For the first time in Keita’s life, she worried that she’d never get out of something. How could she when she couldn’t use her greatest assets to protect herself? She couldn’t talk to lightning bolts or fuck tornadoes. Nature couldn’t be enticed, seduced, or destroyed. All Keita could do was dive and roll and avoid.

But when she glanced back, hoping to see her cousin flying right behind her—calling her all kinds of horrible things because Keita had gotten her into all this—she quickly figured out she was alone.

She faced forward again with every intention of turning completely around and going back for everyone, but bright light suddenly hit Keita in the face. So bright she had to close her eyes and turn her head. A powerful screeching filling the air—and then she was falling.

Keita was falling and she had no idea how to stop.

Didn’t matter, though. The ground took care of all that for her....

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Two

The armor and chain mail were made specifically for him by Sulien the Smithy.

And the queen herself helped him into that armor, not allowing any of his siblings or squires to assist. That was their way, any time he was going off to war. But this time felt different. This time, Rhiannon feared—truly feared—she’d never see him again.

So Rhiannon took her time, placing each piece onto his dragon body with care.

The two suns were rising and soon Bercelak the Great would be flying out with his war-loving siblings and cousins to face the Zealots in the Outerplains.

With his armor in place, Rhiannon cut the length off his black-and-gray hair until it reached his shoulders, then plaited several war braids, entwining her own white hair into a few of them for luck.

They didn’t speak during all of this. There was nothing to say.

When their longtime ritual was complete, they stood at the exit to their chamber, Rhiannon’s white claw clasped in Bercelak’s black one. They gazed into each other’s eyes for several long minutes until Rhiannon finally said, “Kill all of them. Leave nothing for even the crows to dine upon.”

Bercelak stepped close, his tail entwining with hers while their snouts brushed against each other.

Then he was gone. Out of their chamber and through the throne room. His siblings joined him, with Ghleanna on his right and Addolgar, his left. The rest trailing right behind.

He didn’t look back at her. She didn’t want him to.

Instead Rhiannon sat on her throne and the Mì-runach immediately surrounded her. They would not leave her side until Bercelak returned.

Not surprisingly, no others of her court approached her the entire day.

* * *

At first Annwyl thought the noise she heard was in her head. Just something else to torment her. But the more north she traveled, the louder the sound became.