“Well, I no longer want her here. I want her gone.”

Briec shook his head at Fearghus’ order. “No. She stays.”

Gwenvael usually enjoyed a good fight between his siblings, especially when no one paid him any mind. But this felt different. It felt…dangerous. He hadn’t seen Fearghus this angry since their father tried to kill Annwyl. Nor had he seen Briec this determined about anything ever.

“She tried to kill my mate.”

“You act like that’s a first.”

“Don’t play with me, Briec.”

By a stream deep in the forest, the four brothers had returned to dragon form for this meeting and even spoke in the ancient language of their kind. Which made this feel even more serious to Gwenvael.

“I’m not. But I’ll be damned if I let you push her from this place. She’s happy here. She feels safe here. As does her daughter. So they both stay.”

“You barely know this bitch, and yet you protect her like—”

“Take care, brother, how you speak of her.”

Gwenvael looked at Éibhear who had been surprisingly quiet during this conversation. He could tell by the expression on his baby brother’s face he felt no better about the course of this discussion. They may not get along very well, his family, but they always protected each other. Gwenvael would hate to see some female get between them.

“This is my kingdom, Briec,” Fearghus growled out. “I’ll speak of her anyway I like.”

“She stays.”

“She goes.”

“Perhaps,” Éibhear finally piped in, “we should ask the women.”

“Why would we do that?” the two eldest asked in unison.

Éibhear motioned with his head. “Because here they come.”

All four of them looked at the rough trail that led through this forest. They could see Annwyl on her pitch-black war stallion, Violence, and Talaith on a much smaller brown mare Gwenvael didn’t recognize. Not surprising really. No one caught him trying to eat the brown mare like Annwyl caught him with Violence.

The women walked slowly through the trees, speaking softly. But it was Talaith who saw them first. Well, actually, she seemed to see Briec before she saw any of them. Again, not really surprising, as her horse reared up, almost unseating her.

Violence, however, was quite used to dragons by now.

Annwyl caught sight of the brothers and her eyes narrowed in suspicion. “And what goes on here, I wonder?” she called out.

“Nothing to concern yourself with, mate.”

“Really?” Annwyl rode her horse closer as Talaith worked hard to control her much more skittish mare. She wasn’t doing a half-bad job either.

“Why don’t I believe you…mate?”

“I don’t know. Maybe because there’s been so much lying going on here of late.”

“I never lied to you, Fearghus.”

“You didn’t tell me the truth.”

“Because I knew you would act this way. And if this is about Talaith—she stays. As does her daughter. Until I say differently.”

“This is our kingdom to rule together. Remember?”

“Dragons are your domain. Humans are mine.”

“She tried to kill you, Annwyl.”

“So did your father and yet he’s welcome here for meals.”

Gwenvael snorted out a laugh. “She’s got you there, brother.”

Fearghus’ tail slapped him so hard in the snout, he actually saw stars for a moment.

“Ow! What was that for?”

“Accident.”

Annwyl rode up to Fearghus. “Did you stop trusting me, Fearghus?”

“Of course not—”

“Then trust me now.”

The mated pair stared at each other for a long time, until Annwyl’s hand finally reached out and brushed against Fearghus’ neck. “Walk with me, Fearghus.”

He nodded and silently the two walked off. Briec headed toward Talaith, but his dragon form was apparently too much for the beast she rode. The mare reared back, throwing Talaith off, and bolted into the woods.

* * *

Talaith waited until she could breathe again before she forced her eyes open. What she didn’t expect was to look up at three dragon snouts staring down at her.

Like something out of a nightmare.

“She breathes!”

“Of course she does. She just got the wind knocked out of her.”

It was now official—Even my nightmares are getting ridiculous.

Talaith pushed herself up until she sat. It was very hard not to cringe when all those snouts brushed against her.

“Could you all move back a bit? You’re crowding me.”

“Sorry, m’lady.”

She grinned at Éibhear. “You insist on calling me that, Éibhear.”

“You seem like a lady to me.”

“Only because he’s been around Annwyl too much,” Gwenvael joked.

Talaith grabbed a talon from the two younger brothers, barely able to get her entire hand around them, and allowed both to haul her to her feet. She now stood in front of Briec. He’d kept his dragon form, and she studied him carefully.

Annwyl seemed so comfortable with Fearghus, whether dragon or human. But the dragon part of Briec still disturbed her a bit.

It’s probably those scales…or the fangs.

“Are you all right?”

“Aye.” She rubbed her backside. “Just a little sore, is all.”