It took all Talaith’s strength not to pull back her hand in shock. “What about him?” Damn. She didn’t mean to sound so angry. A bit of a clue something was wrong.
“Shouldn’t you both be making decisions together?”
“And why would we do that?”
“Because he loves you.”
Dammit. “Does he now?”
“Aye. And it hurt him you didn’t tell him that after he told you.”
Now Talaith did snatch her hand back. “And how do you know that?”
“He told me after I fell out of the sky.”
Briec…quickly forgotten. “Pardon?”
Now Izzy showed true annoyance. “Well, you can blame Éibhear for that.”
“I can?”
“Aye. If he’d just taken me flying when I asked him too, I never would have grabbed on to his tail which led him to drag me through the trees trying to get me off.”
All those muscles Talaith had unknotted when she first got in the tub were now tight and painful.
“You did what?”
“Why are you yelling at me? You should be yelling at Éibhear.”
“You ask me if you can eat dinner in your room, but you don’t ask me if you can torture Éibhear to take you flying?”
Truly perplexed, Izzy asked softly, “Why would I ask you that?”
* * *
Éibhear lifted up the heavy bed, with Briec face down on it, and checked again.
“What are you doing?” his big brother asked, voice muffled by the bedding he’d buried his head in.
“Looking for my sword. The one Annwyl gave me. I was going to wear it at dinner.”
He dropped the bed back down and Briec grunted.
“Exactly how long are you going to mope over this, Briec?”
“Until I die of old age. Now you won’t have to ask me that damn question again.”
Éibhear opened his closet and rifled through there. “I hate seeing you like this.”
“Aye,” Gwenvael agreed from his safe position on the windowsill. “You are quite pathetic.”
“I will kill you,” Briec warned without lifting his head from the bed.
“Well, what did you expect Talaith to say to you?”
“I expected her to tell me she loves me.”
“Maybe she doesn’t…ow! What the hell was that for?”
Éibhear shook his hand out. It was true. Gwenvael did have an amazingly hard head. “Accident.”Gwenvael’s body tensed and Éibhear prepared himself for a fight when a loud banging at his door stopped them both. They figured it was Fearghus from the sound of it.
“Come.”
The door opened and his worst nightmare walked in, pushed by her mother who had firm hold of her shoulder.
“What do you want, little girl?”
“Be nice,” Briec growled without lifting his head from the pillow—until he heard Talaith’s voice. Then his head snapped up and he stared at her.
Aye, his brother truly did love her. Éibhear could see it in the dragon’s violet eyes.
“Say it, Izzy,” Talaith snapped.
“I don’t think I should…ow!”
Éibhear bit back his smile when Talaith tugged her daughter’s hair.
“Don’t make me tell you again.”
The girl’s light brown eyes locked on his and he raised an eyebrow, thoroughly annoying her. But it seemed she didn’t want to test her mother. “I’m sorry…” Her glare became worse when he gave her a huge, taunting grin.
“Finish it,” her mother ordered.
“I’m sorry I grabbed on to your tail.”
“And…”
Sighing, “And I’m sorry I harassed you about taking me flying.”
“Good.” Since Talaith was behind her daughter, she never saw the spoiled little brat stick her tongue out at him. “Now to your room.”
Practically frothing at the mouth, the girl stomped off. Talaith shook her head. “I’m sorry, Éibhear.”
“Not a problem.” No point in telling Talaith, a woman he adored, that she’d spawned a demon.
Talaith turned to go and that’s when she saw Briec. He used his arm to prop his head up.
“Lady Talaith. Is that what you’re wearing to dinner tonight?”
Talaith looked at her dressing gown. Clearly she’d just gotten out of the tub. Her hair, soaking wet, reached down her back in big curls and she hadn’t put shoes on.
“And exactly when did I start owing you an explanation for anything I do?”
“She’s got you there, brother.” The pair turned on him so fast, Gwenvael stumbled back against the window, almost falling out of it. “Don’t bother. I’ll accidentally hit myself in the head later.”
Muttering to herself, Talaith glared at Briec and left.
Growling, Briec jumped off the bed and followed.
Once the couple were gone, Éibhear headed back to the closet, but Gwenvael’s next words caused him to hit himself with the closet door.
“What I don’t understand is why everyone keeps hitting me.”
* * *
“Talaith, wait.”
“No.”
He caught up to her, grabbing her arm and turning her around. “Please.”
By the dark gods, did he actually say “please”? Ignore it, Talaith. Ignore it. “Why did you tell Izzy what you said to me?”