“Now, now, Kachka Shestakova,” Zoya interrupted. “Do not be so mean.” Reaching her long arm across the table, she patted an astounded Keita on the head with her giant hand. “I am sure you were very helpful, weak and useless female. And do not worry. We will tell everyone how helpful and pretty you are and everyone will believe our lies.”

Brannie quickly covered her mouth and looked down at the floor and Aidan forced himself to focus his gaze across the room on something else. Anything to stop the laughter.

But then Uther’s big head drunkenly hit the table on its own and that sad thud sound was all it took to have them leaning against each other as their laughter shook the entire pub.

* * *

Brannie started to drag a still-passed-out Uther up the pub stairs, but Zoya grabbed the dragon in human form and said, “I have him.”

Then she picked him up, placed him on her shoulder, and easily carried him up the stairs.

Even in his human form, Uther was excessively large. It usually took three or four human soldiers to carry him anywhere, and there was always complaining and grunting. But Zoya whistled happily.

Still, Brannie wasn’t surprised when Keita grabbed her arm and began whispering furiously in her ear.

Finally Brannie couldn’t take it and dragged her into her room.

“Stop!” she ordered. “I didn’t understand a word you just said and there was much spit.”

Disgusted, she took a cloth out of her boot and began to wipe her drenched ear.

“They can’t come with us,” Keita said. “They just can’t!”

“We tried to get them to go away. To go back to Garbhán Isle or at least go to the front, where I’m sure they would eventually die a hearty death. But you heard them. They’re determined. And when a Rider female is determined . . .”

Keita sat on the edge of Brannie’s bed and pressed the palms of her hands against her eyes.

Brannie immediately sat down next to her and put her arm around her shoulders. “Gods, Keita. Are you crying?”

Keita dropped her hands to her lap, turned her head, and glared at Brannie for a long, long moment. “No.”

Brannie pulled her arm back. “No need for that tone, cousin.”

“The Empress won’t question that I’ve come to her court with armed guards. But she’ll definitely question that I’ve come there with armed guards and Riders.”

“There are only three. It’s not like you’re bringing a whole tribe with you.”

“It won’t matter when just one Rider can cause problems. We’ll have to get rid of them.”

Brannie blew out a breath and firmly stated, “You are not poisoning Celyn’s sister-by-mating. I’ll never hear the end of it.”

“Have you ever tried to poison a Daughter of the Steppes?” Keita asked. “It’s nearly impossible.”

“But you’ve tried.”