“Whatever for?”
“I like sleeping in a bed.”
“You can have beds in caves.”
“I have a cave, too. But I wanted a castle.”
She shook her head. “Just like your grandfather. I couldn’t believe when your father kidnapped me and took me to Ailean’s castle rather than a cave. Imagine! An entire dragon family forced to live in a castle.”
“Must you always point out you were kidnapped by our father?”
“I was.”
“Dad says you were tossed on his doorstep like so much royal trash. And you were haughty about it, too.”
“I was not haughty. I’m just better than him. Once he understood that, we were fine.”
And then, there it was. The thing she’d been missing for so long now. Éibhear the Blue smiled.
“I missed you, Mum.”
“I missed you, too.” She rested her head against his arm, marveling at the size of the muscle under her ear. “And I’m glad you’re home. At least for a little while.”
“Yeah. Me, too.”
After her friends left, Izzy cleaned off the table, gave Macsen a break outside, and washed up. She was about to slip into bed when a knock on the door had her throwing a nightdress over her nak*d body and grabbing her sword. She cracked the door open a bit, but she immediately lowered her weapon.
“Yes?”
“I had a bad dream.”
Izzy opened the door but blocked the way so her sister couldn’t walk in. “You had a bad dream?”
“Yes.”
“So you walked all the way over from the castle, in a nightdress and robe, so that you can sleep in my bed?”
“Yes.”
“The stuffed bear is a nice touch.”
“Thank you.”
“And you came here alone?”
“No, no. The twins are with me.”
Izzy leaned out and looked around. “The twins are where?”
“In the trees.”
“Why . . .” Izzy glanced up, trying to understand this. “Why are they in the trees?”
“To sleep.”
“They don’t want to come in?”
“They like to sleep in trees. I, however, do not.” Rhi tightened her arms around her body. “Getting colder . . .”
“You just expect me to kick Macsen out?”
“Macsen adores me!” Rhi pushed her way through. “You’re so mean!”
Laughing, Izzy stepped out and said to the trees, while hoping not to disturb her nearby neighbors, “You can sleep on my floor.”
“No thank you,” came back to her. She shrugged and went inside, closing the door behind her but leaving it unlatched. She knew if the twins didn’t come inside, they would stay in the trees all night, ensuring Rhi’s safety.
Izzy walked into her bedroom to find her sister wrestling with Macsen on the bed, the dog trying to get the stuffed bear she’d brought along with her.
“Give it, you vile beast!”
“If you two aren’t going to play nice . . .”
“You two?”
Macsen tore the bear from Rhi’s hands, leaped off the bed, and began to prance around the room. Almost like a small horse.
“Now you’re just being mean, Macsen!”
“That’s it.” Izzy held her hand out. “Toy. Now.”
Macsen stopped, stared at her. “Now.”
He spit the toy at her feet and Izzy swiped it up, putting it on a shelf that, in theory, he shouldn’t be able to reach.
“On the bed,” she ordered. And to her sister, “Under the covers. No crowding.”
Giggling, Rhi dived under the sheets. Knowing her sister was so happy to see her really did mean a lot to Izzy. As a general, there were days her men loved the sight of her, and other days when they absolutely dreaded it. But no matter the day, Rhi was always excited. Izzy got in the bed behind her sister.
“Your feet are freezing!” Rhi complained.
“Then you should have stayed in your own bed, whiner.”
As soon as Izzy relaxed, Rhi was there, her arms wrapping around her sister’s waist, her head against Izzy’s shoulder.
“You were missed at dinner,” Rhi said into the dark.
“I know. I’m sorry I didn’t come.” Izzy hugged her sister a little tighter. “I just . . . couldn’t face it. I knew you’d understand.”
“Oh, I did! I wish I could miss dinner more often.” She was quiet for a moment, then added, “Uncle Éibhear looked particularly disappointed.”
“Rhianwen—”
“Uh-oh. Full name used.”
“Exactly. So hear me well, sister. There is nothing and will be nothing to discuss when it comes to your Uncle Éibhear. Do you understand?”
“I do.”
“We can’t mention him at all?” a male voice said from the dark and Izzy quickly realized that the twins were now in her room, on her bed. Stretched out across the bottom of it.
“I thought you two were going to sleep in the trees.”
“It was less comfortable than we thought it would be,” Talwyn said around a yawn.
“So we came in,” Talan added.
“And where’s the dog?”
“Between me and Talwyn.”
Rolling her eyes, Izzy snapped at Macsen, “Good protection there, you dozy bastard.”
“Ssssh,” Talwyn whispered. “He’s asleep.”
Deciding there was no point in fighting this, she closed her eyes and tried to go to sleep.
She knew the attempt would be a waste of time, however, when the giggling started, followed by the complaining about the giggling, and then the snoring. By the gods, the snoring!
Chapter 14
“You look like battered shit.” Light brown eyes glared up at him and Éibhear quickly held up his hands. “Just an observation.”
“Well, you can take your observation and shove it up your big, fat—”
“Happy morn, Uncle Éibhear!” Rhi nearly shouted while jumping between him and Izzy.
“Hello, little niece.” He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “You look beautiful this fine morning.”
“‘You look beautiful this fine morning,’” Izzy sneered under her breath while Rhi showed off her dress.
“I think it’s the dress. Auntie Keita says the color brings out my eyes.”
Abruptly, Izzy stood tall and looked quite awake. “Keita’s here?”
“Aye. She arrived earlier this morning.”
“Good. Now maybe I can find out who the bloody hells summoned me here.”
“Are you still wondering about that?” Éibhear asked.
Izzy’s jaw tensed. “As a matter of fact, I am. And stop talking to me.”
“But you’re so friendly.”
Rhi pinched his arm and whispered, “Stop it.”
“But she makes it so easy.”
She sighed in disgust, and then looked behind Éibhear. “Morning, Frederik.”
“Uh . . . morning . . .” The boy frowned and they watched him stand there . . . frowning.
Finally, fed up, Rhi reminded him, “Rhianwen.”
“Right. Right.” He nodded. “Rhianwen. I just have to remember . . .” Then he flicked his hand in her general area, and Éibhear decided it was probably best not to ask what that meant.
Instead, he focused on the training ring nearby. In the ring was Talwyn and one of the Kyvich witches. A woman with black tattoos on her face and arms, and, if Éibhear was seeing correctly, several fingers missing from both hands. It looked as if those fingers had been hacked off.
Talwyn hefted a huge sword, but her right shoulder was too low. The Kyvich saw that as well and rammed her maimed hand against it. A hit that would have broken the shoulder of a strong human male.
“Straighten your shoulders, idiot! I’ve told you before!”
Talwyn readjusted her shoulders. The Kyvich walked around her, punched her in the back of her thigh. “Strengthen that leg or I’ll bleed you again.”
Without even looking away from Talwyn and her trainer, Éibhear reached out and caught hold of Izzy’s arm, yanking her back before she could clear the fence.
“Leave it,” he ordered her.
“That’s my cousin she’s slapping around,” Izzy snarled, trying to yank her arm away.
“You’re exhausted, you haven’t eaten, and you’re still mad at me, even though you lied and said you weren’t. You’ll just take it out on that poor, deformed witch.”
“She’s not deformed. She lost those parts of herself in battle. And I am not still mad at you. Just let it go already.”
“Rhi, you’re an excellent judge of liars. Has your sister forgiven me or is she just mollycoddling me while planning to beat up some helpless witch trying to assist my young niece?”
Rhi looked back and forth between them and said, “Why don’t I get you both some bread. You must be fairly starving! Be right back.” Then she was off toward the castle, moving more quickly than Éibhear had thought she’d be able in that long dress.“Release me,” Izzy ordered, not bothering to try to pull her arm away.
“Not unless you promise to play nice with the mortal enemies of your mother’s witch sisters.”
Izzy reached for the gold dagger she had tucked into her sword belt and, laughing, Éibhear released her. She didn’t pull the weapon, but she also didn’t try to go over that fence again. Instead, they stood next to each other and watched.
“She’s good,” Éibhear finally admitted, after watching his niece for nearly half an hour.
“She’s been good since birth. But she wants to be the best.”
“And her brother?”
“He just wants to be good. His father seems to think f**king is all he aspires to”—like his Uncle Gwenvael, remained unspoken—“but I don’t think he’s remotely as straightforward as he likes to pretend. Kind of like your sister—”
“Good morn to my beloved family!”
“Keita,” Izzy and Éibhear said together, and then laughed.
Izzy faced Keita.
“Oh, my sweet girl,” Keita said, embracing Izzy. “Don’t you just look beautiful?” She stepped back, gripping Izzy’s hands, and looked her over. “Just, just beautiful.”
Nodding, Izzy asked, “What do you want, Keita?”
“Nothing! Nothing at all.” She pulled Izzy close, slinging one arm around her shoulders. “I’m just so glad to see you. It’s been ages!”
“It was ten months ago. You wanted something then, too.”
“Aren’t you going to greet me, sister?” Éibhear asked from behind them.
“I’m still not talking to you.”
“Still? When did you start? The not talking, I mean, because usually I can’t get you to shut up.”
Snarling, Keita pulled her arm from Izzy’s shoulders and spun around, pointing an accusing finger at her brother. “I have nothing to say to you. In fact, I’m sure I’ll have nothing to say to you for the next several centuries!”