Chapter 55: Are You Cheating On Neve?
Cael left the cave to do what he already said he wanted to do. He crossed back into the festival grounds, hoping to grab the empty pots and head back to the cave.
But as soon as he got there, he felt it immediately. He felt the way people looked at him now. It was definitely different from an hour ago. As he walked past, heads turned. Even conversations were paused slightly as he passed. It was not hostile. The opposite, actually, which somehow made him more uncomfortable.
Everyone saw him as the second mate of the dragon king’s chosen one.
That was apparently a title now. He didn’t argue with it since he was indeed the second mate.
A group of tiger tribe warriors near the fire lowered their voices as he passed, and one of them said something that carried just enough for him to catch it.
"Why isn’t he the tribe chief? If he’s the dragon king’s rival mate, shouldn’t he lead the leopard tribe?"
Cael’s jaw tightened. He kept walking. Tribe chief? Again? He didn’t want that. He hated being called that. He never wanted anything that would make him rule people, even when Soren was sick.
Ever since Neve treated Soren, he has been able to walk. He was the most relieved person, even though he didn’t show it. He was happy that his brother, the one who would become the next chief, was back on his feet.
Soren’s hand landed on his shoulder before he reached the leopard tribe table. "Don’t let it get to you."
"I’m not," Cael said. "I’m not even paying any attention to them."
"You’re gripping that ladle hard enough to bend it."
Cael looked down and saw that he really was holding the ladle tight.
He loosened his grip and set it down beside the pots. He started packing them up, stacking the empty containers, and felt something close to satisfaction when he confirmed just how empty they were. They were scraped clean. Someone had actually licked one of them, the evidence visible along the rim.
They had liked it. All of it. Every tribe that had come by enjoyed what his mate had prepared. Something similar to pride rose in his chest, but he drove everything down with a fake cough.
Soren leaned in while Cael worked. "I’ve been hearing things. Other tribes are talking about wanting to merge with us. Because of Neve."
Cael’s hands stopped on the pot lid. "What about him? What does Neve have to do with them?"
"He’s the dragon king’s mate. Not just that, he’s been recognised publicly, in front of everyone." Soren kept his voice low. "They’re confused about why the king chose a man. But confusion hasn’t stopped them from wanting to be close to it. Being near Neve means being near something the dragon king values. That’s currency to them."
"You can’t agree to any merger requests," Cael said. "It’s not safe for him. More tribes means more people watching him, more people wanting something from him. I don’t want anyone close to Neve."
Soren laughed quietly. "You think I’m going to say yes to every tribe that asks?"
Cael looked at him.
He wanted to say yes, I think that, but Soren had been chief for less than a day and had already handled Isabella at the podium better than Cael expected, so he kept his mouth shut instead.
"Just be careful around them. If that’s all, I’ll be heading back."
He lifted the stacked pots and turned to head back toward the cave.
A hand caught his arm, stopping him before he could move. He looked down and saw it was her.
Isabella.
Her hair has been rearranged again, and her smile is in place, the exact expression she wore when she wanted something. "Hello, Cael. What a wonderful festival, wouldn’t you say?"
He pulled his arm free. "What do you want?"
She glanced around, then leaned slightly closer, biting her lower lip in the way that was supposed to look nervous and looked calculated instead.
"I don’t see Neve anywhere. He must be exhausted after everything with the dragon king."
"He’s asleep," Cael said. "Stay away from him."
He shifted the pots higher against his chest and walked past her.
Soren waved from behind him. "You should definitely come back before it ends, if Neve’s up for it."
"If he wants to," Cael said, not turning around to look at his brother.
Behind him, low enough that Cael only caught it, Soren said something to Gideon.
"Hmmm. Our brother’s in love."
"Well, I can’t disagree with that," Gideon said.
Cael kept walking and pretended he hadn’t heard that either.
.
.
Isabella did not stay away just as Cael wanted. He had walked away, hoping she would just remain around Soren, crying or doing something annoying as usual, but she didn’t.
She fell into step slightly behind him, close enough to still be a presence, saying things about the festival, about the tiger tribe’s wine, about how nice it was that everyone was together this year, filling the silence Cael was doing nothing to fill himself.
He was three steps from the tree line when someone caught up on his other side.
"There you are." Kael appeared, still carrying the talon, which was now wrapped in some cloth he had apparently acquired specifically for the purpose of carrying it. "I’ll walk with you and drop this off before it gets any heavier."
"It doesn’t get heavier," Cael said, looking at him and the talon.
"It feels like it does." Kael adjusted his grip. Then his eyes moved past Cael and landed on Isabella. She adjusted her hair, noticing that she was being watched. She was a step behind, still talking and still smiling, trying to look seductive.
Kael stopped walking.
He looked at her. Then at Cael. Then back at her, with the particular focus of someone doing quick math and arriving at a conclusion he found personally offensive.
"Are you cheating on Neve?" he said.