Dragon Slayer by Carter Isabella

Author:Carter, Isabella [Carter, Isabella]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: fantasy, The Empty Crown, M/M romance
Publisher: Less Than Three Press
Published: 2013-06-18T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 6

It was snowing out. Fat flakes that fell in thick flurries blanketed the ground as Ingram watched, fascinated. He wondered if it felt as soft as it looked. Then Ingram reminded himself that he didn't have to sit inside and just watch. He could go out there. No one would stop him. He'd spent the day since he'd sent the letter off broiling in anxiety over what his father's response would be, but he wanted the distraction of something interesting.

Ingram tugged his cloak on and hurried down the stairs. It was freezing outside, the snow falling wetly on his cheek before melting. He held out a hand and watched as the flakes fell into his palm, letting him hold them for one precious minute before vanishing away. It was magic, pure and simple. Ingram laughed to himself.

Then something hit him, sending him off-balance and crashing into a pile of snow. He looked up to see Mallory and Aiden watching him, Mallory's mischievous smile giving away his guilt. It was snow, Ingram realized, looking down at his cloak. Mallory had thrown snow at him.

As he stared in open-mouthed shock, the cold snow dripping from where some of it had caught him on the cheek, Mallory snickered. "I'm sorry, Your Highness, but when you stand there like that, you're practically inviting it."

Aiden snorted. "That's a nice way of saying you have the maturity of a five year old."

Mallory made a rude gesture at him, and then reached his hand out to pull Ingram back to his feet. Ingram's eyes narrowed and he accepted the offer, curling his free hand into the snow. When Mallory pulled him up, Ingram followed through with his momentum and slammed the snow into Mallory's face.

Mallory's curse made Ingram laugh as he danced away. "That was a cheap shot."

"All's fair in war," Ingram declared, ducking for cover when Mallory glared at him and stooped down to pick up his own ball of snow.

Ingram fought bravely, but the battle was lost the moment a stray snowball caught Aiden, who up until that moment had been drolly commenting on how ridiculous they looked playing in the snow. His look of utter rage had made Ingram squeak as he made a run for it. He was fast, but not quite good enough to dodge both Aiden and Mallory, who worked as a well-coordinated team. Finally, he was forced to admit defeat and call for a truce.

"I hope you've learned a lesson, Your Highness," Aiden smirked, tossing bits of snow at Ingram.

"You two are jerks. That's what I've learned." Ingram held his hands up expectantly and Mallory leaned down to help him up. Ingram's foot caught on a particularly slick part of the ice and he fell forward, caught against Mallory. Even through the thick clothing, he could feel just how warm Mallory was. "How are you so warm still?"

Because he was so close, he heard the hitch in Mallory's breath when he closed his arms around him for a moment, surrounding Ingram in warmth.

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