Chapter 10

As soon as Corliss opened her apartment door, she was met with the narrowed eyes of her sister, looking more like their mother than she ever had before.

"You do know Mother and Father were expecting us an hour ago, right?" Bridget told her, glancing back at the clock that hung on the wall by her bookcases. She was stunning in an emerald green dress to match her eyes, one that clung to her figure in all the right places. "But no, you said you'd catch up. This is not catching up, Cor."

"Sorry?" she apologized not so convincingly. She swept her hands down herself, gesturing to the cosmetics on her face, the glittering black dress that seemed modest from the front and yet swooped down in the back all the way to her waist, exposing the length of her spine. "I can't just go out like you can. I have to fix myself up to be presentable."

"Oh, please," she snorted as Corliss closed and locked her door behind her. "You're just stalling because you don't like these dinners."

"Because they're boring, that's why," Corliss complained. "It's just the king and queen and the lords and ladies of Dalcaine. None of the royal children are ever required to come, so why should we?"

"It'll make Mother and Father happy? And I'm Lady of Asturia, so I have to. Gaven's going for moral support on your behalf. Plus, you're the future Lady of Eld, so you have to go."

"And yet I'm just going for the food."

A small smile appeared on Bridget's lips as she looked over at Corliss. "And I'm just going so I can watch you meet Meron for the first time."

Corliss slapped a hand to her forehead. She'd forgotten about that and yet instantly knew the dress she'd chosen was perfect. With her sass and attitude, plus the way her dress hugged every part of her flawlessly...well, she was going to eat him alive. No male ever knew how to handle her.

Her answering grin made Bridget raise a brow. "What are you thinking?"

"That I'm going to be on my best behavior."

"I will say again, oh, please. I know that look. You're planning something."

"Me?" she asked, batting her eyelashes innocently.

"I know you are. But when it comes to Meron...well, I have a feeling you're about to meet your match."

"I look forward to it, then."

As they walked out of the building, Alberich and Gaven were there, waiting for the two of them. Bridget practically skipped to her mate's side, leaning up on her toes to give him a quick kiss. Gaven, though, narrowed his eyes at Corliss, noting the dress she was wearing, especially when she spun around to give him the full effect.

"Oh, no. I'm not letting my baby sister prance around in that," he told her, arms crossing in the same way their father did when he was being stern and intimidating.

"Of course, I am, Gav. I'm apparently meeting my match at this dinner, so I want to be presentable."

"Yeah, and he's going to get an eyeful of you, too."

"It is what is it," she shrugged, and then laughed.

Just like Bridget, Alberich was grinning at the mention of his best friend. "I'm sure Bridget's already said this, but I think you're not going to know how to handle Meron just like he's not going to know how to handle you."

Corliss narrowed her eyes, looking between her sister and her mate. "Do you two share a brain or something?"

The two of them look at one another...and, of course, went in for a kiss a second later. "Of course," they said together after breaking apart.

"Then let's go and get this boring dinner over with so I don't have to put up with you three anymore."

Gaven continued to complain about Corliss's dress on their walk to the palace. Especially with all the heads that turned in their direction. She didn't help with all the flirty smiles she gave out to those watching. That made him complain even more.

There were more guardsmen at the palace than she'd seen before, a sign that the lords and ladies of the Dalcaine territories were there, not to mention the show of banners some of them held. Heads bowed in their direction as they passed, walking up the stairs just as the front doors opened. Someone must have been watching their approach.

"Be good," Gaven told her, giving her arm a slight nudge. "That's all we need is for you to cause a scandal with how you act."

"You do realize everyone here has known me since I was born, right?"

"Yes, but that doesn't mean they approve of your antics. You need to be good."

"How boring is that?"

With the influx of people in the palace, the energy from the staff was more hurried than she'd noted before. In their arms were bouquets of flowers or stacks of folded linens or buckets of cleaning supplies. Every one of them were in their best dress, looking as excited as they ever did with who all was there, even with head housekeeper Celestyna barking orders with her notepad in hand.

One room, though, was seemingly having a going away party for a human male who looked barely twenty years old. His handsome face, with his bronze skin and dark brown eyes glowing with happiness, had a smile stretched across it as those around him toasted to a safe journey to the human land.

"To Fin," one of the males saluted. "We hope you keep in touch, even though you're off to the human lands with your family. Why you'd want to go, we have no idea, but we wish you all the best."

"Thank you," the young man named Fin nodded, smiling back as he gave the male a side hug. "And you know I'll always call Ayveri home and will visit as often as I can...though I hope one day one of my descendants will come back and make this their home once more."

Another salute from the others around them before they all downed their drinks.

Gaven tugged Corliss down the hallway.

The rich aromas of the prepared food grew stronger the closer they got to the dining room doors. Voices and laughter sounded from inside and Corliss could easily pick out her parents'. They were speaking with someone, someone who's chuckle piqued her interest since she hadn't heard it before.

Oh, and the fact that it made goosebumps appear on her skin.

Bridget and Alberich entered first, drawing called hellos from everyone. King Emmeric and Queen Alexea came over to immediately greet them. Corliss had always enjoyed their company, especially Alexea, who was basically an overprotective mother to everyone.

But it was the male her parents were talking to, the one who had his back to them that immediately caught her eye. Mostly because she'd never seen someone's jacket and pants fit them as impeccably as his were. His light blond hair brushed against the collar, which then made her note the broad shoulder, the slim waist, then the backside that looked far too good in those pants of his. She couldn't help but look him up and down in appreciation...a look that was instantly caught by a grinning Bridget who walked up to her side.

"Oh, this is going to be good," her sister crooned just as the male turned toward them.

Almost immediately after he turned around, the sorcerer's golden-brown eyes landed on Corliss. Never in all these years she'd been living was she ever nervous, but in that moment her stomach twisted into a knot. A delicious knot that drew her in toward the male, though her feet hadn't moved. Oh, she would have such fun with him, even without knowing his name. Why had she never been introduced to him before?

Then Alberich said one name as he came up on Bridget's other side, which had the male excusing himself from her parents and walking quickly in their direction. "Meron."

Oh, gods above.

But it was that cocky grin that immediately had her backing down, had her sneering at him in annoyance no matter how attracted she was to him. That and the fact that this was Meron Brandt, her brother-in-law's best friend, the reason he and Bridget had met in the first place right here in Ayveri.

Alberich immediately rushed forward, hugging the male tight as they both grinned and laugh. "It's good to see you again," he told him.

"That's because you don't want to leave Asturia and come visit," Meron laughed.

"You could always come visit from Eld."

"As of right now, you know I can't. I've got more important priorities as of right now. Well, more like one who deserves all my attention."

"Right."

Meron nodded toward Bridget, though his eyes flickered over to Corliss. "This one didn't tell you about when she came to Eld a few weeks ago?"

Alberich halfheartedly glared at his mate. "Didn't tell me what?"

"I finally have my bloodrite bond."

"You're serious? Finally! It's been long enough."

"Right?" Meron laughed. "Just the egg for right now, a large one at that so we know the dragon's going to be also, but I'm sure it'll hatch any day now."

"A large egg?" Corliss found herself saying. "All eggs are primarily the same size depending on the breed. And which breed is yours?"

Meron turned every bit of his attention on her then, eyeing her up and down so slowly as his lips curled up in a teasing smirk. "And if it isn't the future Lady of Eld finally gracing us with her presence."

She smiled sweetly, though her next question held a razor's edge, one both her mother and sister taught her when commanding a room. "And I asked you a question."

The sorcerer, of course, heard that sharpness. Even without proper introduction, he knew he had to answer to his future Lady. "An Alzriade Black. The mother chose me a few weeks ago. Bridget was there."

"Hm," she said, making a show of looking at her nails. "And if all my time studying dragons is correct, the eggs of Alzriades are quite large, so what's so different about yours?"

Meron had the nerve to wink at her, his innuendo clear. "It's larger than normal. Or so I've been told plenty of times before."

Corliss threw her head back and laughed. "Oh, so you're going there, are you? Boasting about the size of...certain things? Typical male."

"And here you are, trying to pretend my dragon egg's size doesn't pique your interest."

Her narrowed eyes had him grinning again, but the two of them didn't have time to butt heads when her parents approached. Sensing the tension, her father Geir looked between them while her mother Sienna just glared at Corliss.

"Well, it seems like this first meeting between you two is just as lively as we all thought it would be," her father noted with a chuckle. "Corliss, darling, this is Meron Brandt, Commander of the Eld army. And Meron...this is my daughter Corliss, Heir of Eld."

Almost as if everyone else within the room disappeared, Meron stepped forward, reaching forward to take her hand in his, brushing the lightest of kisses against her knuckles. The warmth that spread up her arm made her breathe out a sigh, her toes curling in her shoes. It didn't help that he didn't take his eyes off her.

"Lady Corliss," Meron crooned, that damn smirk back in place.

And yet, she still found herself giving him a crooked smile back. Yes, she was definitely going to enjoy this. "Commander Brandt."

Without another word, Corliss brushed past him so she could go say hello to the king and queen, but that didn't stop her from glancing back over her shoulder. She was glad she'd chose this dress, noting the way his golden-brown eyes traveled the whole length of her and darkened. This time, when he finally looked back up at her face, she could have sworn she'd seen bright red color stain those tanned cheeks. Even more so when she gave him a flirty smile and wink.

"What did I tell you?" she heard Alberich chuckle when she turned back around, speaking to Meron. "You've met your match, my friend."

"She's spectacular," Meron breathed, then there was the sound of him hitting him. "Why haven't you two introduced us before?"

"Because I wouldn't let them," Gaven said, annoyance coloring his tone. "For this very reason."

Even as Corliss made her way around the room, saying her hellos and making quick catch-up conversation with Emmeric and Alexea, then the other lords and ladies, she could feel Meron's eyes remain on her. And, of course, she would catch him. Unlike other males she'd do the same thing to, looking away quickly and making it seem like they weren't staring, Meron didn't back down. Not even as he sat opposite her at the dinner table. The stare down between the two of them was noted from almost everyone, including the palace staff who were there to serve the meal.

Still trying to give off an air of confidence, Corliss sat back in her chair, her crystal wineglass in hand, and swirling the ruby red liquid before taking a sip. Confident, yes...but with the way Meron was still staring at her, a nervous knot formed alongside the one still there from when she first saw him.

She tried. She tried her damnedest not to look right back at him. Not only was she highly attracted to him physically, but she was drawn to the male himself, at his own confidence and happiness and just...him.

Seated by her father, Meron and Geir were in conversation about the dragon riders. When they brought up Ruvyn, Gaven, who was to Corliss's right, slumped down in his chair, downing his wineglass in one go. Luckily, though, their conversation quickly turned back to Meron's own egg.

"...any idea of when it'll hatch?" her father had been inquiring.

"None," Meron said with a shake of his head. "I'm hoping soon, though. It's almost like it's been waiting for a right moment, though I have no idea when that right moment is. It's frustrating beyond belief. When I spoke to Ruvyn about it, he didn't know either. He hadn't heard of a bonded egg taking this much time."

"And you know bonds before hatching are rare."

"Of course. And I'm beyond honored."

Her father turned his attention to her then, nodding in her direction. "Corliss is the only one out of the family who hasn't formed a bloodrite bond yet. We're still waiting, but I hardly doubt that will happen here in Ayveri. When she's finished at university and is back home in Eld...then I'm sure it'll come."

Meron raised a brow in her direction. "No dragon for you yet?"

"No," she said through her teeth.

And she didn't need to be reminded of that again.

Of course, she wanted a bloodrite bonded dragon. It was practically a requirement in her family and yet it hadn't happened for her yet. Not even close. When she would go to the dragon caves with Gaven and Ruvyn, she would try her best to even feel the beginnings of that sacred bond and yet never did. After all those years, it was even more frustrating...which was another reason she'd gone to Ayveri for university after putting it off for so many years.

"I'm sure it'll happen sometime soon," Meron told her then. "But if you want, I'll let you spend as much time with my own dragon as soon as it hatches. I have a feeling it'll like you...just as much as I like you and I've only met you an hour ago."

Corliss cocked an eyebrow. "Oh, really?"

"Really," he said, leaning forward to reach for bottle of wine between them, and poured more into his glass. "I think I'd like to spend more time with you, especially since we'll get to know each other very well in the coming years when you're back in Eld. Maybe I'll bring the egg over, see if it's just waiting for you to be there to hatch, too."

"You're larger than average egg, right?"

Meron all but choked on his sip of wine, but his answering grin slipped right into place. "Exactly, Lady Corliss."

And before she could help herself, Corliss gave him a rude hand gesture, much to the horror of her mother, then stood as she grabbed an unopened bottle of wine and strode out of the dining room with Meron's eyes on her back.