A Tale of Two Dragons

And that someone was Addolgar.

“You have a very good point, Brigida the White,” Addiena finally stated. “But what will I do with Braith the Blue?”

“My liege,” Brigida practically purred, “that’s very simple.” She focused those cold, dead eyes at Braith, sending a chill down her spine. “We send Braith the Blue to bring back her father—dead or alive.”

Addolgar had his claw on Braith’s back so he felt her entire body go rigid at Brigida’s words. And he understood why. He wouldn’t want to have to hunt down his father either. Mostly because his father scared him a little and Addolgar was quite sure the old dragon would kick his ass, but still . . .

“Me?” Braith said. “You want me to hunt my father?”

It was the perfect reaction, wasn’t it? The perfect reaction for the Queen. To see Braith’s fear, her absolute horror at the prospect. If she’d been eager, the Queen would have immediately said no. But there was no eagerness there—and the Queen loved it. She lived on others’ misery.

“Aye,” the Queen said, her smile so wide, her bright white fangs nearly blinding everyone in the entire chamber. “You will hunt your father. Hunt him down and bring him to me. Or,” she added for good measure, “I’ll assume you were part of all this.”

The Queen leaned in a bit, the tip of her tail eagerly scratching against the stone flooring. “That you were a part of it . . . and anyone who may have helped you was part of it as well.”

Braith’s mouth dropped open in shock that the Queen was openly threatening all the Cadwaladrs who’d been at Ailean’s castle during her stay, and she immediately looked to Addolgar, then Ghleanna. She glanced at Bercelak, but quickly sneered, before moving her gaze back to Addolgar. She stared at him for several seconds before focusing again on the Queen.

“Your Majesty—” Braith began.

“She’ll do it,” Addolgar quickly said for her, terrified she was going to do something stupid and “honorable.”

Braith glowered at Addolgar. “What are you doing?” she demanded between clenched fangs.

“Stopping you from being an idiot.” He grinned at the Queen. “She’ll do it, Your Majesty. And I’ll go with her to assist in bringing this traitor to justice.”

“I cannot hunt down my own—”

Braith’s eyes grew wide, her claws reaching for her throat.

“Aunt Brigida?” Addolgar pushed.

The old She-dragon smirked while Braith tried desperately to breathe. “Yes, dear?”

The invisible binding around her throat disappeared, and Braith took in big gulps of air. She really hated when Brigida did that to her.

“Aye,” the Queen said, her grin even wider than before. “This is all a very good idea.”

Cruel, heartless bitch. No wonder Princess Rhiannon hated her mother. Now Braith hated Rhiannon’s mother, too.

Bad enough asking her to hunt down her own father but to threaten the Cadwaladrs merely for helping Braith . . . where was the honor in that? Braith’s mum would have asked.

“Glad I could be of service to you, my Queen,” Brigida replied, her grin showing several rows of fangs, proving she had to be one of the oldest mortal She-dragons living.

“But wait,” the Queen said when Brigida began to slowly turn to leave. “You know, I think I’d feel better if I had a little extra protection.”

“Extra protection?” Brigida asked, casting her gaze over the armed and well-trained Queen’s Guard that surrounded the Queen and filled the chamber.

“Aye!” She pointed. “Ghleanna can stay. She can help keep me safe.” She lowered her head, those blue eyes on Braith. “Keep me confident.”

“Ghleanna?” Addolgar asked. “Yeah. All right.”

Braith faced him. “Are you mad?”

“Mad at what?”

She briefly gritted her fangs. “You cannot leave your sister here, Addolgar.”

“Why not?” He looked at Ghleanna. “You don’t mind, do you?”

Ghleanna shrugged. “Nah.”

“See? She doesn’t mind.”

“I don’t care if she minds. We’re not—” Braith stopped to yank the walking stick from Brigida’s claw. “Choke me again, old hag, and I will beat you to death with this thing!” She turned back to Addolgar. “Now, we are all leaving here together or I’m—”

“Just go,” Ghleanna pushed. “I’ll be fine.”

“Yes, but—”

“If you’re worried,” Bercelak sighed out, “I can stay with her.”

Ghleanna blinked. “I don’t need you to stay with me.”

“I didn’t ask if I could stay with you. But I’m staying with you.”

“Piss off,” Ghleanna told her brother.

“You piss off.”

That’s when Ghleanna pushed Bercelak. Who pushed her back. So she punched his shoulder. Bercelak went to punch her shoulder, but Ghleanna caught him by the wrist and twisted his forearm around his back. He reached back with his free forearm and caught her by the hair. Then they were a rolling, pummeling mass of black dragon scales thundering across the throne room floor.

Brigida snatched back her walking stick from Braith and headed toward the exit. “Come along, you two,” she called back. “We have much work to do.”