Last Dragon Standing (Dragon Kin #4)(111)

Ragnar stared at the floor, his heart skipping several beats. “Are you sure?”

“It’s what I heard, but the rumor is only now starting to spread.” He shrugged. “They all think she’s mad anyway, so few take these dreams seriously.”

Because they didn’t know.

“If it’s them she dreams of, brother—” Vigholf began.

“Don’t panic.” Ragnar lifted his head, glanced around. “Let me see what I can find out. We’ll talk more later.”

“All right.”

Ragnar motioned across the room to Meinhard, who’d found himself several females to talk to. “He seems to be doing all right for himself.”

“He has all his hair,” Vigholf muttered, making Ragnar want to punch his brother in the head.

“Perhaps you’d like hair like these royals. Past your ass, so you can look particularly enticing to other males.”

“I didn’t say I wanted that. I just don’t want this.”

“Be grateful you still have your head.”

“Lord Vigholf!” Keita called out, stepping away from the dancing crowd. “There you are.”

Considering he and his brother had not moved, Ragnar wasn’t sure how hard it could be for Keita to find Vigholf.

With her hand on another She-dragon’s shoulder, Keita said, “Lord Vigholf, this is my cousin Aedammair.”

“My lady.”

“It’s ‘captain,’” the brown dragoness gruffly corrected. “You wanna dance then?”

“Well, actually—”

“Good.” The dragoness grabbed Vigholf’s surcoat and yanked the poor bastard out onto the dance floor.

Keita leaned her backside against the table, her palms pressed against the wood.

“And what exactly was that about?” Ragnar asked.

“He looked depressed. Aedammair will help him with that.”

“Tell me, princess, do you whore out all your relations to appease outsiders?”

“Only the cousins who tell me, ‘I’ll f**k that purple stallion over there. What’s his name?’”

“Why does she get to bed a purple stallion without question, but you can’t?”

“Aedammair is a low-born. I, however, am of royal blood. I can’t be running around, bedding just anyone.” She pursed her lips before admitting,

“I do, but I’m not really supposed to.” Ragnar laughed, gazing down at her. “You look amazing tonight.” Her smile was bright. “I know. I put in all this effort for you, I’ll have you know. It best pay off.”

“I think I can arrange that.”

Gwenvael had finally managed to get to his feet, stumbling up to the table while brushing dirt and flame residue off his still-intact clothes, proving whoever had set him aflame hadn’t been trying to hurt him as much as make him go away.

“You’re unreasonable!” the Gold yelled at someone across the hall.

“Do you think whoever he’s yelling at was being unreasonable?”

“No, not at all.” Keita spread her arms out a bit farther, and her fingers brushed against his.

Ragnar watched his brother cut through the crowd on the dance floor, trying to make it to an exit, the brown dragoness hot on his heels. “When can we get out of here?” Ragnar asked, keeping his voice low. “I have a great need to be back inside you.”

“We could brazenly walk out with me over your shoulder like one of my cousins did with his mate. Although I’m fairly certain that may lead to your imminent death from my brothers before we make it out to the courtyard.”

“I’d like to avoid that.”

“So would I. Can’t have my way with you if you’re dead.”

“That’s an excellent point.”

Vigholf charged back the other way, pushing Fire Breathers aside as he tried to make his escape.

“We could sneak out like my baby brother did a few minutes ago with one of the human nobles’ daughters.”

“If you witnessed him sneaking out, he wasn’t sneaking out well.” Keita snorted. “That little bastard wanted to be seen. He’s being so obvious about this whole thing.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“It’s nothing. My brother’s still young. He’ll learn about females soon enough.”

“I’m thinking your brother will be a thousand years old and still know nothing about females.”

Vigholf suddenly appeared before them and whispered, “Help. Me. ”

“Where’ dya go?” the dragoness captain asked, getting a good hold on Vigholf and dragging him back to the dance floor.

“When I was your brother’s age,” Ragnar continued, “I’d already been in battle against one of my own uncles’ Hordes, traveled into the Ice Lands to train for ten years with a small group of mages that believed they were neither good nor evil, and destroyed an entire monastery of monks.”

“Gods,” Keita said on a shaky breath. “It’s like you want me to f**k you right here.”

Briec walked up to them, his eyes locked on the dance floor.

“What’s going on out there?” he asked, motioning to Vigholf, who was trying desperately to keep the brown She-dragon from getting as close as she’d like.