Page 40 of Exquisite Monster (Dragons of Viria #2)

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

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ZOVAI

I took my clothes from Lena and put them on in the shadow of Sythal Itur’s walls. She glanced around us, shrinking into the shadows so there was less of a chance she would be seen.

It hurt my heart that she was so afraid. The fear was justified, but I still hated it. She’d already been afraid enough for a lifetime.

Gently, I lifted the hood of her cloak over her hair. The deep ruby strands caught the last bits of dying light, and the beast in me saw her as a jewel. Treasure. While we were still in danger, I wanted to minimize any other dragons thinking the same.

After the world was safe once more, I would show her off at the earliest available opportunity.

I ducked so I could see her eyes beneath the hood. “Are you all right?”

Her lips pressed together in a flat line, and I felt her nerves. “I think so.”

“If this is too much, Lena, I understand. I would never take you anywhere I knew was unsafe, but that doesn’t mean you feel safe. We can fly back right now if you want to.”

She blinked, and through our bond, I felt her determination harden. “No. I want to. I can’t… I can’t feel like this forever.”

I pulled up my own hood and laced our fingers together. “Just know that if you want to leave, we can. Anytime.”

She gripped my hand tighter as we walked toward the gate.

No one even glanced at us as we passed through.

Her cloak was covered with my scent. It would mask hers a little.

But still, the dragons here minded their own business.

They cared little who came and went, as long as you didn’t cause trouble.

If I had to guess, we were far from the only beings wanting to keep a low profile in this city.

Beyond that, visitors were common here. The city was beautiful, had a thriving marketplace, and was a regular getaway from the business of other dragon cities.

Many dragon artisans made their home here precisely because the town was so isolated from the rest of our kind.

They cared for little beyond their art and the freedom to make it.

Enough of their goods made it to Doro Eche, but there were some things you could only buy here. And I wanted Lena to see all of them.

“Come, quickly.” I pulled her toward the center of the town square. We would be just in time if they still did what I remembered .

I felt Lena’s mood lift as I tugged her, eased by my excitement and our rush. “Where are we going?”

The main square was still dark. Perfect. To the east, the last lingering glimmers of sunlight faded and disappeared. I tugged Lena in front of me, slipping my arms around her. “Just watch.”

A bell tolled, echoing over the city, and at all four corners of the enormous square, dragons unleashed their fire.

The entire square was lined with glass lamps of various shapes and colors, all connected by crisscrossing ropes that were immune to the flames.

And every evening, the town lit up the lamps, fire racing along those ropes and transforming them in a wave of gorgeous light and color.

Lena gasped, and I tightened my hold, feeling her wonder at the beauty.

“One of the things I wanted you to see,” I murmured.

“Is it a special occasion?”

I shook my head, but she couldn’t see me. “No. It happens every night.”

Now that the square was fully lit up, we could see the mixture of dragons in both their human and beast forms. Every color of hair and scales. The rows between market stalls were wide enough to accommodate our beasts, though most chose to remain human.

“I have one place we must stop,” I told her. “Other than that, there is no agenda.”

She turned in my arms and looked up at me. Her eyes were just visible beneath the deep hood. “Where do we need to go?”

“Should we go there first?”

Lena pressed her lips together again, but this time she was smiling. She felt so much more at ease. “Yes. Otherwise, I’ll spend the whole time wondering where we’re going and won’t enjoy any of it.”

I laughed softly. “Fair enough.”

The shop we needed to visit was on the other side of the square.

We clung to the edges, and Lena watched everything while we walked.

What would the world be like if all markets were like this?

Both human and dragon? If there were ever a time when most humans were not deathly afraid of us, I believed it would be a better world.

Bright green trim lined the windows of the storefront I wanted. It was on the edge of the square, and the front display showed every manner of fabric imaginable. If Ellemar were here, I wondered if she’d be impressed with the store’s selection or if she would find it lacking.

“Here.”

Lena looked at the display and through the door. “Why?”

“Because you need clothes,” I said. “As much as I love you wearing our clothes, and I will never tire of my scent on your skin, you need things that are your own.”

“I’ll be all right.”

I tilted my head. “Your wedding dress was torn to shreds because of us. You were tricked into wearing something you never would have chosen, and the gorgeous dress you wore for our mating celebration is now at the bottom of Evrítha. You need more than one set of clothes, mate.”

A pulse of devastating grief rolled through her before Lena leaned harder against my body. It was followed by a sense of awe and contentment. “Thank you. I had to ask Gleym for clothes. You already thought about them without me needing to ask. Endre did too.”

I leaned down and kissed her slowly, the hoods of our cloaks creating a tiny space for just the two of us. “I wanted you to feel normal, even if everything else isn’t.”

The emotions shifting through our bond were hard to interpret. Relief and hesitation, worry and gratefulness. But now, the low anxiety was the thing that drew my focus. “Why are you nervous?”

“I have no idea what clothes I need,” she whispered. “I’m obviously not dressing for court. I don’t know what clothes I’ll be able to fight in, if I need to. And…”

She didn’t have to finish the sentence. The last time she’d had someone help her dress was the moment she’d been humiliated, and she didn’t want to feel it again. “You will not look foolish,” I told her. “I will not allow it. As for the rest, we will see.”

I guided her inside the shop with a hand on the small of her back. Inside was a mess of fabrics stacked in every corner. The shelves looked like they might have had some semblance of organization at one point, but no longer. A tiny chime announced our presence.

“If you’re back for the veil, I’ve already told you it won’t be ready until the new moon, Firra.”

“We aren’t here for a veil,” I said. Though the idea of Lena in a wedding dress for us made my beast perk up with interest.

A female dragon with hair the color of the night sky looked up from behind the counter and took in the two of us. “My apologies. We have an eager customer who comes in around this time asking the same question.”

“Glad we could break up the monotony.”

“What can I help you with?”

“Clothing.”

She snorted. “Any other obvious things you’d like to point out?”

A laugh burst out of Lena, and she smothered it with her hand. I didn’t care that it was at my expense. I wanted my mate to laugh. I wanted her to feel joy .

“Clothes suitable for everyday wear and clothing suitable for travel. And anything else she’d like to purchase.”

The dragon’s eyes were already on Lena because she’d laughed, and I watched as she inhaled and tilted her head. “You’re human?”

Terror shot through Lena like lightning, and she stepped closer to me.

“Will that be a problem?” I allowed my beast to show through my eyes.

The dragon’s gaze snapped to mine. Her beast rose and realized how utterly outmatched it was. But I sensed no malice toward Lena or humans. Just curiosity. “No. Just odd to see on this side of the continent.”

“It was my belief that those in Sythal Itur kept their business their own.”

She chuckled and crossed her arms. “You don’t have to threaten me, stranger. Your business is your own. My name is Someny. My mate is Iavoss. He will deal with the payment while I take her measurements.” She held an arm out for Lena to follow, but all Lena did was press herself closer to me.

Someny frowned, and I held out a hand. “Take no offense. She has reason to be hesitant.”

“I spoke truly,” she said, directing the words at Lena. “Your business is your own. I will not harm you. I have no interest in you beyond making a sale.”

A bellowing laugh followed her statement, and a male nearly as tall as the shop itself stepped in from the door in the back.

Large and barrel-chested, the dragon had pale golden hair and eyes to match.

“She speaks the truth. If Someny ever has a hoard, it will be filled with nothing but the proof of customers she’s satisfied. ”

His mate glared at him, but didn’t contradict the statement. Lena felt calmer, and I turned her toward me before tilting her face up. “Will you be all right or would you like me with you?”

“You’ll only be steps away,” Someny said.

Lena looked at me and took a breath. I felt her resolve, and in turn, I let her feel my pride. “I will be all right.”

“If you’re not,” I lifted her hand to my chest, “you know how to tell me.”

I kissed her again, this time not at all chaste. It was a distraction for her and a claim for the others. They needed to understand how deeply she was mine, and what I would do for her. I showed it all in the kiss before letting her go.

She followed Someny behind a curtain, and I could still hear their voices. But now the dragon’s mate watched me with intention.

“You risk much, bringing a human to our side of the world.” My beast flared , and Iavoss held out both hands. “You do not need to fear me or my mate. But it is unusual. And even here, it will not go unnoticed. We keep to ourselves, but news still travels.”

I pushed the hood off my head and locked eyes with him. The message I’d told Lena about had more than a simple statement that the town was safe. It had the names of those I could trust to keep our visit quiet.

“We are friends of Idroal,” I kept my voice low. “They assured me you would be discreet.”

Recognition crossed the man’s face, and his eyes shifted to his beast for a brief moment before he inclined his head. “You have nothing to fear here.”

“Whatever she wants, add to Idroal’s account. We will make sure it is paid.”

“Of course.”

I hesitated and decided to trust. “Among the things made. Is there a way to add protection?”

“From what?”

Huffing out a breath, I kept the burst of fear from reaching Lena. “As much as I hate to admit it, it is likely we will see conflict or combat. So… everything.”

Iavoss face was grave as he nodded. “I’ll see what I can do.”

We do what we can , I said to myself. And at the moment, it seemed it was all we had.