Yet it was a tribute to the hardheadedness of these fire-breathing royals that Éibhear did nothing but rub the side of his head and scowl at Izzy as if she were one of the dark gods herself.
“You stupid bastard!” Izzy accused, throwing the shield down and making the ground shake just enough to have every dragon marveling at her.
“Did you even think about who you were f**king? ” the Blue thundered at her.
“Oh, I thought about it,” she replied, venom dripping from every word. “I thought about it and enjoyed every second of it.”
“Damn,” Vigholf muttered at Izzy’s words. “You know that one had to hurt.”
Izzy reached down and, with the help of her cousin Branwen, pulled the battered cousin to his feet. With one arm around Izzy’s shoulders and the other held close to his body, Branwen pressing into him to give leverage, the dragon let them walk him back to the fortress. He was weak, losing a lot of blood, but he made sure to look back over his shoulder one last time so that he could give his cousin a blood-filled smile.
Seeing that smile for what it was—lusty leering and “I won!” triumph—the Blue was on his feet again, but Meinhard moved faster and slammed him back to the ground.
“It’s over, lad,” Meinhard told him in that way that always earned the respect of his young trainees. “Anything else now will just get that girl to hurt you worse than she already has. And your ego won’t come back from that.”
Morfyd slipped past them, crouching in front of her brother. “Oh, Éibhear.”
“I’m all right, Morfyd.” Éibhear got to his feet, and his sister stood with him, her gaze troubled as she examined him.
She caught hold of his hand. “Come with me.” She dragged him off, ignoring his protests, and Ragnar went to Keita.
“You all right?” he asked her.
“I wasn’t the one getting beaten into the dirt.”
“No. Nor was it your precious baby brother getting beaten into the dirt either. Not really.”
“I tried to warn you. You shouldn’t underestimate him.”
“I think I shouldn’t underestimate any of you.” And without much thought, he used his thumb to wipe away a few drops of blood that had splashed along her cheek. Her lashes lowered, and her skin grew heated.
That was all it took for her.
Then again, it took even less for him.
Still, with all that went on between them without a word spoken, neither could ignore the silence that had developed around them.
The attention of both royal and low-born was on them, Ragnar unable to read the expressions and deciding it was probably best not to.
Ragnar dropped his hand away. “I’ll see what I can do for your cousin. I’m pretty good help after a brawl.” The princess nodded and said nothing else, so he followed after Izzy and tried to ignore all the eyes that were on him.
“A Lightning?” Ghleanna demanded. “Have you gone round the bend?”
Keita rolled her eyes. “When have you ever cared what I do?”
“Your father will care. And your mother will bloody care.”
“Well, that’ll keep me up nights.”
Ghleanna grabbed hold of Keita’s arm and yanked her a few feet away from their kin. Her grip was brutal and her anger palpable. Normally, Keita would try to ease her aunt’s concerns, telling her what she wanted to hear.
But not this time.
“What are you playing at?”
“I don’t know what you’re—”
Her aunt’s fingers tightened, making Keita’s eyes water. “Don’t play your games with me, little miss. This is bad enough, but now I hear about you and—”
Ghleanna cut herself off, and Keita snapped, “Me and who?”
“I can’t believe you’re that stupid.”
Keita tried to pry Ghleanna’s fingers from her arm. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, and I’d like it if you’d let me go now.” Her aunt’s eyes, black like Bercelak’s, narrowed; her lips thinned.
Ghleanna had little patience for those who didn’t listen to her and jump at her commands. But Keita didn’t jump at anyone’s commands.
“Let her go, Ghleanna.” Fearghus stood next to them now.
“We’re just talking.”
“You can talk later.” Fearghus took Keita’s other arm and pulled her away from their aunt. “You should come to the castle tonight and see the babes.”
Fearghus led Keita off.
“I don’t know what’s going on,” Fearghus said when they were halfway between the lake and the castle. “But whatever it is, little sister, I hope you know what you’re doing.”
“Don’t I always?”
Fearghus stopped. “I’m not joking. I’ve got enough shit to worry about without worrying you’re about to end up on the wrong side of the Cadwaladrs. Especially if what I’m hearing about you and Esyld is true.”
“You need to trust me, Fearghus,” she said, unable to outright lie to her eldest brother about something so important.
“I do trust you, Keita. That’s what has me worried. You’re not usually this…obvious. And the strength and speed with which this rumor has spread has the earmarks of Dagmar Reinholdt all over it. Yet I know she likes you.
So then why would she say anything that could put you in such trouble?”