by G. A. Aiken
“Don’t worry, Braith of the Darkness. I won’t let you get yourself into trouble. No. I’m going to save you from yourself just as you saved me from those bloody treacherous bastards. That’s what friends do for each other. And since you saved my life . . . we’re friends, you and me.” He grinned despite the pain in his head and the need to vomit whatever he’d eaten earlier in the day. “Friends! Because look at the great way I take care of you!”
Chapter 4
Addolgar smiled and waved at his sister and one of his older brothers, Rhys the Hammer. The pair landed and stared at Addolgar, their wings retracting against their bodies, their heads tilting to the side in curiosity.
Ghleanna went back on her haunches and placed her claws on her hips. “What the bloody hells happened?”
“I’ve been poisoned.”
“By Braith of the Darkness?”
“No. She saved me life.”
“So the soldiers killed her?”
“She’s alive.”
Ghleanna looked around at the soldiers’ bodies. “So they beat her before you killed them?”
“Oh, I didn’t kill them.”
“Then who did?”
“Braith.”
Ghleanna frowned. “Braith . . . who?”
“Braith of the Darkness.” He pointed at the prone She-dragon. “That Braith.”
Ghleanna looked over the dead soldiers again. “Braith of the Darkness killed all these soldiers? With poison and then you beat them up after they died?”
Addolgar, known for his patience, was running out of it. “Braith didn’t poison anyone. I was poisoned and these soldiers were going to finish me off. Braith killed them all, with her bare claws, and saved me. Which I found quite impressive.”
“But the soldiers beat her up first?”
“No one beat her.”
Ghleanna looked at Rhys, but their older brother could only shrug.
“Okay,” Ghleanna said. “Then what did happen to Braith?”
“Oh! I rammed her head into the tree to stop her from leaving.”
Rhys the Hammer, third born to Ailean the Wicked and nearly a hundred years older than Addolgar, shook his head and reminded him, “That is not how you keep a female. Even one that impresses you, Addolgar. Because when she wakes up . . . she’s going to hurt you.”
“I did it for her own good.”
Rhys rolled his eyes. “You all say that, but—”
“No, no. Really. I was saving her.”
“From?”
“Herself.”
Ghleanna and Rhys again looked at each other before Rhys asked her, “You brought me here for this?”
“You’d never believe me if I just told you these things. You must see. So you can understand what I go through.”
“Would you two stop?” Addolgar ordered. “I don’t feel well.”
“Because you beat up Braith of the Darkness?”
“I didn’t beat up anyone, Rhys. Because I’ve been poisoned.”
“Is that why you’re sweating between your scales?” Ghleanna asked, appearing slightly disgusted.
“Probably.”
“Who did poison you then?”
“Lady Katarina.”
“Lady Katarina poisoned you and Braith of the Darkness killed all these soldiers?” Ghleanna abruptly shook her head and demanded, “Addolgar, what the holy fucks has happened here?”
He shrugged. “You’re not going to like it, I’m afraid.”
“Well . . . to be honest, I don’t like anything.”
Rhys, who had been poisoned by more than one female over the years before he’d met and mated with the perfect She-dragon for him, mixed up something to calm Addolgar’s stomach and get him back on his feet.
Addolgar was grateful. The poison Katarina had fed him might not have killed him, but it had made him feel like ox shit. Now, however, he was standing over a still-unconscious Braith and explaining to his sister and brother exactly what had happened.
And what was at stake.
When he was done, Ghleanna looked him right in the eyes and said, “She’d be better off if you kill her now.”
“I am not killing her, Ghleanna.”
“So you’ll let Addiena do it? Because we both know the Queen will. We both know she’ll enjoy doing it. She’ll take her time with that one, make sure she gets lots of screams.”
“Stop. I don’t want to hear this. I’m going to help Braith. It’s up to you whether you help me.”
“So what do you want to do?” Rhys asked. “Hide her in your cave?”
“I think I should take her home.”
Rhys frowned. “To your cave?” And it was more a strong suggestion than a question.
“To Mum and Da’s house.”
“Have you lost your mind?” Ghleanna snapped. “You can’t take this bitch to Mum and Da’s.”
“She’s not a bitch.”
Braith moaned and her head rolled from one side to another, letting them know she was waking up. So Ghleanna slammed her back claw against the poor She-dragon’s head, knocking her out for a second time. “You’d put our parents at risk for some piece of tail?” Ghleanna demanded.
“She saved my life.”
“You can fight your own battles!”
“Not when I’m knocked out on my ass!”
“You mean knocked out on your fat ass!”
“My ass, like the rest of me, is perfection!”
“You two!” Rhys bellowed. “With the yelling! Cut it out!”
Annoyed with each other, Addolgar and Ghleanna folded their forearms over their chests and glared off in different directions.
Rhys sighed, and without even looking at him, Addolgar knew his brother was crossing his eyes. It was probably the same expression he always had on his face when he’d been forced to watch the pair of them when they were just hatchlings. He’d finally told their mother it wasn’t remotely fair. “They’d be better off with demons watching them. At least the demons would have a fighting chance!”
“We take her back to Mum and Da’s,” Rhys said.
“What is wrong with you two?” Ghleanna snarled.
“Do you think Da would make a different decision on this?”
“I love our father,” Ghleanna told them, “but he can be an irrational idiot. I won’t expose our mother to this.”
“She definitely wouldn’t make a different decision.”
“Because she hates Addiena. Loathes her. From years ago. The only time she’s ever irrational is when the Queen’s name comes up.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Rhys decided. “We take her with us and let Mum and Da decide. If they’re fine with her staying, she stays. If not, she goes.”
“Fine,” Ghleanna growled. “But if this goes bad—I’m blaming you, Addolgar.”
Well . . . Addolgar had expected that last bit.
Chapter 5
Braith brought her claws to her head and quickly realized her claws were now hands and that she was on a bed in what appeared to be a castle.
“That idiot,” she muttered. Because only a Cadwaladr could make this situation worse.
Braith sat up, tossing her legs over the side of the bed. But as soon as her feet touched the cold stone floor, she fell back on the bed, waiting for the spinning to stop.
She gingerly touched her forehead, felt where her head had been split open. Why . . . why would that big idiot ram her into a tree? If it was because he thought she’d been part of her father’s treachery, she would be in the Queen’s pits right now, awaiting execution. Instead, she was in a human bed, in human form—how he’d managed that, she had no idea—and trying desperately not to pass out again.
While lying there, Braith moved her jaw around. It, too, was swollen, although there was no lump. Somehow she doubted Addolgar had done that to her, but she wouldn’t put it past one of his siblings.
Siblings who were probably all over this castle.
She knew that was where she was. In a castle
, where the scent of fire dragons was in every nook and corner, which meant only one thing....
Because there was only one dragon she knew of who not only had a castle but actually lived in it rather than on it. And that dragon was Ailean the Wicked.
It made sense, though, didn’t it? Anytime Ailean’s offspring were concerned or confused or had done something that might get them put to death, they returned here for advice from their mother, Shalin the Innocent, or help from their father and the rest of the Cadwaladr Clan. But to Braith, coming here meant putting two very kind dragons at risk. Something she’d been trying to avoid from the beginning. She didn’t want any more innocents hurt because of her father.
The room finally stopped spinning, and Braith was able to sit up. When she felt strong enough, she stood. She took a few tentative steps, and since that felt good, she walked to the door and opened it. The servant standing in the hallway gasped at the sight of Braith. Quickly closing the door, Braith proceeded to look for something to wear. Since she only intended to be human until she made it to a clearing, she pulled a long cotton shirt out of a trunk and drew it over her head. It reached her knees, and she decided that would cover enough of her for the sensitive humans.
She went back to the door and again opened it. The servant was still there, cleaning up after one of the dogs running around. Head held high, Braith walked down the hallway and then down the stairs until she reached the first floor and the Main Hall.
As one of the main dining areas for the extensive Cadwaladr Clan, there were many tables, but only one was occupied. That’s where Addolgar and his parents sat eating their breakfast of meat and bread. Braith decided to forgo common courtesy and headed straight toward the open front doors.
She had barely passed the table when she heard, “Oy!”
Braith kept walking, not looking back, not answering. She merely had to get to the open double doors. She did, too. Making it outside and going down the stone steps. But as her bare feet stepped onto the courtyard, Ghleanna stood there, waiting for her.
“Going somewhere, Lady Braith?” Ghleanna asked.
“I have somewhere to be. So move.”
“Wait, wait.” Addolgar jogged down the steps, stopping by Braith’s side. “You can’t leave.”
“I can’t stay, Addolgar. You are putting your kin at risk. You know what the Queen will do—”
“Exactly,” he cut in. “I know what the Queen will do even though you did nothing wrong.”
“Then that’s what I’ll tell her.”
“Oh, please,” Ghleanna scoffed. “Do you really think that female will listen to you?”
“That female is our Queen. Now get out of my way.”
Braith pushed past Ghleanna, but the She-dragon caught her wrist, held her in place.
Letting out a sigh, Braith looked over her shoulder at Ghleanna.
“Perhaps,” Ghleanna murmured, “I wasn’t clear.”
“Actually,” Braith admitted, “you were.”
“Oy. Boy.”
Addolgar looked behind him and saw his father gesturing to him with his hand.
“But, Da—”
“Up here now.”
With a frustrated sigh, Addolgar jogged back up the stairs until he stood by his father’s side.
After Rhys had headed out to see if he could find out any more information about what all of Emyr’s plans might be while not alerting the Queen to what had already happened, Addolgar had sat down with his parents to talk about what their options were. What he hadn’t expected was to see Braith walking out of his parents’ home with, he was sure, the intention of turning herself in to the Queen.
“What is it, Da?” he asked Ailean, anxious to get Braith back inside.
“Just moving you out of the way, boy.”
“What are you talking—”
Before Addolgar could finish the question, his sister flipped up the steps, her back ramming into the hard stone. Snarling, Ghleanna pushed her short, black hair off her face before charging back down the stairs toward Braith. Addolgar began to follow, but his father quickly caught hold of his arm and held it.
“You don’t want to do that, boy.”
Addolgar didn’t understand. Ghleanna was a great soldier, but when she lost her temper . . . well, he just knew his sister, and Ailean knew his daughter. So he didn’t understand why his father would stop him from protecting Braith—until he saw Braith protecting herself.
It wasn’t Braith’s skills that stopped him in his tracks but her strength, her power.
Ghleanna, a true battle-hardened soldier, didn’t bother to play by the dragon rules of fighting etiquette. Instead, she just swung her fist—and Braith caught it. Easily. Shocking even Ghleanna, who couldn’t pull her hand away. After a moment of silence and intense glaring, Braith yanked Ghleanna forward at the same time she swung her free fist. Her knuckles slammed into Ghleanna’s face, blood splattered, and after Braith released Ghleanna’s hand, Addolgar’s sister crashed to the ground. She was out cold, her nose broken from the looks of it.
Unfortunately, the other Cadwaladrs that were lurking nearby, most likely using the courtyard to sleep off last night’s drink, were now awake and moving forward. As one, as they’d been trained to move since hatching, they surrounded Braith. One of their own had been harmed. No matter the situation, Cadwaladrs always protected their own, whether it was from humans or other dragons or bloody centaurs. They prided themselves on their loyalty to blood and kin.
And Braith was neither.
Braith slowly looked over those surrounding her, then cracked her neck. It must have been the sound of those bones grinding that panicked one of his younger cousins. She moved first, coming at Braith quick and hard, but she barely got within three feet of her before Braith’s forearm hit her with such force, she sent the young She-dragon flying back and through the wall of one of the courtyard buildings. That’s when the others moved, Addolgar’s kin descending on Braith like the battle dogs the royals called them.
But, wearing only his shirt and with no weapons, Braith stood her ground as he’d never seen anyone stand their ground before. She wasn’t graceful. She wasn’t a proper soldier. No. Braith of the Darkness was simply brutal . . . vicious . . . like a powerful pit dog. There wasn’t one part of her body she wasn’t willing to risk in order to harm her opponent. Yet her innate strength seemed to protect her, and she used that strength without pity, without regret.
“Gods,” Addolgar breathed.
“I know.” Ailean glanced behind him before softly admitting, “Just like her mum, that one. I knew her mum long ago. Before she met Emyr.”
“Is there anyone you hadn’t fucked before you mated with Mum?”
“One or two,” his father teased. “Of course, those were girls that,” he felt the need to add, “really didn’t like males in the first place.”
Addolgar rolled his eyes, unwilling to discuss his father’s past conquests further, which was when he noticed that Braith still stood—while the rest of his family did not.
He glanced at his father. “It was like watching one big dog massacre a gang of smaller, weaker dogs.”
“Like I said, she’s truly her mum’s offspring. That female had massive arms and a thick neck. But a lovely long tail,” he added with a sigh.
“I don’t know how Mum tolerates you.”
“She knows that my heart and soul belong only to her. But me past is me own.”
Braith looked back at Addolgar, sneering at him, one side of her top lip rising a bit to illustrate her true disgust. Then she stepped over his kin and headed off.
But as Braith walked, she didn’t bother to acknowledge the extremely old She-dragon walking toward her in human form, a long, hooded robe covering her from head to booted feet. She moved slowly, leaning heavily on a long walking stick.
Braith had just passed her when the She-dragon’s free hand came up and her fingers curled into a fist.
Braith stopped, her own hands reaching for
her throat, and began to gasp. Her fingers pawed at what was not there, her body struggling against what no one could see.
The old She-dragon kept walking forward, her hand still in a fist, and as she moved, Braith was dragged along with her. She still struggled, still tried to free herself from the invisible grip, but it was useless.
Addolgar tried to go to help her, but his father’s grip tightened, and now with no humor in his usually mirth-filled face, Ailean the Wicked gave a quick shake of his head. “Not this time, boy. This you don’t do. This you don’t ever do.”
Ailean looked over his shoulder and called out, “Shalin. We need you. Now.”
By the time Addolgar’s mother reached Ailean, the old She-dragon stood in front of the castle stairs and Braith’s human face was beginning to turn blue.
“The shame,” a voice said from deep inside that hooded robe. “The shame of seein’ me own kin getting bounced around like toys by this bit of a lizard.”
Brigida the Foul, a more than nine-hundred-year-old Cadwaladr Elder, glared up the stairs at Ailean. Her hood finally fell back, revealing a human face that had been through much over the years and long, white hair. Not the white hair of age—Brigida had been blessed by the gods with that mane of hair since hatching. She was one of the rare White Dragonwitches and feared—for good reason—throughout the Southlands and beyond.
Everyone, even the Cadwaladrs, kept waiting for her to die . . . but she simply wouldn’t. She wouldn’t!
“Hello, Great-Aunt Brigida,” Shalin cheerfully greeted. “What a surprise to see you here. It’s been much too long.”
“Always so cheery, now that you’ve got the idiot here plowing ya on the regular.”
Addolgar’s mother smiled in the face of that appalling insult and said, “Would you like me to show you an available room? I think your favorite is—”
“Quiet, girl! With all that chattering! It annoys me.” Brigida glanced at the still-struggling Braith. “Who is this?”
Ailean opened his mouth, but Brigida cut him off with a curt, “I’m talking to the boy.”
