(Starla)
I woke to the sound of someone pounding on my door. Last night, I slept very late, and I didn’t wish to wake so early.
"Starla! Rise and shine! The sun is burning, not that we get much of it here in this frozen wasteland. The food is also getting cold, and I am told the Commander gets grumpy when people are late!"
Alistair’s voice was loud, cheerful and utterly annoying early in the morning.
Doodles lifted his head from my chest, ears perked. He seemed to recognise the voice and approve.
I groaned, pulling the duvet over my head. "Go away."
"Can’t do that. Azkan’s orders. Breakfast. Now. We have to officially meet too."
I peeked out from the duvet. " Commander Azkan told you to wake me?" It seemed highly unlikely. If he wanted us to officially meet, he wouldn’t send his brother to wake me and inform me about him last night when he came to the courtyard. He didn’t know we had already met.
"Yes."
I sat up, rubbing and rolling my eyes. The room was bathed in pale morning light, and somewhere in the distance, I could hear the sounds of the Stronghold waking up.
"Give me a moment," I called through the door.
"Waiting."
I dressed quickly, splashing water on my face from the basin in the corner. Doodles wound between my ankles, purring, as if to say, Hurry up. I am hungry too.
When I opened the door, Alistair was leaning against the opposite wall, his arms crossed, his silver hair smoother than the day before. His white and blue provocative armour was gone, replaced by a simple white tunic and trousers.
He had clearly taken his time to work on his appearance.
"There she is," he said, grinning. "The woman who tamed a dragon."
"I didn’t tame anyone," I answered with a feigned smile.
"Always modest too." He pushed off from the wall and offered me his arm. "Shall we?"
I hesitated, and then I took his arm.
Whatever.
He led me through the corridors.
***
The private dining chamber he took me to was smaller than the great hall. A round wooden table sat in the centre, laden with breakfast. Breads, cheeses, butter, beans, biscuits, fruits and drinks.
Azkan was already there, seated at the table, his posture rigid. A cup of something steaming sat before him, untouched.
His gleaming eyes found mine when we entered, and a scowl came to rest on his face. His gaze travelled to our interlinked arms, and I could sense he was highly displeased.
Runa was beside him, her hand resting possessively on his arm. Her nose wrinkled seeing me.
Of course she was here. I felt my stomach tighten, and I didn’t even understand why.
"What do you think you are doing?" Azkan sternly asked his younger brother. He seemed slightly taken aback that we had already met and appeared relaxed in each other’s company.
"Since you didn’t want to make introductions, I did that on my own, and now I am bringing your guide to breakfast. I am hungry too," Alistair nonchalantly answered, pulling out a chair for me, directly across from Azkan.
Nervously, I sat; Doodles grazed my feet. The air was thick with tension. It appeared to be a private breakfast, and Alistair had seemed to intrude.
Alistair dropped into the seat beside me, his grin wide and unrepentant.
"Well," Alistair looked around the table. "Isn’t this cosy? The Commander, Runa, his charming youngest brother, and his lovely guide." He reached for a piece of bread. "Feels like a family meal."
Alistair had deliberately spoken of me as the guide instead of Runa, and she had noticed.
"We are not family," Runa said, her voice icy, and she didn’t hold back her aversion.
"Of course not." Alistair’s grin sharpened. "You are just the woman who has been trying to marry my brother for years now. But failing."
I bunched my lips; Alistair was trouble, big, monstrous trouble.
Runa’s eyes angrily flashed. "I am his guide, not her. His trusted companion. There is no comparison."
"Of course there is none," Alistair said sweetly. "Who said there was?"
Embarrassment made my skin burn, and I wanted to disappear from this room. Azkan’s jaw edged out as if he was barely holding on.
"Alistair," he said, his voice a warning.
"What? I’m just making conversation." Alistair turned to me, his azure eyes dancing with mischief. "So, Starla. How did you sleep? Comfortably? Any strange dreams? Visions of dragons?"
"I slept fine," I answered, reaching for a piece of bread. "No visions."
"Pity. I have always wanted to hear about a vision." He bit into his bread, chewing thoughtfully. "Maybe I should try sleeping next to Aksel. See if I catch something."
"You are not sleeping in his chamber," Azkan said flatly.
"Why not? He is not raging anymore, and I can sleep wherever I want."
Azkan’s growl was barely audible.
"You have hardly returned for a few hours and are already stirring trouble."
Runa’s hand tightened on his arm.
"If I may," I requested, trying to defuse the building tension. Every eye in the room turned towards me.
Azkan and Runa were agitated and annoyed, while Alistair was intrigued.
"I was wondering if I could have something to do in my free time, when Aksel is resting. Is there something I can help with?" I hopefully asked.
"What will a mere human do? Stick to your room; no one trusts or even wants you here," Runa distastefully answered.
"Rude much." Alistair threw her an annoyed look, and she smugly smiled.
He turned his head towards me and his face brightened immediately.
"Ah! Excellent question. I can take you on a tour of The Academy, where we turn young Beastmen into proper Sentinels, healers and guides. I am actually teaching a class this afternoon. Combat tactics. You should come watch."
Thankfully, I nodded. "I would like that."
"Maybe you could even participate." He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Show these Beastmen that humans aren’t all fragile."
"Humans are fragile," Runa answered coolly, showing her disdain. "They break easily, and they burn even easier." Her hateful gaze fixed on me. "Their life spans are barely a blink."
"And yet," Alistair said, his smile never wavering, "a human is the only one who reached Aksel. Funny how that works."
Runa’s eyes narrowed. "She got lucky."
"Lucky." Alistair hilariously laughed. "A century of trying. Hundreds of Beastmen healers and guides. And this human just walked in and got ’lucky.’" He shook his head. "I don’t think so."
"Maybe she has a hidden agenda. A well-planned planted spy," Azkan distastefully said, his burning eyes finding mine as he took a sip from the huge mug, and my heart dropped.