Last Dragon Standing (Dragon Kin #4)(18)

The foreigner’s smile was small when he said, “I’m not sure she’ll ever forgive you for that, Northlander.” His smile widened a little bit when he added, “But perhaps that’s what you’re hoping for.” Appearing to be following after the princess, the Eastlander stopped in front of Ragnar and pointed at him, asking, “Do you need some ointment for that?”

Ragnar curled his fingers in and pulled his hand away from his chest and that damn scar he’d been scratching—again! “No.” The foreigner shrugged. “As you like.”

As he’d like? Somehow Ragnar doubted he’d have what he’d like for at least the next few days.

“Keita, wait.”

“Go away, Ren. Let me seethe in peace.” Keita spotted a squirrel not far from her and opened her mouth to unleash a line of flame. But a hand covered her mouth and her friend shook his head.

“Must you take your anger out on that poor squirrel?” She slapped his hand off. “I’d take it out on you, but you’d only enjoy it. And what’s the good of that when I want to make something miserable?”

“Your suffering doesn’t give you the right to make others suffer.” Keita rolled her eyes. “You with your deep philosophical ramblings.”

“You like my deep philosophical ramblings.”

“Not when they interfere with my ridiculous rages. It’s extremely hard to flounce away with any dignity when you’re so busy rationalizing.”

“No one can flounce anywhere with dignity. It’s a law.” Keita pressed her lips together to keep from laughing. This was why she adored Ren. Because no matter the situation, no matter how annoying or brutal or horrible things might be, he always made her laugh.

He put his arm around her shoulders. “My dearest, loveliest Keita.”

“I like when you add the ‘loveliest’ part.”

“You are the loveliest.”

“Adore. You.”

“So what’s really bothering you, my friend?”

“Can’t you tell?”

“Is it the current width of your brother’s neck?”

“No. Although that is disconcerting.” She leaned her head back, and looked up at her friend. “I’d like to know why those Lightnings are taking my brother back to Dark Plains.”

“To ensure he gets home safely, I’d assume.”

“Well, of course, as a royal he’d need an escort. I’m not questioning that. But Ragnar the Cunning? Current Dragonlord Chief? And his second in command, Vigholf? Meinhard and a few of their warriors would have ensured the same thing.”

“I see your point. Your mother then?”

“Most likely, which makes me nervous. Mother doesn’t call on foreign dragons for no reason.”

“Think Éibhear will know the answer?”

Keita smiled and petted Ren’s cheek. “That’s so cute you’d think that.”

Ren laughed. “Not one for questioning the obvious, is our Éibhear?”

“Hardly. He still thinks the best of everyone.” Keita stepped away from Ren and smoothed her dress down. “I’ll need to find out the answer myself. And since I’m forced to endure that bastard barbarian’s presence until we get back to Devenallt Mountain, I might as well get what information I can.”

Ren brushed his finger against Keita’s cheek, his teasing gone. “Are you all right, luv? Seeing him again?”

It had been Ren that Keita initially ran to when she’d left Ragnar the Cunning alone and bleeding in the forests outside Garbhán Isle. It had been Ren who listened to her rage until the cave walls around them shook. And it had been Ren who suggested that Keita go to Anubail Mountain to get some much-needed training in the fine art of fighting while human—the fact that that situation didn’t turn out well at all was, of course, not Ren’s fault. But that had been two years ago, and to be honest, Keita had sort of…well…

“You forgot about him, didn’t you?” Ren demanded.

“I had other things on my mind.”

“How do you do that? How do you just…let it go?” Keita lifted her hands and dropped them. “What can I say? I’m much too beautiful and benevolent to hold grudges. Besides”—she took her friend’s arm—“isn’t being mad at a Northlander like being mad at a stampeding bull or a rabbit that keeps breeding or a startled bear that mauls?”

Ren gazed down at her. “Are you actually comparing a fellow dragon to dumb, mindless animals?”

Keita’s grin was wide as they headed back to the Northlanders. “Why yes, Ren. Yes, I am. And that’s what makes me so lovely—because I accept them despite their faults.”

“By the gods of thunder, Keita—you are giving.”

“I know!”

Chapter Five

Several hours later they landed in a dense forest in the Outerplains.

An area Keita knew quite well. Too well. It was the place her aunt had chosen to live quietly and anonymously the last few centuries. The aunt her mother and court still considered a traitor.

Feeling a tinge of panic, she glanced at Ren, who could only shrug.

“Are we camping here for the night?” she asked the warlord while her baby brother went off in search of something warm and bloody for them all to eat. And, for the first time since they’d taken off from outside Bampour’s lands, Ragnar spoke to her. “Not unless we have to.”