“You believe it’s mine. Why does that not fill me with confidence?”
“It’s definitely yours.”
They all turned at the sound of Iseabail’s voice. “And ‘it’ is ‘they’…twins, my queen.”
Her hands in tight fists at her side, Annwyl’s rage-filled gaze focused on Izzy seconds before Briec stepped in front of her.
“Don’t even think about touching her,” he growled.
“No, no, brother. I want to know how this little girl seems to know so much.” Annwyl leaned over to look at Izzy, a cat keeping an eye on a mouse.
Talaith climbed down from the statue and circled around toward Izzy.
“I’m waiting for an answer.”
“You can wait until the earth crumbles beneath your feet. Stay away from her.”
“Stop. Please. You’re all looking at this the wrong way.” Izzy stepped around Briec, moving away from him when he tried to grab for her.
“Izzy,” he warned but she waved him off, her entire attention focused on Annwyl.
“Don’t you see? You’ve both been chosen, Annwyl. You and Fearghus. Both chosen by a god.”
“What god?” Fearghus demanded.
“Rhydderch Hael, of course.”
Briec and Morfyd looked at each other. Good gods. The girl’s protector was Rhydderch Hael?
“What do you mean ‘of course’?” Fearghus snapped.
But Annwyl had bigger issues. “Chosen by Rhydderch Hael to do what, Izzy?”
The girl grinned. “Create the future.”
Annwyl moved so fast, they barely had time to even register, much less move out of her way. Luckily, Annwyl still took her rage out on the furniture. She lifted up another chair and slammed it into the floor, smashing it to pieces.
“Annwyl!”
“No, Fearghus. Stay away from me.” She walked toward the stone wall and away from Fearghus. “You did this to me. You and all your kin!”
“Me? Do you think for a moment I had anything to do with this?”
“How could you not know? Last night…” Annwyl turned from her mate, her arms wrapping around her body. “You took me again and again and again all night. And it was only to—”
Fearghus, his anger finally spilling out, reached Annwyl in two long strides. He grabbed her arm and swung her around. “Is that what you think? Do you actually think I’d do that to you?”
“What am I supposed to think?”
“You’re supposed to think it’s a gift from the gods,” Izzy said in that calm, happy way she had.
Annwyl and Fearghus looked at her and said together in complete exasperation, “Shut up, Izzy!”
* * *
Talaith should be angry the way they spoke to her daughter, but she would have said the same thing to Izzy. She knew the gods and their selfish ways, and she dreaded the day Izzy found out her god differed in no way from Arzhela or any of the others.
Placing her hand on her daughter’s shoulder, she said, “Leave it be, Izzy.”
“I can’t. He needs me to tell them.”
“Are you his messenger now?”
“No.” She shrugged. “I think I just happen to be here.”
Gods, Izzy. Talaith would laugh if she didn’t feel for Annwyl. It had all fallen in to place, hadn’t it? Rhydderch Hael ensured Annwyl’s arrival back at Garbhán Isle before the Black Moon. In order for this to work, the couple needed to be together. It could have easily been Talaith as well except she’d had her “one”. Thank the desert gods for something.
Still, that all begged the question of what part Izzy and Talaith played in all this? It was Annwyl and Fearghus Rhydderch Hael needed. Little Izzy couldn’t merely be the messenger of his less-than-happy news.
Fearghus seemed to calm down first. Gently, he pulled Annwyl into his arms. Her body shuddered with each breath.
“Gods, Fearghus…what the hell is in me?”
Fearghus looked to Morfyd who could only shrug.
“They’re your children, Annwyl,” Izzy piped in cheerfully. Before Talaith could yank her back, Izzy walked up to Annwyl and Fearghus. “Don’t you see? He didn’t choose you two because you were convenient. Or even because you were loyal to him—which, you’re actually not. But he chose you because he could think of no other strong enough to not only bear these children, but to protect them until they could protect themselves. Many will want them dead, Annwyl. Many have already started.”
“Arzhela?”
Izzy nodded at Morfyd’s question. “She’s the goddess of birth, among other things. She doesn’t want your children to live and she wasn’t above killing you to stop this.”
“Are they dragon or human?” Fearghus asked, his arms tightening around Annwyl. Holding her close and under control all at the same time.
“They’re both. They’re both of you. But nothing this world has seen before.” Izzy stood right in front of Annwyl. “He didn’t choose lightly, Annwyl. Your bravery, your strength…even your rage, all played a part in his choice. He likes you,” she finished simply.
Suddenly Annwyl laughed, pushing Fearghus’ arms off her body, and Talaith winced at how insane it sounded. All she wanted to do was grab her daughter and run for their lives. But she knew making any sudden moves could set Annwyl off.
“He can’t make the choice for you, Annwyl. Nor can he force you to do this. As you know, there are ways to…end this if you so choose.” Izzy glanced at Morfyd and, thankfully, walked back to her mother’s side. “But he does ask you think on it first. Before you do anything.”
They all stared at Annwyl, waiting for some kind of answer. All but Éibhear. He stepped away from the wall he’d plastered himself against and cocked his head to the side.
“Anyone notice…no birds,” he muttered. Then he yelled, “Down!”
The dragons moved fast. Like lightning. Briec grabbed Talaith and Izzy around their waists, pulling them close into his body while turning his back. Morfyd pushed Éibhear and herself up against the wall near the doors. Fearghus stepped back and to the side as a volley of arrows flew threw the open windows and doorways, flooding the room.
Talaith looked up to see that the only one who didn’t move was Annwyl. She simply stood there, watching as the arrows landed all around her.
Either she’s the bravest woman I’ve ever met or the craziest bitch ever created.
Screams and war cries came from the outside courtyard as Brastias stumbled in to the hall, an arrow-riddled shield in his hands.
“Annwyl…” he puffed out. “It’s Hamish.”
Annwyl only stared at him.
Briec released Izzy and Talaith but still used his body to shield them. “Where is he?”
“Outside the castle gates.”
Fearghus shook his head. “That’s impossible. He shouldn’t have been here for weeks.”
“One of my men just told me. One second he and his woman were alone in the fields—the next, Hamish and his full army were there. He barely got them both away in time.”
“Full army?”
Morfyd stepped away from the wall. “Only a god could have gotten them here like that.”
“Arzhela’s pet,” Talaith sneered. “Her most loyal servant. He only allowed her temples to be built in Madron. She’d originally sent Izzy to him.”
“We don’t have much time,” Brastias went on. “They’re headed this way. The troops are scrambling now.”
Annwyl silently headed toward the doors.
“Annwyl, wait,” Fearghus called after her.
She stopped but didn’t look at him. Or any of them for that matter.
“You have two choices, Fearghus,” she said quietly. “We can stand here and…discuss this with the way I’m feeling at this very moment. Or…I can go out and have my discussion with Hamish and his troops first.” She glanced back at him, golden brown strands of hair falling across her scarred face—but nothing could conceal the rage burning in those green eyes. “Choose, dragon.”
Fearghus made a sweeping gesture with his hand. “Hamish.”
She nodded and headed toward the door, Brastias behind her, but Fearghus’ dark voice followed her out, “But when you return, my mate…we’ll have much to discuss.”
Turning to his brothers, he said, “Call to the other dragons, then take to the skies. Destroy their supply wagons and as many of their troops as you can manage. But they know we’re here, so be careful. Morfyd…” He looked at his sister. “Go with Annwyl. Protect her as best you can. But don’t get close.”
“I had no intention of it, brother.”
Now those dark, dark eyes fell on Talaith. “Do you have healing skills?”
“Aye.”
“Then set up this hall to receive our soldiers. The servants will help you. There are other healers who will come to lend their aid.”
Talaith nodded, relieved he’d given her a task rather than telling her to get out. For whatever reason, it seemed the dragon had decided to forgive what she’d almost done to his mate. Then again he did have much more pressing concerns than some little assassin with a god on her tail. “It’s done. Should we set up another place for enemy casualties?”
“There won’t be any,” he said simply, before walking away.
Talaith understood why the dragon and Annwyl were together. Well matched those two, because no mere female could handle a dragon like Fearghus and no human male would ever be able to sleep soundly in a bed next to Annwyl.
Briec took her hand. “Talaith—”
“Wait.” She looked at Izzy. “Go to your room. Lock the door. You are only to let me, Briec, or Achaius entry. Understand?”
“But—”
Talaith narrowed her eyes at her daughter. “Don’t play with me, little girl. Do. You. Understand?”
Izzy gazed at the floor. “Aye. I do.” Poor thing. Talaith had been ordering her out of the room all day.
“Then go.” With that, Iseabail disappeared up the stairs, and Talaith turned back to Briec who hadn’t released her hand. “Go. Do what you need to do. And when you get back, this…” she waved dramatically indicating her back and new brand, “…will be discussed.”
He smiled, leaned over, and kissed her shoulder. She felt it all the way to her toes.
“As you wish, my soft and defenseless damsel.”
He left her. And Talaith didn’t stop watching him until a confused, half-dressed Gwenvael stumbled up next to her. “Is it me…or did I miss something?”
Chapter Twenty-Four
She was pregnant. With twins, no less. How was this possible? True, she loved her Fearghus. More than she thought she could love anyone or anything. But still…he wasn’t human. Did he betray her for his loyalty to the dragon gods? No. Not Fearghus. If there was one thing she could say about her mate, he obeyed no one but himself.
Besides, he’d been uncontrollable the night before. Not that she didn’t enjoy it, but her dragon had been unable to stop himself.