Page 24 of To Catch a Prince

“Are you referring to my wrinkles, miss?” askedNathos.

Talia couldn’t be sure, but it looked like he was joking; the rest of the party seemed downright shocked to see him crack a mischievoussmile.

“I’m soon to celebrate my first millennium, my lady. But the wrinkles I owe to the foolishness of young people these days. They get up to all sorts of trouble and keep me up atnight.”

There were no wrinkles to speak of anywhere on him, so perhaps the young people weren’t thatfoolish.

That made her think of a concerning detail, though. “How does this work?” she asked, biting her lip when every gaze turned to her. “You two, when Xandrie will live a few decades and Rhey,forever.”

Xandrie and her husband exchanged a glance. “I…I won’t,” said she. “I won’t just live a few decades. Not since I linked myself to Elza. But binding myself to a dragon would have been enough to extend mylifespan.”

Her eyes widened. Her sister was now immortal? Her mind couldn’t quite wrap around thatconcept.

The men, Demelza and Saskia, sat down to a game of cards, presumably to give the sisters some privacy. Then, Xandrie started to explain what had happened to her over the course of the lastseason.

Talia listened to her sister’s tale, amused, impressed, and terrified when she realized how close she’d been to losing her a time or two. Poisons, vile she-dragons, evilsorcerers.

Xandrie turned to Aleria, then. “You know, your support meant a great deal to me. That you would believe me when no one else would- I’ll never be able to repaythat.”

Aleria sighed. “I’m sorry I’ve given you reasons to believe I wouldn’t trust your words,” she told her, measuring each word. “I know I’m not…a warm person. Not since heleft.”

He.The onlyheher family talked of in such hushed tones. Their brother Damion, Aleria’s twin. It had been years since he’d disappeared. Aleria had taken it worse than any ofthem.

A grave atmosphere engulfed them now that Damion had been mentioned, and Talia knew it was her time to talk, if only to change thesubject.

She had everyone’s attention; not just Xandrie and Aleria, who’d probed fruitlessly through their journey. The card players had grown silent and turned to them, shamelesslyeavesdropping.

“As you know,” said she, carefully thinking about each of her words, “I was called to the capital. We stayed three months, overall. It was marvelous, Xandrie - you would truly have loved it.” She turned to Aleria, placing her hand on the back of her sister’s hand. “So would you, despite the poor plumbing. There were other mages our age, all veryfriendly.”

“Everyone is always friendly towards you,” Aleriasaid.

“Just as everyone admires you,” sheretorted.

Her elder sister rolled her eyes. “See? She can’t meet anyone she doesn’t have a kind word for. But don’t let meinterrupt.”

“Well, we had a wonderful teacher, who talked of forbidden things. A different time, before the beginning of our era. He talked of strangers coming from the skies and shaping some of us into what we are. He talked of a war so dreadful most of the planet was left barren and some creatures became evil. That dark age precedes ourown.”

The card players had now abandoned their posts and closed in onthem.

“Do you think you could recall those lessons?” the Elder asked. “I’m old, but not old enough to have seen the Age ofKings.”

“Is that how it’s called?” she asked, raising abrow.

“Sure is. After the war, a terrible natural event practically plunged our world into the abyss; an advanced civilization stepped in. From what I’ve heard, the Riders, such as your sister Xandrie, come from that era. At the time, they called them the Dragonlords, another word for the descendants of those sky travelers. They had magics - plenty of them. Most of those amongst the living who now wield magic come from lines linked to them. But some, occasionally, are given a little more of their bloods thanothers.”

Nathor shrugged. “I checked on that just this morning. From what I gather, if the right couple mate, they occasional create children blessed with more gifts than others. Which would explain why, in your family, there’s a Rider, anEnchantress…”

“And I,” Aleria said, a little hotly perhaps, her eyes fixed on thefloor.

Yes, and her. Her beauty might be a burden, to her, but it was, nonetheless, quiteunique.

“But we’re digressing. Let’s return to your tale,miss.”

Oh, she’d very much liked that they’d changed the topic of their conversation for a minute. Sighing, shecontinued.

“After those weeks spent learning, there was a test; something I don’t quite understand, involving machines and drugs, and perhaps evenhypnosis.”

She shot Vincent a look; the man kept his mouthshut.

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