About a Dragon

Still, all she needed was for Talaith to get one chance at Annwyl the Bloody. The witch would never survive the battle. Either Annwyl, a mighty warrior, would kill her as her last act or Annwyl’s blindingly loyal elite guard would destroy Talaith in retaliation. It didn’t matter. As it didn’t matter what happened to Talaith’s daughter. All that mattered was that Annwyl must die before the next full moon.

And everything was moving along perfectly. All would happen as Arzhela had anticipated.

Then that bastard silver dragon came along, destroying all her plans.

Now Talaith had her daughter back and the protection of the dragonwitch and the Blood Queen.

Still. Arzhela had other options. Another plan that Hamish was already moving on. It wasn’t what she wanted. It was messier. But now she had no choice.

And she blamed Talaith and her little bitch whelp for all of it.

* * *

The barwench slammed another pint of ale down in front of Briec. She’d been slamming everything in front of him since he told her to leave him alone. She’d not taken it well, but he didn’t care. She annoyed him. Everything annoyed him.

Gwenvael had been gone for quite a bit, giving Briec more than enough time to obsess and be miserable about Talaith.

Éibhear sat next to him, equally as miserable for a completely different reason.

“Come on, Briec—”

“If you ask me about getting a woman one more time, I’ll tear off all your scales…again.”

His baby brother slumped back in his seat, but as quickly sat back up. “Gwenvael.”

Briec looked up, shocked to see a serious and still fully dressed Gwenvael coming back into the main dining area. He dropped gold on the table and motioned to his brothers.

They glanced at each other before following him out.

“What’s wrong?” Éibhear asked as they headed out of town.

“Our paranoid older brother may be right,” Gwenvael remarked, his face tense. “We need to get to Hamish’s lands.”

“We’re no more than a day’s flight from there. If that much.” Briec remembered well the last time he was near Hamish’s lands—when he found Talaith. The treacherous, deceiving Talaith.

“Good. I fear there’s little time to waste.”

There were things about his kin Briec knew. Fearghus was mostly unpleasant unless he was alone. Humans were lucky Morfyd cared about them because with her power she could destroy an entire kingdom without much effort. Keita would never sleep alone if she could help it. Éibhear would always be the nicest among them. And Gwenvael the Handsome only feared an angry female—or angry father of a female—cutting off his c**k while he slept…until now.

Suddenly the brother who never took anything seriously moved with a purpose Briec had never seen before unless a warm, wet pu**y waited at the end of his journey.

“You going to tell us what happened, brother?”

“Aye. When we take to the skies.” He glanced at Briec. “Once we’re done in these lands, Briec, we head to Garbhán Isle.”

“You can head to Garbhán Isle. I’ll head home.”

“That’s your decision, Briec. But if what I found out is right, Fearghus will need all his kin.”

The dragon who needed no one suddenly needed all his kin around him?

This was much worse than Briec feared.

Chapter Eighteen

Talaith pulled up on the reins of her horse, stopping the giant beast in its tracks. She stared, unable to do much else.

“What is it?” Izzy asked, leaning around her mother to see why they’d stopped. They didn’t have enough horses for everyone, so a few of them doubled up. Talaith didn’t mind, though. For five days she’d had her daughter right where she’d always wanted her…by her side.

“Look. Garbhán Isle.”

“Oh.” Her daughter stared. “I guess it’s nice”

Talaith smiled. “Seen many castles have you?”

“A few.” Izzy shrugged. “Brick and stone aren’t what impress me, but the people inside them.”

“You’re awfully…thoughtful, for a girl barely ten and six.”

“Not much else to do but think and read these last few years.”

“Well, there are worse ways you could have spent your time.” Especially for one who barely takes a breath that doesn’t include words. “We’re here because of Annwyl’s good will.”

“In other words lie and tell her the castle looks fabulous.”

“Exactly.”

With that, the pair moved on, and Talaith fell in line with the rest of the elite guard. They all looked worn and tired from their journey, and Talaith knew they longed to be home.

It had been a hard five days of constant riding, and nights of sleeping on the cold, hard ground. Annwyl no longer bothered having her tent pitched. Instead, as soon as the suns rose they were up and riding again.

Now that they were close, though, their spirits grew. Within two hours, they entered the town and as soon as the locals spotted Annwyl and her men, cheers arose as the people came out to greet her.

Blushing a bright shade of red, Annwyl took the flowers offered, shook a few hands and smiled at the babies. But she never stopped moving. Soon, they worked through the throng of people and arrived at the massive gates of the castle of Garbhán Isles.

When Annwyl’s brother reigned, Garbhán Isles was a place of horror. Those taken there, not of royal blood, never heard from again.