How to Drive a Dragon Crazy (Dragon Kin #6)(42)

Queen Rhiannon sat down beside her youngest offspring on the hill that overlooked the castle of Garbhán Isle and the surrounding grounds. The last time she’d sat here with her son, he’d been making the very nasty transition from child to adult. Now, as she looked up at the profile of that face, she saw what that change had cost him. There were no longer any soft lines there. No longer any perfect, smooth human skin. Instead, his jaw was strong and she could see that it had been broken at least once. His cheekbones were now sharp, and he had scars on his neck and face, which meant steel blades had cut past hard scales to the flesh underneath.

When she’d sent tasks to the Mì-runach, she’d had to struggle not to think of her son possibly being part of the team they’d send in to accomplish them. The thought of him running, screaming, into enemy territory, wearing no armor, and destroying all in his way until he reached his goal was something that often kept her up at nights. Not only what might physically happen to him, but what could change him. What could turn him into a dragon she’d rather not speak to, or hear from, or ever admit was her offspring.

In other words, would being a Mì-runach make him into a bastard?

Of course it had been hard to tell at evening meal. What with her mate and elder male offspring picking on him so. Éibhear hadn’t said much. Just kept eating, until he’d finally gotten up and walked out. Then she’d been forced to hear all the arguing between her sons and their mates. Honestly, did that ever end? But at least those human females did what they could to protect Éibhear.

Rhiannon readied her speech. The speech she’d given more than once over the years to Éibhear and, when they were much younger, to her older sons. The one that included things like:

“I’m sure your father didn’t mean that.”

“Of course your father loves you.”

“No. He didn’t try to sell your egg to the highest human bidder.”

“And of course, he never tried to kill you while you slept!”

She readied that speech, but before she could recite it as she’d been doing for the last few centuries, her son said, “Izzy didn’t come to dinner.”

Rhiannon blinked, closed her mouth. “No. Morfyd said she was tired and wanted to sleep.”

“But she’s not in her room.”

“She has a house now.”

Her son finally looked at her, those bright silver eyes curious. . . as always. Especially when it came to Iseabail.

“A house? Izzy has a house?”

“Gwenvael had it built for her. It’s just outside of town.” Rhiannon leaned in a bit and said low, “I think she was feeling a little crowded here.”

“Talaith?”

“The twins. They’re appallingly nosey.” When her son only stared at her, she added, “Not like me!”

He grunted and looked back out over the land. “I bought a castle.”

“Whatever for?”

“I like sleeping in a bed.”

“You can have beds in caves.”

“I have a cave, too. But I wanted a castle.”

She shook her head. “Just like your grandfather. I couldn’t believe when your father kidnapped me and took me to Ailean’s castle rather than a cave. Imagine! An entire dragon family forced to live in a castle.”

“Must you always point out you were kidnapped by our father?”

“I was.”

“Dad says you were tossed on his doorstep like so much royal trash. And you were haughty about it, too.”

“I was not haughty. I’m just better than him. Once he understood that, we were fine.”

And then, there it was. The thing she’d been missing for so long now. Éibhear the Blue smiled.

“I missed you, Mum.”

“I missed you, too.” She rested her head against his arm, marveling at the size of the muscle under her ear. “And I’m glad you’re home. At least for a little while.”

“Yeah. Me, too.”

After her friends left, Izzy cleaned off the table, gave Macsen a break outside, and washed up. She was about to slip into bed when a knock on the door had her throwing a nightdress over her naked body and grabbing her sword. She cracked the door open a bit, but she immediately lowered her weapon.

“Yes?”

“I had a bad dream.”

Izzy opened the door but blocked the way so her sister couldn’t walk in. “You had a bad dream?”

“Yes.”

“So you walked all the way over from the castle, in a nightdress and robe, so that you can sleep in my bed?”

“Yes.”

“The stuffed bear is a nice touch.”

“Thank you.”

“And you came here alone?”

“No, no. The twins are with me.”

Izzy leaned out and looked around. “The twins are where?”

“In the trees.”

“Why . . .” Izzy glanced up, trying to understand this. “Why are they in the trees?”

“To sleep.”

“They don’t want to come in?”

“They like to sleep in trees. I, however, do not.” Rhi tightened her arms around her body. “Getting colder . . .”

“You just expect me to kick Macsen out?”