Page 15 of Beaux and Dragons

His full lips pressed together into a thin line, unable to conceal complete disappointment.

“No, that’s not what I mean.I—”

“You don’t have to invent stories to try and make me feel better.” He walked her to their companions and sat behind an empty bowl.

Ana took the available seat beside Julian, which had surely been arranged by her sister to ensure a possible match. Lucia confirmed Ana’s supposition with a gentle wink. It distracted Ana from the heart pounding in her ears at how she’d messed up her moment to talk to Federico, making another opportunity look less and less likely to transpire.

Julian leaned over to Ana, “Do you want to—”

“I need air.” Ana stood abruptly, garnering the attention of the other four members at the table, and stormed out of the establishment. Though she’d broken every rule in polite society, the stuffy room was suffocating her, and all she wanted to do was find Celestia and cry.

Once the warm breeze brushed across her face, Ana slowed her pace along the boardwalk.

“Ana, wait.” Julian called from behind her.

She should be kind to him. He hadn’t a clue what had transpired or why she wanted to go on a walk in the first place.

“What’s wrong?” The tender note in Julian’s voice knifed guilt into her soul at how she had teased him with her attentions, when she really desired Federico’s.

She wiped her cheeks and spun to face Julian who, though handsome, was not Federico. The thought of marrying Julian for the financial security seemed … wrong.

“I’m going ahead to the field across the street,” Ana said. “I’ll be back.” She strode without a backward glance.

Julian caught up to her quickly. “I can’t let you go alone.”

A thread of annoyance marked her stride, but she wouldn’t shoo him away when he was being a gentleman. “I hope you don’t mind dragons.”

His step faltered, but he kept pace. “Aren’t foreign beasts known for eating strangers?”

“It rarely happens.”

“But there was a recent case the other day in Lourdes City when a man confused another beast for his own.”

“Perhaps you can wait at the side of the road. I’m sure Celestia is waiting for me.”

“What if Celesipee doesn’t approve of me? Haven’t there been cases where they burn rider companions?” Something moved in the shadows ahead and Julian screeched.

Chapter nine

Change of Rules

Oh how Ana wished Celestia would have licked Julian’s face and tried to coddle him, but of course, Julian’s screams had Celestia huddled into a ball. Ana couldn’t even enjoy a minute with her dragon before she suggested they go back to the inn. If her lack of feelings wasn’t enough evidence for not choosing him as a suitor, this solidified her decision.

Julian and Ana went straight to the inn where they accepted the innkeeper’s fresh batch of coffee and waited for the others to return since she did not have the key to her room.

Ana didn’t know what to say about a man who was so frightened of dragons. Then again, her lack of aversion todragons had everything to do with Federico. She’d grown up with the dragon trainer’s son and rode on dragons every chance she got.

“So, the beast out there is yours?” Julian mixed a few cubes of sugar into his milky coffee.

Ana stretched a practiced smile over her lips and nodded. A maid brought two small loaves of bread to their table at the window of the inn. When were the others to return from the beach establishment? It had already been a couple of hours since the sun had set, and the stilted conversation between Ana and Julian tried her patience.

Beneath the lamplight, Lucia appeared beside Juan, followed by the others. Ana pressed closer to the window, trying to hurry them along with her eyes—though she knew this to be a futile effort. When the rest of the group came closer, Ana gave a jovial wave and risked shouting to them.

Everyone squished around the diminutive table and ordered coffee and bread to enjoy before bedtime as they discussed the dances, dresses, and news they’d heard from the establishment.

“I must say that the games are truly inspiring this year.” Lucia buttered her bread for the third time. “Theysay that the winner will get the largest grand prize in the history of the races.”

Federico sipped coffee with a wry grin, hiding an emotion that appeared like amusement, but Ana couldn’t be certain. She craned her neck to get a better view of Federico’s smile that climbed just high enough to be believable.