Dragon On Top

followed behind. They walked past the gates and Bram stopped.

“What are your cousins doing here?” Bram asked her.

“The troops are moving out from Bolver Fields and they have a tendency to pillage everything in their wake. My cousins will ensure that no one touches your castle or, more importantly, poor Charles. And I really think you should give him more money. He earns it.” Bram turned toward her, gazing into her face. “Thank you, Ghleanna. That was very thoughtful.” Ghleanna had rarely had anyone thank her before, so she didn’t know what to say and ended up staring after Bram long after he’d walked off.

“What if we get hungry?” one of her cousins asked.

“Cows. In the field.” She pointed a finger at them. “But you leave the human inside alone. He’s not to be eaten. Do you understand?” “But what if we’re really hungry?” And by the time she’d pulled her axe, her cousins had already charged back inside the gates, laughing the entire time.

They didn’t make their first stop until late morning, proving Ghleanna right about Addolgar. He was a tyrant about travel. But Bram was unclear why they’d come here. Gods, he hoped it wasn’t to round up more blasted Cadwaladrs.

“What are we doing here, Addolgar?” Ghleanna demanded once her talons touched the ground.

“You know why. Did you think you could leave the Southlands without coming here first?” “As a matter of fact, I did,” she snapped back.

“Well, you can’t. An hour here. A bit of food. And then we’ll be on our way.” “But—”

“No arguments, annoying female!” Ghleanna stamped her back claw. “Worthless bastard!” “Whiny harpie!” “This is your parents’ home.” The siblings faced Bram and Addolgar asked, “How’d ya know that?” Bram gazed at them all. “I used to visit. Quite often. Even stayed here for a while.” “You did?”

With a sigh, he walked off until he could comfortably shift and put on clothes. Once he’d done that, he headed toward Ailean the Wicked’s castle. Eventually, Ghleanna caught up to him. She’d shifted and changed into clothes as well.

“I remember you visiting.” “Remarkable. Since you were rarely here back then.” “But when I was here, I remember you. You were always chatting with my father.” “I came to him for advice quite often. He was a great help to me when I was first starting out.” Ghleanna slowed to a stop. “My father?” “Your father,” he said while he kept walking.

She caught up with him again. “My father helped you with that. . that thing you do?” “Yes. Your father helped me with that peacemaking thing I do that keeps you happily killing for a living.” She caught his arm and brought him up short. “He helped you do what?” “Many things.”

“What things?”

“Different things.”

“Like what?”

“Things.”

“Now you’re pissing me off.”

“Then my goal’s been obtained!” Frustrated but, it seemed, unwilling to beat the answer out of him, Ghleanna stomped her foot as she’d stomped her back claw earlier and said, “Tell me!” “No. I will tell you nothing. It’s between me and your father.” “What’s between you?”

Bram shrugged. “Things.”

Laughing, she tugged at his arm as Addolgar walked up behind them.

“Would you two pack it in. I want to—” Addolgar’s body lifted and flew into a nearby tree. Sent there by very strong arms and a total disregard for acceptable father-son boundaries.

“Still not paying attention, boy!” Ailean the Wicked bellowed good naturedly. For an older dragon, he still had a healthy set of lungs.

“You mad bastard!” “And watch your mouth, boy,” Ailean ordered.

The three youngest siblings stood beside their embarrassed older brother, laughing. Until another dragon crept up behind them, unseen, and slammed his shield into them, sending Cai and Adain flying and Hew screaming like a little girl in surprise.

“Weak!” Ailean bellowed. “The whole lot of you.” He suddenly pointed at Ghleanna. “Except her. Except my beautiful daughter who saw me all the way over there.” “You saw him?” Addolgar snarled, dragging himself to his feet. “And you didn’t warn me?” “I was talking to—”

“Bram!” Ailean held his arm out and Bram gripped it.

“Ailean. How are you?”

“Fine, boy. Fine. Notice you didn’t jump either.” He glared at Hew. “Unlike some others.” “Weak,” the older dragon with the shield said. “All your sons, brother. Weak as newborn babies.” “Uncle Arranz!” Ghleanna ran over to the older dragon and threw herself into his open arms. “It’s been ages.” “It has.” He put her down, looked her over. “You look good. Solid. Like your mother.” “Why are you here?” Ailean asked Bram. “I thought you were on your way to Alsandair.” “I thought Ghleanna should see Mum before we left,” Addolgar explained, while he brushed dirt and leaves off his clothes. “I heard from her last night.” Being able to talk to each other with their minds was the way immediate kin kept in touch. Very important when having to communicate with parents or siblings when a long distance off, but also a way for some kin to nag. Something that Bram was sure annoyed Ghleanna — at least at the moment.

“I’m glad she did.” Ailean looked at his daughter. “She was worried about you.” “I’m fine.”

“Tell her that then, so she’ll stop pacing the floors.”

Ghleanna’s mother wrapped her arms around her daughter and held her tight. Ghleanna closed her eyes and buried her nose against her mum’s neck. She loved her mother’s scent. It always made her think of home, made her feel safe — and very loved.

“Are you all right?”

“I’m fine, Mum. Really.” Ghleanna pulled away and saw the tears in her mother’s eyes. “Oh, Mum. Please don’t cry. I’m fine.” “I know. I know.” Her mother wiped at her eyes, smiled. “You know how worried I get, though. About all of you. I’m just glad you stopped by.” “Can’t stay long, though. Just an hour or two.” “You can eat, though, can’t you?” “Food!” her brothers cheered, pushing past her and going into the castle they’d been raised in.

“How long are you going to be on the road with that lot?” “Too long,” Ghleanna told her mum and they laughed.

“Lady Shalin.”

Her mother’s smile was warm. “Bram!” He leaned down and hugged Shalin the Innocent, Tamer of Ailean. “Oh, Bram. I’m so happy to see you. How are you doing?” “I’m fine, my Lady.”

“Well come in, come in. There’s enough food for all of you.” She took their hands and pulled them into the hall. Like a pack of ravenous beasts, her brothers had already descended on the food that had been put out.

“Like wild dogs,” Ghleanna murmured.

“Not really,” Bram murmured back. “Wild dogs have more manners.” He smiled and, out of politeness only, Ghleanna smiled in return. Unfortunately, though, her mother caught her smiling and Ghleanna saw those gold eyes widen, her nostrils flare.

“Talk to me about your plans, Bram,” Ailean said as he walked into the hall. “Come back to the war room.” “You have a war room?”

“Don’t you?”

Ghleanna waited until Bram and her father had walked off — while she tried not to notice her father taking the time to pinch her mother’s hip. . weren’t they too old for this sort of thing? — before she turned to her mother and said, “Stop it.” “Stop what?”

“You know exactly what I mean, Mum. And you’re going to stop right now.” Ghleanna started to head to the table, ready to fight her way through her brothers for a scrap of bread, but her mother yanked her back.

“Why not?”