A Pet for the Dragons

147.

ARIKA

I woke up the next day with a sour mood. Maybe it had something to do with Radrox not being with me when I woke up... or perhaps it had something to do with this day being the day of the Court Dinner.

I shuddered, thinking about it. I couldn't help but feel jittery today as I showered before stepping out of my room to look for my dragons. Ivret was nowhere to be seen, making me even more jittery. What was he up to?

Radrox was gone, too. Only Zorge was in our wing this morning, and even then, he seemed preoccupied with something. Because I was sure as heck, I'd have woken up to him. I found it worrying that he didn't come to me in the absence of the other two. If anything, this indicated how stressful the Dinner would be.

"What are you doing?" I asked upon finding him in his room, finding him with some fabric. Sitting on his bed with his back to the door, he seemed to be sewing something. He seemed to be working on one of the dresses they bought me. I sat beside him, watching his sew. I found this surprising.

"You'll see," He muttered quickly, sowing without glancing at me. He was too intensely focused on the task. I watched him for a few seconds, searching for something. I didn't exactly know what I was looking for, but I couldn't help but feel more stressed seeing him like this. He didn't seem like himself.

"I didn't know you could sew too. What else could you do?" I had to ask because it was a pressing question in my head and also a good distraction from the situation. "Who taught you to sew?"

"My sister," He replied, very focused on sowing. "I looked after her when she was young, so I know some of these trades," This surprised me even more, reminding me that I didn't know much about the dragons yet.

"You have a sister?" I asked, my head whirling with images of how she'd look.

"Had," Zorge replied, reading my thoughts. "And she looked like me. She didn't live long because she was born with rotting blood."

"Oh..." I breathed, feeling sorry for him but even more curious about the rest of his family and what he meant by rotting blood. I didn't have much for family as I was growing up. The closest thing I had to family was the ship crew, but I wouldn't consider them family.

"That was a long time ago." He said, sensing my sorrow for him.

"Who else do you have in your family?" I asked because I had to. I wondered how having multiple mates worked for them. It wasn't as common in humans, so I'd always been curious. What happened when kids became part of the picture? My thoughts were running a hundred miles per hour suddenly.

"It's just Radrox and I for now. Radrox's father is said to have had another son from another bond, but we've never met him. Here," He said, finally tying a knot and curing the threat with his teeth before holding up the dress.

It was a beautiful blue dress, slightly transparent but somewhat shimmery and silky. I remember trying it in the store and immediately liking it. However, I couldn't spot any difference after Zorge's sewing work on it.

"What did you do to it?" I asked, searching for the places he sewed, but I didn't find anything.

"Put it on. You'll see," He said, tossing the dress aside before reaching for me. His hot, scorching eyes locked with mine as he reached for my dress. I let him undress me, noticing how he took his time to caress the curve of my breasts and my hips before I stood completely naked in front of him. Something dark flashed in his eyes, and I could practically feel his desire oozing off of him.

I was expecting him to pounce on me, to claim me, to mate me. My core clenched, reminiscing the way his hot, pulsing knot and cock stretched me. It made me feel like a virgin again.

"Here," He muttered, a strained look on his face as he reached for my dress and helped me put it on. The dress fit me perfectly— just as it did at the store. I twirled around in it for a moment, feeling it against my body while Zorge watched me with the dark and hungry look in his eyes that was heating me from the inside.

"I like it," I told him, and he nodded, the expression on his face growing increasingly strained. However, he lightly shook his head as if forcing himself to focus.

"Now, put your hand slightly behind your thighs. You'll find pockets there," Zorge said, and I did precisely that and found the pockets there. "They'll be armed with daggers. The skirt's pleats will conceal the pockets completely, but you have to be careful when you sit down, or else they'll make a noise and give it away." I nodded, mentally taking notes as I ran my hands through the skirt. The pockets were almost invisible. Zorge continued. "Now, run your fingers over the beads around the waist. Careful, don't press too hard. You'll find one of the beads out of place. If you press it, I'll release thick smoke you can use to escape, but you must be careful with it yourself. You can take some of the beads from the left side and throw them to create a mini explosion and smoke. It's enough to serve as a distraction..."

Zorge continued to tell me more about such things while I checked them. He'd sewed almost a dozen pockets for different kinds of weapons I could always have on me. The weapons were later brought by Radrox, who forged them exclusively for me, along with a small pendant attached to my collar. It was another of those things containing either an explosive or a gas. He also made me a ring to contain some poison, just in case.

For the rest of the day, they taught me how to use the things if I got in danger and get out of there. I tried to remember as much as possible and prepare myself accordingly.

As the day progressed, I grew increasingly nervous because Ivret was still nowhere to be seen. This just made me more and more anxious. As the sun set, Zorge helped me bathe and get ready for the night by helping me bathe and doing my hair so I could sneak in a few more small weapons, just in case.

Meanwhile, Radrox oversaw the whole process, telling me in full detail what to expect at the Dinner. If anything, this made me even more nervous. By the time Zorge was done dressing me up for the Dinner, I was armed to the teeth and had no will to leave to go to the Dinner. But it wasn't like I had a choice.

Still... there was no sign of Ivret yet, troubling me more. I tried my best not to hyperventilate and focus on everything Radrox and Zorge had taught me.

"You look breathtaking," Zorge whispered, stroking my cheek gently as he looked at me. I shuddered, feeling on the edge. Meanwhile, Radrox fiddled with my collar, ensuring it wouldn't break. I wanted to roll my eyes at him, but at the same time, I understood he was doing this for his satisfaction. They were equally nervous as well.

"Thanks," I returned, turning my head to look at the hairdo. Zorge had braided my hair into this subtle yet beautiful bun. He gave me a heated look before leaning down to kiss me. I closed my eyes, lifting my face to meet his lips, but we were interrupted when the door to my room flung open.

My head snapped towards the door to find Ivret standing there. I sucked in a breath as soon as I saw him. I didn't recognise him at first. I thought it was someone else.

Ivret looked entirely different. He wore a dark leather cloak that bore an emblem of his house on the left side of his chest. The cloak in itself screamed royalty. His horns were capped with silver, and his hair was long, tucked behind his pointed ears, flowing down his back. He wore a silver headband of sorts with runes that somehow made his horns stand out even more, making him look more majestic than ever.

"Ivret," I breathed as he stepped into the room. I wanted to throw myself at him and berate him for ghosting us since yesterday when I saw the flash of green behind him. The guards were here, too. The realisation made my heart grow cold.