Smelling the flame of dragons, he froze and looked down at the female holding him. He blinked twice, shocked.

“Rhona?”

Rhona the Fearless of the Cadwaladr Clan smiled at him. “Aidan the Divine? What are you doing here?”

“Trying to—”

“Rhona?” Keita the Viper called out from the side of the road, both Caswyn and Uther wincing behind her. “My dear, sweet cousin! Is that you?”

Rhona briefly closed her eyes and said softly to Aidan, “Oh . . . you poor dragon.”

Aidan sighed. “Rhona, my old friend, you have no idea.”

* * *

Brannie tossed off the last of her cousins and gazed down at them on the ground while the triplets moaned.

“Is that the best you lot can do?”

“I tell them they need more training,” Rhona said about her sisters. “But they never believe me.”

Nesta, Breena, and Edana slowly got to their feet and brushed their asses off as a caravan came onto the road about a half a mile away.

“What’s that?” Brannie asked, pointing.

“That’s why we’re out here and not fighting with the queen’s armies at the moment. We were heading back, but many of the roads were inundated with the bloody Zealots. We had to take tunnels to get here. Word is these roads aren’t bad.”

“No. They’re not. But be careful what you drink and eat,” she warned.

Rhona looked over at Keita being helped down from her horse by Caswyn. “Gods, how many has she poisoned now?”

“I’ve lost track.”

“Now wait one minute!” Keita snarled, slapping Caswyn’s hands away so she could stomp her way over. “I’ll have you know that everything I’ve done has been for the protection of the throne.”

“Stop looking so smug, Keita,” Rhona told her flatly.

Keita’s arms dropped to her sides and her bottom lip poked out. “But she’s being so mean to me, Rhona,” she now whined. “Beat her for me, would you? Teach her where she stands in the hierarchy of this family.”

“In this family?” Rhona asked. “She’s way over you.”

“How could you say that to me?”

“Everyone knows it. You’re a sneaky spy who kills without honor. The only thing that stopped any of us from killing you decades ago was that Uncle Bercelak adores you and Protectors of the Throne are important during wartime. As for Brannie, she roars into battle, fighting with skill and force, and bringing nothing but honor and respect to the Cadwaladr name.” Rhona stepped close to Keita, looking down at her. “Do you think for a second that you could ever live up to her in our eyes?”

“You know what, cousin? I never liked you.” Keita put her hands on her hips and turned to Brannie. “And you’re just lucky I haven’t given you something to make you lose all your scales. Ask Gwenvael how well that went for him and how long it took to grow his scales back. Then give me that tone.”

* * *