He kept on until a second, more powerful cli**x took hold of her and that’s when, with a loud groan of his own, Briec came. He shot hot and hard inside her, whispering her name into her neck, shaking as the cli**x drained his body and, for the moment at least, his strength.
“Look what you’ve done to me, little witch.” Briec nuzzled her cheek. “You’ve weakened me.”
She laughed. He held her as easily he would a babe. “I don’t think I weakened anything, dragon. You still seem quite strong to me.”
Smiling, he kissed her nose and her forehead, gently lowering her to the ground. “Don’t move.” He stepped away from her, but only for a moment to get a cloth and fresh water. She held her dress up as he took his time cleaning her. Then she returned the favor. Before she knew it, he’d pinned her against the wall again.
“Oh, no you don’t.” She slid under his arm and went toward the door. “We’re not starting that again. I’m sure they’re all waiting on us.”
She snatched the door open, only to find Gwenvael quickly pulling his ear away from where he had it against the wood. He grinned at her and she knew he’d most likely heard everything.
“Oh,” he said, trying to act surprised. “Hello, sister. I was looking for Briec. I think we need to talk about Morfyd and Bras—ow!” He grabbed his bleeding and broken nose. “What the hell was that for?”
* * *
Turning to face her mirror, Izzy studied herself in the dress Briec had specially made for her. She shook her head and gently pulled the left shoulder of her gown down, wincing as pain danced through her system. She stared at the still-healing dragon brand burned into the flesh of her shoulder. She really didn’t know if the dress was doing a good enough job blocking the damn thing.
Although it was hurting much less then it did when she first returned, hiding it from her mother would not be easy.
“Oi!”
Izzy snapped around as Éibhear kicked open her door and marched in. “Where is it, you little brat?”
“Where’s what?”
“My blade. Gwenvael saw you steal it. So don’t bother lying.”
“Why would I lie? It was simply another bet Gwenvael lost. He said I couldn’t get it from you again. As always, he failed to have any faith in me.”
“Give it.”
“Don’t snarl at me because I took your blade from you. If you paid more attention—”
“Hand it over. I’ve got plans tonight with Gwenvael before he heads to the Northern Lands and I won’t waste my time with you.”
“Fine!” She marched to her bed and reached under it, hauling out the extremely heavy weapon. “How you didn’t notice I was taking this, I’ll never know. I dropped it three times.”
“I was in the middle of a conversation.”
“With that rich whore?”
Éibhear didn’t bother answering, simply snatched the sword from her. “Stay away from my things, demonspawn.”
“Leave. You bore me already.”
She turned away from him, but he grabbed her arm and yanked her back. Izzy was seconds away from pulling her knife from her boot until she saw that her dress was still down over her shoulder.
“Izzy, where the hell did you get this?”
She tried to pull her arm away. “None of your business.”
Éibhear shook her and she stopped squirming. “Answer me.”
Izzy lowered her eyes. “It’s the mark of Rhydderch Hael.”
“Why do you have it?” When she didn’t answer, Éibhear pushed her away. “What the hell have you done?”
She had no answer, but he wasn’t waiting for one. “I’m getting Talaith.”
She grabbed him before he reached the door. “You do, and I’ll make your life a living hell.”
“You already do.” He shoved her away, but she’d always been quick and jumped between him and the door before he could get it open.
“Please, Éibhear.”
“I can’t keep this from your mother, princess.”
“Don’t call me that.” He’d started calling her that a few days ago and she had no idea why. She just knew she didn’t like how he said it.
“Move,” he ordered.
“She’ll run!” she blurted out, desperate.
Éibhear stopped.
“We both know she will. And she’ll take me with her.” When Éibhear didn’t move, she kept going. “Right now she feels safe because she feels I’m safe. She’s finally happy. Briec makes her happy as she makes him happy. But if she thinks for a second I’m in danger or that she may lose me to another god…she’ll run. Back to Alsandair. And you’ll never find us.”
“You think so, do you?”
“She may be learning the healing arts now, Éibhear, but don’t fool yourself a moment about my mother. She’s still a trained assassin who will do anything to survive. And she’ll do absolutely anything to protect me.”
He finally released the door handle. “Why did you do this, Izzy?”
“I had no choice. It was the only way to bring her back alive. But she can’t ever know that.”
“What did you promise him?”
She shrugged. “Everything.”
Éibhear let out a deep sigh. “Dammit, Izzy.”
“I know. But what could I do? She’s my mother.”
Éibhear nodded. “I understand.”
“Then you won’t say anything?”
He shook his head and she so wanted to run her hands through his blue mane. He’d look so adorable with warrior braids. But anytime she tried to touch him, he practically threw her across the room.
“Thank you.”
“Hear me well, though, little girl. If he tries to claim anything from you before your eighteenth winter, I will go to your mother and Briec.”
She nodded. “Fair enough.” Somehow she knew it would be years before Rhydderch Hael called on her. He wanted her trained and ready. And she would be.
“Go on, then. Fix your dress. Make sure that thing doesn’t show. And I’ll see you downstairs.”
He opened the door and Izzy asked, “Will you save a dance for me then?”
His shoulders tightened and without even turning around, he muttered, “Maybe in another sixteen years, princess.”
She waited until he was out in the hallway before she answered. “Not a problem. I can wait.”
Grinning, she closed the door, but not before she saw him slam face first into the wall.
* * *
Briec barely grabbed her in time. “No, Talaith.”
“I’ll kill him.”
He rolled his eyes. He shouldn’t have slept in. By the time they made it downstairs to head back to his den, Izzy’s training had already started. Seeing her daughter trying to handle a shield and staff, only to get shoved into the ground over and over, was making his sweet Talaith much less than sweet.
“You can’t go over there, Talaith.”
“But he’s not even one of the trainers.”
True. They were probably trying to find out Izzy’s strengths before they figured out which class to send her to, so they’d teamed her up against one of the older boys. A youth with white blond hair and an almost permanent sneer. Someone who, Briec was guessing, his little Izzy had rejected or mocked. The boy seemed to find great pleasure in shoving Briec’s daughter in the dirt.
Annwyl, who’d been sitting on the fence watching the training, saw Talaith and immediately called a halt.
“Iseabail, Daughter of Talaith. Go say goodbye to your mother.”
Izzy dropped her shield and staff and ran over to the pair. For a girl who’d been eating dirt most of the morning, she looked surprisingly happy. Talaith would not be happy when she realized Izzy’s year would last much longer that that. Clearly the girl had found her true path.
“Good travels.” Izzy hugged and kissed her mother. “I’ll miss you both.” She stood on tiptoes to reach up and hug Briec, rewarding him with a quick kiss on the cheek.
“Izzy, are you sure—”
Izzy groaned and again hugged her mother. “You promised me a year, Mum.”
“All right. All right. Well, just remember, I’m only a thought away. You need me for anything, Morfyd can get in touch with me. We won’t be gone long.”
“Take your time. I’m sure you two need some time alone.” She winked at Talaith and he thought his poor mate would come out of her skin with embarrassment.
“Iseabail.”
Laughing, Izzy stepped back before her mother could cuff her on the head. “Only teasing.”
“Iseabail,” Annwyl called. “Return to the field.”
“I have to go. Have a safe trip.”
Izzy took one step away, but Talaith grabbed firm hold of her daughter’s arm. Briec groaned inward. He thought he’d finally convinced her this was the right course sometime after he’d made her come for the fourth time last night. He should have known better.
“Mum,” Izzy glanced over her shoulder at all those waiting for her return, “please.”
Talaith took a deep breath and said, “The boy you’re fighting. He’s weak on his left side. Take the little bastard out at the knee.”
Glancing at her mother then Briec, Izzy shrugged. “Uh, all right then.” She smiled. “I’ll do that.”
“Good. Now go and good luck.”
Izzy nodded and walked away. She was halfway back to the training field, when she turned around and ran over to her mother. She threw herself in Talaith’s arms, and Briec could hear her fierce whisper as she hugged her mother tight. “I love you, Mum.”
With that, she released Talaith and ran to the training field, immediately picking up her staff and shield to begin again.
Briec wrapped his arms around his woman’s body. He felt her regret, but also her pride. Especially when Izzy faked out her opponent on his right, only to take out his left knee with her staff. He went down screaming.
“Let’s go before I yank her out of there.”
“Good idea.” He grabbed hold of her hand and walked toward the stables. It wasn’t until he passed the stables that she started fighting.
“Oh, gods. Not the flying!”
“I heard you mounted my sister well enough.”
“I want you never to make that statement again.”
“You don’t expect me to walk back to my den, do you?”
“But there are horses.”
“I have horses.”
“You do?”
“Of course I do. They’re one of my favorite meals.”
“Now you’re simply trying to irritate me beyond all reason.”
“Is it working?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Then my work here is done.”
He made it to the clearing and quickly shifted, without bothering to remove his clothes, before Talaith tried to dart off. Good thing he was quick, too. His tail almost didn’t catch her in time.