Page 26 of Court of Rivals (Their Dragon Rider #1)

H arper

The king smiles at Roland and I as we dance past him, a stark contrast to the tension in the rest of the room.

I pretend not to notice his glaring sons from the doorway.

Then, the song ends, and Roland and I pull away from each other.

It’s weird. I don’t find Roland attractive, not outside of when my dragon is making me insanely horny over every tiny thing, but I really wish I did. So much would be simpler then.

“May I have this next dance?” someone asks from behind me.

I turn to see a dark-haired man. A dragon rider I’d seen many times before bowing in front of me.

“Actually, I was going to ask her to dance,” a different dragon rider says with an edge to his voice.

“And why should you get to dance with her?” A third man asks, puffing out his chest.

“Because I was here first,” the dark-haired man argues.

A fourth man joins their circle. “Well, I’m a better dancer than all three of you–”

“I’ve got a larger dragon than all of you,” a fifth man says.

“Well, I have a larger dick!” the blond man practically shouts.

I look to Roland for help, but he’s backing off. Like he wants no part of this. I understand where he’s coming from, but for fucks sake, Roland needs to grow a pair. I’m no damsel in distress, but he’s the type of man to shriek and run when he sees a spider. It’s… not an attractive quality.

Before I can figure out what to say, they start shoving each other, which quickly devolves into a fist fight.

I’m staring at them, jaw hanging open, trying to figure out what the hell is happening.

These men are awful to me. They either ignore me or treat me like shit.

So why the hell are they fighting just to dance with me?

There’s booming laughter behind me. I turn to see the king, standing in front of his throne, looking amused as hell while the dragon riders continue to beat the shit out of each other. Which is, frankly, weird. He’s the leader… shouldn’t he be stepping in to handle this?

“Harper.”

I turn and I’m suddenly pulled into a pair of very strong arms. My gaze snaps up to find Prince Lucien pulling me back out onto the dance floor, ignoring the fighting men like they don’t even exist. Every muscle in my body tenses and confusing thoughts roll through me.

He looks… wonderful, unfortunately, his blond hair has been left loose around his face, drawing attention to the sharp lines of his face.

He’s wearing a black suit with a green undershirt, the same beautiful shade of green as his eyes.

“Wh-what are you doing?” I ask, as he spins me around.

“Dancing. Are you not familiar with it?” He leans in, his voice a growl in my ear. “Because you seemed very familiar with it when you were dancing with Roland just now.”

A shiver rolls down my spine from his hot breath on my ear, and I don’t like the effect this man has on me. It’s probably Ebron's influence over me. Damn him. “I know what dancing is. I don’t know why you’re dancing with me .”

He’s quiet for a minute, his movements so graceful that I feel like we’re floating across the dance floor. “I just figured that if you could dance with him, you could dance with me.”

“That makes no sense.”

He shrugs, those beautiful eyes of his burning into me. “I didn’t say it made sense.”

This man is just accustomed to taking what he wants. To treating people like things instead of living beings. And, for some reason, he’s gotten himself confused. For some reason, he thinks I’m the kind of person to tolerate that shit.

My confusion gives way to anger. “You’re an asshole . A creep . Someone who took advantage of me at a vulnerable moment. Men like you are scum . So, did you ever think I might not want to dance with you ?”

“The thought crossed my mind, and then, I ignored it. I’m a handsome prince afterall.”

Arrogant prick.

“Not to me,” I say, pulling out of his arms.

He catches me before I can leave the dance floor. His hand holding mine. His other at my waist, keeping me from leaving. “The song isn’t over yet, so I think it’s time we talked.”

“About what?” I ask, irritated.

Hasn’t everything that needs to be said been said? He’s made it clear he doesn’t want me here. He’s made it clear that he doesn’t think I deserve to be a dragon rider. Isn’t that all that matters?

Complicated emotions flash across his face for a brief moment before he says, “I apologize for what happened during hand-to-hand combat. I was only thinking of winning, and nothing beyond that.”

“Suck it.”

He gives a dry laugh. “Come on, all’s fair in love and war. Am I right?”

I glare. “How about next time I pull down your pants?”

“I’d gladly be pantsless with you.”

My glare deepens. “You know that’s not what I meant.”

He shifts an inch closer. “I know.”

“So, now what?” He won’t let me go, and yet, he has no reason to keep me so close.

He lifts a brow as he stares down at me. “You know, you’re much prettier when you smile.”

“I’d need to be in the company of someone far better than you to be smiling.”

There’s a tick in his jaw. “Don’t you think it’s time you stop this game of yours and leave the academy? You’re never going to be one of us. All you’re going to do is keep embarrassing yourself.”

“Like when you undid my top?”

He has the decency to look bothered for half a second. “All’s fair in love and war, Cock Sucker.”

I glare at him. “Let’s get a few things straight.

You are never, ever going to intimidate me into leaving, so you can stop wasting your time.

What you will end up doing is showing to me, to yourself, and to the world, that you’re an insecure little manchild with such a tiny dick that you are threatened by a singular woman being in your ‘man’ world. ”

His gaze jerks to me, and he stares back at me in shock for a brief moment before launching into action.

Spinning me away from him, as if we’re still dancing, instead of arguing, he then pulls me back toward him, so I’m suddenly in his strong arms. For a second, we’re just standing, pressed against each other, and the room becomes several degrees too hot.

Or maybe it’s just his body. Then, I pull away, creating more distance between us.

“You know,” he begins slowly. “When I was six years old, I followed Prince Gareth to the obstacle course, where he liked to train with the dragon riders. He told me to go back to my room. That I was too little to handle the obstacle course. I didn’t listen though.

I thought I could handle the big boys. The result?

” He takes the hand on my waist off and points to the slight bump on his nose.

“Broken. Bled everywhere and hurt like a bitch. I couldn’t even say I wasn’t warned.

I tried to swim with the big boys, and I got my ass kicked because I wasn’t ready. ”

His message isn’t lost on me. “Except in my case the only difference between you and me is that I happen to have breasts and better manners. You can hardly compare me to a small child doing something meant only for adults.”

To my surprise, he sighs, “Harper, I can’t say I don’t like you– admire you, and maybe in a different world we’d be something to each other. But, here and now? Here and now I simply think you’re the most stubborn, irritating woman I’ve ever encountered.”

“I hear only compliments,” I tell him, flashing a smile.

His lips curve up for half a second before acceptance seems to come over his face. “We’re going to destroy you, Harper. We’re going to ruin you in every way possible, and you’re going to end up regretting ever stepping foot in the academy.”

I lean up, so our lips nearly touch. “Bring it on, Asshole.”

He blinks several times, groans, and spins me away from him, before pulling me back into his arms. I don’t know what’s wrong with him, but he keeps trying to bring me closer, and I keep putting distance between us.

The last thing I need is for anyone in this room, including the king himself, to think there’s something going on between us.

The song ends, and I breathe a sigh of relief as I pull away from him. “I guess my dancing days are over–”

Turning, I run straight into a hard chest. Before I can even process what’s happening, there’s a hand around mine, and another at my waist. My gaze jerks up to meet the soft brown eyes of Prince Alaric’s. A string of curses rolls through my mind. Can’t these princes ever leave me alone?

“Prince Alaric,” Prince Lucien says coldly behind me. “I didn’t think you were the dancing type.”

“If the woman is beautiful enough…” Prince Alaric tells me, his deep voice seeming to rumble through me.

Prince Lucien takes a step forward, grabbing my waist. “Maybe I wasn’t done with her.”

“You’re done with her now,” Prince Alaric says, a threat in his voice.

“Or maybe I don’t want to dance with either of you. Did that happen to cross either of your muscle-filled brains?”

Prince Alaric scoffs and drags me away from Prince Lucien, sending us spinning around the dance floor.

He’s a little shorter than Prince Lucien, but he’s thicker in all ways.

Dancing with him is like dancing with a brick wall, and a brick wall isn’t nearly as graceful as Prince Lucien.

It’s strange to be close to someone this strong.

Nice, kind of, to feel delicate, for once, as a well-built woman.

But I haven’t forgotten how he’d punched me, or the bruises still fading from my face.

“You planning on threatening me too?” I ask, eyes narrowed, breathing hard for some reason.

Prince Alaric glances down, a question in his eyes. “Threatening?”

I do my best to mock their voices. “We big men don’t allow women to ride dragons. You have to have a cock to ride a dragon. It’s a requirement, because our big balls are needed to cushion our seats.”

To my surprise, he laughs. “Is that what we sound like?”

“Very much so,” I tell him, suspicious of his reaction.

He shakes his head. “Well, that’s not why I’m dancing with you.”

“Then why are you?”