“The chain’s too smal ,” he complained. “When I shift it’l choke me to death.”

“If only,” Rhona muttered, earning another glare.

“It’l grow with you, Vigholf,” Morfyd promised, which just seemed to upset Vigholf more.

“How is that normal?” he demanded.

“Stop it,” Rhona told him while she tucked the necklace under his clothes. “You’re worse than a hatchling.” Rhona faced her cousin. “Anything else you need to horrify us with before we leave?”

“I think Gaius Domitus is horrifying enough, don’t you?”

“Aye, cousin, I do.” She hugged Morfyd again. “Don’t worry,” she whispered against her ear. “I’l find Annwyl and the others. I’l bring them home.” Morfyd squeezed her tight. “Thank you, Rhona. Thank you so very much.”

Rhona walked out of the tent and through the camp. The Lightning beside her, his hand against his chest where the talisman rested.

“Leave it alone.”

“It’s searing my skin.”

“No, it’s not. It’s in your head.” But he stil kept fussing with his clothes, so she grabbed his hand and pul ed it away while she continued to walk.

They were nearly clear of what was left of Annwyl’s camp when she realized that she stil held the Lightning’s hand. She tried to release it, but his grip tightened and he smiled at her.

“You truly are pathetic, aren’t you?” she asked.

“Not pathetic,” Vigholf reasoned. “Sneaky.”

“I’ve dealt with sneaky. You forget I babysat for Keita. She’s sneaky.” He didn’t bother to argue with that and they left camp—with Vigholf stil holding her hand.

Fearghus the Destroyer took a break from working in the tunnel. He walked down to the cavern where fresh water was kept and grabbed one of the buckets. He took a long, satisfying drink and poured the remainder over his head. He shook his wet hair out of his eyes and that’s when he saw his younger brother glaring at him.

“What are you doing?” Gwenvael the Pain in the Ass demanded. He’d gotten this . . . tone lately that none of them were too fond of. Especial y Fearghus.

“What does it look like I’m doing?”

“We don’t have time for you to be lounging around, sitting on your tail, doing nothing.” Fearghus looked at the bucket in his claws. “I needed water.”

“But you didn’t drink and go. You drank and sat around.”

“For two seconds!”

“Look,” Gwenvael snarled at Fearghus, “we have maybe another week on this bloody tunnel. The sooner we finish it, the sooner we can kil the Irons and go home. And I’m not about to let you or anyone stop me from going home!” Fed up with his brother’s whining—they were al missing their mates, not just him—Fearghus slapped his claw against Gwenvael’s chest and shoved him back. “You need to calm the battle-fuck down, brother.”

“And you need to get off your lazy ass and work!”

“Stop it! Stop it!” Éibhear got between them. “Brothers shouldn’t be fighting this way!” Fearghus and Gwenvael stared at their very sincere baby brother; then they looked at each other. That’s when they started laughing and seemed incapable of stopping.

“What’s so bloody funny?”

“You,” Fearghus told him. “Tel ing us that we shouldn’t fight? After al that’s gone on between you and Celyn?”

“That’s different,” Éibhear growled.

Not real y, but try to tel that to Éibhear the Blue.

Fearghus’s baby brother had been a right bastard toward Celyn since he found out Celyn had gone where Éibhear was too afraid to go with their niece Izzy. Of course Izzy wasn’t related to any of them by blood, but that didn’t matter. As far as Fearghus, Briec, and Gwenvael were concerned, Izzy was kin. But poor Éibhear didn’t know what to do with little Izzy. He was simply too young to sort out his feelings. So, instead, he beat up on his cousin. Constantly. And Celyn, being a right prat when in the mood, fought back.

Real y, though, there was nothing to be done with either idiot. They were at that awkward stage for dragons. Not quite adults but no longer cute little hatchlings either.

But gods, it had been five years. Five years! Get over it already!

Briec entered the cavern and walked over to his brothers. “Anyone seen Keita?”

“Should we be looking for her?”

“No.”

“Then why are you asking?” Fearghus wanted to know.

“Because I haven’t seen her. She is our sister.”

“She’s probably off poisoning someone. I wouldn’t worry.”

Briec grunted until he asked a scowling Gwenvael, “Why are you glaring at me?”

“I’m wondering why you’re al not working !”

“That is it.” Briec pul ed his sword and Éibhear immediately grabbed him. “I’m cutting off the rest of that bastard’s tail!” Chapter 15

By late afternoon they hadn’t gotten nearly as far as Rhona wanted. Going on foot was tedious and she was anxious to find Annwyl. If there was even a chance the royal hadn’t made it into the Provinces yet, Rhona might be able to get the wayward queen and drag her back to her troops. But if they kept moving like this, there was no hope that would happen.