House of Dragons (Royal Houses #1) - K.A. Linde Page 0,7
part of the city with wide lanes, freshly manicured parks, and stately mansions for the Fae aristocracy. Riverfront, a new money section of the city, lay southwest and Artisan Village filled with artists to the southeast.
And the final section was the mountain. Draco Mountain towered high above everything. It housed the Society, a talented company of dragon riders and the formal government of the country, as well as her home—House of Dragons.
“I should stop being surprised that you don’t care about being Dragon Blessed,” Hadrian grumbled.
“I do care,” Kerrigan spat back.
“Dragon Blessed is only the greatest honor of a lifetime.”
“I know the spiel. The House of Dragons is an elite training program for Fae.”
She touched her ears. Fae. Not half-Fae. But no one had argued with her royal father when he’d dropped her off apparently.
“It’s more than that. It’s our duty to help raise the dragons, to better ourselves, to one day get to return to the world and make a difference, Kerrigan. And you’re squandering it all.”
Clover rolled her eyes. “It’s not like she dropped out of the program.”
“She can’t drop out,” Hadrian said as they finally passed the Square at the center of the Central district and turned south bending toward the arena. “That’s not possible.”
“I’m not dropping out anyway. I just miscalculated the time. I know how important the dragon tournament is.”
And she did. It was single-handedly the most important event in all of Alandria. Every five years, the twelve tribes came together and presented competitors to enter the tournament. A contestant was chosen out of each tribe to compete in three tasks. The winner of the event won not only a dragon but a place in the Society, a place in the ruling class. And this year there were five dragons up for grabs. The most in nearly a century. It was going to be a spectacle to behold.
It was Hadrian’s turn to look exasperated. “You’re not acting like it.”
“Yeah well…”
Clover punched Hadrian in the arm. “She had a rough night.”
“This is too important.” He dragged Kerrigan to a stop. She looked into his honey eyes and at his golden-brown skin. Saw the boy who had stood by her side all of these years. “You remember what happened five years ago. A human foreigner entered the tournament. She won a dragon and then left. She dismantled the entire system. This year has to go off without a hitch or we’re going to have riots in the streets… again.”
“I know,” Kerrigan whispered.
She could hear Hadrian’s concern. And she remembered exactly what it had been like five years ago. She had gotten caught in those riots… and nearly died.
“Are we going to go to the arena or what?” Clover asked through pants.
“Yes,” Hadrian and Kerrigan said together.
They finally pushed out of the crowded alleyways and to the entrance of the arena, which loomed in the shadow of the mountain. She panted as she stared up at the giant construction. They were late. They were so late.
Hadrian led the way to the box that was reserved for the House of Dragons. He opened the door, looked around once for Mistress Moran, the keeper and guardian of all Dragon Blessed, and then when he saw no one, ushered them inside.
A figure stood pacing anxiously in the darkness. She jumped when the door opened and her midnight eyes rounded into saucers “Kerrigan!” she gushed, throwing her arms around her roommate.
“Darby,” Kerrigan said with a laugh.
Darby laughed demurely and released her. “Hadrian, here to save the day, as usual. Where was she?”
Hadrian rolled his eyes and then gestured to Clover standing behind her. Clover’s hands were in the pockets of her black slacks. She still wore the red button-up shirt and black vest that denoted she worked for Dozan.
“Hi, Clover,” Darby said, ducking her chin to her chest at the sight of her long-time crush.
“Hey, Darbs,” Clover said with a wink.
“If Mistress Moran sees her in that outfit…” Hadrian said with a sigh, pressing his fingers to his temples. “I should have told you to change.”
“Hey, no sweat off my back, sweetheart,” Clover said, retreating into street slang as she put up a defensive position against Hadrian.
No matter how often they were together, he always raised her hackles.
“I brought an extra set of clothes,” Darby said hastily. She rummaged through her bag and pulled out a frock. She shrugged as she glanced at Kerrigan “They were for you.”
“Perfect,” Kerrigan cried and snatched the clothes up to give to Clover.