Page 89 of Always Say Yes to a Dragon

Carefully, I rewrapped the gift and set it on the nearest table, shoulders hunched.

“You lost on purpose,” I said. I’d searched high and low for the beautifully bound and illustrated manuscripts they had handed off to their staff. My gifts to them contained both time and money.

Beside me, Elle fixed them with a glare that would do any dragon proud.

They’d given me a book for first-year knowledge-sniffers, available for a few bucks at any bookstore. The leather binding was a small addition. They hadn’t eventriedto win.

“Niemrin is a smart boy, but you can’t leave the universities and librariesentirelyto him,” said Dad. “And you wouldn’t have bought that book on your own.”

“We play to our strengths.” My voice was as tight as my grip on Elle’s waist. I wanted to sink into the floor or spread my wings and fly off. I wanted to turn back time and ensure Elle never witnessed my own parents humiliate me.

Mom shrugged. “Read it. You might learn something new.”

“Udar just acquired a lovely first edition ofThe Great Gatsby. He wouldn’t have managed that if he’d rested on his laurels,” Dad said.

Udar smirked.

Oh. Udar. Perfect fucking Udar, acquiring first editions left and right.

“Az does an excellent job as city manager, but it’s a full-time job.” Elle’s voice was forceful, her mouth a thin line.

God, if I thought she’d accept, I’d give her my mating mark right now.

“Oh? How much time do you spend at City Hall?” Dad asked me.

Tika sashayed into the room, saving us from further awkwardness. “I hope you aren’t spending your first meeting with Az’s future mate interrogatinghim. Elle is way more interesting.”

Thank fuck. I shot Tika a look. She should have been here fifteen minutes ago. She shrugged and pointed to her intricate eye makeup. Of course. She’d had to touch it up, and since our parents nevercriticized her as heavily as they did me, it hadn’t occurred to her that they’d do something as embarrassing as lose a gift exchange on purpose.

Mom turned her attention back to Elle. “Yes, Elle. Tell us about yourself. What did you study in college?”

She tensed in my hold. “English.”

“Are you a teacher?” Dad gave me an approving look, and my stomach dropped. Shewasn’ta teacher, and why didn’t I already know what she’d studied in college? I should have taken better advantage of our question exchange and asked her some of my own.

Udar’s wings straightened, and he cocked his head to one side. He knew Elle still had a job. Did he know what it was? He was probably trying to figure out how to use my ignorance to steal Elle.

“No. I went for a few years, but, uh.” Her eyes darted around the room before landing on me with an apologetic grimace. “I couldn’t afford to keep going, so I never got a degree.”

Shocking five dragons into silence was difficult, but Elle had just done it with a single sentence.

“Couldn’taffordto?” Mom asked.

“You justleft?” Tikalass said.

“Why didn’t you tell me this earlier?” I would have paid for her to go back. Just becauseI’ddone badly in school didn’t mean I’d depriveElleof the opportunity.

She nibbled her lower lip and looked away. “It never came up.”

“Of course not. School was never Az’zael’s strong suit,” Udar cut in.

Elle’s nostrils flared. “Az has been wonderfully attentive to anything and everything I might need. Schooling never crossed my mind.”

“Udar is right.” The words burned. “I should have asked about your education.” My jawclenched.

A maid stepped into the room, letting my parents know that dinner was ready and cutting off further conversation.

“We’ll discuss this later,” I murmured to Elle, my hand still tight on her waist as I led her into the ballroom.

---