subtle about it.”

“Freaky ice cult?” Aurum echoed.

I sighed, overwhelmed at the idea of unraveling it all right now. “I’ll tell you later.”

Aurum shrugged. “Okay. Got it.”

Then he pulled a beanie hat out of his pocket and slapped it on his head to conceal his recognizable hair. I clocked the hat as the silly disguise he wore during Thystle’s season, when we snuck into the hotel to scope out the contestants. I didn’t know he still had it.

I snorted. “You’re an idiot.”

Aurum fit the beanie snugly over his ears. “You’re my twin. That makes you an idiot, too.”

I grinned despite myself. But my brief second of joy didn’t last. I was just too stressed and uncertain about everything.

I grasped Aurum’s arm, holding him back a moment. “Listen. When you help Rorik, can you tell him I wanna talk?”

“Can’t you tell him yourself?” Aurum asked. “Ditch the birdbrain. Come and get your man.”

We glanced at Gaius, who whistled and checked his watch, then we returned to our secret huddle.

“I’m not allowed,” I grumbled. “As the bachelor, I’m supposed to stay put so I can’t help anyone win.”

Aurum rolled his eyes. “Who cares? The challenge is pointless. We all know you like Rorik, so—”

“Gaius can hear you two, by the way,” Gaius called out without facing us, still checking his watch with a smile. “Saffron’s stuck here, I’m afraid. Jade’s orders.”

I swallowed a frustrated grunt. It was fine. Mylo won the challenge easily; I was sure Rorik didn’t need help. He knew what I smelled like.

But a teeny, tiny scrap of assistance from Aurum wouldn’t hurt...

Gaius went on, still facing the clearing below. “Actually, I should keep Aurum here, too, since he’s involved and all. It would be majorly irresponsible if I let him—”

As Gaius finally turned around, his face fell.

Aurum was gone.

I smiled innocently as Gaius gawked at the suddenly empty space next to me.

“Whoops,” I said.

Gaius let out a dramatic moan, hanging his head. “If I was any less charismatic and lovable, I’d certainly be fired for this...”