It wasn’t going to work this time. He knew it when her face grew hard.

“I—” she began.

She said no more as they all turned their attention when Jacanda, Circe’s closest maid, came rushing in and skidded to a halt.

“I can’t…you don’t…you won’t believe…it’s fantastical…” She drew in a deep breath and cried, “The roof!” and then she rushed out.

All moved after her.

Lahn’s and Tor’s legs were longer, but that didn’t mean there was not some jostling as the men tried to keep their women belowstairs while they made their way to the roof.

But when Lahn alighted at the top, he saw all of Circe’s servants standing there, gaping toward the Majestic Rim of Korwahn.

He turned and looked that way as well.

Then he felt his frame grow solid and his jaw get tight.

Tor stopped beside him and muttered, “Bloody hell.”

“Holy crap,” Cora breathed.

“See?” Circe asked, and Lahn knew this was addressed to him.

Dax Lahn, the warrior king of Korwahk, drew a sharp breath into his nose as he stared at the enormous dragon sitting on the grand, rocky ledge of the Majestic Rim, its powerful tail drifting idly, its forked tongue could be seen lolling even from their distance, its scales and wings glistening in the sun.

Its message clear.

Fucking Frey.

As if noting they’d made the roof and saw it, the dragon’s mighty haunches bunched, and it soared gracefully into the air, great rocks falling from the rim at the power of that beast taking flight.

With only a few flaps of its wings, it was gone from sight.

“I suppose we sail the Green Sea,” he said to Tor under his breath.

“Bloody hell,” Tor repeated.

Frey Drakkar

Aboard The Finnie, 300 Miles East of Mar-el

THE GREEN SEA

Frey, standing on the deck of his galleon, his head tipped back, took his eyes from the dragon’s approach, the beast naturally falling into formation with all the others that soared above the ship.

He turned his gaze to the man who had come to stand beside him.

“I take it that means the message has been delivered,” Apollo noted, also gazing at the night sky.

“Yes,” Frey confirmed.

Apollo looked to him.

“Bloody things can fly fast,” he said. “Too bad we can’t put Tor and Lahn on the back of one. They’d be here now.”

Viktor had tried riding one of their dragons once.

Once.

“They’re not fond of passengers,” Frey replied.

“How much chance do you think Lahn and Tor have of convincing Circe and Cora to remain behind?”

“Are Finnie and Maddie right now in my quarters, drinking ale and playing tuble with my men?” he asked as answer.

Apollo sighed.

“None,” Frey finally answered him. “None at all. The queens will be in attendance.” His voice lowered. “All the women will.”