Light My Fire (Dragon Kin #7)(126)

“I’ll attempt to remember that,” he murmured as he leaned in for another kiss.

“Morning, sister and her dragon whore!” Kachka’s voice boomed, startling Celyn away from that tantalizing kiss. Much to Elina’s annoyance. “I hope death finds both of you well this glorious morning!”

Elina glanced over at her sister. “You have caused problems, Kachka.”

“Me? How? I did not start one fight last night, just as I promised you. Nor did I spit again on floor after first time, and I set nothing on fire.”

“Fire?” Celyn asked.

“That is what we do when we raid town,” Elina explained. “Burn everything to ground as warning to other towns that dare challenge us. We also sometimes do that to individual people . . . when they annoy us enough.”

“How lovely.”

Elina faced her sister. “You f*cked that boy—”

“He is certainly man now.”

“—and the Northlander female is not happy.”

“We should have wiped the Northlanders out and taken their men when we had the chance.” She nodded at Celyn. “No offense.”

“None taken. I’m a Southlander.”

“Well, we did none of those things,” Elina went on, “and now the Northland female whines. So we will go with Bram the Merciful to his home. Protect him and the boy.”

“The little smart one?” Kachka nodded. “He takes after father and one day he will be glorious to look upon.” She grinned. “And I will still be here, waiting for that day.”

“I am begging you,” Celyn said, his eyes briefly closing, “never say that again, ever, within a thousand leagues of this place. Not unless you are hoping to be executed. Just . . . never.”

Kachka reached up and patted Celyn’s face with the tips of her fingers. “I see why my sister likes you so. You are so adorable when there is fear in your black, soulless, dragon eyes.”

Chapter Thirty-Six

Just as Bram landed in the courtyard of his castle home, the two Riders came through the gate that, once again, he’d forgotten to close.

“Am I that old?” he asked Var. “That I can’t out-fly horses now?”

“Those are Steppes horses, Uncle Bram,” the boy patiently explained as he slid off Bram’s back. “They are known for their speed and endurance.” He patted Bram’s side. “And you are getting old.”

Bram nodded. “Thank you, dear boy. Your honesty is so refreshing in this day and age.”

The horses trotted close to Bram, showing no fear. The same way the women on their backs showed no fear.

“How do you live like this, Bram the Merciful?” Kachka asked. “So much unmovable stone. Do you not feel trapped?”

“Dragons normally live in caves. Castles aren’t much different.”

“I do not like,” Kachka sniffed. “I would feel like I could not breathe.”

“Do not complain so, sister. It’s not like you will be trapped by walls of stone.” Elina pointed at Bram. “Just the dragon. So if walls fall on him and crush his sad head, we will be outside under the stars . . . safe.”

Bram nodded. “Thank you both for that.”

“You are welcome,” they said together.

“Uncle Bram,” Var said, “I’m hungry.”

“Come, little Abomination,” Kachka ordered. “We will hunt your food down.”

Var, his face twisted in disgust, pointed at Bram’s castle. “I’m sure Uncle Bram has food. He always has food. Food I don’t need to hunt down and kill.”

“Horse gods of death, what have these dragons been teaching you, boy? How to live off others when you are perfectly healthy to go and hunt for yourself?”

“That’s exactly what they’ve taught me, and I find it perfectly acceptable.”

“No.” Elina rode over to the boy, reaching down and hauling him onto the back of her horse. “You will not turn into lazy Southlander. Not when you have potential to be a perfectly acceptable husband one day.”

“I don’t want to be an acceptable husband one day.”

“You all say that, but then on knees you beg. ‘Pleeeeease make me husband. I will do anything to be your husband.’ But you are too pretty to beg. The warriors will come to you and offer so much to have someone so pretty raise their children.”

“Uncle Bram?” the boy begged in a whiney voice Bram had never heard before, making Bram choke back a laugh. It was always nice when his nephews’ dragon-human offspring actually acted like children for once.

“Learn to hunt, Var. It’ll be good for you.”

“We won’t be long,” Elina told him.

Wondering if he’d remembered to bring those scrolls that Dagmar had given him last night, Bram began to dig into his travel bag. They had to be in here somewhere.

“Bram!”

Bram looked up, quickly realizing the two Riders and Var were staring at him. “Yes?”

“Close gate after us,” Elina said. And based on her tone . . . she’d said it more than once.

“Right. Close gate. I will.”

“Good.”

The sisters rode out with young Var, and Bram walked toward his gate. But by the time he reached it, he was headfirst into his bag, trying to find those damn . . .