“Scrumptious delicacy?”

“Decadent delight?”

She held her hands up. “Stop. Stop.”

“Good gods, brother.” Gwenvael rested his hand on Briec’s shoulder. “Is that a smile your lady wears?”

“I think so. But I’m not all that sure. I’ve seen so few on her face.”

“It’s beautiful, though.”

“Aye,” Briec answered, his eyes devouring her on the spot. “That it is.”

She knew this was moments from getting horribly awkward. So she did the only thing she could think of. “Both of you are absolutely impossible. I’m leaving.”

She rushed out of the shop only to crash into Éibhear.

“There you are, Talaith. Come. I’ve found a bookseller.”

She barely managed a light squeal before the young dragon had her by the hand, and dragged her off across the square.

* * *

Eavan walked up to his commander. “You’re not going to believe who I saw being dragged across the town square.”

His commander turned one cold blue eye his way, the other lost in battle long ago, but said nothing. He was a man of few words.

“Our prize.”

“The dragon?”

“Nowhere to be seen. She has aligned herself with a knight. Perhaps more. But no one that’s a real threat to us.”

His commander grinned. “Seems riches and glory will be ours soon, my friend.”

Eavan returned his commander’s smile. Riches and glory. What he’d always wanted.

* * *

Briec snatched the dress from Gwenvael’s hands. “Stay away from her, Gwenvael. Especially her br**sts.”

“But they’re magnificent, brother.”

Gwenvael grinned and Briec debated ripping the bastard’s head off. Of course it could make for tense dinner conversation with his mother, though.

What annoyed him more than he wanted to admit was the fact Gwenvael had damn near more physical contact with that impossible female than he did.

Gwenvael shook his head. “Get out now, brother. Really. Give her gold for her trouble and leave her here.”

“No.” He couldn’t. No matter how much the rational side of him wanted to. She must have trapped him with, he was fairly convinced, a spell of some kind.

“You don’t understand, Briec. You won’t be getting rid of her anytime soon. You keep her now…you’ll keep her forever.”

Briec scoffed, “I have no intention of keeping that human harpy longer than absolutely necessary.”

Catching the eye of a shop girl, Gwenvael proceeded to follow after her but not before throwing over his shoulder, “If you think getting your c**k inside that woman will end this—you’re dumber than Fearghus.”

Briec already knew that, too.

* * *

“I’m falling!”

“Oh.” Éibhear grabbed back half the books he’d piled in her arms. “Sorry.”

Talaith smiled, and Éibhear couldn’t help but envy his brother’s choice of female. He thought Talaith was amazing. So pretty and sweet, with a wonderful sense of humor. Even drunk she was adorable.

Of course, she was also hiding something. But, as always, Éibhear’s only concern was his family. As long as whatever her secret was didn’t involve his family, he’d leave his brother to it. But if any of his kin were in danger, he’d smite the beauty where she stood.

“It’s all right, Éibhear. But you do know I don’t need all these books.”

“You can never have enough books,” he quoted Annwyl.

“I see.” Talaith gave him that indulgent smile she seemed to hold just for him. He wondered if Briec realized how nurturing she was. She’d make a good mother one day.

The shopkeeper slipped into the back to find a book Éibhear had been searching for, leaving them alone in the small, book-filled shop. “You are going to stay? With Briec.”

She looked startled, then she looked resigned. “No, Éibhear. I will not.”

“Will not or can not?”

“Both.” She fidgeted and he realized how uncomfortable this conversation was making her.

“Besides,” she argued, “your brother only wants me for as long as he wants me. I’m sure he will bore of me soon. Especially, if…” Her voice faded out.

“Especially if he beds you?”

She winced and nodded curtly. “It seems males of any species are no different.”

He might agree with her if this were Gwenvael they spoke of. But Briec didn’t waste his time on…well…anything. He bored easily and had an arrogance rivaled only by their father. If he only wanted to bed a female, any female, he would have left Talaith outside of her little town when she asked him to rather than spend a moment longer trying to lure her to spread her legs. Briec’s determination to have this woman in his bed and life, however, told Éibhear that bedding Talaith a few times would not get her out of his system.

Still, beautiful as this woman was, she continued to remind Éibhear of a coiled snake ready to strike. As long as you left her alone, she’d leave you alone. But if you got too close…

“I’m starving,” he announced, unwilling to obsess over Talaith and her secrets too much.

She grinned. “When aren’t you starving?”

“I’m still a growing boy, you know. I’m barely even ninety winters old.”