Izzy found her Desert Land family back at their house, a healer helping with any wounds that had been sustained during the battle in the sewers. When Izzy and Branwen walked into the yard at the back of the house, Zachariah immediately came to her side.
“There you are. You all right?”
“I’m fine. Just had to take care of something.”
“Well, that uncle of yours seemed awfully worried when you didn’t come right back.”
Brannie snorted and Izzy elbowed her cousin in the side.
“Um, Zachariah, about Éibhear and me—”
“There you are.” Éibhear strode across the yard until he was in front of Izzy, and her grandfather was forced to move quickly out of the dragon’s way. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine.” Why did everyone keep asking her that?
“I thought you were coming right back.”
“I told you I had something to do.”
“With Vateria? Because if you killed her—”
“I didn’t, but I don’t report to you, Squad Leader.”
“Could you say that with any more disdain?”
“Actually I could.”
“I see our spoiled-brat side has not changed in the last two decades.”
“And I see that our know-it-all, thinks-the-world-should-bow-at-his-feet side is still a bit of a bastard!”
“Fine! I won’t bother worrying about your tight ass again!”
“Good! Because my tight ass doesn’t need your tight ass doing anything!” Izzy stopped, thought a moment. “Now we’re just flinging compliments at each other.”
“It’s not my fault we’re amazing.”
They laughed and Éibhear stepped a little closer, his hands reaching up and gently sliding across her jaw, his gaze locking with hers. “I’m just glad you’re all right, Izzy,” he admitted. “You had me worried.”
“I’m fine. Now just kiss me.”
Éibhear leaned in, big fingers framing Izzy’s face, and he whispered, “When we get back, Iseabail, we have much to discuss.”
“Gods, more conversation?”
“You can’t avoid it forever.”
“No. But I can try.” Then she leaned up and kissed him instead. But as soon as she did, Éibhear’s hands tightened on her jaw, his tongue slid boldly into her mouth; teasing, playing. Izzy wrapped her arms around his waist, gripped the back of his shirt tight. Gods, she was tempted to rip it off right here and now!
Izzy had no idea how long they stood there, kissing like that, lost in each other, but Zachariah roaring, “What the hell kind of uncle are you?” snapped them right out of it.
They stepped away from each other, both of them looking around at the group of people, kin, who were staring at them. That’s when Izzy knew she and Éibhear were in deep. Too deep. One did not start passionately kissing someone in front of their entire family unless they were just rude, and Izzy considered herself a very polite person. But Éibhear had her all confused and desperate and, to be blunt, damn horny.
The bastard.
Zarah, standing near several of her daughters, shook her head at the embarrassed couple and chastised with a smile, “Someone’s a very dirty uncle.”
“And a very naughty niece,” Maskini added.
Éibhear’s head snapped around, and he glowered at Izzy, his jaw tense, his hands in fists, and Izzy immediately jumped back before black smoke poured out of his nose. She hated when that happened.
When the dragon kept glaring at her, Izzy demanded, “What are you looking at me for? I didn’t tell them to say that!”
Chapter 43
Rhi hummed to herself and sketched a beautiful tree several hundred yards away. She was in a very good mood. Her sister and uncle, both quite safe, were heading home. Should be back any time now. What Izzy would have to say, though, Rhi still didn’t know. And if her mother knew, she wasn’t telling her yet.
That was okay, though. She could wait. Because right now, all that mattered was that her sister and uncle were safe. And, she was guessing, very much in love.
Rhi stopped humming so she could smile.
“Lady Rhianwen?”
Rhi looked up, her grin growing wider. “Hello, Frederik! And please, call me Rhi. Everyone else does.”
“When I do your father glares at me.”
“Don’t take it personally. My father glares at everyone except me and Izzy. Even my mother. Although she thinks it’s cute.” She studied the Northland male. “That’s a rather large stack of books you have.”
“Oh, yes. Auntie Dagmar has given me reading assignments.”
“How much time do you have to read all that?”
“Quite a while. Until dinner.”
Rhi blinked. “Oh. All right.” She gestured to a corner of the fur covering she sat on. “Would you like to join me? I’m just drawing, and I promise not to bother you while you read.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want to interrupt you.”
“No, no. Not at all. We’re kind of family now, so we should be acting like it. Please. Sit.”
With a nod, he placed his books down on the grass and sat on the far corner of the fur covering. He didn’t have to sit so far away, but she didn’t blame him either. Her father had been saying things in front of poor Frederik to make it clear that his daughter was off limits.