Page 11 of Worthy Promises
“Perhaps you’d care to explain why?”
“No one ever issued it to me.”
The man’s gaze was suspicious, but Worth couldn’t help his answer; he was being honest.
“You have your eyes covered. How am I to know you’re truly a dragon?”
Thanks to Fate’s decision not to mark his irises pink, Worth didn’t have to hide anymore. No one would figure out his color without him telling them, and he was surrounded by strangers. Without hesitation, he whipped his hood off.
“What the fuck?” Somerly demanded.
Annoyed at being gawked at, Worth glared. “I know my eyes are weird, but I assure you I’m a dragon.”
“Those are human eyes with scales over them. Are you a hybrid?” Lex asked. Since Lex had nothing but curiosity in gaze, Worth took no offense, but his dragon was incensed at question. Worth wasn’t sure why; he wouldn’t have minded being a mixture of two races. Pointed ears or magic would’ve made Worth stand out in a way that might have allowed people to ignore his unsightly pink scales.
“No, full-blood dragon. Like I said, I can’t explain the strangeness of my eyes.” It had been Fate’s choice, but Worth was grateful—he didn’t want to volunteer the hue of his dragon readily.
To Worth’s shock, Somerly hopped to his feet. “Is this some kind of sick fucking joke?”
“If itisa joke, surely it’s one on me. I have no idea why it’s got you so upset,” Worth growled. He couldn’t account for why Somerly was reacting so ferociously to his countenance. Until that moment, Somerly had been nothing but kind and polite. Somerly’s ire was unsettling, and anxiety festered in Worth’s belly. Would Worth be judged no matter where he went for things beyond his control?
“I’m not talking about your fucking eyes,” Somerly shouted. “I’m talking about your whole face. The hair. All of it. How’s this possible?”
“What’s wrong with his face, Somerly?” Lex asked, confused. “Except for the unique eyes, I don’t see anything to get upset about. In fact, he’s very handsome.”
Worth winked at Lex and tried to invoke some levity into the strangeness of Somerly’s reaction. “You aren’t so bad yourself.”
Somerly lifted a hand and pointed at Worth. “Of course he’s handsome. He looks just like Aleksander. I don’t know how you’ve done it. Your hair lacks the blue, but it’s black just like his. Yours is a bit shorter and hangs over your eyes, but it doesn’t hide the resemblance. How can you look so much like him? The same nose, strong jaw, and cheekbones. You’re practically a twin to him.”
Lifting a brow, Worth asked Lex, “Is this Aleksander a friend of his?”
“King Aleksander D’Vairedraconis is the one I’m speaking of,” Somerly bellowed. “How do you have his face?”
“D’Vaire?” Worth asked, wondering how his little brother had even seen King D’Vaire. Worth had yet to find a picture of the man his father had declared his enemy on their pitiful Internet. “The cursed one? If he bears any resemblance to me, I don’t see how he can truly be cursed unless he’s beating off the men with sticks. I’m damn fine-looking.”
“And gay, I take it?” Lex asked.
Sergeant Brown rose. “Gentlemen, let’s calm down. Prince Somerly, would you mind having a seat?”
Worth wasn’t sure what to make of Somerly’s glare, but he forced himself to remain impassive.
“I want to know what the fuck is going on,” Somerly demanded. Although Somerly had finally returned to his seat, he’d crossed his arms defensively.
“We all do,” Sergeant Brown said calmly, then his attention returned to Worth. “Now, I can see you’re a dragon. I don’t care about the color, but I do need your full name for the record if I’m to do anything to help you.”
Since Somerly was strangely upset about Worth’s face, he couldn’t dream how the dragon would react to finding out they were related. But a perverse and almost-forgotten part of Worth was amused, so his expression turned coy. “Prince Worthington Ethelindraconis.”
“What do you meanPrince?” Somerly spat.
“Didn’t dear old Dad tell you about me, Somerly?” Worth asked, trying not to allow himself to be hurt by the knowledge yet again. “You were born shortly after I was kicked out of the house after my first shift. Can’t have a dragon like me for a son. Told the entire court I was dead. Meanwhile, I was locked up and told never to reveal my identity.”
Somerly’s jaw dropped. “He told me I had a brother who didn’t survive his first shift.”
“Helied.”
Sergeant Brown was impassive and continued to drag his pen across the page of his notebook. “So, the pair of you are brothers. What about you, Lord Lex? Any relation to the Princes here?”
“No, my father’s a Duke. No relation,” Lex replied.
