Jewel Monster (House Beasts #2)

The Dragon's Opinion

It did not take Eric long to realise that he was being paraded by Dimor.

He did not talk much to anyone. No one seemed to know him enough to dare approach him, but maybe it was the fact that he was practically glued to DImor's arm as they moved around the ballroom. And it was Dimor that did the talking when anyone approached. Eric was surprised that he understood what was said at all. He felt so out of his element that he had expected them to talk a completely different language than his own, like ancient greek. But no. (He wondered if it was some magic of his temporary body. He didn't dare to ask Dimor in public.)

What tipped him off first to the fact that he was being shown off was... well, that people were watching him quite carefully, as it went. They did not look at him like they wanted him... well. Maybe some of them did. But he was being watched, that much he had understood from catching a few glances his way. Was it the mask, that Dimor had put back on him? The fact that he knew no one?

Or the fact that Dimor had not let him leave his side since the start of the evening and had decided to call him dear at every occasion? Because, if Eric would have been in their shoes, that would have been quite the piece of juicy gossip.

They went for a dance, again, and once more Eric relied on his necklace to take care of it for him. He was quite grateful that Mustard had given it to him. He had never danced like that - not that he couldn't dance but he had never learned to waltz. It was fun. He could hold Dimor as close as he wanted and he was not against that, not in the least. And, well, the music they placed was nice classical music, he guessed. He had always thought that all classical music was boring. Not that he listened to a lot of it.

"There is someone that I want you to meet," said Dimor at the end of a dance, suddenly.

"Someone?"

Eric had a thought for Pandora. He was certain that he had spotted her in the crowd, once or twice, but she had not approached them yet. He really, really hoped that she had not recognised him. She was the only one there that knew who he truly was - and the one that was the most likely to get angry about it.

"You'll see," said Dimor.

He pulled him to the side; he seemed like he was looking for someone in particular. After a while of not finding them, he sighed, muttered something with clear annoyance that Eric did not quite catch, and drew his companions to the side. Most of the windows that gave on the gardens had been closed to keep the cold air of the night out, save a couple of them. They walked into the dark. The sound of the crowd's chatter was already quieter.

"Hey," said Dimor.

A man was sitting outside, alone, his back towards the party. He was toying with what seemed to be some sort of gemstone, that he slipped in an inside pocket of his jacket when he heard Dimor address him. He then turned his head to the side, glancing at their shadows on the ground next to him without revealing his face.

"Father, you're on your own again," said Dimor.

"I am," the man replied.

Dimor's father.

That was different than meeting Dimor's mother, at least in Eric's mind, because the situation was different, more... romantic, obviously. What if he did not like him? It would not be the first time a parent would outright reject Eric as a potential date for their son, and not because they were gay. He would never forget that one woman that had told him - to his face - that there were bad vibes about him. That had marked him.

The man in the dark got to his feet, then to his full height. And he kept going up, and up, until he had passed Eric and Dimor, before he turned around to reveal a face surrounded by scales and two red eyes with slit pupils.