Braith and Katarina locked gazes, and Braith knew in that moment that she was not alone in not wanting to go on this trip.... Katarina didn’t want her to go either. Braith had no idea why Katarina felt that, nor did she care to know since, in the end, they both had the same desire.
The problem was Addiena. How to handle her?
“Your Majesty,” Braith tried, “I truly appreciate this honor, but I’m not sure I’m the best one for such a role.”
“And I’m sure you are. Your father suggested you himself.”
Braith tried not to frown, but it was hard. “My father suggested me for this? Really? My father.”
The Queen laughed. “Oh, Lady Braith. You’re so adorable. See, Lady Katarina? You’ll be entertained by Lady Braith’s humor all the way home. Won’t that be fun?”
Katarina gave a reluctant nod. “Of course, Your Majesty. She seems quite entertaining.”
“Now I’m sure you have,” Addiena sneered, “very important things to do, Lady Braith. We all know how busy you are.” And no, her sarcasm wasn’t lost on Braith or anyone else standing within a twenty-league radius. “But I’d really like Lady Katarina to have a female companion along for this trip. She’ll be simply surrounded by males and you know how those Western Mountain dragons are about their females.” Did she mean the Western Mountain dragons that were, in fact, Southland dragons? Then yes, Braith knew the Western Mountain dragons because they were just like every other bloody fire-breathing dragon in the Southlands.
Gods, this She-dragon!
“But—”
“Now, if you’re concerned that you’ll be at risk on this trip because of those horrible Lightnings and what they did to poor Lady Davon, please, both of you, don’t worry. You’ll be protected by my best escorts. Your father chose them himself, Lady Braith.”
Was that really supposed to mean something to Braith? Because, ya know . . . it didn’t.
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
“Tell me, my Queen,” Katarina asked softly, “will you be sending your troops into the Northlands to retrieve Lady Davon? As you know, the Northlanders do not kill our She-dragons, just force them into a Claiming.”
“I know,” the Queen said, sadly shaking her head. “It’s truly horrible what these Lightnings do to our poor sisters. But sending my army into Northland territory would be seen as an act of aggression with the Hordes and I’m . . . just not sure we’re ready for war.”
Ready for war over one meaningless She-dragon was what the Queen really meant. Because if there was one thing they all knew, her dragon army was always ready for war. They thrived on it the way the Sea dragons thrived on water. Still, the Queen would do nothing until she was ready.
“So we’re agreed?” the Queen asked, although they all knew she wasn’t asking a damn thing. To be honest, Braith would rather her just make it an order. Playing these constant political games with the female did nothing but chafe the bloody scales off Braith’s ass.
Addolgar smiled at his brother’s announcement. “I’d love to,” he announced.
“Of course you would.” Bercelak glared at his brother. “But this isn’t a time for you to be trying to get under some royal’s tail. You have a duty to our Queen. Do not fail her because you’re busy trying to f**k Berg’s daughter.”
Placing his claw against his chest, Addolgar reared back and gasped, “Brother! How could you say such a thing? How could you question my—”
“Oh, shut up.”
Addolgar chuckled. “I don’t know why you’re getting so upset about this. She won’t be the first royal I’ve ever escorted.”
“I’m not upset. But I’m concerned. Something . . .”
“Something what?”
Bercelak shook his head. “I don’t know. But watch your back, brother. With gods-damn Lightnings coming over our borders to snatch our females, we don’t exactly have time to be battling bloody Thracius and the Iron dragons in the west as well. And this is Berg’s daughter we’re talking about. So this is no time to be lazy.”
Addolgar understood that. Lady Katarina’s father and his dragon army kept the Iron dragons, who lived—and plotted—on the other side of the Western Mountains, from trying to invade Dark Plains at every possible opportunity.
Of course, the reason that Katarina had been at Devenallt Mountain for nearly a year was because the Queen had been reminding Lord Berg of her power. Although she’d welcomed Berg’s daughter with open claws, no one was fooled into thinking Addiena cared for her. At least no one but Bercelak, who continued to believe that Addiena was a wonderful queen who just liked to invite royal females to Devenallt Mountain for fun. But anyone not blinded by the Queen’s beauty or, more importantly, the beauty of the Queen’s daughter, knew this was simply a power play by the cold-hearted royal.
Politically, though, it did make sense after what had happened during the Great Battle of Aricia, when the Iron dragon Overlord Thracius had taken the Queen’s consort and had him crucified in Quintilian Provinces. Something that had not bothered the Queen nearly as much as it had bothered the Queen’s offspring. Especially Princess Rhiannon, who’d always been close to—and protected by—her father. Yet her consort’s death had brought her throne under threat, because some Southland dragons didn’t believe she was worthy of her position as their queen if she couldn’t keep her kin safe. That had put Addiena into action, involving Lord Berg and his vast army. But not trusting his loyalty to her or her throne, Addiena had taken his beloved daughter Lady Katarina as security until the borders were secure and her point made.
The word “hostage” was never used, but it didn’t need to be.
Still, no point in mentioning any of that to Bercelak. He was blindly loyal to the Queen.
“I am not lazy,” Addolgar informed his brother. “I’m many things, but lazy is not one of them. But have no fear, Ghleanna told me that we will have a small squad with us and Lady Braith as well.”
“Lady Braith,” Bercelak sneered, his distaste for the royal more than evident. “Why is she going? What use is she?”
“Well—”
“None! That I can see,” his brother cut in, which only made Addolgar laugh.
“Don’t be such a bastard, little brother. She’ll keep the royal entertained.”
“Braith will keep the royal entertained? Braith of the Darkness?”
“She’s nice. I don’t know what you have against her.”
“She does nothing.”
“What do you expect her to do?”
“She’s one of the Penarddun bloodline. You’d think she’d do something,” Bercelak complained.
“Her mother may have been a Penarddun but her father has gone out of his way to ensure his daughter was not by raising her himself after her mother’s death.”
“With those shoulders and arms? Even that neck. It’s a waste! The least she could do for the army is move some trees so the troops can get through.”
“Is there anyone you don’t think should be working for our precious army?”
“No.”
“I’m leaving,” Addolgar stated, giving up.
“Just be careful, idiot,” his brother called out to him.
Addolgar headed off to find the lovely Lady Katarina, throwing a wave over his shoulder. “I’ll do that, brother. I’ll do that.”
Chapter 3
“I am sorry about this, Lady Braith.”
Braith looked down at the diminutive She-dragon, forced a smile. “It’s all right, Lady Katarina. I know this isn’t your fault.”
“Just Katarina.” She stepped aside as one of their escorts hustled by. “I’ll be glad to return home so I have to worry less about all these titles.”
“Well, you need not worry about mine at all.”
Braith studied the soldiers that had been chosen for this trip. She recognized a few. They were soldiers loyal to her father. She didn’t know why that bothered her, but it did. She didn’t like this.
“Something wrong, Braith?” Katarina asked.
“Uh . . .” She focused back on the royal. “No. Nothing. Just thinking. Wasn’t really planning on a trip.”
“And I wasn’t really planning to come here.” She raised, then lowered her front claws. “Yet here I am.”
Braith felt bad for her. This was just a few days out of Braith’s life. Yet Katarina had spent a year as nothing more than a well-treated hostage.
Placing one claw on the royal’s shoulder—and ignoring how she dwarfed the She-dragon like a bloody ogre—Braith said softly, “Do not worry, Katarina. We will return you to your loved ones safely.”
“I know you will.”
Braith smiled at the royal, trying her best to put her at ease.
“There you are!” a cheerful, low voice said from behind her.
Braith’s claw tightened on Katarina’s shoulder, and she knew her eyes had widened in panic.
No. He couldn’t be on this trip. Not him. Ghleanna. Or Bercelak. Gods, even Braith’s own father, she would rather travel with! Anyone but . . .
The panic must have been clearly on her face because Katarina suddenly moved around Braith, distracting the Silver.
“And you are?” Katarina asked.
“Sergeant Addolgar of the Fifth Legion, my lady.”
It took Braith a few seconds to get control of her initial reaction. Of all the dragons who could be going with them, why did it have to be him? Her one weakness. Her one very handsome, very thick-tailed weakness.
“So, Sergeant Addolgar,” Katarina continued as Braith finally faced them both. “Why were you looking for us?”
“I’ll be your military escort for this trip.”
“Oh, I thought these dragons were. . . .”
Addolgar glanced over at the soldiers. “These lads mostly guard Devenallt Mountain and the Elders. Good, solid soldiers,” he quickly added, never wanting to insult anyone—unlike his younger brother. “But I’ve been through the Western Mountains. Fought a few battles there. So, it was a good decision on my brother’s part.”
Figures! Gods-damn Bercelak! She should have known! Bastard.
“Now I don’t want either of you to worry. I’m here to protect you both.” Grinning, he nodded at the waiting soldiers. “Let me check on these lads and then we can get on our way.”
He walked off and Katarina faced her again.
“Sorry about that—” Braith began, but Katarina shook her head.
“No need to worry. I understand that feeling. Felt it myself not too long ago.”
“Well, if we could just keep it between us, I’d appreciate it.”
“Because there are those here who use weakness as currency?”
After living at the royal court, it seemed Katarina understood the Queen as well as anyone.
“You might say.”
“Don’t worry, Braith. Your secret is safe with me.”