How to Drive a Dragon Crazy (Dragon Kin #6)(136)

“You let her go?” Agrippina demanded when she finally stopped at the table, her eyes on Izzy.

“Aye. And I’m sorry, but it wasn’t my choice.”

“What do you mean it wasn’t your choice? I was told you had her. In your grasp.”

“We did.”

“And?”

“And we could not kill her there. I assure you it was not my or Éibhear’s decision. Rhydderch Hael made it quite clear what he wanted and there are times when it’s too much trouble to go against him.”

“Why didn’t you just bring her back here alive then?”

“I felt confident she wouldn’t have survived the trip,” Éibhear admitted, and the smirk on Izzy’s face told him he was right. “And after what had happened to Vateria in the Desert Lands, it would not have looked good for her to die at the hands of Southlanders. I’m sorry. I know that’s not what you want to hear but—”

“Did she do that to you, Izzy?” Gaius asked. He was staring at the wound on the lower left of her jaw, his brow pulled down in concern.

“It’s just a little thing.”

Agrippina closed her eyes, let out a breath.

“Izzy, Éibhear . . . I’m sorry,” she finally said. “I shouldn’t be blaming you for any of this.”

“Do not trouble yourself so,” Izzy said.” I understand hating someone who treated a family member so cruelly that you dream of killing them with your bare hands.” Izzy looked right at Haldane. “Dream of it every damn day.” She focused back on Agrippina. “And, if it helps, I did incapacitate the bitch.”

Gaius grinned. “You mean like you did Vateria’s father?”

“Well . . . she did love him so. And Rhydderch Hael just made it clear she was to be left alive. He didn’t say she needed to be able to fly.”

“You—” Haldane suddenly stepped in—“keep mentioning Rhydderch Hael in such a way as to suggest you speak to him as a friend. Do you expect us to believe that? That the father god of all dragons bothers with someone like you?”

“Our Izzy,” Briec stated with great pride, “is Rhydderch Hael’s chosen warrior.”

Haldane snorted. “Her?”

That’s when Talaith scrambled across the table, her hands almost around her mother’s throat. But Briec caught his mate, yanked her back, and tossed the cursing, screaming woman over his shoulder. “Well,” he stated calmly, “I’ll see you all at dinner.”

They watched him walk up the stairs with Talaith, then to Éibhear’s surprise, Izzy apologized.

“Gods, I’m so sorry, Haldane. Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” Haldane practically snarled, while Elisa rubbed her own mouth to hide her smile.

“Are you sure? That was horribly awkward, wasn’t it?” Izzy clapped her hands together. “I know! Rhi . . . hug your grandmother! Soothe the moment!”

“Okay!”

“Rhianwen, no—”

Her grin wide, Izzy asked Haldane, “Now don’t you feel better?”

With her arm around her sister’s shoulders, Izzy stood on the top step outside the Great Hall entrance. Together they ignored the near-violent arguing coming from inside.

“Dinner wasn’t bad, eh?” Izzy said, gazing into the courtyard.

“No. Not bad at all.” Her sister looked at her. “We’re still leaving day after tomorrow, though, yes?”

Izzy laughed. “We’ll miss the harvest festival.”

“I don’t care.”

“It’ll be fine, Rhi.”

“Mum is just so angry.”

“You need to accept the fact that she will never be friends with Haldane.”

“But—”

“Never.”

“But maybe if—”

“Never. Say it with me, Rhi. Nev-errrr.”

Rhi sighed deeply. “All right.”

Izzy kissed her sister’s temple. “Want to stay the night at my house?”

“No.”

Surprised. “Really?”

“Really. You go on.”

Izzy narrowed her eyes. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing. You’re so suspicious.”

“Because in this family I have to be.”

Rhi laughed and hugged her. “See you in the morning.”

“All right.” Izzy whistled. “Macsen! Come on!”

Her dog charged out of the hall and tore off into the darkness. He’d been in great spirits since his brief time playing stud at the Imperial Guard dog kennels.

Izzy followed the dog down the steps, lifting the skirt of her gown so that it didn’t drag on the ground. She briefly stopped at the bottom of the steps though and debated about spending the night in her old room until she heard her mother yell, “You were a bitch when I was sixteen, and you’re a bitch now!”

Followed by Rhi’s plaintive, “Mum!”

Izzy shook her head and headed into the forest. It was dark in these woods, but when Izzy saw light in the distance, she knew she was near the group of homes that made up her little neighborhood.

She had almost cleared the trees when Macsen charged past her heading the other way. Izzy immediately pulled out the sword Zachariah had given her and turned, barely blocking the weapon aimed right for her. Izzy shoved the weapon—another sword—away and spun to give herself momentum, slashing at the attacker. But her opponent blocked the move, their weapons locking. Izzy, fed up, stepped close to see who the hell would attack her here, so near her home.