She took in a breath, willing to blast this man—and perhaps the entire pub—into oblivion. But before she could unleash her flame, big hands came from behind the man and grabbed him, slamming him into the wall beside the door.

“You try to kill such a small female with such a big knife?” Zoya Kolesova pinned him there with her left hand. “Weak men like you disgust me.”

She rammed the flat of her hand against the man’s chest once, and Keita heard bones breaking.

Keita grinned. Perhaps Aidan was right about having these Riders with them on their journey.

* * *

The bed was small, so they were wrapped around each other, but Brannie didn’t mind. She’d woken up in worse positions over the years.

But it wasn’t being curled up with Aidan the Divine that had dragged her from a solid after-sex sleep. It was the scent of humans she didn’t recognize.

She opened her eyes and Aidan was already staring at her. They’d fallen asleep with their arms around each other, their legs intertwined, and his cock still inside her. Both of them too tired to even bother separating.

Now they were both reaching for their weapons when the door was kicked open. A hard bang was heard from one of the other rooms just as Brannie got to her knees, a short sword in hand.

Two men stormed in, their faces hidden behind hooded robes. A blade flashed, coming down at Brannie. She blocked it but before she could tear out the man’s heart, another blade slammed into him from behind.

Blood hit her in the face and the man coughed up more before he was pushed off the sword and to the floor.

Aidan had already disemboweled the other one, but she wasn’t sure it had happened before that man’s throat was cut from behind.

“We must move,” Kachka ordered, walking out of the room now that her work was done.

Brannie quickly grabbed her clothes, armor, and weapons off the floor and started for the door. “I have to check on Keita.”

“She is fine!” Zoya announced from the hallway. With her arms around the She-dragon’s human waist, she carried Keita like a child’s doll. “I will take her out. We must go.”

“I can walk, peasant,” Keita complained.

“You are too weak to fight. Look at her!” she ordered, holding Keita out. Her cousin’s arms hung limply at her sides, red hair still mussed from bed, lips pursed. If she suddenly set Zoya on fire, Brannie would not be surprised.

Quickly putting her clothes on in the middle of the hallway, Brannie asked, “Who are these men? More Zealots?”

“I tried to look,” Keita replied, “but the giantess wouldn’t give me any time.”

“She’s protecting you,” she reminded her cousin. “Be nice.”