The girl, rightly terrified, burst into tears and ran off, allowing Keita to focus on the man behind her.
She faced him, pointing a finger. “I should rip the flesh from your human carcass, you low-born—”
“She’s my cousin,” he cut in.
“Yeah. Right. Nice one. Like I’ve never heard that line of centaur shit before.”
“I was asking her to be our new nanny.”
That had a ring of truth to it, didn’t it? “New nanny?”
“We lost another nanny, and Morfyd asked me to see if my young cousin would take the position. The young cousin you just sent screaming and sobbing back to my aunt and uncle, who will probably never let me see her again.”
Keita lowered that accusing finger, knowing he spoke the truth. “Oh.”
“You can ask Morfyd, if you’d like. She knows my whole family.
They adore her.”
“Brastias, I’m so…very…”
“No, no. It’s always wonderful when your fourteen-year-old cousin is called a whore on the street and you’re accused of betraying the mate you adore. And in front of the blacksmith, too.” Keita looked over, and the blacksmith gave a happy wave.
“Truly, I am so sorry. I just—”
“You and Morfyd go at it like cats and dogs,” Brastias said, “but something always told me I never wanted to be on the wrong side of that.” He walked past her. “Now I know I was right.” He headed off down the street, back to the castle, and tossed over his shoulder, “Some of the Cadwaladrs are dining with us tonight. With Izzy back, there will probably be dancing. I thought you should know.” Keita buried her face in her hands. Mortified. She was absolutely mortified!
So when Ragnar put his arm around her shoulders and led her out of town, she didn’t even ask where they were going. She didn’t even care.
He took her deep into the forests, leading her along until he got to a small lake behind some large boulders. It was secluded and quiet, a place he’d stumbled upon when he’d been here two years before. Less than a mile away was the spot where Keita had stabbed him with her tail. She didn’t go into a rage often, but when she did…there were always so many victims.
He brushed off one of the smaller boulders and led her to it. “Sit.” She did, planting her elbows on her knees and her face back in her hands.
“You all right?”
She answered, but he couldn’t make it out with her hands in the way, so he crouched in front of her and pulled them away. “What?”
“I said I’m mortified.”
“Is that a new experience for you?”
“Kind of.”
Ragnar brushed her hair from her face. “All right. So you called a child a whore and accused your sister’s mate of betraying her…I’m sure it could be worse.”
“What are you doing?”“Trying to make you feel better?”
“You’re not very good at it.”
“I know. Sorry.”
“Don’t apologize.” She gave a little laugh. “I think it’s endearing.”
“Like the village slow boy who brings flowers to the pretty neighbor girl?”
“Pretty much…but I must say you have managed to make me feel better.” Keita sat up, scrutinizing the dragon crouched in front of her.
“What?” he asked. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“You know…you have a beautiful face.”
“Thank you?”
Reaching out, Keita framed his face with her hands.
“Has no one said that to you before?”
“Of course. My brother said it just the other day before he bought me a pretty new gown…and earrings.”
“You Northlanders do love your sarcasm.”
“It gets us through the day.”
“Would this help you get through the day?” And then she kissed him, pressing her lips to his, stroking her hands across his jaw.
To Keita’s surprise, unlike their first kiss, there was no response from Ragnar. She might as well have been kissing the boulder she was sitting on.
Feeling a little idiotic, she pulled back and found those strange blue eyes watching her.
“Was I too forward, warlord?”
“No. But I’m no Southlander.”
“Which means what exactly?”
“Something about you tugs at me, Keita, and I won’t be shooed away like some irritating fly once you bed me. You can play that game with your Fire Breathers, not with me.”
“So should I hand my wings over now or wait until you come first?” His smile was a little sad as he took the hands she still had pressed against his face and gently pushed them back into her lap. “If that’s the best you think of me, perhaps you should find yourself someone else. A safer distraction for Her Majesty than a wing-removing bastard of a Lightning.” He rose to his full height, towering over her with all that power and muscle. As a dragoness, she should feel wary. Ready to fight or flee at the slightest move from the Northlander who made her feel so uncomfortable.
“It’s all right,” he said. “To the rest of the world we’ll be ravenous lovers.”
He took a step away, and Keita reached out, catching hold of his inside thigh. Keeping her hand there, she stood. She only reached his shoulder, but that was enough.
“How about we make a deal?” she suggested.