Screeching, the young girl spun around and punched Éibhear dead in the snout. It didn’t hurt as much as it startled him, but he still moved back from her. But as soon as she saw who he was, she immediately calmed down.

“Oh,” she said with obvious lack of interest, “it’s you.”

“Yes. Me.”

“I thought it was someone scary.” And with that, she went back to trying to get the sword out of the tree trunk.

Spoiled little heifer.

“Are you going to stand there and stare at me or are you going to help me?” At this point, she had both her feet planted on the tree while desperately pulling on the sword’s hilt.

Éibhear had to admit, she must have some strength if she got it stuck in that far.

“I’d prefer you tell me what you’re doing out here…alone?”

“Have we lost track of my mother, that you feel the need to fill in for her?”

Why you little…

“Look, I care about Talaith. And for some unknown reason she’d actually care if something happened to you. So I’m here to make sure you’re safe.”

“Care about her do you? Well I hate to dash any of your hopes, but Briec got to her first. And I like him. He’s perfect for her. You, however, are not.”

Éibhear took a deep breath to calm his growing rage, when the blade suddenly dislodged, flew from her hands and skittered past him. Another inch it would have embedded itself in his forehead.

“That is it!” he roared, uncaring if he woke up all of Dark Plains. “I’m taking you back right now!”

When the blade dislodged from the tree, she’d lost her footing and landed flat on her back. Now she stared up at him with wide light-brown eyes.

“By the gods, are you all right?” She scrambled to her feet. “Did that cut you?”

He heard the concern in her voice, but chose to ignore it. “Move.”

“All right. No need to yell at me. I didn’t throw that at you on purpose.”

She easily picked up the sword he’d seen grown men struggle with and headed back toward the castle.

“And when we get back, you’ll put my sword right back where you got it.”

“Oh, don’t get all moral on me. I was only borrowing it.”

“Don’t even try to explain it. There is no ‘borrowing’ where dragons are concerned.”

“Fine. You know, dragon, this would go much faster if you flew me there.”

True, the trek back to the castle was not a short one, but there was no way he was placing this spoiled brat on his back.

“Forget it and keep walking.”

“Fine.”

She picked up her step and Éibhear glanced up to judge how far the castle actually was from them and how much longer he’d have to endure her presence. And that’s when he saw it. The moon hovered over the castle, orange and yellow light bathing the white stone so that appeared as if flame surrounded the building. He didn’t need anyone to tell him something was very wrong with what he was seeing. Magick of some kind, yet he didn’t feel any sense of pain or suffering. Actually, when he allowed his senses to expand out, he felt something else all together. Something that made his loins tighten.

He looked down at the young girl he’d gamble his treasure was still a virgin. He rolled his eyes. He couldn’t let her go back there. At least not tonight.

“Wait.” He slammed his tail on the ground in front of her. “Perhaps I’m being—”

“Oooh. Can I play with your tail again?”

She reached for it and Éibhear yanked it back. “No!”

“Well, you don’t have to yell at me.”

All he wanted to do was throw this girl back at her mother and fly away, hopefully never to see her again. But that wouldn’t happen anytime soon. So, he steeled his already taut nerves and stared down at her.

“No. You cannot play with my tail. But if you really want to go flying—”

Before he even finished the words, she squealed, grabbed hold of his mane and scrambled up onto his back.

Stunned, he sat there for a moment. He’d never known a human so immediately comfortable with who and what he was. Even Annwyl took a little time to get completely comfortable with Fearghus.

“Go, go, go! I want to fly!”

“Calm down!” This is going to be a long night.

He turned and walked off the other way.

“Aren’t we going to the castle?”

“That’ll be too short a trip. I thought I’d take you out for a bit.” At least until that moon goes back to wherever it came from. “But no screaming or anything. People are trying to sleep.”

“Yes, sir.”

Éibhear grunted, pleased he’d finally gotten her to calm down at least a little.

“You have gorgeous hair, you know. I love the color.”

“Thank you.”

“Can I put warrior braids in it?”

“No you can not!”

“I was only asking.”

Then he heard the little brat giggle and as he took off, heading away from Garbhán Isle and that moon, he debated whether to spin over onto his back and let her take her chances. But that seemed wrong.

Damn his morals.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Still waking up, Brastias held Morfyd tight against him. Her body warm, she smelled wonderful. He kissed her forehead, her cheek. She moaned and snuggled closer to him, her lips brushing his jaw.