Page 15 of Veiled Flames
Soon, heavy goblets clank together.
“Sorry about your sister,” Tynan says. “Assuming you like her, that is.”
“We like her very much,” Olifer answers quickly, and my heart warms with affection.
“I’m very sorry to hear that,” Tynan says. “She’s in for a rough ride.”
“Speaking of rides,” Alfryd says. “You traveled a long distance to see your grandfather married.”
“I didn’t travel from Khotor,” Tynan says. “I no longer live there. And I’m not here for the wedding. Not really.”
“Why do you live away from your family?” Olifer asks in a tone which reveals that he dreads the thought such a thing might ever happen to him.
“Because I’m a dragon rider,” Tynan says, and I feel his pride and arrogance waft toward me. And yet, even I’m impressed. Was that Tynan’s dragon I saw today?
“No lie?” Alfryd exclaims. “I’dkillto become a dragon rider.”
Excitement stirs inside me. This young man’s astounding good looks don’t make up for his arrogance, but knowing he rides dragons does raise my opinion of him.
“You should enlist,” Tynan says to Alfryd, as if it’s nothing. “We are always looking for young men. Especially those of royal blood.”
“Why royal blood?” asks Olifer.
“Because of the prophecy,” Tynan answers, as if Olifer’s question was foolish. “You don’t know it?” He pauses. “There is a tale which foretells a rider who’ll balance the Darkness with the Light.”
“In Achotia, we don’t believe in fairy tales.” Alfryd uses his bestI-am-a-manvoice, even though, in my eyes, he is very much still a boy.
“Itislikely hog’s droppings,” Tynan says. “But one of the dragon masters believes it, and travels the Seven Kingdoms conscripting blue-blooded men. He even believes I might be the one.” The faux modesty and over-puffed pride in the Prince’s voice lowers my opinion of him again.
“Luckily, my blood is red,” Olifer says. “I would never want to ride a dragon.”
Tynan laughs, and Alfryd joins in, even though I suspect the older twin doesn’t know what blue blood means either. My brothers have read so few books that many such things go overtheir heads. In our mother’s absence and our father’s neglect, I should have done better to ensure my younger brothers paid more attention to their studies. Instead, I selfishly concentrated on my own clandestine education.
“I’dgladlytrain to ride a dragon,” Alfryd says. “Alas, as first born, I cannot take the risk.”
“Too bad for that,” Tynan says. “Me? I’m the tenth born son.”
“But your mother seems so young,” Olifer says.
Again, Tynan laughs at my little brother’s expense, and irritation boils inside me. I’m tempted to stomp down the stairs to confront him for mocking Olifer, but I’m dressed only in my night shift and robe. Appearing before the Prince this way would be scandalous, even if I’m to become his kin tomorrow.
With that thought, my stomach threatens to expel the few bites of my meal I’ve swallowed.
Perhaps a scandal would put an end to my marriage.Now there’s an idea!But this marriage is key to our kingdom’s future. I can’t do anything to risk it. The conflict between duty and my own happiness stirs the turmoil in my belly.
“Bymother, did you mean my father’s wife?” Tynan laughs again. “That girl isn’t my mother. She’s wife number twelve. I was born to wife number six, who long ago went to the Great Beyond.”
“Have so many of your father’s wives died in childbirth?” Alfryd asks.
“Not all in childbirth.” Tynan’s tone turns grave but then switches back again. “Speaking of multiple wives, your sister will be lucky Queen number thirty-three for my dear grandfather.”
I shift up another stone stair, as if I can escape the words.
“What happened to the others?” Alfryd asks.
“Females don’t last long in our family,” Tynan answers. “Some fall from towers, some drown, a few die in their sleep, some are poisoned, and several have died after beatings for failing to obey one of my grandfather’s constant commands.” He delivers this list as if it’s trivia.
A chair scrapes the floor. “We must stop this wedding!” Olifer says.
