Ghleanna raised her blood-covered weapon and pointed it at the remaining Elders falling over each other. “Now listen up, you lot. As of this moment, Fearghus the Destroyer’s twins are under the protection of the Cadwaladr Clan. You come near them again without express permission from one of us or the queen herself, and the Cadwaladrs will come down on you like wolves on a wounded deer. We will tear the walls of Devenallt down around you and show you what the true meaning of civil war is.” She stepped closer. “Don’t f**k with my kin, or I’ll kill every last one of you and leave your rotting bones in front of the dens of your offspring.” She flicked her sword up, Eanruig’s blood splattering across the Elders, before she shoved it into the sheath tied to her back.

“Get out of our sight. And never come back here again without an invitation.” When the Elders only stared at her in mute horror … “Move!”

The old dragons shifted and slammed into each other as they fought to get away.

Brushing one hand against the other, Ghleanna headed back toward the training grounds Dagmar had dragged her and her brother from.

With a wink and a smile, Addolgar followed after his sister.

Dagmar realized she had the attention of Gwenvael, Briec, and Bercelak. “Yes?”

“She’s good,” Briec muttered.

“That she is.” Gwenvael slid his arm around her shoulders, his lips grazing against her temple. “With an impeccable sense of timing and knowledge of our bloodlines.”

“Don’t be nosey.”

“Tricky, tricky, tricky.”

“My Lady Dagmar!” A young soldier called out as he ran toward her. “Lady Dagmar!” He slid to a stop at the bottom of the stairs.

“Take your breath first, lad, and then tell me what you think I need to know.”

Hands on his knees, his breath coming in gasps as he bent over at the waist, he finally spit out, “You told me to tell you if I heard anything—”

“Yes, yes. What is it?”

“About three hundred leagues from here, my lady. Hoof prints.”

“You’ll have to tell me something a little more interesting than that, I’m afraid.”

“Pairs. What I mean to say is pairs of two hooves, marching, side by side. And then they just disappear. We can’t find where, although it looks as if they disappeared into rock.”

Not disappeared into rock, she’d wager, but under it. The way of the Ice Land Minotaur. Not only could they find their way underground with ease, but they could also cover their tracks quite well. They didn’t fool her. She’d bet they’d gone underground several leagues from where those tracks were found, most likely aware Annwyl’s army had been warned of their coming.

Dagmar motioned the young soldier away. “Good work. Tell General Brastias if he doesn’t already know.”

“Aye, m’lady,” the young soldier promised before running off again.

She nodded at the dragons who watched her expectantly.

“They’re here.”

Chapter 27

Gwenvael found his brother where he’d been for the last three days. He hated to bother him now, but he’d received his orders from Fearghus himself three days before.

“Brother.”

Fearghus raised his head. “Aye?”

“Dagmar has received word that the Minotaurs are near. We’re all meeting now with Father, Ghleanna, and Addolgar in the war room to discuss next steps.”

“Fine,” Fearghus said, his voice sounding very weary. “I’ll be right there.”

“You don’t have to. We can take care of—”

“These are my children’s lives we’re talking about,” he cut in. “I’ll be right there.”

Fearghus didn’t raise his voice. He didn’t get snappy as he was known to do in simpler times. Instead he no longer showed any emotion at all.

“We’ll wait for you,” Gwenvael said, and left.

Dagmar heard another shout and then more slamming from behind closed doors, but it was Talaith who jumped at the noise yet again.

“I can’t concentrate when they get like this!” She looked at Dagmar. “How do you ignore it?”

“You so clearly have not met any of my family.”

Talaith let out a breath and returned to the book in front of her.

Dagmar glanced over at the woman. She hadn’t been sleeping, the circles under her eyes a clear indication of that. Instead she spent nearly every moment trying to help Annwyl in a last ditch effort to save her life. Or, on occasion, helping Dagmar. “Talaith, perhaps you should get some rest?”

“I can rest when she’s dead,” she answered gruffly. Then, horrified at her own words, she shoved the book away from her and covered her mouth with her hand. “Good gods.”

Dagmar rested her hand on Talaith’s shoulder. “There’s only so much you can do.”

“I know. But I can’t stop hoping that Morfyd or I will find something, anything, that can bring her back. Even Rhiannon’s power won’t hold for much longer.”

Dagmar sat back in her chair, her maps and notes spread out in front of her. “Tomorrow?”

Talaith shook her head, immediately understanding what Dagmar’s real question was.

“More like tonight.”

“Does Fearghus know?”

“Has anyone told him? No. Does he know? I strongly think yes.”