“They weren’t mated when they were taken. They did, however, fall in love while they were there. Now isn’t that nice?”

“So of course her parents would never talk about the time they fell in love . . . to their offspring. While trapped underwater with the Fins.”

“I hear sarcasm,” Keita snapped.

“Because I was being sarcastic!”

“If she was so concerned, she should have said something.”

“She probably didn’t know.”

“How could she not know?”

“When was the last time any Cadwaladr had to travel by ocean? Or take a boat anywhere?”

“Um . . .”

Aidan shook his head and looked up at the sky as Uther suddenly stated, “Branwen probably didn’t realize how she felt. She picked up the fear from her father, but she buried it under layers of Cadwaladr bravado and denial until she was faced with the actual reality of getting on a boat and going out on the ocean. Then she had to face her true fear and it overwhelmed her.”

Shocked, the three of them gawked at Uther.

“I know,” the dragon said confidently. “Emotions. They can torment you.”

Not knowing what to say to Uther, Aidan focused back on Keita. “You should have said something and you know you should have said something, but you didn’t because you didn’t want anything to get between you and us going to the Eastlands.”

“Oh, so what?” Keita asked. “It’s a beautiful day, we’re already on the boat, on our way to the Eastlands, and look at this . . .” She pointed at Brannie who’d suddenly sat up and, struggling a bit, got to her feet.

“Look at my beautiful cousin,” Keita said, her grin wide. “Bravely facing her fear!”

The boat pitched and Brannie stumbled into Keita. But always a warrior, Brannie slammed a foot against the hull behind Keita and grabbed her cousin by the arms, keeping them both safely on the boat.

The boat righted and Keita smiled up at her much bigger cousin, but her expression changed just as quickly to panic and she tried to pull away.

But Brannie’s grip tightened on Keita’s arms, holding her steady while she vomited on her again and again and . . . aye . . . a third time.

Mortified, Keita stood there, covered in dragon bile—which meant it was like lava—while Brannie stumbled back to Aidan’s side and sat down beside him.

“Heard everything?” he softly asked Branwen.

“Every gods-damn word,” she growled out.

* * *

Brannie didn’t know how long she’d slept after vomiting all over Keita, but the arguing woke her up as it had before.

She was still sitting on the floor of the boat, her legs bent, her knees under her chin. Seabirds and crows circled overhead, fighting each other, more aggressive than she’d ever seen them. The sky was overcast and forbidding even though she sensed it should still be light out.