A Tale of Two Dragons

“Fine,” Ghleanna growled. “But if this goes bad—I’m blaming you, Addolgar.”

Well . . . Addolgar had expected that last bit.

Chapter 5

Braith brought her claws to her head and quickly realized her claws were now hands and that she was on a bed in what appeared to be a castle.

“That idiot,” she muttered. Because only a Cadwaladr could make this situation worse.

Braith sat up, tossing her legs over the side of the bed. But as soon as her feet touched the cold stone floor, she fell back on the bed, waiting for the spinning to stop.

She gingerly touched her forehead, felt where her head had been split open. Why . . . why would that big idiot ram her into a tree? If it was because he thought she’d been part of her father’s treachery, she would be in the Queen’s pits right now, awaiting execution. Instead, she was in a human bed, in human form—how he’d managed that, she had no idea—and trying desperately not to pass out again.

While lying there, Braith moved her jaw around. It, too, was swollen, although there was no lump. Somehow she doubted Addolgar had done that to her, but she wouldn’t put it past one of his siblings.

Siblings who were probably all over this castle.

She knew that was where she was. In a castle, where the scent of fire dragons was in every nook and corner, which meant only one thing....

Because there was only one dragon she knew of who not only had a castle but actually lived in it rather than on it. And that dragon was Ailean the Wicked.

It made sense, though, didn’t it? Anytime Ailean’s offspring were concerned or confused or had done something that might get them put to death, they returned here for advice from their mother, Shalin the Innocent, or help from their father and the rest of the Cadwaladr Clan. But to Braith, coming here meant putting two very kind dragons at risk. Something she’d been trying to avoid from the beginning. She didn’t want any more innocents hurt because of her father.

The room finally stopped spinning, and Braith was able to sit up. When she felt strong enough, she stood. She took a few tentative steps, and since that felt good, she walked to the door and opened it. The servant standing in the hallway gasped at the sight of Braith. Quickly closing the door, Braith proceeded to look for something to wear. Since she only intended to be human until she made it to a clearing, she pulled a long cotton shirt out of a trunk and drew it over her head. It reached her knees, and she decided that would cover enough of her for the sensitive humans.

She went back to the door and again opened it. The servant was still there, cleaning up after one of the dogs running around. Head held high, Braith walked down the hallway and then down the stairs until she reached the first floor and the Main Hall.

As one of the main dining areas for the extensive Cadwaladr Clan, there were many tables, but only one was occupied. That’s where Addolgar and his parents sat eating their breakfast of meat and bread. Braith decided to forgo common courtesy and headed straight toward the open front doors.

She had barely passed the table when she heard, “Oy!”

Braith kept walking, not looking back, not answering. She merely had to get to the open double doors. She did, too. Making it outside and going down the stone steps. But as her bare feet stepped onto the courtyard, Ghleanna stood there, waiting for her.

“Going somewhere, Lady Braith?” Ghleanna asked.

“I have somewhere to be. So move.”

“Wait, wait.” Addolgar jogged down the steps, stopping by Braith’s side. “You can’t leave.”

“I can’t stay, Addolgar. You are putting your kin at risk. You know what the Queen will do—”

“Exactly,” he cut in. “I know what the Queen will do even though you did nothing wrong.”

“Then that’s what I’ll tell her.”

“Oh, please,” Ghleanna scoffed. “Do you really think that female will listen to you?”

“That female is our Queen. Now get out of my way.”

Braith pushed past Ghleanna, but the She-dragon caught her wrist, held her in place.

Letting out a sigh, Braith looked over her shoulder at Ghleanna.

“Perhaps,” Ghleanna murmured, “I wasn’t clear.”

“Actually,” Braith admitted, “you were.”

“Oy. Boy.”

Addolgar looked behind him and saw his father gesturing to him with his hand.

“But, Da—”

“Up here now.”

With a frustrated sigh, Addolgar jogged back up the stairs until he stood by his father’s side.

After Rhys had headed out to see if he could find out any more information about what all of Emyr’s plans might be while not alerting the Queen to what had already happened, Addolgar had sat down with his parents to talk about what their options were. What he hadn’t expected was to see Braith walking out of his parents’ home with, he was sure, the intention of turning herself in to the Queen.

“What is it, Da?” he asked Ailean, anxious to get Braith back inside.

“Just moving you out of the way, boy.”

“What are you talking—”

Before Addolgar could finish the question, his sister flipped up the steps, her back ramming into the hard stone. Snarling, Ghleanna pushed her short, black hair off her face before charging back down the stairs toward Braith. Addolgar began to follow, but his father quickly caught hold of his arm and held it.

“You don’t want to do that, boy.”