Rhona met the triplets in what they cal ed their “safe place.” The one place their mother would never be seen. In other words . . . the makeshift library.
She motioned them behind some tal piles of books and took another look around.
“What’s wrong, Rhona?” Edana asked.
“Nothing. But I need your word that you’l not repeat what I’m about to tel you.”
“Of course not,” Nesta promised. “You know you can trust us, sister.”
She smiled at the She-dragons whom, with her father, she’d raised. Of al her siblings, the triplets made her the most proud. They’d make mighty warriors one day and even better leaders.
“I’m off for a few days. Shouldn’t be gone long.”
“Off? To where?”
She couldn’t help but rol her eyes a little at Nesta’s question. “To protect the Royal Princess Keita on her way back to the Southlands.” Edana frowned. “And we can’t repeat that . . . why exactly?”
“I have no idea. But Keita was adamant that I could tel no one.”
“But you’re tel ing us,” Breena remarked, smirking. “Bad She-dragon.”
“I know. I know. But this is Keita I’m dealing with. Who the hel knows what she’s up to and why she feels the need to keep it quiet. But I at least want you three to know, in case something happens. Especial y if Mum finds out. The last thing I need right now is for her to think—”
“You’re a deserter?”
“Exactly.”
Nesta shook her head. “Mum knows better than that.”
“Wel , she’s a little pissed at me right now. So I don’t want to test her.”
“Good idea,” Edana agreed. “So where exactly are you taking Keita?”
“Back to Dark Plains.”
“Awww,” the triplets said at the same time. “You’l see Daddy!”
That made Rhona smile. “Aye. I wil .” Her father had been working Annwyl the Bloody’s forge since the war began. It was a huge forge and her father had many talented blacksmiths under him. Some dragon, others human. It was a good place for him to be since he didn’t get along too wel with those in Devenal t Mountain, the Southland dragons’ stronghold. He especial y didn’t get along with Uncle Bercelak, as those two had never been friendly. “I’l make sure to bring you a few weapons from his col ection.” Nesta and Breena clapped and cheered softly, stil conscious of how sound traveled around cave wal s, but Edana, always the more serious one, frowned. “Be careful, Rhona. I adore our cousin, but Keita is reckless and plays where she should not.”
“I’m wel aware of how our cousin operates, sister. I have my guard up. Now I need you to do the same.”
“Don’t worry, Rhona,” Edana told her with a smal smile, “we’l handle Mum.”
Keita watched the big Lightning leave before she faced the dragon she adored—although she stil hadn’t told Ragnar that she adored him. It wasn’t good to give a male that sort of information too early in the relationship. And yes! Five years was stil too early in the relationship, no matter what her pesky aunts may believe.
“Why did you insist Vigholf go?” she asked.
“Because he would have driven me insane until Rhona returned. He won’t admit it, but he keeps an eye on her.”
“Whatever for?”
He smiled. She loved that smile. “Because he fancies her and has since the very beginning, I’d wager.”
“That’s unfortunate,” Keita admitted. “She hates him. Cal s him the pest. One should never be a pest to a Cadwaladr female. That never works out wel .”
Ragnar pul ed Keita against him. “You shouldn’t underestimate my brother. Besides, the more protection you have, the happier I’l be.” Ragnar placed both claws on either side of her face, gazed deep into her eyes. “Please, Keita. Please . . . don’t be stupid.”
“Thank you very much,” she said on a laugh.
“You know what I mean. You are, on your best day, foolhardy. You take dangerous chances. Especial y when it comes to ensuring the safety of your kin.”
“I won’t do anything that wil stop me from helping my kin.”
“Are you sure we shouldn’t tel your brothers?” Keita’s three eldest brothers commanded their own troops with three generals reporting directly to each and the respective number of legions under each prince’s banner. It had been many years since Fearghus, Briec, and Gwenvael had led troops into battle, but they’d done wel from the beginning, impressing even the hard-to-impress Northlanders with their skil s.
“If Fearghus and Briec find out, they wil leave and take half of Mother’s army with them, and the Cadwaladrs. You can’t afford that right now and my brothers wil not be stopped. Not when it comes to this and no matter the protection you think is in place in Garbhán Isle. But Ren and I can handle this without going through al that.”
“And bringing your cousin?”
“Merely a formality to ensure our safety. Ren wil be working Magicks, and his strength wil be diminished. As wil his focus. But Rhona wil watch out for us like a ferocious demon dog from the underworld.”
He final y smiled. “I wouldn’t say that to her face.”
“No, no,” Keita replied with some seriousness. “She’s not like her sisters and mother. She’d not find that a compliment.” Chapter 4
Rhona met Keita and Ren at one of the lower exits. As human, they’d take this tunnel out of the stronghold until they reached a safe distance and could final y fly. But seeing her younger cousin waiting patiently for her had Rhona remembering the last time she’d babysat Princess Keita when the Dragon Queen’s centaur nanny had been away from Devenal t Mountain for a few months. A few months that had been the longest in Rhona’s life. Yet Rhona loved Keita despite that past incident.
“Cousin!” Keita cheered when she saw her, running over to give Rhona a hug. “It’s been absolutely ages!”
“I saw you less than an hour ago.”
“Real y?” Keita glanced off. “It felt longer.”
Rhona’s eyes briefly crossed before she asked, “Are you ready to go, cousin?”
“Aye. We are.”
Rhona stepped away from Keita and went to Ren. Her smile warm, she hugged him. “Hel o, old friend.”
“Rhona. Are you ready for al this?”
“No. But to protect you from Keita, I’l be there.”
Ren laughed and Keita pouted.
“Then let’s get on the road,” Rhona prodded, ready to be traveling.
Keita quickly sized her up. “You’re being very pushy, cousin.”
“The quicker this gets done, the quicker I can return to the battle.”
“And glory?”
“What else is there for a Cadwaladr?”
Keita patted Rhona’s shoulder. “You make me sad.”
Ragnar, also in human form, wrapped his arms around Keita, pul ing her into his body. He hugged her tight, whispered something into her ear.
Although unable to give them complete privacy, Rhona turned away—and faced Vigholf. She frowned, noting he was dressed for travel with his big, human-sized but adjustable warhammer and ax tied to his back, a thin fur cape around his shoulders, and a travel bag over that.
“Why are you here?” she asked Vigholf.
“I’l be coming along.”
Her eyes narrowed more. So much she could barely see. “Coming along where?”
“With Keita and Ren, for protection.”
Rhona slammed the butt of one of her emergency spears into the ground, her hand gripping the shaft tight. “They have me for that. I’m here to protect them.”
“Of course you are.” And the condescension came through loud and clear. She was surprised he didn’t pat her on the head like a trusted but crippled mutt.
“New spear?” he asked.
“No. One of my backups.”
“Have you thought about moving up to a short sword?”
“No.”
“They’re not hard to learn to work with. I could show you while we’re traveling.”
“I know how to use a short sword. As I’ve explained, I’m trained in al weapons.”
“But you stil use a spear?”
“I like it.”
“For field use, I understand. But for this kind of mission . . . shouldn’t you have something a little less . . . cumbersome?” Rhona pul ed the spear back to demonstrate on his neck how cumbersome her weapon was, but Ragnar stepped between them.
“Check outside,” he told his brother. “Make sure it’s clear.”
Vigholf walked off and Ragnar faced her.
“I know,” he said before she could speak. “I know.”
“How can two brothers be so bloody different?”
“Let him do this,” Ragnar pleaded with a smile. “He’l feel better and—”
“So wil you?”
He shrugged. “She’s my Keita. Knowing that both you and my brother protect her on this trip wil give me nothing but ease. And you’l find out soon enough why this trip is so important. So for me—and my sanity—do this.”
Dammit. If it had been anyone else . . . but it was Ragnar. From the beginning he’d impressed Rhona. Fair, smart, and a strong commander, he never questioned whether she or any female could or should fight. He simply assumed if you were in the army you could do your job. He was rare for a Lightning. His brother, however . . .
“Rhona?” Ragnar pushed.
She nodded, but with reluctance. “Al right. But you’l owe me, Dragonlord—for putting up with him.”
“Fair enough.” Ragnar winked and motioned at Keita. “And you’l protect her?”
“She’s blood, my lord. I’l protect her with my life.”
“Good. Because she is my life.”
Rhona smiled. “That I know.”
Vigholf crouched low by the smal cave entrance, big enough only for a human. He raised his arm, lifted his hand, and then he heard it. The signal from Meinhard letting him know that it was—as best he could tel —al clear. Vigholf waited another second, then two. When he was sure, he brought his hand down.
Rhona came out first. Her gaze swept the area. After a moment, she moved quickly and kept low.
Keita and the Eastlander rushed out behind her, keeping low, keeping quiet. He looked back at the exit one last time, his brother standing there watching them go. They locked gazes, the need for words and good-byes long gone. On this trip anything could happen to Vigholf, and during a war anything could happen to Ragnar. It was the way of the warrior and something they’d accepted long ago. But they wouldn’t dwel on that. Instead, Vigholf nodded at his brother, took one more look around, but seeing nothing strange or out of place, he fol owed the others and headed to the Southlands.
Chapter 5
Talaith, Daughter of Haldane and Mate of Briec the Arrogant, also known as Briec the Mighty, walked down the stairs to the Great Hal of Garbhán Isle. She was tired. It would be the ful moon in a few days and she had much to do before she performed the spel s she was planning. For she was one of the Nolwenn witches out of the Desert Lands and for more than sixteen years her powers had been denied her by a bitch goddess she stil refused to discuss in polite company. But Talaith had her powers back now and she was ready to truly master them. Not easy, though, when the only other witches who could help her were her most hated enemies. The Ice Lands’ Kyvich.