“Nothing.” She stroked his jaw, loving the rough feel of it against her hand. “Just take me to bed, Briec.”

He didn’t have the answers he wanted—the answers he’d never get—but knowing the dragon as well as she did now, she knew he expected to get it out of her tomorrow.

He picked her up out of the chair and carried her to the bed they’d been sharing together.

She’d make this night memorable for both of them, because soon memories would be all she’d have.

Chapter Fourteen

Danelin, captain of Queen Annwyl’s elite guard, checked his sword carefully for any nicks. It was the one thing that kept him from crying out of pure boredom. Exactly how much more rain and mud could he be witness to? They’d barely moved more than a league in the past week. He wanted to go home. He had a small bit of land Annwyl gave him after she took her brother’s throne. On it was a small house with an even tinier garden. But it was his and he loved it.

Yet all the men felt like that lately. They’d been away from Garbhán Isle for too long now. They wanted to see their wives, mistresses, children…even their mothers. They were weary of battle and definitely weary of this weather. Although Danelin had no doubt in a few months they’d be clamoring for another battle, another war, they still needed the occasional break from it.

The one who needed the break from it most of all, however, was their queen. They all knew she’d been away from her mate for far too long. The longer they were separated, the sharper her tongue. And woe to the small war party that accidentally crossed their path. Often the rest of them didn’t even have to fight…she did all the work for them.

Aye, only one was brave enough to face her when she got this way. Only one dared to irritate her.

Morfyd stormed from the queen’s tent, but she stopped when a book—thankfully soft of cover—hit her in the back of the head. Swinging around, the dragon in human form yelled, “You are the most insufferable, difficult bitch I’ve ever had the displeasure of knowing and I can’t wait to be rid of you!”

Danelin glanced up at his commander and Brastias sighed. With a shake of his head, he stepped in front of Morfyd before she could stomp away. “What is going on with you two?”

Morfyd looked at Brastias, then at the men watching her. After taking a deep, calming breath she shrugged. “Nothing. Why?”

* * *

Briec, smiling while still half asleep, reached for Talaith. His hand grasped nothing but bedding and he pulled himself fully awake.

“Talaith?”

He’d been hoping to find her still lying next to him. He had plans for her this morning, and they all involved her legs resting on his shoulders. So finding her already up and about did nothing but irritate him. Plus, he still had many questions to ask the wench. Her sudden mood swings the previous night did nothing but confuse him, and he realized he didn’t enjoy that confusion one damn bit.

Briec looked around the chamber and frowned when he didn’t find her in one of the chairs reading as he usually did. He sat up, pushing his hair off his face. “Talaith?”

He slid out of bed and left the chamber, heading toward the main area where they ate. She wasn’t there and no fire burned in the pitfire since the previous eve.

Sniffing the air, Briec tried to track her somewhere in his home, but there was nothing but her lingering essence.

“No!”

Briec shifted to dragon with a thought and stormed through his cave looking for her, barking her name.

“Talaith, answer me!”

She didn’t and he knew. He knew she’d left him. And another, less used emotion reared its very ugly head…rage.

Briec made it topside, bursting from his cave entrance with a trail of fire in his wake. He tore through the countryside searching for her. She couldn’t have gotten far. He’d find her and bring her back. Even if she kicked and screamed the entire way, he’d bring her back.

He’d bring her home.

* * *

Talaith watched the dragon fly overhead. He didn’t see her. He wouldn’t. True to her word, Arzhela had given her back her powers with a vengeance. Talaith almost woke Briec up as she stumbled from her early-morning bed, her entire body screaming in pain as the Magick was unleashed within her.

Now she used that same Magick to block her presence from the dragon’s keen senses, something she hadn’t been able to do before. Hearing him call her name, knowing he at least cared enough to search for her, almost sent her back to him.

But her daughter—the most important thing right now.

Besides, why bother going back to him even if she did survive this? If he wasn’t tired of her now, he would be one day.

Closing her eyes, and heart, to the sight of him, Talaith turned and headed in the direction of the two suns. Headed toward her destiny and, most likely, her death.

Chapter Fifteen

They’d tracked her for hours, thinking they were being stealthy. Not really. About an hour after they started, she led them where she wanted them to go while watching from a safe distance. She’d take them to a lake she knew of in these parts—her teachers made her learn every map available—and destroy them there. She had no time for games at this point. Besides, after leaving Briec, she had a great desire to hurt something deserving to be hurt.

Perched safely in a tree, Talaith stared down at the lake and cursed. There were two women, alone, naked, and bathing in the lake. She needed them to run. Now.

Using the sturdy branches of the old tree, she quickly climbed down, jumping the last few feet to the ground.