Night fell over Cristhalis like a blue-silver veil. The towers gleamed in the moonlight, and the cold wind snaked through the windows, carrying with it the familiar scent of ancient snow.
Inside Strax's room, however, the atmosphere was… far less icy.
Scarlet sat on his lap, one leg on each side, her hands resting on her husband's broad shoulders as she watched him with that mischievous smile that always disarmed him.
"You shouldn't have come back with an egg, Strax," she murmured, her voice drawling, playing with a strand of his hair. "You scare me with things like that."
He chuckled softly, his large hand resting on her waist.
"I found it interesting. And he seems to like me."
"He seems to want to kill me, that's for sure."
Strax shrugged, but his smile betrayed that he found this sudden rivalry… hilarious.
The egg—blue-opalescent, pulsing with icy draconic energy—lay on a makeshift nest of furs beside the bed, less than two meters from them.
