Page 25 of Beaux and Dragons

“Don’t worry, Padre,” Ana patted Padre’s sleeve to calm the obvious agitation trembling in his movements.The state of their finances was not well known to the present company. “I can see to all the arrangements—”

“Nonsense,” Julian cut in. “I can—”

In a panic, Ana added, “And our old governess lives in Peris. I’m sure Lucia longs to visit her as well.”

Maria snorted at such a statement, knowing full well how their old governess had rapped their knuckles any chance she could.

Lucia’s bottom lip dropped as if she meant to object to Ana’s assertion of her wanting to visit Governess Paloma.

“To our trip to Peris.” Ana lifted a glass for a toast.

The other guests joined in while Padre, Julian, and Lucia took a beat longer than the rest to lift their cups.

“To Peris.”

Chapter eighteen

Flight to Peris

“Ithought we were taking a ferry.” Lucia frowned as she dragged her oversized luggage deeper into the racing house.

Ana tempered a smile that wanted to engulf her face. The thought of Lucia soaring atop the back of a dragon while she screamed tickled Ana’s insides. She knew it was unfair to her sister, but how else would they make the best use of their time? There was a lot to learn before the Santolaria competition.

“Ana,” Lucia barked. “Why is your dragon even here? Is this not the stables for the beasts who race?”

“I’ll bring Celestia out here.” Ana dropped her small suitcase at her sister’s feet and sped off before Lucia brought up more objections.

The large atrium was empty and still contained an elegant appeal with its polished marble floors and pillars. Ana flashed the doorman her racer ticket at the far stairwell and glanced backward to find Lucia cross-armed and shrinking into herself. Her poor sister had been used as a pawn in her scheming, but what else could Ana do? If Padre hadn’t been so insistent on her marrying Julian, she would have had other choices. His selection of Julian had everything to do with her family’s dwindling coffers and not so much on any other quality.

Ana took the stairs two at a time, at least attempting to make Lucia’s discomfort as short-lived as possible. The moment she hit the darkened corridor, Ana’s pulse quickened with her own trepidation. When she turned the corner into her stable lane, she half expected the aisle to be empty of riders, but Emilio stood against the post outside his stable in a simple black dragon rider outfit. He had gotten her letter. She’d never even seen his face, which was not unusual for dragon racers. She clipped her own face covering just beneath her eyes, though he’d already seen who lay beneath the veil.

“You’re here.” Ana didn’t mean to sound so relieved, but her tone betrayed her all the same.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” A chuckle resonated in the back of his throat. “I promised to teach you the tricks of the trade so you won’t be thrown off again.”

“I’m your competitor.” Ana marched in front of him to get a better read on his eyes. “What do you have to gain from all this?” A beat passed between them when hot air blew across her backside.

A giant black head snuck into her peripheral and sniffed loudly, stealing some of her tough veneer.

Ana crossed her arms. “You’ve known me for approximately an hour. There’s no way you are helping me out of the goodness of your heart.”

Warmth snaked along the side of her arm, and the end of a forked tongue flicked in her peripheral. Celestia wasn’t going to let Ana visit without a proper greeting.

Emilio laughed, one that lit up his eyes even in the darkness of the stable. “Let’s just say I hope ladies are allowed to continue racing in future events, and I see something special in you. Now go tend to your dragon before she makes a fuss.”

She spun on her heel and threw her arms around Celestia’s neck. The hug calmed Celestia’s twitching energy while Ana sunk deeper into the dragon’s embrace.

Why was he helping her so much?She pondered.Perhaps Emilio needed the funds, and Federico felt some lingering responsibility toward her.The words Federico had whispered into her ear at the Quenepas restaurant lingered in her mind:I miss you. She flushed at the thought but brushed it away. He’d also ignored her and flirted with poor Natalia—may she be already healed, Lord.

Walking the dragons out of the stables and to the course was the easy part. It proved quite the expedition for Ana to convince Lucia to follow her to the racecourse.

“Imagine the dress you will wear to the next ball.” Ana tugged on her wrist as if her sister were a mule. “Didn’t Juan give you extra funds?”

Lucia stomped behind Ana, lugging her suitcase. “He did, but I don’t see how we are going to make it all the way to Peris. I should really be heading back home to check on Natalia.”

“But you’ve never been to Peris, and you go on day and night about when you finally get to visit.” Ana swiped Luicia’s suitcase from her arm, taking the burden from her sister.

“Ugh … do you suppose I’m that vain?” Lucia still followed behind Ana down the stairs and through the corridors.