Chapter 227: Aria Wanted Him

"Now I see why you chose her," Tamara said, watching Charlotte revel in her Chibun’s lead with all the excitement of a child.

Thamas followed her gaze. Charlotte was certainly an interesting human, but that wasn’t the answer he’d been hoping for. This entire charade was supposed to make Tamara jealous, after all.

"What do you see?" he asked, feigning indifference.

"She’s a breath of fresh air. Audacious and exotic." Tamara turned to meet his gaze. "A rare flower you’re not accustomed to."

"I suppose so." Thamas hummed.

"Have you fucked her yet?"

The question was so abrupt that it caught him completely off guard.

That put him in quite a predicament. If he said yes, Tamara might think less of him for sleeping with a human. But saying no hardly helped his attempt to make her jealous.

"Not yet," he blurted out.

"Then fuck her and get her out of your system."

"Excuse me?"

Tamara stared him dead in the eyes. "I have enough problems on my hands keeping the dragons in line. You’re the last person I expected to start encouraging this foolish idea of humans and dragons getting together."

"Or maybe you’re just jealous."

"What?"

Thamas smirked arrogantly. "Jealousy doesn’t suit you, Tamara."

For a moment, she simply stared at him. Then understanding dawned, and a short laugh escaped her.

"I see."

His smirk faltered. "You see what?"

Tamara stepped closer until they stood face-to-face, seemingly unconcerned with the crowd around them. "You’re doing this because I turned you down, aren’t you?" Her voice lowered cruelly. "You thought parading another woman in front of me would make me jealous."

Thamas said nothing.

"And of all the females you could have chosen for this childish little game, you chose a human." Tamara’s lip curled. "How low could you possibly sink, Thamas?"

The words struck exactly where she’d intended them to. Humiliation crawled beneath his skin as the truth of his failed plan settled over him. He should have known this wouldn’t work.

His gaze shifted toward Charlotte. The charade had to end.

Except Charlotte suddenly swayed and Thamas moved instinctively, but before he could take another step, fingers closed around his arm.

He looked down.

Tamara.

"I’m sorry," she said, and the unexpected softness in her eyes stopped him. "I shouldn’t have said that. I just want you to be done with the human."

Thamas’s brows drew together. Tamara was giving him whiplash, but his foolish heart seized upon the one thing it desperately wanted to see.

Hope.

He placed his hand over hers and Tamara didn’t pull away. Perhaps he hadn’t failed completely. Tamara had never been an easy dragoness to win over. Maybe he simply needed to try harder.

By the time he looked toward Charlotte again, she appeared fine.

Meanwhile....

Something was wrong with her. Charlotte could feel it now.

But she couldn’t give up. Not when Tom was still ahead and victory was only a few meters away. She needed this win, if only for the pleasure of rubbing it in Karen’s face.

More importantly, winning the first round for Aetheris would give everyone something else to remember her for. With or without Lord Plumage and Lady Mimic turning it into tomorrow’s gossip, Charlotte Greenwood would have carved her name into House Aetheris herself.

Except Charlotte’s hope shattered when Karios suddenly drew level with Tom.

"No, no, no! Tom, move!"

Too late.

With only a few meters remaining, Karios surged ahead, his little legs carrying him past the grey Chibun before he bounded across the finish line.

For half a second, there was stunned silence before the Therion section erupted into a deafening roar.

Beasts shot to their feet, wagers were thrown triumphantly into the air, and voices collided as Karios’s name rang through the Outer Ring. The sudden eruption startled several Chibuns still attempting to finish the race, sending one darting sideways while another stopped altogether and flattened its ears.

Karios, however, couldn’t have cared less about the commotion. Having accomplished what was required of him, he hopped straight toward the nearest dish and buried his face in the treats like winning the race had merely been an inconvenient obstacle standing between him and dinner.

Aria laughed, overwhelmed by the rush of victory. Then she turned, spotted Maverick and ran. He barely had time to brace himself before she launched herself at him, arms circling his neck with complete faith that he would catch her.

Maverick sure did, his hands closing securely around her as her legs wrapped around his waist.

"We won!"

"I saw."

Aria kissed him before he could say anything else.

The adrenaline still racing through her made the kiss harder than she’d intended, but Maverick answered with equal hunger, holding her firmly against him while the celebration continued around them. For several seconds, the noise of the arena seemed to disappear beneath the pounding of her heart and the familiar heat of his mouth.

When they finally broke apart, both were breathing harder. Aria remained in his arms, staring into his beautiful slitted gray eyes. The desire there was unmistakable, and her pulse skipped as she bit lightly into her swollen lower lip.

There would be no more waiting after tonight. She was certain now. She wanted this man.

Maverick must have seen the decision in her eyes because a deep growl rolled through his chest.

Aria leaned closer until her lips brushed his ear. "Later."

"Fuck." Maverick released an unsteady breath and tightened his hold on her. "Later suddenly seems very far away."

Aria burst out laughing.

Eventually, he lowered her back onto her feet, and she turned toward the course—only for her heart to nearly jump out of her chest when her gaze collided with Caelis’s.

God help her. He had to stop doing that.

The Basilisk Prince stood some distance away, still watching her from behind those sunglasses. Then, to her surprise, he lifted two fingers to his temple and gave her a small salute.

Aria made a face at him. That weirdo.

Right at that moment, another cheer broke out, albeit with less intensity than the one that had followed Karios’s victory.

Charlotte’s Tom had crossed the finish line, securing second place in the first round.