Keita snorted. “If they wanted to kill us, Mì-runach . . . we’d be wet, sticky spots in the sand by now.”

“That information does not make me feel better.”

“I’ll handle them,” Keita said, “and you, Aidan, take care of my cousin.”

Keita shifted to human and stood, her long red hair covering her naked body. She motioned to the witches and walked away from Branwen.

Aidan snapped his claws at Uther and Caswyn and pointed at Keita. The two males shifted to human—their Rhona-provided chain mail shifting with them—and rushed after her to keep her safe.

Taking Brannie’s claw in his own, Aidan held it and watched the witches make their way down to the beach. Armed with swords and bows and arrows, the witches also carried staffs made from bamboo, each individually adorned with jewels and gold chains and items from nature, like large feathers from predatory birds and fangs from jungle cats. They used those staffs like they were walking sticks but Aidan knew better.

A witch with shoulder-length black hair that had gray and red strands peppered throughout, light brown skin, and catlike brown eyes stepped in front of the other witches and smiled at the royal.

“Princess Keita.”

“Lady Meihui. It’s delightful to see you again.”

“And you, Princess.” Meihui took Keita’s hand and held it, her smile for Keita alone.

Uther, eyes wide, glanced back at Aidan but he shook his head, indicating Uther should let it go. Aidan was not about to fall down this gopher hole over Keita’s past.

“So what brings you back to our shores, Princess?” Meihui asked, still holding Keita’s hand.

“I’m here to see the Empress, but the boat we took decided to pass through the Trail of Storms.”

Meihui snorted a laugh. “Let me guess . . . Northlanders?”

“What do you think?”

“Well, of course, we don’t mind you here, Princess, or your entourage . . . but we are concerned with”—using her staff, Meihui pointed at the Riders—“them.”

Before Kachka could stop her, Zoya stepped forward, hands slapping her chest. “Have something to say to me, decadent Eastlander? Come and talk to Zoya!”

Meihui sighed and released Keita’s hand. “See what I mean? Barbarians.”

“They’re part of my protection.”

The witch blinked. “Riders? Part of your protection? That’s . . . unusual.”

Keita stepped closer to Meihui and said low but quickly, “They’ve attached themselves to me and now I can’t really shake them. Can we just . . . overlook them? They’ve committed to me and I will make sure they cause you no problems.”

“Now, Keita, we know what your commitments are worth,” Meihui purred back.

“Come, come. That was decades ago. And it wasn’t my fault.”

“Still blaming Gwenvael then?”

“When it’s necessary.” Keita turned and gestured to the others. “Uther the Despicable. Caswyn the Butcher.”

“I do love Southland dragon names.”

“Aidan the Divine. And my cousin, Branwen the Awf—”