Page 17

"My name is Alaric. You'd do well to remember it, since I'll be the undisputed winner of the Dragonfate Games."

Muzo casually sniffed the air. "Why do you smell like a baby's ass?"

Never mind. I take back everything I said about Muzo. Hearing Alaric's mortally offended gasp was worth it.

"It'sperfume," Alaric shot back. "Very expensive, and clearly not a brand you recognize. And it doesnotsmell like a baby's bottom."

"Ass," Muzo said.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Alaric's white arm hair standing on end with fury. It reminded me of an animal's hackles rising. I figured he was some kind of mammal shifter, at least. Even while standing next to him, it was impossible to tell. He reallydidsmell like a baby's freshly powdered ass.

Poppy tugged on my sleeve. "Um, the line's moving."

I nodded. "Thanks, Poppy. Let's get on the plane."

Muzo wriggled his fingers at Poppy. "It's about to gobble us up! We're gonna sit in its big plane tummy!"

"Are you eight years old?" I grumbled. "Leave Poppy alone."

Behind us, Alaric sniffed loudly. "I thought you had to be at least 18 to apply."

"I don't remember inviting you to this conversation," I said without looking at him.

Sensing Poppy's anxiety, I put my hand on his shoulder as the lady at the counter took our tickets with a big smile and told us to have a great flight. I wondered if she was human, or some kind of shifter hired by the bigwig dragons.

"Tunnel!" Muzo yelled as we entered the tunnel connecting the airport with the plane.

I sighed and didn't bother telling him to behave. He was like a kid who'd eaten three pounds of sugar. What would happen when filming began? Would Muzo even last one day, or would the dragons send him packing?

I thought of Poppy, too. He shuffled beside me, clutching his backpack tightly to his chest. I was honestly surprised he'd accepted the offer to join the Games.

"Hey, Poppy," I said quietly as we waited for the people in front of us to enter the plane. "Why did you decide to join, anyway?"

"Um... I don't know." Poppy put a hand to his shirt. "I got this weird feeling in my chest."

"Anxiety?" I suggested.

"No. Well... yes, but something else, too. An important feeling. I knew I had to try, even though I was scared."

I smiled. "I'm proud of you. It's not easy to push past your fear."

Poppy smiled back. "Thanks, Taylor."

"Oh, so the big brute has a name," Alaric remarked.

My annoyance sizzled into anger. Alaric had yanked on the tiger's tail too much.

I whirled on him with a snarl. I felt my canine teeth elongating into thick fangs. It was something I held back when I was among humans, but everyone was a shifter here, so I didn't feel pressured to contain the beast.

"Listen," I growled. "Stop butting your head into my life. Mind your own business, and I'll mind mine."

Alaric's eyes flashed, but he didn't move. I noticed for the first time that he had heterochromia—one eye was blue, the other green.

"Touchy, touchy," Alaric mumbled. "You think you can boss people around with yourbulk? Well, I won't stand for it. The winner of the Dragonfate Games will have poise. They won't need to bully their way to victory."

"Who's bullying anyone?" I demanded, annoyed and baffled.

Alaric smirked. He glanced at the other contestants watching us. I noticed how the scene must've looked—a broad-shouldered, tall man snarling at a shorter, slimmer one. Alaric had tricked me into looking like a villain.