Lucien and Edric glanced at each other, unsure what she meant, but they followed her lead. Their cups clinked together with a soft, clear sound. Emma smiled wide. "I'll finish mine. You guys can take your time." Finally, she had people to drink with again. She downed her cup in a single gulp. Lucien and Edric hesitated, then did the same. The taste hit them hard—sweet and sharp, like fire and honey. It burned down their throats, leaving warmth that spread fast. It wasn't exactly pleasant, but it was strangely addictive. "Emma," Edric said slowly, "I want another one." Emma studied him for a moment. He looked fine. She poured him another small glass.Lucien didn't ask. He just pushed his cup toward her. She sighed and refilled it. "Fine, but take it slow. This stuff makes you drunk." Lucien frowned. "Drunk?" The floor shifted slightly under his feet. Wait. Why did Emma have two faces now? And what was that—was that a snake tail wagging next to him? "Emma," Edric muttered, blinking hard, "what does drunk mean?" His serpent tail flicked across the table, knocking over a dish. His golden eyes looked hazy and confused. On the other side, Lucien was gone. In his place sat a small, round, red bird wobbling on the table. It tipped over and dove headfirst into the plate of meat. Emma's breath caught.Her eyes widened. Oh no. She finally understood why this entire empire had banned alcohol. These two just needed one cup of fruit wine to turn into their beast selves. Unbelievable. "Edric, where are you going?" Emma barely had time to yank Lucien out of the dish before spotting Edric slithering across the floor. He wasn't walking. He was actually crawling. "I'm going home to sleep," he muttered. "Your room's upstairs!" she yelled. "Why are you heading outside? Get back here!" She clutched the chubby red bird in her arms and dashed after him. She regretted it all. She should've never let them drink. Suddenly, Lucien flapped out of her hands, wings beating like a helicopter. "There's a worm!" he shouted.His feathers puffed up, and he darted toward the door. "Emma, I'll get it for you!" Her jaw dropped. How could something that round fly that fast? Edric slipped out the door. Lucien shot after him like a fireball. Emma froze for half a second, then spun around, ready to chase them. But a dark shadow fell across her path. A tall man stood in the doorway, blocking her light. "Drake?" Her pulse kicked hard. He wasn't supposed to be able to enter. She stepped back, her tone sharp. "How did you get in here?" Drake's voice was calm, but arrogant. "That barrier doesn't stop me."He met her eyes. "Don't worry. I'm not here to hurt you. I just need to know something." He took a step closer, his voice low. "Why did you delete me?" He didn't even know why he cared. He just needed to hear it from her. Emma folded her arms. Her patience was thin. "We're not matched anymore. There's no reason to stay in contact." She glanced toward the hall, already half-distracted. "Now leave. I need to find someone." Her stomach twisted. Lucien was drunk. What if he actually tried to eat Edric? Aurelias didn't eat snakes… right? Drake's brows furrowed. "Was it something I did?" When she tried to move around him, his hand shot out, gripping her wrist. "Thero said it was rude to invite you to dinner and let you cook," he said quickly. "You must've been upset about that." Emma pulled hard, but his hold was iron.He wasn't letting go. She knew he wasn't going to leave anytime soon. Her voice sharpened. "I'm trying to find someone. You want answers? Then wait here. Don't stand in my way." Drake hesitated, then released her hand. His tone softened. "Alright. I'll wait for you." Emma didn't spare him another glance. She sprinted down the hall, opening her lightcore and flipping through the estate's surveillance feed. It didn't take long. Near the pond, she saw them—Edric, now small enough to fit in her palm, and Lucien, still a red bird, holding him in his beak. Her heart stopped for a beat. Then she bolted, running faster than she ever had before. Oh God. Lucien wasn't really about to eat Edric, was he?Thankfully, no. He came wobbling through the air, wings flapping hard, clutching Edric in his beak like a trophy. He dropped the tiny snake right into Emma's hands. "Emma!" he chirped, puffing out his chest. "I brought you a worm to eat!" Edric rolled twice in her palm before curling himself around her wrist like a bracelet. "Emma," he murmured, voice lazy, "let's go home and sleep." Emma blinked at them, stunned. She grabbed Edric with one hand and held Lucien by his squirming wings with the other. Then she stomped back toward the house, her patience hanging by a thread. When she reached the living room, Drake was gone. In his place lay a massive black dragon stretched across the floor. Next to his head sat an empty wine bottle.Emma froze, jaw tightening. He drank her wine. Great. Another one drunk. The two in her arms suddenly perked up the moment they saw him. Lucien and Edric both wriggled free and launched themselves at Drake like tiny maniacs. They landed on his back and went wild. Lucien started blasting fireballs, while Edric sank his fangs right into Drake's scales. The serpent was injecting venom into the dragon. "Stop! Both of you, stop it right now!" Emma shouted, her voice shaking. Her heart hammered in her chest. If they actually killed him, the Aquadome would be at war with the Empire by morning.