Feel the Burn (Dragon Kin #8)(93)

Thank you,” she said softly, then added, “Bastard.”

Gaius grinned, but it soon faded, his head turning, his one eye briefly closing. “They’re coming,” he finally said.

There had been little doubt that the fanatics would come looking for the royals who resided in the castle, but Kachka had been secretly hoping that they’d follow the tracks of the others. With the siblings, Nina, and the Mì-runach protecting them, Kachka had little doubt that Aidan’s sister would be safe.

But whether they’d sent two groups or the one had just happened to follow them, Kachka didn’t know. In either case, the fanatics were quickly approaching.

“Move,” Kachka ordered the king, pushing him ahead of her so that she could protect them all. “Now.”

Rhys stood on the mountain, staring down on the attack taking place at Stone Castle.

He had to admit, the castle itself was holding up quite well. Boulders smashing against it were causing damage, but it was minimal. It seemed strange that the attackers would continue even so.

“What is it?” his son asked.

“They just keep hitting it. Why?”

“Distraction,” his daughter said. Even with her fancy education and her upper-crust thinking, she still had one of the best down-and-dirty battle minds he’d known. And he had known the best. She outdid them all.

“They’re keeping the soldiers distracted,” she said, pointing at Lord Jarlath’s military force trying to keep the attacking enemy out.

“Distracted from what?”

“The attackers aren’t after something in Stone Castle. They’re after something in the mountains.”

“So we go in?” Rhys asked.

“My suggestion, we wipe this lot out. I’m guessing they already have someone inside.”

“Then shouldn’t we go in and stop them?” his son asked.

“No. You forget, brother, our Brannie’s inside. This is the sort of thing that She-dragon was made for.”

“She’s on her own.”

“Hardly. She’s got the Mì-runach with her.”

“And King Gaius,” he reminded her.

“I fought in that last battle against Thracius.” She turned and motioned to the battalion, sending them off in different directions with a flick of her talons. “So trust me . . . the Rebel King can handle himself.”

They continued on, but the troops behind them kept getting closer until Gaius realized that Kachka was no longer right behind him.

He turned and went back and found her with Zoya Kolesova.

“What are you doing?” He could hear the zealots and he was now guessing they were dragons.

“There is other way out, yes?” Kachka asked him.

“I’m sure the dwarves have many ways out of—”

“Good.” Kachka waved at the tunnel walls. “Go, Zoya.”

“What’s Zoya going to—”

Zoya began hitting the walls and low ceiling with her fists until she’d gone from one side to the other.

“There,” she said.

But Gaius didn’t see what she was talking about. There were spots where her fists had damaged the stone—impressive enough—but he didn’t see how that helped them.

“Go,” Kachka now said to him.

“Go . . . what?”

“Use your flame.”

“It needs the extra pressure,” Zoya said to him, although that didn’t really explain anything.

Needing to get them to move, Gaius decided to play along. He motioned the two women behind him, and unleashed his flame against the wall.

That’s when everything began to shake. The walls. The ceiling. The ground beneath his feet.

Gaius stopped and stared until he heard Kachka yell, “I would move if I were you, dragon!”

That’s when Gaius realized the women were about fifty feet away from him.

He charged back as the ceiling and walls caved in, blocking the tunnel.

Stunned, Gaius looked at Zoya. “How did you do that?” he asked her.

“What did you expect, Rebel King? I am Zoya Kolesova, am I not? Of the Mountain Movers of the Lands of Pain in the Far Reaches of the Steppes of the Outerplains! Did you think the Daughters of the Steppes just made names up?”

“Yes. Yes, I did.” Gaius thought a moment, then asked Kachka, “Your tribe rode bears?”

“We did. Then we changed to the horse because horse may kick your face in, but bears will rip it off completely. I had a great aunt who had no skin on her face whatsoever. And no nose. But she kept both eyes, so she was considered lucky.”

Gaius began to respond but ended up shaking his head, closing his mouth, and walking away.

Because, really . . . what was there to say?

Dagmar headed for the stables. There she found mother and daughter grooming their horses. The two mighty black stallions towering over their riders but causing them no fear. And, for once, the two women weren’t fighting. They weren’t arguing. Nor were they giving each other the kind of brutal silence only a mother can give to her daughter and vice versa.

Also lurking in the stables were Annwyl’s new companions, the Kolesova sisters. They ate apple cores and made everyone nervous but that was about the extent of what they’d seemed to bring to the Southlands. So far. But Annwyl didn’t seem to mind them and they had much less to say than their younger sister.