Arlais stared at Keita and the others, confused. But then she remembered the rumors and whispers Arlais had always heard about her favorite aunt. About how Keita the Viper ruthlessly protected her mother’s throne with a poisonous skill that few, if any, among their kin had.

“Ohhhh. Recipe book.” Arlais grinned and winked at her aunt. “That does sound interesting.”

“Would you mind talking to me for a little while, Princess?” Gorlas asked.

“Not at all. But my mother . . .”

“I’ll take care of her,” Keita offered, and they all gazed at her silently, eyes wide.

“I meant,” Keita growled out between clenched teeth, “I’ll keep her busy.”

“Ohhhhhhh,” they all said together.

“Rude!” Keita sniped, heading back to the castle. “Just rude!”

* * *

Izzy and Rhi were nearly done putting flowers in Brannie’s hair as she sat in her chair and seethed.

“I’m not going,” she said again.

“You are going,” Izzy replied. “Or I will drag you there myself.”

“I don’t want to go.”

“You’re being unreasonable!”

“I am not!”

“He loves you,” Rhi said. “What’s wrong with that?”

“Everything! And shut up.”

Rhi gasped. “But I’m the nice one.”

“She’s right,” Talwyn said from her spot stretched out on the bed. “I’d be fine with you being unhappy.”

Talan sat on the floor, his back against the bed’s footboard and a book in his lap. “And I could go either way.”

“I hate all of you.”

“No, you don’t.” Izzy pulled Brannie out of the chair and looked her over. “Beautiful. Now go tell poor Aidan you love him, too.”

“I will not. He tricked me.”

“Aidan doesn’t trick anybody. He may have smooth-talked you into dragon sex but that would be about it.”

“I thought you were on my side!”

“Of course I’m on your side, idiot. And I want you to be happy. Aidan makes you happy.”

“I can be happy without him.”

“But why would you want to be?”

Surprised that the question came from Talan, they all looked at him.

“I mean, wouldn’t you want to be with someone who makes you happy?” he went on. “Why would anyone want to be with someone who doesn’t make them happy?” He blinked up at Brannie. “Do you want to be with someone who doesn’t—”

“Oh, shut up!” Brannie stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

“Gods,” Talwyn said with a shake of her head. “Is it me or does love sound miserable?”

“It’s you,” Izzy replied.

* * *

Brannie was halfway down the stairs when Aidan suddenly walked up, blocking her way.

She tried to step around him, but he stepped with her. She went the other way, and so did he.

“You going to talk to me now?” he asked.

“No.”

Brannie stepped again and so did Aidan.

“Are you going to move?” she asked.

“Are you going to talk to me?”