Himalayas north of Nepal
Icy stalactites had begun reforming above Cathbad’s head by the time he heard Brynhild return in dragon form to the remote lair he’d provided for her.
He eyed the shield at his side.
Would she call it to her again?
Power rushed in from the cave opening, alerting him that she’d just changed shape.
When she entered, she was in human form once more, and still wore gear suited to a medieval battle.
She would be a tenacious one for sure.
He stood with his hands in his pockets. “Enjoy your flight?”
“Yes. I did.” She walked over and lifted the shield, letting him know just how confident she was to gain it at any time. “Where is Daegan?”
“If you’re ready to begin training, I’ll show you.”
She gave him a flat stare. “I asked about Daegan.”
Cathbad could not allow her free reign if she was going to destroy his plans before he got started. “If you think to attack Daegan the first time you see him, then I will not help you.”
Sighing with anger, she spit out, “You are an old woman to nag me.”
Enough was enough.
Stepping close, he powered up his energy so that she would know he was not her lackey. “Take heed, Brynhild. I am not an old woman. I am a druid who has survived many things more dangerous than you. There is a limit to my patience. You would be wise not to reach it or to continue testing me.”
She took a step back and tossed her shield away. “You would threaten an ice dragon?”
“Only if you continue to be unreasonable.”
She lifted her arms above her head and shoved her hands down in front of her while yelling a battle cry.
He saw the attack coming and didn’t move.
Fire rained down on him in a shower.
His clothes disintegrated. His hair, close-trimmed beard and eyelashes burned away. Once the flagrant assault was over, he stepped calmly from the spot where embers continued glowing across the floor.
That surprised her.
Her face twisted in rage. Flipping her hands around, she slammed him with a load of power.
His naked body flew across the room backwards. At the last second before he would have splattered against the wall, he could have teleported, but he didn’t.
Inches from the jagged wall, he stopped in midair and remained suspended. As he floated there, he called up a new set of clothing, then replaced his hair, eyelashes and beard.
Floating down to floor level, but stopping two inches above the ground, he moved toward her until they had ten feet separating them.
The room stank of singed hair and burned clothes.
He might have made a mistake in keeping this one.
Maybe he’d have done better to go find one of her brothers before both princes had died. Surely a male dragon would be more suited to strategizing a battle plan, and less emotional about the goal.
Straightening the collar of his shirt and smoothing his hands over the new suit, Cathbad gave her a weighty look. “What else do you have?”
She’d become deathly silent, probably just realizing she’d stepped into a majikal pile of shit up to her neck.
When she said nothing, Cathbad told her, “In that case, I think we need a little more time apart.”
Her eyes turned reptilian, a sure sign she prepared for a battle.
He flicked a hand to the side and pointed at the pond.
Ice ruptured and burst into the air.
Her gaze left his to follow the explosion.
With the chunks of ice suspended above the churning water, Cathbad said, “I will not battle you every inch of the way. If you are not prepared to do your part and follow my lead, then perhaps you need another fifty or sixty years underwater ... but you shall be conscious this time.”
Shaking her head back and forth, she said, “You would not.” Then she glared at him. “Do not dare!”
She began shifting into a dragon.
Cathbad pulled a bracelet out of his pocket. The wide silver band had the Celtic braided outline of her family’s dragon emblem and glowed from being so close to Brynhild.
He lifted the band and ordered, “Return to human form, Brynhild.”
She was halfway shifted.
Her body stopped expanding and started shrinking. The gut wrenching sounds coming from her blasted through the room and echoed back.
In seconds, she had returned to human form, now naked after ripping out of her battle gear. But she had to also be exhausted from shifting so many times close together.
She began shivering and wrapped her arms over her breasts. Pushing an evil look at him, she snarled, “That bracelet is mine! Give it to me.”
“And still, you’ve learned nothing,” he chided. “I hope you enjoy your next time out of this world.” He lifted his empty hand.
Her eyes flared wide. “No. Do not. Wait. I will ... talk more. Do not send me—”
With a flick of his wrist, her naked body lifted up and dove head first into the water. He pointed at the still-suspended ice then down at the pond.
Chunks flew back together like a movie scene shot in reverse.
He powered up his hearing.
Brynhild screamed curses at him.
She might find her way out of there. If so, she would be ready to kill him when he returned for her again.
Or she could become an ally with better manners if she was still beneath the surface next time. He couldn’t give her fifty or sixty years.
He didn’t have that kind of time to waste while stalking Daegan.