Dragon Bride (SAMPLE)

Chapter Nine

Tonight's royal feast was quiet. No one said a single word, but their thoughts were clear enough. Kendria could almost tell what most of the people around her were thinking. It was all over their faces and written in their physical tells. Her sisters couldn't stop peaking up from their meals to steal worried glances her way. The young woman had no doubt that they were afraid for her... and maybe of her.

It made her meal hard to chew, much less swallow. She could handle the suspicion lingering on the Kings' faces, the arched brows of frustration from the Rathkian princess, and even the desperate need to reassure her that N'Jal and Zatthias were trying to hide-but she couldn't take those looks on her sisters' faces. That fear; it made her sick to her stomach.

"I hope you're not too shaken up by today's events, Kendria. Oh, what an awful fright." Princess Aveline gushed. She was sitting right beside her this time. The cheerful girl insisted, offering her a kind smile and occasional hand squeezing as a way of comfort. If she hadn't almost kissed her betrothed, the Dragoness would have appreciated it, but her presence only made her feel worse.

"I'm alright, Your Highness."

She sighed, "Honestly, Kendria, I can not stand that we're not friends yet. Why is it such a bother to call me by my name?"

Kendria's gaze collided with the prince's; her skin turned warm with desire as her heart fluttered with anxiety. "My apologies. I suppose we just don't know each other well enough."

"Well, that's an easy fix! We must have a girls' day. You, me, and even Princess Saga. That should solve any distance and any issues among us." Princess Aveline declared.

'Gods, what a nightmare!'

It took everything not to groan and throw herself on the table like a spoiled child. Judging by Saga's curled scowl, the princess of Rathke wasn't pleased about it either. But they both couldn't find a reason to decline. Disappointing the foreign royal would be quite rude, especially when she was trying so hard to be friendly.

But even so, Kendria couldn't spend too much time with her. There was a supernatural threat lurking in the palace, and with the God of Fire good as gone, it was up to her and the dragons to figure it out alone. She could waste her energy buttering up the young girl who will be crushed when she finds out that her dream prince doesn't want her.

'But N'Jal said that he would tell her about us... why hasn't he done so yet?'

Her eyes narrowed into slits as she glared at him. He shifted uncomfortably under her scrutiny.

"Then it's settled. Tomorrow!" Princess Aveline gushed, distracting Kendria from her thoughts. She didn't realize that she was looking directly at her, but once she did, those glossy brown eyes burned a hole into her forehead. "We have so much to talk about, don't we?" And then her words sent a chill through her body.

"May we join you, Your Highness?" Nymeria asked.

"Of course, Nymeria. You and Lilianna are more than welcome to accompany us. I'd love to know which suitors have caught your eyes. If you're still searching, I have several lords from Hythe who would be delighted to wed such gorgeous ladies-"

Alexander's growl was unexpected. It was loud, startling the entire table. Kendria instantly glared at him, urging him to avert his face from any searching eyes. Thankfully, he took the hint and coughed into his hand.

'What the fuck is his problem?'

"What was that?" King Holger wondered.

He was the most insistent on finding the source of the sound, which pissed her off. "Nothing to concern yourself with, your Majesty." She insisted; her golden gaze blazed.