“Leave me. Don’t leave me again, Talaith.”

Her body stilled in surprise, but before she could say anything, he kissed her. Long and deep, enjoying the sweet taste that belonged only to her.

Just as he belonged only to her.

Chapter Twenty-One

Annwyl knew she was in trouble when she woke to find Fearghus standing over her, his arms crossed over that massive chest, and his jaw clenching and unclenching.

“We need to discuss your assassin situation, mate.”

Somehow she’d managed to put him off the night before. It must have been when she wrapped her mouth around his cock. But clearly that tactic wouldn’t work this morning. She guessed he’d been up for awhile…seething. Partly mad she found it so easy to distract him. Partly because it still angered him she’d kept something like this from him. Fearghus really hated that. But telling him about Talaith would have just upset him unnecessarily. Not that he’d ever understand that.

“Fearghus, there’s nothing to tell. So let it be.” She tried to turn over and go back to sleep, and that’s when she realized he’d tied her to the bed.

“Oi! You bloody bastard! Let me go!”

His fingers brushed against the inside of her leg. “Not until we have a nice long discussion about you keeping things from me. We’ve got all morning. And I have unlimited patience.”

Uh-oh.

* * *

Talaith’s eyes snapped open when she heard the queen of Dark Plains cry out, “Gods! Oh, gods! Fearghus!” Since she sounded extremely far from actual pain, Talaith didn’t worry.

Instead, she grinned. Those two.

Stretching, Talaith enjoyed the feel of Briec’s arms around her. In fact, since she was in no rush this particular morn…

Turning over, she said huskily, “Time to wake up that great, big coc—Izzy!”

Standing at the end of the bed was her only daughter. The girl grinned at her.

“How did you…how did you get in here?”

“Picked the lock.”

Pulling the fur coverings she’d thankfully already had around her even tighter, “Nice to know you have that skill.” She elbowed Briec awake.

“What?”

“Look who has come to wake us up.” Perhaps the floor would open up and drag her to the pits of hell rather than waiting until she officially died.

Briec scratched his head and yawned. “Good morn, Izzy.” He rubbed his eyes with his knuckles. “Now as you may have realized, you’re upsetting your mother. So why exactly are you here?”

“Making sure you treated her right.” Her daughter grinned and Talaith remembered seeing that expression on Izzy’s father’s face more than once. That’s probably what snagged her heart in the first place. “And it looks like you have.”

Embarrassed, Talaith yelped, “Iseabail! Out!”

“No need to yell.” She sauntered toward the door, no longer in a gown but leather leggings, boots and a green, soft cotton shirt. “I’ll have the servants bring up food and hot water to bathe.”

The servants? Seemed her daughter had quickly gotten used to court life.

Izzy easily pulled open the heavy wood door. “And no need to rush.”

The girl, who Talaith was seriously considering disowning at the moment, stepped out into the hallway, but before she closed the door, she heard her daughter say, “I told you I could get past any lock, Gwenvael. Now you owe me ten gold pieces.”

Talaith buried her face in her hands, but unfortunately she couldn’t block out Briec’s voice. “I like her.”

“Shut up.”

* * *

Hours later, Talaith found Annwyl asleep on her throne. Her legs thrown over the arm of the chair, her branded arms crossed in front of her oh-so-ample chest…and she snored.

Yes. That’s very attractive, Queen Annwyl.

Unwilling to wait for the woman to wake up, Talaith tapped her shoulder. But froze when she felt the tip of Annwyl’s dagger against her throat. The queen hadn’t even opened her eyes yet. When she finally did, she blinked several times. “Oh. Sorry, Talaith.” She placed the dagger back in the sheath at her side.

Yawning and stretching, she said, “What is it?”

“Wondered if you wanted to go for a ride with me?”

She had to get out of this castle while she had the chance. Briec had kept her in bed for another four hours before he’d finally taken a quick bath and disappeared. She knew if he found her anywhere near that room or any bedroom, he’d have her flat on her back before she could blink.

Annwyl sat up, but winced. “All right. I’ll go. But no trotting or galloping. I’m sore in my—”

“Really, my queen. I don’t need anymore detail than that.”

* * *

“How much time do we have?”

Gwenvael sat back on his haunches. “Weeks. His army’s large. He won’t be getting it this far quickly.”

Fearghus had sent them into Madron lands to find out exactly how far Hamish was willing to go in his quest to destroy Annwyl. Apparently quite far. They soon discovered his army was on the move, heading toward Dark Plains and Annwyl.

“Still,” Briec cut in. “We should be ready by the time he gets here.”

Fearghus glanced at Gwenvael, then back at Briec. “We? Planning on staying?”

“As long as she’s here—I’m here.”

Sighing, Gwenvael stepped away from his kin, knowing this would get very ugly, very fast.