Page 16 of Tears of Gold

She steps closer to the prince, a look of concern faintly wrinkling her porcelain brow. “Unless Your Highness would prefer me to accompany you, as I did last year?” She rests her hand daintily on his sleeve. “I have so many fond memories of our New Years together.” Mera’s glance takes in all of us but lingers on Skye. She wrinkles her nose slightly. “A special night like this should be spent in the company of those closest to your own station, don’t you think?”

My insides squirm. This is exactly the sort of refined, elegant woman I’d expect royalty to associate with, and clearly they are close, which bothers me for some reason I can’t put my finger on.

Why is Prince Erritt accompanying us to the festival instead? It’s not another trap to lure me somewhere, is it? I press a hand against my stomach, calming my irrational fears. Yes, I may have gotten kidnapped by the Davinas, but that doesn’t mean everyone is out to get me. Rita reaches for my hand and squeezes it in a rare gesture of affection, reminding me I have friends.

Harper snorts at the woman fawning over the prince. “Afraid we might corrupt His Royalness simply by association?” He mutters, but it’s loud enough for all to hear, and judging by Harper’s casual smirk, he meant it that way.

Vanrey gives Harper a dark look that dries his smirk right up.

Erritt ignores the exchange as he nods at Mera. “Thank you for your . . . concern, Mera, but I would not want you t-to miss the festivities at the palace. Have . . . a good evening.” He turns his shoulder in apparent dismissal.

I grip the edges of my low-cut neckline, feeling underdressed as she smiles and curtsies again. As she turns, she shoots me a glare full of daggers before gilding away with her back perfectly straight, a vision of elegance and family privilege. She seems unfazed by Prince Erritt’s dismissal, and I envy her confidence around him; however, his good deed toward the resident human doesn’t seem to sit well with her, which makes me nervous.

The other students and staff have been hating on humans less since I returned with my memory in pieces, and with the culprits out of the picture, I don’t need any new enemies. I’m in enough danger from the Davinas without stirring up the hatred of more students. Or maybe it’s her closeness to the prince which makes me nervous.

We stand awkwardly, waiting until she’s out of sight.

“Let’s not waste the last of the daylight then,” Vanrey says smoothly. “Time to port.”

Shocked, I look up. Of course we’ll have to teleport to the gates. I was stupid not to realize that earlier. I haven’t teleported since Erritt met me at the hilltop weeks ago when I returned from the Davina camp. Even now, a mirage of the cold, confusing sensation washes over me, followed by nausea. I was barely lucid when I arrived back at the academy.

Prince Erritt moves around Harper to extend his hand to me, and instinctively I step back. His eyes narrow.

“Um, maybe I should just stay here after all,” I stammer, my heart racing.

When I arrived on that hillside, confused and in pain, I felt so broken, and a stranger whisking me away made it a hundred times worse. My mouth dries up as an invisible pressure squeezes on my head and shoulders, disorientating me, and I don’t think I can bear to teleport with Prince Erritt again. Chengan also smiled as he invited me to take his hand.

The prince lowers his hand, his smile fading.

Vanrey clears his throat. “Miss Ava, perhaps you would like to travel with me?”

I finger the borrowed star chain draping over the jade pendant around my neck. Shit, I should have just forced myself to accept the prince’s offer because now I’ve made this awkward. But my legs feel like jelly, and my body doesn’t want to obey me.

Although they aren’t all looking at me, I know I’m holding us up. Vanrey is a gentleman with no further interest in me; he doesn’t give me all these mixed feelings of fear as well as something else a little heated as Erritt does. The longer I stand here, the more awkward it will become.

Rita squeezes my elbow and nods slightly. “You okay?” At least I know she’s safe. I guess I could teleport with Van.

I take a deep breath. “Ah, yes. Sorry. Okay.” I reach my hand out toward the royal aide, his calm demeanor and lack of expectations calming me.

Erritt takes hold of Rita and Harper.

“Skye?” I ask, surprised to see him stepping back with a sad look. “Aren’t you coming?” I’m so used to them all being together, it feels strange if he’s to be left behind.

He inclines his head, and I think he’s hiding a smile. “The capital is no place for a dragon. I’ll see you when you get back.”

Nodding, I look down. Since when do I care, right? I feel uncomfortable around him as it is. The ground blurs and morphs into the portal hub on the hilltop, sending nausea rolling through my belly like last time, and I gulp deep breaths to keep my stomach obedient.

A cold sweat breaks out on my spine, but I’m holding together better than expected. I walk around a few steps, looking out over the valley, the hilly countryside stretching for miles in every direction, bronzed by the setting sun.

Glancing at Harper, I find him doing the same thing, resting hands on his hips as he sucks in air. Seeing me, he waggles his eyebrows and comes closer.

“I reckon it must knock a few screws loose in the brain to do that all your life,” he murmurs.

I cover a smile. “You might be right.”

He looks me up and down and whistles under his breath. “I didn’t get the chance to say it earlier, but you look great, Ava.” His brown eyes shine with admiration.

I scuff my shoes on the ground, unsure how to respond to his compliment, especially with everyone else nearby. “I didn’t have any shoes to match.”