She had almost cleared the trees when Macsen charged past her heading the other way. Izzy immediately pulled out the sword Zachariah had given her and turned, barely blocking the weapon aimed right for her. Izzy shoved the weapon—another sword—away and spun to give herself momentum, slashing at the attacker. But her opponent blocked the move, their weapons locking. Izzy, fed up, stepped close to see who the hell would attack her here, so near her home.

Shocked, Izzy roared, “Éibhear! What the bloody hells are you doing?”

“I’ve come to Claim you as my own, Iseabail, Daughter of Talaith and Briec.”

“Oh.” Izzy lowered her weapon at his dramatic announcement. “Why didn’t you say so?” She stepped back. “I’ll go home and get naked.” She turned to head to her house.

“That’s it?” Éibhear asked, sounding disappointed.

Izzy faced him again. “What were you expecting?”

“For you to fight me.”

She re-sheathed her sword and placed her hands on her hips. “Éibhear, I’ve been waiting since I was sixteen for you to get it through your excessively large skull that we would be together forever. And now that we’re here and you’re finally dragon enough to Claim me as your own . . . why would I fight you about that?”

“Because that’s how it’s done.”

“Well, what would I have to do? Because to be quite honest, I’d like to get this moving. My patience is waning.”

“Well . . . do you have any chains?”

“Brannie left a set once—”

“I don’t ever want to know why.”

“Trust me when I say it had absolutely nothing to do with sex or having a good time.”

“Do you still have them?”

“I did for a while, but Macsen ate them.”

“He ate chains?”

“And the cuffs. He was shitting metal for weeks. And yes,” she hissed before he could say it, “he really is a dog.”

“If you say so.”

Izzy stepped into Éibhear, wrapping her arms around his waist. “You know, Éibhear. I thought that the Claiming could be anything we wanted it to be.”

He nodded. “That’s true.”

“And let’s be honest. The two of us . . . we could really hurt each other if we went toe to toe.”

“That’s a good point. And I can’t afford to have my beauty marred any more than it already has been. I mean, look at what that thing did to my face.”

“It’s small.” She reached up and stroked the scar on the bridge of his nose. “I think it’s sexy.”

He laughed, his arms tightening around her waist, pulling her closer. “So tell me, beautiful Iseabail…what do you want for your Claiming?”

“For me to be yours and for you to be mine,” she told him, no longer teasing. “I want no more doubts, Éibhear.”

The dragon lifted his hand, stroked her cheek. “Never doubt. Ever. I love you, Izzy. I’ll always love you.”

“And I love you, Éibhear the Contemptible. Since I first met you and your blue hair—that you wouldn’t let me touch.”

“Not letting that go, eh?”

“No and I never will. But I can overlook it, except when I bring it up during arguments I’m losing.”

Éibhear laughed again and kissed her. As always, it started off soft and sweet, both of them still laughing. Then it changed to passionate and demanding.

“Take me home, Éibhear,” she whispered when she finally managed to pull back. “Take me home and make me yours.”

With his hands under her ass, Éibhear lifted Izzy up. As a naturally tall woman, she now felt like one of the old trees of the forest, so very tall, giggling as she pushed Éibhear’s hair off his face and kissed his nose, cheeks, and forehead.

“One thing, Izzy.”

“Of course.”

Éibhear looked down and Izzy followed his gaze. Macsen sat on his haunches watching them, drool pouring out of his mouth and onto the ground, creating a little mud puddle. It was, in a word, vile.

“We’ll drop Macsen at my neighbor’s for the night,” she offered, knowing he didn’t want to have to fight her dog for Izzy’s attention on such an important night.

“That’s all I ask, Iz,” Éibhear said with a smile while he easily carried her home. “That’s all I ask.”

Chapter 45

Briec walked down the stairs into the Great Hall. He stopped at the dining table, yawning and reaching for one of the warm loaves of bread the servants put out every morning. Although he wasn’t looking forward to another day of fighting between Talaith and her bitch mother, he didn’t know what he’d do once his Rhi left. It was hard enough when his Izzy left, but he knew she’d be back more often than not. However, Rhi and even those despicable twins that he’d secretly grown fond of . . . he had no idea when they’d return from their training.

Tearing a piece of bread off the loaf, Briec wandered over to the partially open Great Hall doors and looked out into the courtyard. It was extremely early and things were just beginning to stir as the two suns rose. But Briec saw them easy enough. Gods, how could he miss them standing there, saying nothing—and staring at the castle.

Briec slammed the doors shut.

“Briec?” Fearghus asked as he walked up behind him. “What’s going on?”