But Sorin pulled him back into his side and squeezed the words right out of him.
To Rui, the big male said, “Don’t threaten what’s mine.”
Rui pocketed the pebble for another time and crossed her arms.
“Tell him to stop antagonizing me.”
Sorin heaved a heavy sigh and leveled a look at her. It conveyed something along the lines of,that’s like telling him not to breathe.
“Anyway,” Ere dragged out with a roll of his eyes.
“King Arthur is one of the greatest mythical kings of all time, at least across Western human history. I always thought he wasn’t real. Historians debate about it still. But we’re living the truth now. I can’t wait to meet him!”
“Why would we meet a king?”
“Because he’s holding a tournament in honor of Queen Guinevere,” Ere explained. “That’s where all these people are headed. To either watch the proceedings or to participate.”
Rui tapped her foot with impatience. She knew he had a point, but he was taking the circuitous route to get to it.
“The winner gets the biggest prize, to be handed to him—”
“Or her,” Rui injected.
“—by the King and Queen themselves. It’s the greatest treasure in all the realm, my drunken soldiery friends revealed.”
Now, this was starting to get more interesting.
“What is it?” she asked.
“It’s called the Dragon’s Eye. It’s a large, rarejewel,” Ere emphasized.
“Or it could simply be a dragon’s eye,” Rui said.
Ere blinked with confusion.
“That’s a thing? People gauge out the eyes of dragons?”
Rui rolled her eyes.
“Of course. Humans have been hunting dragons since the beginning of time. Some for adventure, some out of greed. They take our scales, thorns, teeth, and bones. The smaller parts like our claws and head are sometimes displayed as trophies. The rest of our bodies they leave to rot, unlike other animals they hunt for food and more productive uses.”
Ere shuddered with revulsion. Clearly, he hadn’t been a dragon for very long, or he’d know about the depravities of mankind.
Though many humans worshipped and revered dragons, especially in the East where Rui was from, there were always the mercenaries and the killers that simply murdered for the thrill of it.
“The eyes of dragons are the most prized trophies,” she explained. “Once they are carved out, they turn into diamond-hard gems. But they retain their original color and warmth. And carry some of the dragon’s magic within.”
“So…it could indeed be a real dragon’s eye,” Ere murmured. “But the important question is—could it be the Jewel of Dreams?”
Rui nodded, anticipation for the treasure hunt tingling electrically down her spine.
“Let’s find out.”