Somewhere Over North America

Jovari was on edge. His muscles tensed as the overhead chime announced their arrival. This was such a bad idea, for so many reasons. He'd tried to talk some sense into Talon, but the king wouldn't hear a word of it. What the queen wanted, the queen got. He would refuse his mate nothing.

"Be with you in a moment," a voice called from behind the counter. A middle-aged woman with coiled red curls.

"Sure, thanks!" Claire called. She made a show of inhaling, clinging to Leah's arm. "It smells so good!"

"I'm going to order everything on the menu," Leah said. "I could eat like, five burgers."

He shared a perplexed glare with Talon, who merely shrugged and grinned. He'd never seen the king grin so much in his life—Talon was not a grinner. He refrained from rolling his eyes and glanced at Irelia. "What of you, Princess? Are you going to eat five burgers, too?"

They'd already explained on the walk over what a burger was. Meat and bread, essentially. Like most things, the names amused him. But, he wasn't supposed to be amused, damn it. He was supposed to be annoyed, because he'd told them that this was a bad idea. That they were wasting time. That they were risking themselves. Risking running into trouble with every human settlement they encountered. Trouble that could keep them from getting home.

Alas, none of them seemed worried.

Irelia harrumphed at him. "Stop calling me Princess. I stopped being that when I left. And no." She patted her middle. "I've enough padding already. One will do. Or, perhaps, some French toast."

"Ouuu, French toast," Leah breathed. "Maybe that's what I'll get."

He scrubbed a hand over his face. Gods above, have mercy on him.

It had been Claire's idea to stop at a diner, despite his best efforts. Despite the risk of being recognized. Despite everything.

He glanced at the fading light outside. It would be dark soon. It was less stressful flying at night.

Regardless, they didn't have time for stops like this. Every minute, every day, would cost them in Dragonwall. Claire had begged, though, reasoning that they should all have a good meal before passing through the gate.

Hence, why they were here.

There were only a few patrons this evening, occupying the mix of booths and tables. Loners, most of them, though he spotted a small family of four, with two little ones. His eyes snagged on the children and he huffed, pulling his gaze away.

"Now, then." Stella, according to her name tag, appeared before them, her hands on her hips. A frown materialized as she looked them over. "Is there some kind of renaissance fair in town I didn't hear about?"

"Oh!" Claire and Leah giggled. "No. They just...felt like playing dress up?"

Stella's gaze lingered on Claire. Recognition lit her features. A brief tense moment filed the air.

Claire swallowed. "Uhm. I'd appreciate it if you didn't...you know, say anything about who I am to anybody."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Stella said, feigning confusion before offering a conspiratoral grin.

Claire's shoulder's relaxed. "Thank you."

Stella gave a terse nod. When her gaze passed over Talon's scars, her smile turned forced and she quickly looked away. "Table for five?"

"Yes, please," Leah said. "And tell me you sell milkshakes."

"Oh, the best, yes." Stella snatched up a stack of plastic sheets with pictures of food on them, and led them to a large, horseshoe shaped booth. "This okay?"

"Perfect," Claire and Leah said in unison. Jovari's brows lifted and he shot Talon another look. But Talon wasn't looking anywhere other than Claire.

They squeezed into the booth.

"So, it's just me tonight," Stella explained. "Can I start you off with something to drink?" She produced a writing utensil and pad of paper from her apron, looking expectantly at them. Claire, Leah, and Irelia fired off drink orders he'd never heard of, then looked expectantly at them.

"Oh. Uh. Do you have any water?"

Stella payed him a bemused look. "You want lemon with that, hon?"

"Of course not!" He shot Claire a confused glance. She pressed her lips together.

"She means, do you want a lemon sliver served with your water," Leah said, leaning in to whisper. He tensed, then leaned away from her, but not before getting a whiff of her lavender scent. He eyed her and she merely shrugged.

"I'll have what she's having," Talon said, motioning towards Claire.

"You got it. I'll have those out for you in just a minute." She walked off.

Claire shuffled the sheets of plastic to each of them. He ignored his. "Why don't you just order for me, my queen?"

"Oh! I can order for you," Leah piped up, practically bouncing in her seat.

"No."

"No?" A flash of hurt passed over her features.

He exhaled. "Apologies, that came out rude. I would prefer if my queen would."

"Well," Claire said, attuned to Leah's emotions, "I think I'll delegate the job to Leah, since she so nicely volunteered."

He clenched his jaw.

"Thank you," Leah said, bumping her shoulder against Claire's. They sat in the middle of the curved booth, side by side. He sat on Leah's other side, with Irelia to his left. Talon sat on Claire's right, hovering.

Stella returned, setting drinks before them. When she handed out long white things, he ignored his. The others ripped the paper free and plunked drinking straws into their cups. He took a drink of his, shocked by the ice. The others found it perfectly normal.

"Now then, what can I get you to eat?" Stella had her pad out, ready to write down their orders. He observed as each was given, things like waffles and burgers. Something called a club sandwich. Onion rings. The list went on.

Leah ordered for him, but he ignored most of what she fired off. He didn't know what to make of her.

The first time they'd spoken, just before the start of this journey, he'd pulled her aside in the foyer and tried to dissuade her from coming. "You shouldn't rush headfirst into this because of some misplaced sense of adventure. You have a life here. Tell Claire you aren't going," he had told her.

"You know nothing about my life here," she'd said, her bubbly personality morphing into anger. "If Claire wants me to come, then I'll come. Last I checked, she's queen and gets the final say."

They'd argued for a few more minutes, until Claire's mom had appeared. After that, they'd resorted to silent glares. It had been a relief when she'd flown with Talon and Irelia.

He'd apologized this morning, albeit grudgingly. Mostly because of her glaring every time they stopped. Much to his surprise, the moment he'd done so, her entire countenance towards him had changed. She'd gone from silent and simmering, to friendly.

He wasn't sure which side of her he preferred.

"So..." Leah said to him, bumping his shoulder to get his attention. He exhaled, willing patience into existence. Stella had already wandered off. Claire and Talon were focused on each other, talking in hushed tones. "What is it you do in Dragonwall? Like, what's your job?"

He stared at her. "My job."

"Yeah, like, what you get paid for and all that." She waved a hand.

"I'm a king's shield."

Her brow furrowed. When he caught himself lingering over her expression, he shook himself free.

"So, like, a fancy bodyguard or something?"

"Aye. A fancy bodyguard," he repeated, unamused.

Her eyes flicked to the blades strapped in various places about him. "That's cool."

Was she was being genuine or sarcastic?

"All right," he said. "What is it you do here? Your job?"

"Oh." Some of the light in her eyes faded. He almost regretted asking, then reminded himself that he really didn't care. "Well, I'm a server and a bartender at Shannon's, with Claire. To pay the bills and all that. But I also volunteer at the library. It's a bit of a commute, but I like it."

His head tilted. "You're a scholar?"

"I...no. Like, I shelf books and host book clubs and such."

"I see..." He hadn't realized there was a difference. A pink tinge appeared on her cheeks. She looked away from him. A sliver of guilt formed in his gut. "We have a massive library in the capital," he blurted. "You would like it. If...that is..."

"Oh!" Her expression brightened. "Do you think they'd let me work there?"

"I mean, those who care for the library are castle servants—" He shot Talon a glance. "If you're concerned about finances, I am sure Claire will take care of you. The coffers are quite large."

"No. I mean, that's nice and all, but I'd like to make my own living wherever I land."

"I understand."

"I could always fall back on my bartending experience. That makes good tips."

"A tavern wench?! Absolutely not." Something inside him turned hot. The refusal was out before he could stop it.

"Why not?" She lifted a brow in challenge.

"Because most taverns in the city are disreputable and you're the queen's best friend. The gossip would lend itself to scandal."

It was an easy excuse, one that made the most sense.

Leah snorted. "Whatever. I'll figure it out."

"That so?"

"Listen, dragon man, I learned how to take care of myself a long time ago."

He snorted. It was on the tip of his tongue to inquire, but he squashed it.

Stella appeared, her arms laden with plates. She deposited them then went back for more. "Gods, woman, how much food did you order me?"

There were three plates before him alone. Between all of them, the entire table was covered.

"You look like a man with an appetite," Leah said, a purr to her voice. One moment she was glaring, the next, friendly, and now...flirting?

He huffed, ignoring her words. "I take it that's a burger?"

It was taller than he'd expected, a bun stuffed with lettuce, tomato, and a few other things he wasn't certain about.

"Yep." Leah's lips made a popping sound.

"And what about that?"

"Fries." She reached for a red bottle and squirted a red sauce beside them. "Ketchup. For dipping." She snatched up a fry and demonstrated. He couldn't help but watch her chew, then swallow. He blinked, ripping his gaze away. Not before he noticed the playful grin that spread across her lips. Like she'd caught him staring.

He copied her actions, dipping the fry in sauce before eating it. He made a grumbling sound as he swallowed.

"Good, huh?"

"It's...acceptable."

"Oh, stop." She elbowed him in the ribs. "I'm not blind. You look like you just tasted the best thing in the world."

He ignored her, looking at everything else.

"That's a blueberry waffle," she said, pointing to it. "I got an omelette, too, with bacon and cheese. There's also a side of onion rings. And if you're still hungry, you can try some of my fettuccini Alfredo."

"Feta—what?" He looked at her plate, brow furrowed. Noodles swimming in a white sauce. Huh.

She was already wrapping them around her fork. He looked away, tackling his own food. It was divine. Packed with flavor and perfect for his growling stomach. He wouldn't dare admit that he was enjoying himself.

"I take it that's French toast?" he asked Irelia. Shere merely hummed, eyes closed while she chewed. He was tempted to try a bite but she looked rather protective of her plate.

Talon also had a massive burger in front of him. He was enthusiastically devouring it, snatching up fries in between bites. Claire had ordered him a sandwich too, with layers of bread and other things, all held together by thin toothpicks.

Claire had a stack of pancakes before her, which she'd doused in syrup. He didn't miss the way Talon snuck bites off her plate. Every so often, she sipped from the mug of beige liquid. Talon didn't touch his—not after his first sip when he'd grimaced and quickly set it back down again.

"It's coffee," Claire said when she saw Jovari staring.

He blinked. "Is it...good?" He didn't think so, based on Talon's initial reaction.

"Would you like to try?" She handed the mug over. It was warm and smelled uniquely appealing. He took a sip and his brows shot up. Claire's expression fell. "You don't like it either, do you?"

"I..." He took another sip. "Actually, it gets better on the second try." When he took a large gulp, she snatched it back.

Stella came over to check on them. He ordered a coffee for himself. Claire helped him prepare it with cream and sugar. Talon merely glared at him.

He ate everything Leah had ordered for him, unable to decide if he'd enjoyed the burger or waffle more. His stomach was full and content. Yet, when Claire asked for a dessert menu, he was already eager to try something else.

She and Leah ordered a spread of items. When Stella returned with them, he found many familiar sights. Pies, cakes, cobblers. The ice cream was something he'd never tasted, and he commandeered it for himself. Claire hoarded a large cupcake piled high with frosting. When she got a bit on her nose, Talon leaned in to kiss it off. Jovari pretended not to see, grumbling something about mates.

The door chime sounded. He looked up to see a group of men walk in, their loud voices carrying through the establishment. He stared at them, taking in their black vests and warn pants. Some had chains hanging from belts. They all had black ink tattoos covering their skin.

Stella seated them at a large booth near the door. A tickle of unease shot down his spine. "We should leave now," he warned. "We've lingered long enough."

Stella came by and dropped off the bill. Claire grabbed it and provided a stack of currency to pay for everything. Apparently she'd brought it with her for this reason, specifically.

His neck prickled. He could feel eyes on them and didn't like it.

They shuffled out of the booth and made for the door. The voices of the newcomers quieted. Then, "What the fuck kind of costume is that supposed to be?"

They kept walking.

"Hey! I'm talking to you!" One of the men came to his feet. Their entire group smelled of stale spirits. Drunk, no doubt.

"Isn't that the girl from the news?" one of the others demanded. "It is! I'd recognize that pretty face anywhere. Too bad she's a freak. Bet aliens really did get her."

Talon let out a low growl, his steps faltering. Hot anger clogged Jovari's throat but he pushed Talon forward. "Keep going," he snarled. "The last thing we need is to draw attention. I told you this was a bad idea."

"I can take every single one of them," Talon growled. "Let me at them."

"Yeah, and get the cops called on us," Leah squeaked, dragging Claire along.

"Fair point," Talon huffed. "But let it be known—"

"Yes, yes," Claire cried. "Let's go!" Then it was Claire dragging Talon by the arm.

They rushed from the diner and didn't stop to look back. He didn't breathe easily until they'd left the small settlement for the open fields beyond, the dark swallowing them up. 

💕❤️💕Don't forget to heart this chapter!❤️💕❤️

Happy Friday, Bookdragons!

I know a lot of you have been begging for Jovari's POV. Since this story is structured uniquely for the first half, with the time differences, it is difficult to navigate. It has been hard to find an excuse to give him one. But this felt like a great excuse! It's here to serve one purpose only, by offering some pure fun. I hope you loved it. 

Next week, we are back in Kastali Dun with Merrian and the crew. And yes, don't worry, Leah will be getting her own chapters too, just not quite yet. 

See you then!

--Mel