Dragon Tamer

Chapter 14

Tallinn and I spent a good couple of hours thoroughly pummeling each other into the ground. Every inch of our skin was either cut or bruised, but by the time the sun was down and it was time to head home, we hugged it out. He no longer hated me, seeing that I was going through my own shit, and I felt better about falling for someone way out of my league.

Elesor landed gently in our backyard and lowered herself so I could slide off her with ease. Sorely, I took all the equipment off then kissed her a good night. We carried our muddied asses through the door.

Amelia screamed from the kitchen. Kaden whirled around, knife in hand to dispatch the intruders. He laughed when he saw us. "'Bout time you two made up."

Casper, Harry, and Giles came tumbling over from the living room with Dad and Camden right behind them.

"Kali!" Camden shoved passed everyone and gripped my shoulders. "What the hell happened to you?" Up close, I noticed he still had the split lip I'd given him earlier.

Lovely, they'd been so busy, she forgot to heal him afterwards.

Rolling his eyes, Tallinn pushed him off me. "She's fine, Prince. Kali can take a punch or two."

"Or a hundred?" he shrilled, glaring at him, fists clenched at his sides. "Did you do this to her? You little shit, if you want to beat someone up, beat someone your own size."

"Hello," I snapped, stepping between them, "are you blind? It wasn't one way, Cam. This is how we settle things in this family." I'd done just as much damage to Tallinn as he'd done to me. "Don't you beat your brothers sometimes?"

He relaxed--a fraction--when he looked at me, eyes drifting from one wound to the next, seeming more and more distressed with every one he found. "Yeah, but it's different."

"How is it different?" I challenged, hands on my hips.

Dad squeezed through my brothers and put a hand on mine and Camden's shoulders. "That's enough, Kal. Go get cleaned up before dinner's ready or we'll start without you. You too, Tallinn."

"I call the bath!" Tallinn pushed me into Camden to rush up the stairs three at a time.

Groaning, I dragged my feet up the stairs. Amelia hopped to my side. "I'll help clean you up."

I sat on my bedroom floor while Amelia grabbed some sponges from the linen closet. I was naked by the time she came back with a bucket full of warm soapy water. She only paused for a second, catching a glimpse of a large scar from when a dragonling had bitten my thigh; each tooth mark was clearly imprinted on my skin. I personally thought the one on my back where a dragon had raked his claws down the length of my spine was much worse. I was just thankful she didn't say anything about them. I didn't mind the looks, I was used to them by now, but I'd grown attached to her, and thus her opinion actually mattered to me--even what she thought about my scars.

Moistening her lips, she handed me a sponge then grabbed one of her own before starting brushing me down. "So," she started, eyes focused on a particularly muddied part of my shoulder, "Prince Camden returned home shortly after you left."

"And?" He did? That would mean they didn't have enough time for. . . anything. It probably took him that entire time to walk back home.

So? There's no need for you to do that weird flip-flop thing, stomach. It doesn't change anything.

Amelia scrubbed my shoulder raw. "I just thought you should know. You seemed. . . upset that he sided with her." She stopped her assault on my shoulder and squeezed it affectionately. "You know I'm your friend, right, Kali? You can always talk to me."