House of Winter

Chapter 13, Part 1

A R I

"I know, I see him," Savvas said, his deep voice reaching only Ari's ears, when Ari let out a hiss of recognition. "Don't let them think he means anything to us."

Ari straightened her back and turned away from Jinni, towards the podium. Two of the most magnificent dragons Ari had ever seen were standing guard. Each of the dragons wore fine silver chains lined with diamonds, instead of a rider's saddle. Their scales were luminescent blue and white, and their huge silver eyes were trained on Savvas and Ari's tigers, their gazes hostile.

Ari gripped onto Warrah's reins. She could feel him tensing with apprehension as they approached the two glittering dragons. Despite riding and flying with Warrah recently, Ari knew she still had no control over the dragon that was not her kinnling. He could get out of control again, just like he had at the Midwinter Championships.

"Dismount," came the direction from a man in a pure white suit. One of his hands, decorated in silver jewellery, was gripping a cane. His jet black hair was oiled back out of his face. "Announce yourselves."

"Pythos Savvas and his companion, Marie," Savvas said, as he slid smoothly from the back of his dragon. Ari leapt to the floor in a slightly less dignified manner. Warrah was still tense, and she tried to stay close to him.

"Present your white coin," the man in white said.

Savvas dropped the white piece into the man's outstretched hand. He allowed one of the dragons to sniff it, and then curled his fingers around it. When he shook out his hand a moment later, the coin was gone, like magic.

"Kneel before the White Queen."

Ari swallowed and looked up at the velvet sofas. There were a number of people draped over the sofas, men with scantily-clad girls on their knees and women smoking cigars that reeked of estellaine. Ari looked at the women, trying to guess which of them was the White Queen, the leader of the White Dragons, but then a velvet curtain behind the sofas was moved aside by a young boy dressed in a sheer white top that displayed his brown chest, and the Queen was revealed.

Vastier had not had a monarchy for thousands of years. During the Ocean Age, the Vastien Empire had spanned the world with a rich network of democratically-elected leaders who governed over the islands and seas. Even now, the Vastien government was still called a democracy, although it was a shell of its former glory, full of corruption and no longer deserving of the title. But it was strange to hear of a woman who called herself Queen, because in Vastier, there was no such thing.

The woman was sitting on the largest and highest velvet throne of the whole area. She wore a dress that spread around her, so that her closest subjects - young boys wearing sheer white tops - were kneeling on the rich ivory fabric of her dress.

She was holding a glass of sparkling liquid in one hand. The hand was large, walnut brown, and decorated with silver rings and garishly-long fingernails shaped into talons and painted white. Her broad shoulders were partially hidden by layers of white feathers. But the most striking thing about her was the creams and powders that coated her face. Her cheeks were streaked with shades of brown in contoured patterns, giving the impression of stiletto-sharp cheekbones and a thin nose. Her eyebrows were painted on, far higher than her real eyebrows, and styled so she looked permanently surprised. Her lips were coated in a frosty purple, and her eyelids were coated in bright layers of blue, white and purple that gave the impression of doubling their size. Her hair was an afro, parted and styled with pearls the size of grapes.

"Savvas, darling," the White Queen said, when Savvas and Ari kneeled down on velvet cushions in front of her. "Come and kiss your queen's ring."

Ari watched as Savvas bent forward and kissed the ring of her outstretched hand. The hand was so big, and Ari noticed black hairs along the back of her hand.