Chapter 23
The following day was the same, with Paige staying stubbornly aloof. She still ignored his attempts at conversation, even refusing to meet his eye. He didn't know why it upset him so much, since her anger was hardly a whisper compared to Lavender's vocal nature. Their words had hurt her, and the pain she tried to bury seemed to shine right through to him. She didn't even make a snide remark when Ryder entered the room late. Again, she dismissed them at lunch, retreating to her room without speaking to him.
The situation was putting him in a sour mood, so when Lavender found him later that afternoon, he had a hard time finding sympathy in her complaints against Paige. Paige had let the Queen of Greenwing know that she wasn't allowed to bring Celia to Bluescale to meet Dean.
Sandra Greenwing was upset and holding Lavender responsible for the disruption of her plan. Being on the outs of her aunt's good graces was far more devastating to Lavender than the damage she had done to Paige.
Lavender threw her arms around Zane, crying about her troubles. Zane couldn't find any sympathy for his future companion. He pulled her hands from around him and took a step back.
"Lavender, stop," Zane said shortly.
She blinked at him for a moment. She wasn't used to him speaking to her in such a tone, but he couldn't stand by and support her mistreatment of the Bluescales. "Stop? Stop what? My life is in upheaval and it's all because of that girl." She started to pace the floor. "Do you care more about her feelings than mine?"
"You wouldn't be in this position if you had tried to show her an ounce of compassion."
"Compassion?" she yelled, whirling around to face him. "Why should I show her any compassion when you are showing her enough for the whole realm?"
"What is that supposed to mean?" He clenched his fist, guessing her insinuation.
"You know what I mean."
"No, I don't. I have not done one thing to dishonor you or our relationship."
"You expect me to believe that when you are the only one she runs to? The only one she confides in when she discovers some secret? She's trying to come between us."
"Yeah? If she's trying to come between us, how come from the beginning she has asked me about you and encouraged me to talk to you about what was bothering me? She's just trying to be a friend."
"I won't let her take you from me," Lavender shrieked, but her tone cut to his core. It sounded like she thought of him as a possession rather than a companion.
"You don't need to worry about her coming between us. You are doing a fine job of that on your own."
"Do not push me on this, Zane," she warned. A shadow came over her countenance, and he stared back at her, wondering what her threat meant. She sighed and looked out the window for a long time. When she looked back at him, there was a small smile playing at the edge of her perfect lips. "Do you remember when we were caught up in making plans for our Desma, and I was getting frustrated with the planner?"
"Yes." Zane felt guarded, but also remembering his feeling from that day. How he was amused by her frustration, and how he wanted to ease her stress, though now all her anxiety seemed petty. Most of all, her remembered the love he felt for her then.
"You took me away right in the middle of the meeting with the caterer." She walked up close to him, placing her hand on his chest. "You ran so fast through the castle, you had to pick me up."
YOU ARE READING
Dragon Blood (Completed)
Fantasy"He's dead, and we're all going to die." The words haunted Zane, their truth could not be denied. His days and those of every other dragon in Ethiolan were numbered. Seven months was the best he could hope for after that he knew there would be no h...
