Page 171 of The Fallen Fae King

At the same time, I study the freckles over the bridge of her nose and her sharp cheekbones. Her brunette hair is wound into three long braids around her head, while the fourth trails down her back to her ankles. I am relieved that the dragons haven’t forced her to give up her heritage and cut her hair or remove her braids like my people have lost everything else.

“Let me look at you.” Elatha grips my chin and turns my head from side to side critically. “No bruises, but you’ve been bitten.”

“Aye, and it was one of the best experiences of my life.”

She slams her hand over my mouth. “Bai is in the room.”

The small Beta crosses his arms. “I’m nine.”

Elatha rolls her eyes. “We all know how grownup you are. Also, how much you love vampires.”

I lick Elatha’s palm to get her to remove her hand. “Why do you like Bloods, Little Bug?”

“Who wouldn’t I?” Bai says, excitedly. “I heard that the Shadow Vampire King has demonic lions that he rides. Is that true? I’ll write an epic song about it.”

My lips quirk. “Aye, it’s true. And want to hear something brilliant…? I also rode one of those lions.”

Bai’s eyes widen, and he stares at me in awe. “Wow, I’m putting you into my song.”

“You’re the star of almost all his songs.” Elatha pats my shoulder. “I keep telling him how daft you are, but he never listens to me.”

I shove her. “That’s because he’s smart.”

“May your porridge always hide one cold lump.”

“That’s an oddly specific curse.”

“I’m getting bored of the bloody porridge that they keep serving us for breakfast.”

“I feel your pain, Ela.”

We grin at each other.

“I have missed you, Thorn.” Elatha’s expression becomes serious.

“I’ve missed all of you too.” I turn to Bai. “How is your training going?”

Bai twirls with the type of energy that mirrors my own. I don’t know if he was born with it or whether I have been a bad influence.

Wren has always blamed me for Bai’s roguish behavior. I like to think with pride that our Little Bug takes after me.

Bai spins around me. “Guess what?”

“What?”

“Your silly dragon king⁠—”

“Don’t call him silly. Daft, fool, idiot, they all fit better.”

“Thorn.” Elatha chuckles, falling back onto one of the cots with a spray of dust. “Don’t encourage him.”

“I don’t need encouragement.” Bai grins, catching my hands and pulling me into a spin. “Your daft, fool, idiot dragon king made me a cadet. The only good thing about that is the Instructor who lets us call him Iggy. I like Iggy. But your dragon king wouldn’t let me join the main army. He’s weird. He said that they didn’t have kids in it.”

My heart becomes even heavier.

Bai sounds so outraged, as if he can’t imagine a world without child armies.

“What a bastard, aye?” I reply.