Dragon Actually (Dragon Kin #1)(56)

Fearghus glanced at his sister. “That was a bit much, don’t you think?”

She gave an innocent shrug. “I like to be certain.”

Annwyl saw an opening and took it. She lunged and thrust her blade into his thigh. Lorcan roared in pain and slapped her across the face, his gauntleted hand opening a slash across her cheek. She went down on her belly and he straddled her from behind, his two hands on her throat. His rage had him out of control, but she never thought he’d use his bare hands to kill her. She only had seconds before she blacked out. She pulled her dagger from her side and slashed backward. Screaming, he stumbled off her.

Jumping up before Lorcan could recover, Annwyl turned and saw her brother’s hand over his face, blood pouring from between his fingers. She’d slashed him across his eye. Quickly, not wanting to give him any time to attack again, she moved behind him while he kneeled on the ground, cradling his bleeding eye. Her father always taught her that if one destroys a man’s legs, you’ve destroyed the man. Remembering that, she slashed the tendons on the back of Lorcan’s ankles. She ignored his screaming as it intensified tenfold. Knowing that he couldn’t walk or run, she kicked him in the back, knocking him to the ground.

Annwyl straddled him, just as he’d done to her. Snatching off the strip of leather she used to bind her hair back, she pushed her brother’s hands out of her way and wrapped it around his throat. She pulled the ends tight and ignored his flailing arms, keeping the pressure up.

There would be no noble death for him. She would not take his head while he still breathed as she would have any other warrior. He deserved no such courtesy. Instead, she gritted her teeth and kept up the pressure.

Soon his movements slowed and desperate needy sounds came from the back of his throat. She waited until he dropped off unconscious and with one strong pull, she snapped his neck.

She released him, and his lifeless body dropped to the ground. She realized that it took less time than she thought it would. The task of actually killing her own brother.

“Annwyl.”

Annwyl tore her eyes away from her brother’s body and looked up at the looming form of her dragon-lover.

“You need to turn the tide of this battle.”

She glanced over the battlefield and saw that her men and Lorcan’s were at a standstill. Both sides fighting equally well. Neither side giving up any ground.

She nodded as she retrieved her sword. “You are right.”

Brastias raised his ax to cleave another man in two when he heard her voice. Clear and strong, booming over the battlefield and the land.

“Hear me!”

On her command, they all stopped fighting and focused their attention on her. Even the enemy paused. She stood upon the black dragon’s back as if she were born to be there.

“I lead Dark Plains! I lead these troops! And now Garbhán Isle belongs to me!” With that final screech, she raised her brother’s head high in the air.

Her men screamed her name as Brastias turned to the soldier before him. “Now where were we?” he asked, just before cleaving the man in two.

Chapter 19

Fearghus sank deep into the metal tub someone placed into Annwyl’s tent. He let the hot water wrap around his human body, soaking the aching muscles. He would rather be back at his lake, but this would do for now. Besides, he would be home soon enough.

“Annwyl?” Morfyd entered the tent, but stopped short on sight of her brother. “Oh. You.”

“Yes. Me.”

“Where’s Annwyl?”

“Still celebrating with her men, I presume.” He closed his eyes and leaned back against the tub. “Did the family leave?”

“All except Gwenvael. He’s enjoying the camp girls, I think.”

“That better be all he’s enjoying,” Fearghus growled out.

Morfyd chuckled. “He tried, but I hear Annwyl handled it.”

“Does he still have his head?”

“For the moment.”

“Sister, I need to ask you something.”

“Yes?”

“How did Annwyl survive the flames? Hefaidd-Hen’s flames?”

“Uh . . . well, you know . . . um . . .”

Fearghus jumped up and out of the tub, grabbing his sister by her arms and snatching her completely into the tent. “You let Annwyl face her alone, didn’t you?”

“It was a risk she was willing to take!” Morfyd pulled her arms away and pushed her brother.

“But not a risk that I was willing to take! Not with her life!” Fearghus pushed her back.

“I feel no guilt for what I did. I had to protect her, and the family agreed.”

“I didn’t agree!”

“We didn’t ask you!” She punched her brother in the chest.

“But Annwyl belongs to me.” He slapped his hand over his sister’s face and shoved her.

Morfyd stumbled back and glared at him. “No. She doesn’t.” Morfyd smirked at him. “You haven’t Claimed her.” Fearghus winced at that. His sister spoke true. Until he performed the Claiming Ceremony, Annwyl was as unshackled as a virgin. “You haven’t marked her as your own. So she belongs to no one. Although the way Gwenvael has been looking at her lately, you never know.”

The siblings growled at each other. Then Fearghus pulled his sister into a headlock.