A Tale Of Two Dragons

and letting him bleed out while she came to Addolgar’s side.

Addolgar closed his eyes again, continued to feign unconsciousness. He felt her stroke his hair. “Addolgar? Addolgar?” She pressed two claws against his throat, felt for signs of life. When she found them, she let out a sigh.

“Thank the gods,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry, Addolgar. I had no idea he would ever . . .” She swallowed. “Don’t worry. We’ll get you help and then I’ll go straight to the Queen. I’ll tell her everything. My father will pay for this betrayal.”

Yes. Her father would pay. And so would Braith. As one of Elder Emyr’s offspring, she would suffer the fate of her kin for no other reason than that she shared their bloodline. Addiena would want revenge now. Not when they eventually tracked Emyr down. And Addolgar realized he couldn’t let that happen. It wasn’t fair. Addolgar would hate to be held responsible for some of the stupid centaur shit his kin did on a daily basis. So why should Braith suffer for her father’s treachery?

Yet he now understood Braith’s sense of honor. Not that people talked about it as they talked about Bercelak’s triumphs in battle or Ghleanna’s fearsome reputation among enemies. No. He hadn’t heard about it, he just saw it. In what she’d just done. Using her bare claws, she’d fought for his life and saved it. So Addolgar knew her honor existed. Knew it was powerful, which meant she wouldn’t listen to reason. She wouldn’t believe that Queen Addiena would hold against Braith what had clearly been plotted and executed by her father.

Addolgar wouldn’t let that happen.

So when Braith got to her claws and turned away from him to, he assumed, figure out her next step, Addolgar did the only thing he could think of. He forced himself to his claws, ignored how dizzy he felt, and grabbed the back of Braith’s head, slamming her right into the tree he’d passed out beside.

She went down hard, and was definitely out cold.

Panting, exhausted just from that little burst of energy, Addolgar stumbled and landed on his ass. He let out a sigh, glad to be sitting since standing wasn’t working well for him at the moment. He patted Braith on her now- bleeding head.

“Don’t worry, Braith of the Darkness. I won’t let you get yourself into trouble. No. I’m going to save you from yourself just as you saved me from those bloody treacherous bastards. That’s what friends do for each other. And since you saved my life . . . we’re friends, you and me.” He grinned despite the pain in his head and the need to vomit whatever he’d eaten earlier in the day. “Friends! Because look at the great way I take care of you!”

Chapter 4

Addolgar smiled and waved at his sister and one of his older brothers, Rhys the Hammer. The pair landed and stared at Addolgar, their wings retracting against their bodies, their heads tilting to the side in curiosity.

Ghleanna went back on her haunches and placed her claws on her hips. “What the bloody hells happened?”

“I’ve been poisoned.”

“By Braith of the Darkness?”

“No. She saved me life.”

“So the soldiers killed her?”

“She’s alive.”

Ghleanna looked around at the soldiers’ bodies. “So they beat her before you killed them?”

“Oh, I didn’t kill them.”

“Then who did?”

“Braith.”

Ghleanna frowned. “Braith . . . who?”

“Braith of the Darkness.” He pointed at the prone She-dragon. “That Braith.”

Ghleanna looked over the dead soldiers again. “Braith of the Darkness killed all these soldiers? With poison and then you beat them up after they died?”

Addolgar, known for his patience, was running out of it. “Braith didn’t poison anyone. I was poisoned and these soldiers were going to finish me off. Braith killed them all, with her bare claws, and saved me. Which I found quite impressive.”

“But the soldiers beat her up first?”

“No one beat her.”

Ghleanna looked at Rhys, but their older brother could only shrug.

“Okay,” Ghleanna said. “Then what did happen to Braith?”

“Oh! I rammed her head into the tree to stop her from leaving.”

Rhys the Hammer, third born to Ailean the Wicked and nearly a hundred years older than Addolgar, shook his head and reminded him, “That is not how you keep a female. Even one that impresses you, Addolgar. Because when she wakes up . . . she’s going to hurt you.”

“I did it for her own good.”

Rhys rolled his eyes. “You all say that, but—”

“No, no. Really. I was saving her.”

“From?”

“Herself.”

Ghleanna and Rhys again looked at each other before Rhys asked her, “You brought me here for this?”

“You’d never believe me if I just told you these things. You must see. So you can understand what I go through.”

“Would you two stop?” Addolgar ordered. “I don’t feel well.”

“Because you beat up Braith of the Darkness?”

“I didn’t beat up anyone, Rhys. Because I’ve been poisoned.”

“Is that why you’re sweating between your scales?” Ghleanna asked, appearing slightly disgusted.

“Probably.”

“Who did poison you then?”

“Lady Katarina.”

“Lady Katarina poisoned you and Braith of the Darkness killed all these soldiers?” Ghleanna abruptly shook her head and demanded, “Addolgar, what the holy fucks has happened here?”

He shrugged. “You’re not going to like it, I’m afraid.”

“Well . . . to be honest, I don’t like anything.”

Rhys, who had been poisoned by more than one female over the years before he’d met and mated with the perfect She-dragon for him, mixed up something to calm Addolgar’s stomach and get him back on his feet.

Addolgar was grateful. The poison Katarina had fed him might not have killed him, but it had made him feel like ox shit. Now, however, he was standing over a still-unconscious Braith and explaining to his sister and brother exactly what had happened.

And what was at stake.

When he was done, Ghleanna looked him right in the eyes and said, “She’d be better off if you kill her now.”

“I am not killing her, Ghleanna.”

“So you’ll let Addiena do it? Because we both know the Queen will. We both know she’ll enjoy doing it. She’ll take her time with that one, make sure she gets lots of screams.”

“Stop. I don’t want to hear this. I’m going to help Braith. It’s up to you whether you help me.”

“So what do you want to do?” Rhys asked. “Hide her in your cave?”

“I think I should take her home.”

Rhys frowned. “To your cave?” And it was more a strong suggestion than a question.