The Dragon Who Loved Me

“Oh,” Rhona said. She glanced at Vigholf, but he was already staring at her. She nodded and said, “I have to go. Need to clean up, meeting my father for dinner.”

“Me too,” Vigholf chimed in. “What I mean is . . . meeting my father. Wait, no, he’s dead.”

“Your mother. You’re meeting your mother.”

“Right, right. Mum.”

And with that, they scattered. It wasn’t dignified or remotely brave, but it was necessary because neither of them wanted to face the queen.

“Ren can have the portal open in a day,” Keita explained to Dagmar, Talaith, and the Kyvich leader, Ásta.

“And then what?” Dagmar asked.

“I’m not going to—”

Dagmar raised a finger, stopping Talaith’s potential tirade. “And then what?” she asked Keita again.

“He takes them to the Eastlands. They’l be safe there. His parents wil be happy to help.” She smiled. “They adore me.”

“I’m sure they do. But that doesn’t mean they’l adore the children.”

“While I appreciate your eagerness to help, Princess,” Ásta cut in, “I wil not al ow you or this foreigner to take the children from our care.” Keita’s eyes narrowed and Dagmar warned, “Don’t you dare unleash flame in this room, Keita.”

“It won’t matter if she does,” Ásta smugly boasted. “A dragon’s flame means nothing to a Kyvich.” Ren stepped forward; the handsome Eastland dragon looked so very tired that Dagmar worried about him. But Keita had come here with her grand ideas about rescuing her nieces and nephew, so whether she noticed the wear on her friend was anyone’s guess. “On my word and the honor of my family, those children wil be protected with the dying breaths of my kin, if need be.”

“I believe you,” Dagmar said. “But Commander Ásta—”

“Their leader’s Magick is strong, but not as strong as mine.” Ren said, sounding surprisingly cocky—Dagmar assumed that was because he was too tired to hide his natural dragon-based arrogance. “And she knows it.”

“What I know,” Ásta warned, stepping closer to Ren, “is that I do not fear any dragon. Even the Snow dragons out of the Ice Lands stay out of the path of the Kyvich—and I can assure you they are stronger than you could ever dream, foreigner.”

“I’m the foreigner?”

Dagmar raised her hands. “If we could al calm down—”

Ásta slapped her hands together. Dagmar saw nothing, but the way that Talaith’s eyes grew wide and she pushed away from the table, Dagmar knew something Magickrelated was happening in front of her. “Perhaps it’s time you learn your place, foreigner. And remember that no one takes those children anywhere without our permission.”

Ren raised his hand and Talaith scrambled to her feet. “Stop it! Both of you!” Dagmar stil couldn’t see anything, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t be affected by it. “I’d like us al to calm down,” Dagmar began. “Before this gets out of—”

The war-room door slammed open and the Dragon Queen of the Southlands swept in. She held Talan in her arms and had Talwyn hanging from her neck. The queen seemed to be the one being who could calm the children down without doing anything. None of them, however, had figured out how she managed that.

“There you al are. I’ve been searching for you for at least two minutes! The only ones to greet me were Ebba and my darling grandchildren.” She grinned at the boy in her arms. “So adorable!”

“Mother—” Keita began.

“What’s going on?” Rhiannon asked, her eyes seeing what Dagmar’s never could. “Oh, honestly. You children.” She flicked the fingers of her left hand and Ásta flew back, hitting the wal hard. Ren gasped, dropping to his knees.

“Ren!” Keita ran to her friend’s side, putting her arms around his shoulders.

“It’s gone,” Ren said through hard pants. “The portal. It’s gone. She’s closed it.”

“Opening a doorway in my territory without my permission?” Rhiannon accused. “You should know better, Ren of the Chosen. But I’m assuming it was my daughter’s idiotic idea.”

“I was trying to help, you crazed viper!”

“Don’t bellow at me, demon spawn!” She pointed at Ásta. “And you! Don’t threaten anyone without my permission, barbarian witch.”

“Is there a reason you’re here, my lady?” Dagmar asked, knowing the Dragon Queen hadn’t come down here to simply entertain Dagmar. And gods, Dagmar was quite entertained. “Or just dropping by for your weekly torture?” The queen smirked and answered, “We have a problem, little barbarian.”

“Bigger than the Western Tribes descending upon us as we speak? Which they are, according to Keita.”

“Aye. Bigger than that. I heard from Morfyd. . . . Annwyl’s gone.”

Keita pressed her hand to her chest. “Annwyl’s . . . dead?”

“Did I say dead? I don’t think I said dead.”

“Then what the hel s did you say?”

“Again with the yelling?”

“My liege . . .” Dagmar pushed.

“She’s gone,” Rhiannon said again. “As in Morfyd woke up one day and Annwyl was gone.”