About a Dragon (Dragon Kin #2)(103)

Briec, who’d been leaning against a tree, sighed. “Nothing yet.”

“I’m sorry, brother.” And he knew Fearghus meant it. For once, the two brothers understood each other perfectly.

“And the battle?” Gwenvael asked.

“Fought and won.” None of them were surprised. Not with Annwyl in that particular rage.

“And your mate?”

“I’m not sure. I haven’t seen her. I think she’s still hoping to find some troops left.”

Morfyd paced impatiently between her brothers. “Maybe a sacrifice,” she said to herself. “My blood may—”

“No, Morfyd.” Briec shook his head. “That’s unacceptable.”

“But, Briec, if it works—”

“Wait.” Éibhear stepped forward. “Hear that?”

They all became quiet, staring at the burned circle that now marked the last spot Talaith stood.

Éibhear’s head snapped toward the trees. “In there. I hear crying.”

Briec moved first, following the direction Éibhear pointed. His family right behind him, except Fearghus who flew over the treetops.

As Briec moved, he could hear the crying. Izzy.

He found them quickly. Izzy, sobbing hysterically over her mother, and Talaith, laid out under a tree.

Briec knelt beside Talaith as Izzy looked up at him. “I can’t wake her up.” Those simple words felt like a knife through his heart. Everything that meant anything, gone.

Morfyd moved beside them, motioning to Gwenvael to take Izzy. Telling her it would be all right, Gwenvael picked the girl up. Like a young child, Izzy wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs around his waist and openly sobbed into his shoulder.

Moving quickly, Morfyd grabbed hold of Talaith’s wrist, then put two fingers to her throat. Frowning, she bent down over the other woman’s face.

“She breathes.” The brothers sagged in relief while Morfyd looked to the skies. “Fearghus!”

“What’s wrong?”

Watching Fearghus lower himself to the ground, Morfyd said, “She’s freezing.” She quickly removed her cape and wrapped it around Talaith. “I need to get her back to Garbhán Isle and warmed up.”

Lifting Talaith in her arms, Morfyd rushed toward Fearghus. “Meet us back at the castle.”

Briec watched his sister climb onto Fearghus’ back and his brother lift into the air. He was about to follow, ready to yank off his clothes and shift, when Gwenvael stopped him. “I don’t think it’s me she wants.”

Confused, Briec turned and realized Izzy was blindly reaching for him. He moved closer and immediately she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, burying her face into his neck.

He stared at his brothers, unsure of what to do with a sobbing girl in his arms.

Gwenvael leaned into him and whispered in his ear, “Tell her it’ll be all right.”

Holding her tight and rubbing her back, Briec said out loud, “It’ll be all right, Izzy.”

“Don’t…worry…about…anything,” Éibhear whispered against his other ear.

“Don’t worry about anything,” Briec said softly and Izzy held him tighter. He closed his eyes and hugged her back. “We’ll take good care of your mother, Izzy. I promise.”

She gave a little nod. “All right then,” she said through her tears.

His brothers walked off and he followed, Izzy still clinging to him. “Let’s get you home, little Izzy.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

She woke up, but didn’t move for a good five minutes. It was in her training. Sometimes it was smart to pretend you were dead or unconscious until you knew exactly how horrifying your situation.

No sounds, except for snoring. Relatively loud snoring, too. Must be fierce, blood-thirsty monsters with that level of snoring.

Talaith opened her eyes and looked around the room. Candles and a lit pitfire illuminated everything quite nicely without hurting her eyes.

Morfyd slept in a chair, curled up like a cat. Fearghus leaned against the wall, staring up at the ceiling. Éibhear slept flat on the floor, his arms and legs stretched out. She didn’t envy the female who would have to sleep next to him for the next eight hundred years. Surprisingly, he wasn’t the one snoring. That honor went to Gwenvael. Asleep in a big chair, his big, long legs stretched out in front of him, his head thrown back, he snored like a giant bear. Grinning, her gaze moved to the form of her daughter. Izzy sat on a bench by the window, her legs pulled up, her chin resting on her knees. Awake, she stared out the window into the dark night.

And sitting right next to her, Briec. Like Izzy and Fearghus, he was awake, but he stared straight at Talaith, waiting for her to notice him probably. Arrogant bastard.

They stared at each other silently. For once, Talaith knew words were unnecessary. She could see everything she needed to see in Briec’s face. In the way his eyes watched her and his relief at seeing her awake.

“Mum?”

Talaith again looked at Izzy and smiled.

“Mum!” The girl scrambled off the bench and dived across the bed, landing in Talaith’s outstretched arms. She hugged her daughter tight, letting the girl hold on to her and cry into her neck.

Morfyd stood. “It’s good to see you awake, sister.” She pushed Gwenvael’s shoulder. “Wake up.”