Dragon Actually (Dragon Kin #1)(42)

“Fire!”

Annwyl crossed her blades in front of her as archers released a volley of arrows. But they never reached her as white flame destroyed them in midflight. A silver dragon appeared over the battle, his flame taking out almost an entire battalion. A white dragon swooped down and snapped up a carriage of soldiers, tossing them like toys. Then Annwyl saw him.

He landed beside his golden brother, blasting the last of the men still holding ropes.

“Take her!” he barked at the now-free Gwenvael.

“What about you?”

“We’re fine. Take her!”

Another group of men charged Annwyl. She readied her blades but suddenly found herself gripped firmly about the waist and airborne. She watched the land recede from her sight.

“You bastard! Let me down!”

“Not on your life, beauty.” The golden claw gripped her tighter. “You get hurt, he’ll kill me. Now quiet. I’m trying not to vomit.”

Fearghus watched Briec and Morfyd unleash lines of flame, destroying anything in their wake. A small group of men, about twenty, ran toward him, their blades drawn. In disgust, Fearghus spit out a fireball and watched with little satisfaction as the men writhed and screamed.

He saw another group trying to escape. “Briec! Kill them! Leave none alive!”

Briec followed and Fearghus walked out among the remains, stepping on any men he thought still lived. Morfyd landed in front of him.

He nodded toward the empty spot where Gwenvael first stood and the ropes that lay there. “Seems I was expected as well.”

His sister nodded. “Seems so.”

Fearghus growled. “I am not happy, sister.”

“I can tell.”

“And you still have no idea who’s helping Lorcan?”

“It’s Hefaidd-Hen.” Fearghus watched as a wounded Bercelak landed gingerly in front of him, making sure not to further damage his wounded claw.

“Hefaidd-Hen? The Hefaidd-Hen?”

“Well, that’s just bloody wonderful,” Morfyd spat out as Briec continued to fly overhead blasting flames.

“And when were you planning to tell us?”

“Never. The girl shouldn’t have even been here. And you shouldn’t have been helping her.”

“Why would Hefaidd-Hen help Lorcan?” Morfyd cut in before Fearghus could go for their father’s throat.

“How should I know? And why should I care? These are human concerns, not ours.”

“You should care because Hefaidd-Hen’s a dragon,” Morfyd snapped angrily.

“If he gets Lorcan’s loyalty, then he gets his troops, which no doubt would triple once he’s secured the loyalty of the other regions.”

“And once he gets his troops, he moves on the queen,” Morfyd summed up quickly.

Fearghus saw his father suddenly realize the implication to them all of Hefaidd-Hen’s involvement.

“He wouldn’t dare.” If there was one thing Fearghus had always been sure of it was his father’s feelings for the queen. He had no doubt this little revelation would change everything.

“That dragon craves power more than anything,” he reminded Bercelak. “And all he’s ever wanted was the queen’s throne.”

“There’s much power in her blood,” Morfyd added. “If he takes it . . .”

“That won’t happen.”

“Then you best hope Annwyl defeats Lorcan, father. If she doesn’t, however, then we’d best prepare for war. Because no dragon will be safe.”

Fearghus watched Bercelak struggle with all this. The old dragon hated being wrong. Especially when his own children pointed it out to him. But Bercelak knew, in his heart, how right they were. And Fearghus knew that he would do what was best for the queen, as Bercelak always had.

His father’s head snapped up. “Briec and I will return to the queen. And you two make sure the girl wins, I don’t care what you have to do.”

“If she lets us near her, father,” Morfyd bravely chastised. “Her last memory is of you trying to kill her and telling her about Fearghus before he could.”

Briec finally landed behind his father. He tossed his silver mane. “She still saved Gwenvael. I saw her. She’s a brave girl . . . for a human.”

“I know that,” Fearghus snapped. He looked at his father. “I’m just not sure how I’m going to fix this.”

“Well you better find a way, boy. Use whatever charm she seems to think you possess. You got her on her back at least once before.”

Morfyd slid between Fearghus and their father before he could kill the old bastard. “Fearghus!”

“Just let me kill him. I’m begging you!”

“Father, go!”

The dragon didn’t waste time; he took to the skies. Briec nodded at his siblings once and followed.

“Really, Fearghus. You need to stop asking me to let you kill our family.”

Fearghus shook his head. “They just keep irritating me.”

Morfyd gave a smile he knew would frighten any human. “I know. But that’s what most families do. Irritate.” She stepped back. “I need to do something, Fearghus. And you need to go to Annwyl.”

Fearghus looked down at his large claws and sighed. “She hates me.”