Last Dragon Standing (Dragon Kin #4)(59)

“Not here, brother. Not now,” Ragnar whispered.

“Then when?”

“Whenever you like, Lightning,” the woman offered, finally crawling off the Blue. “Now, if you so choose.”

Vigholf snarled, but Ragnar held him back with his hands against his shoulders. “Calm down.”

“Don’t hold him back. Unleash him so I can finish what I started and then”—the human female pointed a finger at Ragnar—“I can finish the rest of you.”

“What is wrong with you?” Keita demanded of the human. “Why are you acting like this?”

“You don’t think I know? That I hadn’t heard what they did to you?” Green eyes glared at them from under uncombed hair. “They kidnapped you, Keita. Trying to force a female into what they want. And for that”—the woman bent her head from one side to the other, the sound of bones cracking radiating across the road—“they lose their heads.” She pressed forward, and Ragnar turned so he faced her. Not willing to let anything happen to Vigholf, Ragnar prepared to unleash a spell, but again Keita got between Ragnar and his kin and this crazed human female.

“No! You’re wrong. That’s not what happened.” Keeping her eyes on Ragnar, the human asked, “Then what did happen?”

Keita cleared her throat. “These were the ones who rescued me from Olgeir.”

“Bullshit.”

“Do you think I’d really protect anyone who had a hand in my kidnapping?”

“It wasn’t them?”

“I assure you, Annwyl, it wasn’t—”

“Annwyl?” Ragnar repeated, suddenly remembering that Keita had said the same name before they’d burst out of the woods. “This is Annwyl?” Ragnar looked the woman over, from her absurdly large feet to the top of her unkempt head. “This? ”

This human who had more muscles than seemed necessary for any royal and watched him and his kin with what he could only term as the mad eyes of a diseased animal.

Keita lifted her hand to silence him, her intense gaze warning him. He noticed that she made no large moves, kept her voice even and controlled.

“Queen Annwyl of the Dark Plains, please allow me to introduce you to Ragnar the Cunning, his brother, Vigholf the Abhorrent, and their cousin Meinhard the Savage. My lords…this is Queen Annwyl, human ruler of these lands and my eldest brother’s mate. Now, before we go any further, just let me say—”

The human held up her hand. “Wait. I’m sorry. Your name is…

Vigholf the Abhorrent? ”

“Annwyl—”

“Why don’t we have names like that in the Southlands?”

“It used to be Vigholf the Vicious,” the Blue decided to add for some unknown reason, “but in the last war it became Vigholf the Abhorrent.”

“Now see, I’m just Annwyl the Bloody. That’s bloody boring is what that is. But Annwyl the Abhorrent? Now that has a lovely ring to it, don’t you think?”

“Annwyl.” Keita pressed her hand to the woman’s forearm. “Lord Ragnar and his kin are here under my and Éibhear’s protection.”

“Really? Even though they kidnapped you…twice? First this one’s father and then him.”

“I already told you, he rescued me from Olgeir. And the gods know we can’t charge him with what his father did. You, Annwyl, should know that better than anyone.”

“So when I’d heard he’d taken you to barter with your mother…?”

“Nothing more than a silly misunderstanding and absolutely no reason for there to be any anger.”

“Silly misunderstanding? Really?” The queen’s grin spread across her face, making her appear even more insane. “Then I guess we can call all this”—she swung the braid in her hand—“a silly misunderstanding as well?

Eh?”

She laughed, kissed Keita on the cheek, and waited until the Blue lowered himself so she could kiss his cheek. “I’m glad you’re both home.

Perhaps you’ll stop my mate from roaring so much these days.” She clicked her tongue against her teeth, and her horse came forward. “Be sure to see the children. Tell Fearghus I’ll be back later.” The human queen tucked Vigholf’s braid into the belt around her waist, slung her sword and shield on her back, and somehow managed to mount a horse that would be too big for many Northland men. “I look forward to seeing you all at dinner.”

With another laugh, she spurred her horse and rode off.

“That’s your human queen?” Ragnar asked again. “ Her? ” Keita shrugged. “She has moods.”

“She took my hair.” Vigholf drove his sword into the ground. “My hair! ”

“My lord.” Keita took Vigholf’s hand and held it between her two smaller ones. “Please forgive her. So much weighs on her, and she only did it for me. I promise to do all I can to make this up to you.” Ragnar knew it took a lot for his brother to say, “It’s not your fault, princess. Think no more of it.” But his strength of will was as strong as any Northlanders’.

“Come.” She tugged at Vigholf. “Let’s get you settled.” She smiled at a wounded Meinhard. “And get you a healer.”