Ryn

Chapter Twenty One

Fyns have the ultimate choice on whether or not to accept a mate. However, they must understand the consequences of their choice and think carefully before they decide.

This is Our Law.

~ From the Dragonling Grimoire

I sprinted through the crowded streets, dodging around stalls in an attempt to lose King Ray. I could hear him calling after me, telling me to stop, but I just ignored it and kept running. Dragonlings stumbled out of my way, complaining and yelling at me, but I ignored them too. I just wanted to get away.

After a few minutes of playing hide-and-seek, I decided it was safe enough to go back to my room. I placed my hand on the icy door, then swallowed hard when I realized I was trembling. The door slid open and I stumbled inside, collapsing on the pile of furs.

Dmitri was snoring softly in the corner, a pile of papers around him. Alek was still sitting at the desk, scribbling notes while Mishal perched on his shoulder. He looked up in surprise, concern darkening his face. "Anita, what happened?" He stood up immediately, walking over and kneeling beside me. "What's wrong?"

I was breathing heavily. What had just happened? It was still hard to believe. "I..."

Knocking at the door made me tense up. Alek's head snapped up and his lips turned into a frown. Straightening up, he walked to the door and put his hand on it. The ice slid away, revealing a very conflicted-looking King Ray. My stomach churned when I saw him. He still unsettled me, with his shifting face and critical eyes, but some traitorous part of me wanted him near.

"Who are you?" Alek's voice was colder than the ice outside of the caverns.

The two Liras faced off, Alek nearly a foot taller than Ray. To the king's merit, he didn't seem fazed. His face twitched, like he was trying to regain control and just couldn't. After a few tense minutes, he finally spoke. "Move. She," he nodded towards me, "and I have to talk."

And then the most beautiful thing I had ever seen happened - Alek sucker punched Ray so hard in the face he went down like a sack of rocks.

I was so stunned I couldn't even warn Alek when Ray surged up in a wave of fury, tackling him to the ground. They wrestled on the ground for a moment, both yelling insults as they tried to gain the upper hand. There was a grunt behind me and I looked over in time to see Dmitri blink his eyes open and stretch. "What...?!" His eyes caught on the fighting Liras and his jaw dropped.

"Long story." I scrambled to my feet. "Please stop them?"

Dmitri grunted again and got up, walking over to Alek and Ray. Grabbing a Lira in each hand by their collars, he lifted both of them up off the ground. Despite the fact that both were taller than him, their feet dangled in air. "I don't know what the hell just happened, but the two of you need to calm down."