Winning Skyhunter (Stonefire Dragons Universe 1)

That's not what she meant, and you know it.

Asher bobbed his head and they entered the room.

Inside, the Stonefire leader and his mate wore dark red. The Lochguard pair wore a deep, dark blue. Their guests—Protectors he'd learned from the RSVPs—wore the respective colors of their clans.

He grunted his greetings to the leaders before meeting Arabella MacLeod's gaze. Her eyes flicked down to his chest and back again. A smile played on her lips. "Between Snowridge's leader and his three scars on his cheek, me and my burns, and you and your brand, people are going to think some sort of tragedy is a requirement to reach the upper echelons of a dragon-shifter clan."

Everyone went unnaturally still, apart for Arabella. The others never would've brought up the K on his chest. At least, not so soon.

Asher could make a noncommittal noise and change the subject. It would be easy enough.

However, he rather liked that Arabella didn't dance around the issue. And if she could joke about it despite how much more severe the remnants of her torture were, then he should be able to do the same. "You may be on to something. Although I forever hope Honoria's excluded from that requirement."

Finn grinned. "And me as well. We can't have these rugged good looks being tarnished, now, can we?"

Arabella shook her head. "As I always warn you, one day you'll wake up with no hair on your head if you keep bragging about how wonderfully handsome you are."

Finn waggled his brows. "But I am, aren't I, love?"

"I'm not sure I should answer that," Arabella drawled.

Finn leaned down to his mate's ear, murmured something for only her, and Arabella blushed. "Stop it, Finn."

Bram cleared his throat. "May I introduce my mate, Evie Marshall?"

Honoria extended a hand toward the female with dark-red hair and blue eyes standing at Bram's side and said, "Nice to meet you, Evie. I've heard so much about you." Honoria's gaze moved to a tall, blonde-haired female standing beyond Bram. "And you, too, Jane."

It was then that Asher noticed Stonefire's head Protector and his mate, Jane. If he could find some time to talk with the male about the latest security measures on Stonefire, then maybe the night wouldn't be completely boring.

His beast growled. If we dance with Ria, it won't be boring.

I know that, dragon. But I'm not big on small talk anymore, and I'm sure we'll have to do plenty of that.

Just be blunt, like Arabella. It will make things more interesting.

Asher battled a smile. We'll see.

Honoria had been talking with the females, but finished and looked at Asher. "Should we lead them into the great hall now?"

He offered his arm. "The sooner we get this started, the sooner it'll be over."

Threading her arm through his, she looked over her shoulder. "We have plenty of things to talk about later, so no sneaking off into dark corners. Being enamored with your mates is fine and all, but tonight is too important to risk it. However, if you want some secret locations you can sneak to and ravish each other on the way home, I can share later."

Asher bit the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling. Leave it to Honoria to tell them no hanky-panky now, but she'd gladly give them places to do it outside of Skyhunter. She already fitted into the role of clan leader without really trying.

Of course, he didn't want to test how far she could push the other leaders so soon. So he guided her out of the room and down the corridor leading to the great hall.

It was time to let those invited from Stonefire and Lochguard mingle with his clan members.

Asher only hoped it didn't devolve into some kind of chaos or fight.

~~~

Honoria stood next to Asher as Skyhunter's Protectors opened the different doors to the great hall. Members from each of the three clans had waited in different areas as a precaution. As he watched them slowly enter the room, one thing stuck out to him—the Stonefire and Lochguard dragon-shifters quickly mingled with one another. However, apart from a few of the elder Skyhunter members waving at people they had probably known from before Marcus King's time, Honoria and Asher's clan kept to themselves.

Before he could think too much on it, Honoria turned toward him and whispered, "Do you have any ideas of how to get them to talk with one another?"

Staring into her lovely blue eyes, he wished he could instantly erase the worry there. However, they were trying not to show signs of affection in public just yet. So he merely replied, "It's too early to worry. Let's just open the gathering first, and then see if we need to take extra measures."