But the boy was only eighteen. He didn’t seem to grasp that he had much more to learn.

Bram shot an exasperated glance at Frederick, who also looked worried about Var’s pronouncement.

“And what, exactly, does that mean?”

Now focused on whatever papers he had in front of him, Var didn’t even bother to look up at Bram when he replied, “That I’ve taken care of it.”

“I need specifics.”

After writing something down—and still not looking up—Var motioned to the doorway with his quill.

Before Bram could blink, she suddenly swept into the doorway naked. Arlais ran in after, pushing past all those Mì-runach who had accompanied her, and placed a robe around her grandmother’s shoulders.

“Think of the servants!” Arlais snapped at her before flouncing out.

“I do know how hard it is for them to see so much perfection,” Rhiannon agreed until she realized her granddaughter was gone. “Stay outside,” she ordered her Mì-runach guards.

“But, my lady—” one began.

Rhiannon kicked the door shut with her foot. “I adore my Mì-runach,” she admitted, “but now that Bercelak is gone, they don’t give me a moment without seeing their needy, eager faces.”

She pushed her white hair off her cheeks and the strain he saw on her face told Bram the weight she now carried on her shoulders. A weight she usually managed with no effort, no strain. But that was because Bercelak was always at her side, lightening everything around her by being so impossibly angry and barely controllable.

With that support gone, Rhiannon didn’t bother to hide her true self. A side Bram was sure her grandson had never seen.

“So,” Rhiannon asked flatly, “why am I here?”

Bram glared at Var. “You sent for your grandmother before speaking to me first?”

Var sighed and wrote something on the parchment in front of him. “I hear tone, Uncle.”

“I’m waiting,” Rhiannon pushed.

Var could hear Bram’s tone but he couldn’t hear his grandmother’s? Foolish boy!

“Nothing, my queen,” Bram tried. “You have much bigger concerns than—”

“Brigida took one of the books out of our library,” Var cut in, still scribbling away. “A book on dragon magicks. I hadn’t had a chance to go through that book myself so we have no idea what she wanted with it, but my concern is that she only went for it after Arlais turned down her offer to be her apprentice. I strongly suggest we move on her quickly. I understand she’s family, so my recommendation is we just put her somewhere safe until we figure out exactly what she’s up to. I’m assuming you can handle that, Grandmother, since the twins and Rhi are currently at the front?”