Last Dragon Standing (Dragon Kin #4)(75)

“Although we tell others he was killed in battle. Only the family knows the truth about his death.”

“And that truth will never leave me.”

She believed him and gave him a small smile. “My mother loved her father dearly. He protected her from her mother, and his death was a great loss to her.”

“Do you really think she only wants revenge? That she’d instigate a war with the Irons just for that reason?”

“My kin hold grudges like the ocean holds water. Forever, until a giant wave slams into the shore and devastates absolutely everything.”

“That doesn’t mean she’s wrong about this, Keita. You can’t say you don’t feel something barreling down on us.”

“I dreamed…”

“You dreamed…what?”

Keita shook her head. Was she really going to sit here and tell Ragnar about ridiculous dreams involving demon horses? What exactly did that have to do with the Irons anyway? “Forget it. But you’re right. I do feel something coming. But I also know my mother embraces war. The Elders have much less power when there’s a war.”

“And Esyld?”

“If my mother can use Esyld to get her war, she will—but I want to stop this before it goes that far. I need to protect the throne.” Ragnar sat up. “Gods, tell me you don’t think the Irons can be reasoned with.”

“I won’t know that until I meet with them.”

“Meet with them?”

“Calm down. I don’t mean now.”

“You better not mean ever.”

“I can’t promise that. If I get the opportunity—”

“Have you lost your mind?”

“It’s so sweet of you to ask that like it’s not possible…even after meeting my kin.”

“Now the bigger issue—”

“There’s a bigger issue than your insanity?” Ragnar demanded, wondering what this female was thinking.

“Surprisingly—yes! And that bigger issue, of course, is what are we going to do with you?”

“Pardon?”

“Well, in the past when Ren and I—”

“Yes. Your perfect Ren. How could I forget him?”

“That sounded an awful lot like sarcasm, but I’m choosing to ignore it. Now, I’ve thought about this all the way from Devenallt Mountain. And we need a good, solid reason for you to be around me. You can’t just follow me like a puppy. So, after some thought, I think the best idea is for us to be lovers.” She smiled. “Isn’t that a lovely idea?” Gods! This female!

“What?”

She had the nerve to look insulted. “You don’t have to look so panicked. We can just fake it if it makes you more comfortable.”

“I’m not panicked—I’m trying to keep up.” He scratched his head as it dawned on him that she hadn’t said they would pretend to be lovers, which meant what exactly? “Do you want to be lovers?”

“Sure. Why not? You know, while we’re here.” She was truly trying to drive him into drinking every day until he blacked out, wasn’t she?

“It’s kind of a ‘two mountains, one boulder’ sort of thing,” she explained. “It will give us something fun to do while waiting to stop a war that may devastate our entire continent.”

“Uh-huh.”

“And,” she continued, smile widening, “everyone will be disgusted that I’m willing to lower myself to actually bed a barbarian lightning breather. A definite win-win, wouldn’t you say?”

“How is that a win-win?”

“They’ll all assume I’m doing it to torment my mother, not realizing my mother could give a blessed shit, which will draw the traitors out sooner rather than later. See? It’s brilliant.”

Ragnar began to rub his temples with one hand. “Let’s try this again.

Do you want to be with me?”

“You mean actually f**k you?”

Ale. He needed ale so badly right now. “Sure. Why not?” Keita leaned back and studied him. “Aye. I think I’d enjoy f**king you.” Her eyes narrowed. “Is there something wrong with your chest?” Ragnar slammed his hand down, and Keita leaned farther away. “You don’t have scale fungus, do you?”

“I do not have scale fungus! If you want the truth, this is your fault!”

“My fault?”

“You stabbed me, and this damn thing hasn’t healed in two years. Did you use a poison on your tail?”

“Of course I di—” Keita abruptly stopped talking, her hand covering her mouth.

“You did, didn’t you? ” Ragnar bellowed. “ You did bloody poison me! ”

“It shouldn’t have lasted this long,” she argued while not trying very hard not to laugh. “I just rubbed it against an iustig plant before I—”

“Assaulted me?”

“If you want to be literal. But the itching should have stopped ages ago.”

“Well, it didn’t. Dammit, Keita! I thought I was losing my bloody mind.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Like hell you are.”

“No. Honestly. I am sorry.”