Book 3: Chapter 16 (1/2)

“Are they always like this?” Alora asked as she munched on a piece of meat. She was sitting at a table, her seat next to Vur’s. Across from them, Mr. Skelly was operating a grill, placing plate after plate of food in front of Vur, who was clearing their contents as fast as they appeared. Alice and Tafel each occupied one head of the table, glaring at each other with their utensils in their hands. Their steaks were untouched, and the steam that had been rising off of them had already disappeared.

“No,” Vur said after finishing another plate. “Alice is usually a lot louder. Like a bear.”

Alice slammed her fist against the table, causing multiple plates to clink. Her head snapped towards Vur, veins bulging on her forehead. “What did you call me?”

“Yeah, just like that,” Vur said and nodded. He turned his head towards Alora. “See?”

“Mm, I’m not sure,” Alora said and scratched her head. “She reminds me more of an angry puppy.”

“An incorrect angry puppy,” Tafel said under her breath, but everyone heard her anyway. She snorted and lowered her head, cutting apart the steak in front of her, ignoring Alice’s withering gaze. “This meat cost as much as the potatoes. Doesn’t that mean there’s an abundance of it? How are people starving?”

Alice pointed her knife at Tafel. “That just means the potatoes are as scarce as meat! Potatoes are a staple food. They shouldn’t cost as much as a luxury. Normal people can’t afford to buy it!”

Tafel gestured around the plaza filled with women, the previous sacrifices. They were laughing while chatting, eating at tables similar to theirs. Smoke from multiple grills filled the air, and the smell of meat and potatoes wafted around, attracting wild birds to the region. “If this is your definition of starving, then I’ve never been full in my life.”

Alice ground her teeth together. She pushed her plate away from herself. “You know what, I—”

“You going to eat that?” Alora asked, pointing at the steak on Alice’s plate. Alice choked midsentence and glared at Alora. The polymorphed dragon shrugged and grabbed the steak with her bare hands before taking a big bite out of it. “Whew. Stomach’s become full a lot quicker when you’re smaller, huh?”

“I don’t like you,” Alice said to Alora. “And our names are too similar.”

“Then change yours,” Alora said, chomping into the bone of the T-bone steak. It crumbled without resistance. “I was named first since I was born first.”

“How long is your cousin staying with us?” Alice asked Vur.

“Fifty years,” Vur said.

Alice froze. “Years?”

“Yup.” Alora and Vur nodded at the same time while Tafel sighed.

“I’d like to rescind my application to your party,” Alice said, her face expressionless.

“You can’t do that,” Tafel said before Vur could respond.

“Can’t I?”

Tafel shook her head. “You’re not allowed to. Without you, we don’t have a tank.” She glanced at Vur. “You don’t count.” Her head turned back towards Alice. “Besides, it’s in the contract. You’re not allowed to leave.”

“What?” Alice asked. “Let me see.”