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Once the door latches behind me, I make my way down the corridor. When I turn the corner, I notice Nyx outside his bedroom door fumbling with the doorknob. Though slightly disheveled, he's still wearing the clothes he wore to the ball last night.
"I thought you were trying to quit." I point at the lit reefer hanging from his lips and he jumps.
"Shit, Kitarni!" He shakes his head, placing his hand against his temple. "Stop yelling. What are you doing up this late anyways?"
"Late?" I giggle. Whoever he spent the night with must have zapped him of the basic concept of time. "It's morning."
"Early." He amends. "I meant, what are you doing up this early?"
I lean against the wall beside his door and say, "I'm meeting my mother for a morning flight. I could use your company."
He groans and my suspicions he's nursing a splitting headache is confirmed. "Right this second? I haven't even slept yet – "
"Oh, you look great." I loop my arm in his and drag him down the hallway with me, not giving him the opportunity to argue. "You'll get to meet Seraxes."
"Can we at least stop and grab breakfast?"
"You can bring whatever you can carry."
"Deal."
When I agreed to grab breakfast, I didn't realize Nyx was willing to steal a silver platter filled with a one-man breakfast feast, but technically I did say, he could bring whatever he could carry. He's not fazed when I inform him we'll be flying the Aviatas to Fendruil. He's more concerned he'll lose one of his precious pastries instead of falling to his death. When we make it through the gates of Fendruil, Nyx's food isn't of the utmost importance anymore. His mouth drops watching the dragons zip and zag through the mountain course. For the first time since I've known Nyx, he's truly speechless.
"They're incredible," he mumbles, and I nod.
"Yes, they are." I swipe one of the baked goods from his tray and munch beside him in awed silence.
I finally catch sight of my mother waiting for us by the stables. She smirks the moment she sees Nyx. "So, is this another one of your bodyguards?" she teases, an eyebrow quirked.
"Amma, this is Nyx, my actual bodyguard."
Nyx quits gawking like a child when he hears his name and courtly manners take over. He bows before my mother. "It is an honor to officially meet you, Your Highness. And might I say, I now see who Shaye gets her good looks from."
"Oh," my mother coos. "I like this one."
I roll my eyes. Of course, Nyx can't help but ooze charisma.
"Where's the other one?"
"Atlas is…" I clear my throat, feeling my cheeks heat. "He's still sleeping. I left him a note to join us when he wakes up."
Nyx damn near snaps his neck to look at me and even though it's clear he has a thousand questions brewing behind those blood-shot hazel eyes, he thankfully keeps his mouth shut.
"Well." My mother motions us to come forward. "Let's show your actual bodyguard around before we take off."
My mother gives Nyx the same tour she gave me and Atlas, ending it at Seraxes' pen. I expect my dragon to give Nyx the same judgmental glare she gave me, but to my irritated surprise, she tilts her head in curiosity before making her way over to sniff him. He stands as still as a statue allowing her snout to peruse his chest. Sylvane and I watch wide-eyed as Seraxes gently nudges his arm.
"What does that mean?" Nyx whispers, his eyes fixed on my dragon.
"I believe she wants you to pet her," my mother says in wild amusement.
Nyx slowly lifts his hand and extends it toward Seraxes who tucks her nose under his palm.
"I suppose your charm with the ladies truly knows no bounds," I quip, rolling my eyes when Nyx flashes me a smile.
"Jealous, Kitarni?"
I point at Seraxes and shake my head. "Traitor."
