Dragon On Top

had been. . strange. Mostly because she’d been so comfortable. She’d never been that comfortable in a male’s arms before.

Maybe it was because the royal seemed so non-threatening. He was Bram the Merciful, after all. He never ate humans and was always running around trying to create alliances and truces with their kingdom’s enemies. He’d never been in a battle in his life and hadn’t even noticed the one right outside his own castle gates.

He was definitely not the kind of dragon she ever saw herself with. As a warrior from a warrior clan, she’d always been with other warriors. Then again, she’d rarely stayed the night and when she did, she never slept in those warriors’ arms. And Ghleanna was even less comfortable with human males.

But Bram. .

She shook her head, confused. Annoyed. But surprisingly refreshed, as if she’d had a full twelve hours of sleep.

“You all right, sister?” Addolgar asked her after a few hours on the road. “You’ve been very quiet today.”

“Aye. I’m fine, brother.”

“Is it the royal?” he asked, his voice low so only she could hear. “Should I break him in half for you?”

Ghleanna smiled. She’d always been very close to Addolgar. They’d spent a lot of time together killing things in battle and weren’t very far apart in age. And it always warmed her heart how protective he was of her, although she was often the last one who needed that protection.

“No. That’s not necessary.”

“If it becomes necessary, you simply say the word.” They walked on for a bit and Addolgar added, “He’s not terribly weak, though.”

“What?”

“The royal. He’s not too weak, I don’t think. And he doesn’t look weak. His human body’s not very large but it probably helps him blend in more with the humans. And as dragon he’s a tolerable, average size.”

“Your point?”

Her brother shrugged. “Maybe you should see all that’s in front of you rather than just a small piece. I wanted a She-dragon tiny and soft, like a kitten. And yet my mate is everything but. And I adore that about her.”

Ghleanna sighed. “I don’t know what’s going on with you and Mum, but it is a very sweet thought, brother. Still, I think I may be too much She-dragon for our peacemaker. What kind of do-gooder like him would tolerate how many times a year I go out and kill things for sport and profit? I’m rarely home and when I am home, I’m usually recovering from battle wounds and working with one of our blacksmiths on new weapons I want to try out.”

“You give him too little credit, I think. Besides”—Addolgar leaned down and whispered in her ear—“when he doesn’t think you’re looking, he stares at your scars.”

What Bram had muttered in his sleep the previous evening came back to her, but she brushed it away and said, “All that proves is he’s odd.”

“Not at all. I know that look. Me mate has it for me when I get home fresh from a battle. He likes those scars, Ghleanna. He likes them a lot.”

Aye. Crazy. Every one of her kin was absolutely stark raving mad.

Bram was digging through his travel bag and walking, trying not to trip on anything, when he realized that he was surrounded by Ghleanna’s younger brothers.

He slowed to a stop. “Is there something you lot—”

“No, no. Keep moving.” Adain shoved Bram forward while Cai and Hew nervously looked back at Ghleanna and Addolgar. “You, uh. . you like our sister, yeah?”

What in holy hells was going on with everyone?

“Sorry?”

“You,” Adain pushed, “like our sister. That’s what Addolgar says.”

“Well, I don’t see—”

“All we want to say is that if you want to, you know, take a run at her — we won’t rip your arms and legs off.”

“Take a run—”

“Our sisters call it the Gauntlet. Most blokes aren’t good enough for ’em, you see.”

“Human or dragon,” Hew added. “Don’t matter. They’re mostly idiots.”

“But you’re not bad,” Adain confided. “And the females like the pretty ones.”

“I don’t—”

“Look, all we’re saying is that if you want a shot at her, we won’t stop you. The last bastard she was with — he hurt her.”

Cai whispered, “She don’t like to admit it, though.”

“Right, but you, you’re supposed to be real nice. Feeble maybe, but nice.”

“I am not—”

“So maybe you can take her out sometime. Or buy her something a female would like. Flowers or whatever.”

“And,” Hew insisted, “tell her she’s beautiful.”

“She is beautiful.”

“Yeah. Tell her just like that. Like you mean it.”

Bram stopped walking. “I do mean—”

“Good, good.” Adain patted his shoulder. “We’ll leave you to it then.”

The brothers walked off and Bram, confused and becoming more and more terrified by Ghleanna’s kin, went back to digging through his bag. And that’s when he finally heard it. A bird. A crow specifically. Cawing.

Bram looked over at the trees on the other side of the beach they walked on. The crow cawed again, his wings spread out wide from his body.

“What is it?” Ghleanna asked him.

“Someone’s following us.”

“Aye. We know.”

Surprised, Bram again looked at the brothers. Although they were still talking, they all had their hands on the closest weapon.

“You’re not going to panic on me and run, are you, royal?”

“My, you do have a high opinion of me, Ghleanna. It’s very heartwarming.”

She laughed and shook her head. “No insult meant. Simply wanted to be sure I didn’t need to chain you to me.”

“To stop me from running away? Not necessary.” Bram gave her a small smile. “However, if you find other reasons to chain me to you, feel free.”

Ghleanna stumbled a bit. “Wait. What?”

But before Bram could elaborate on his request — in detail — Hew yelled out, “The trees!”

The Cadwaladrs moved in unison and with purpose, all of them surrounding Bram, their shields up and locked together, their weapons ready to strike.

“Watch your right, Hew!” Addolgar yelled out. “Look to the trees, Cai. Adain, send a call out. See if any of our kin are nearby. Tell them where we are.”

“I don’t see anything.”

“All you need to know,” Ghleanna reminded Cai, “is that Addolgar and Hew did. Now shut the fuck up and hold formation!”

Then there was silence. A painful, bloated silence that had Bram panting lightly so that when he needed his flame, he could unleash it as he’d been trained to do since hatching.

They waited, the moment growing more and more tense, but not once did any of the Cadwaladrs move. Not once did they even flinch. Even the younger ones who, according to Cadwaladr Code were still too young and untrained to be on their own.