Page 17 of Queens Ride Horny Dragons
Nodding, Tavis rose and pointed to the rock in Asa's hand. "You know what that one needs more of, right?"
"More cowbell?"
I narrowed my eyes at my little brother. "What?"
Tavis chuckled. "What?"
Asa threw back his head and laughed like he'd just told the greatest joke ever, a joke I sure didn't get.
"There's a TV in my room," he explained and eyed us both when we just stood there staring at him. "Anyway. It needs more blue. You guys go on and have your adult talk now. I'm busy."
Laughter tripped from my mouth. Honestly, why couldn't I just keep Asa in my pocket to make the world less heavy?
Tavis seemed to notice my train of thought as he crossed toward me, an appreciative gleam in his blue eyes as he studied my mouth. "What a smile."
Despite everything, I made it bigger just for him. "It’s even better with the mustache, right?”
"Is there anything I can do to keep it there longer?" He reached out and lightly traced my lips with his fingertips, making them tingle and ache for more. Making my dragon fire surge to life inside me, but I dragged it back down.
"Teach me how to detect poison?" I said, keeping my voice low.
"That's a little strange to smile about, but okay."
“I overheard some of the workers here, and they think I murdered everyone in the Vivix building.”
A heavy darkness stormed across his blue eyes, making the tired circles below them even more noticable. “So you heard it was more than Oliver and the guy in the security office, huh?”
"Yes. There's something else too. They said I need to be watched. And to wait until the coronation like something’s going to happen then.”
He seemed to stop breathing for a long moment, his face roiling with shock and anger, and then he finally heaved a breath. “Well, shit.”
“Yeah. Vance hired all of these workers himself, and Calhoun wants me to try to be open to trusting them, but I don't. I can't, Tavis, not when they don't trust me. Not after everything. I don't want to hurt Vance and Calhoun, but what do you think about installing some cameras and a lesson at poison school?"
He nodded slowly. "The cameras will take some time, but Asa and I can make a game of hiding them later. Give me five minutes with the poisons?”
“Sure. I bit my lip. Was that how long whipping up a batch of poison took? Sorry, poisons, plural? How was I not dead already?
He grinned, and it was bright with excitement despite all the tired shadows there, like poisons were part of his happy place. Weird guy. I glanced down at my current ensemble. Yeah, he was the weird guy, says the queen wearing manly clothes and a drawn-on mustache.
He started to turn but stopped, a sudden realization sparking across his face."This must mean you trust me. Since I’m about to poison you, I mean."
"I trust all of you,” I said sincerely. “It never even crossed my mind that I couldn’t trust the three of you, even though we're about to play with poisons."
"Play is right.”He rubbed his hands then raced from the room, his quick movements like flickering flames. “I'll be right back!"
I smiled after him, though my gut twisted sideways at the idea of poison. Already, I wasn't a fan, but I trusted Tavis implicitly.
"Yara?" Asa asked without looking up from his paintbrush.
"Yes," I said, striding closer to him.
"The three dragon shifters…" He tilted his rock this way and that so the overhead lights glistened on the wet paint. "I think they all like you."
I moved behind him and smoothed my hand over his dark hair. "What makes you think so?"
He looked up at me. "You're all they talk about."
A warm spot bloomed in my chest. "Does that bother you? That they like me?"
