Even more importantly, it would also be unnecessary to let her mother know Keita had gotten herself into this mess. And, oh, how Rhiannon would love to know about all this. There were few things in this world Keita dreaded, but her mother’s mocking laughter was definitely top of her list. From her hatching, the great Dragon Queen had made it perfectly clear Keita was not remotely what she’d wanted for an offspring. No great Magick like her older sister and no battle-honed skills like her brothers. “She’s good enough for a fist fight, I suppose,” Rhiannon would often say, “but I’d never put a battle lance in her claws.”
In the end, letting her mother know she’d been captured by the Horde was unacceptable, but more importantly it was unnecessary. Although it would take time, she knew she’d get out of here without even having to crack a talon.
And, steadily, every day, she’d been nearing that goal. Until last night. Until she felt pain like she’d never felt before. Not physical as she’d briefly felt from Gwenvael almost a week ago. Something else. Something from her Fearghus that tore into her like a spear.
She’d felt his loss. Felt it as if it were her own. She knew then she had to get home. She’d played with these fools long enough and she’d run out of time. As had Annwyl, apparently.
“Lady Keita?”
She gave herself one more moment to stare off into the distance before she turned to face the Lightning behind her. He threw down a half-eaten carcass at her feet.
“For you,” he said gruffly.
It took everything not to let out a sigh and roll her eyes, but she plastered on her sweetest smile, making sure her fangs twinkled in the torch light. “That is so kind of you,” she said sweetly. “I was just thinking I was a little hungry.”
He stepped closer. “The Honour is to take place in three days, my lady. I will make you mine then.”
She lowered her eyes and sauntered toward him.
“Your words,” she said against his ear as she passed him, her tail easing up his chest, “arouse me, my lord.”
She heard his panting, knew he wanted her. It did not surprise her when he suddenly turned and grabbed her, pulling her until their scales touched. He was much bigger than her; she had to bend her head back to get a good look at him.
“I will make you mine,” he growled.
“Lady Keita, I—”
The younger Lightning stopped as Keita jerked out of the other’s arms. She made sure to look alarmed, confused—weak.
The younger Lightning slammed down his gift on top of the older one’s. Keita blinked. Good Gods. Is that a tree? Who gifts a tree?
She absolutely dreamed of the day she could tell Gwenvael this story.“You cheatin’ bastard.”
“Back off, little snake. Wouldn’t want you to lose your head over somethin’ you’ll never get.”
The younger one—who had yet to learn to control his passions, whether love or hate—went for his brother.
Keita moved back as much as she could with the chain still holding her in place. But as she knew it would, the sound of their scuffle lured the others.
“What’s going on?” one of the older ones demanded.
“He was going to f**k her! I caught him!”
She almost laughed outright. Cocky bunch of dumbasses, weren’t they?
But with more of Olgeir’s brood joining in, the fight was getting ugly and the guards were called. She moved toward the door as two dragon guards ran in.
“Stop them please!” she begged. She’d convinced them all she only wanted the best for Olgeir and his kin—as if she cared. They rushed forward, first one and then the other. It was the other’s neck that Keita’s tail whipped around, yanking him back at such an angle that it snapped his neck clean. A lovely trick her father had taught her. “You may be smaller than the males,” he’d always told her, “but you can use their weight and stupidity against them. Never forget that.” She hadn’t.
She snatched the key ring hanging from his breastplate and unlocked the collar at her throat.
Backing into the shadows, she waited as more kinsmen tore into the room and joined the fray. Then she inched her way to the edge of the flat mountaintop. She gave herself another second, enjoying the spray of blood beginning to cover the floor, and then she dropped backward off the landing.
She stayed silent as she fell toward the ground, her eyes focused on the area she’d just escaped from. The fight continued, but calls of her disappearance didn’t come.
Grinning, Keita flipped forward and unfurled her wings. The power of the wind at her back took her and she headed south.
Nothing stopped her and she stayed near the tops of the trees. Eventually they’d realize she’d gone and would send out scouts to track her down. She’d have to be wily and fast to stay out of their grasp. But her brothers needed her, and she wouldn’t let anything stop her.
It was when she passed over the Torment River that she knew she had two males on her tail. She did her best flying, using trees and rocks and even birds to keep them off her back.
They were persistent, though. Determined. Finally throwing a net over her. She sneered, her talons slashing against the soft material. But when nothing happened, she looked down. Yet it was not her claw she saw … but her hand.
“What in all the hells—”
The net closed fully around her human body, and Keita fell like a stone. She screamed as land rushed up to meet her, the sound cutting off abruptly when strong dragon arms caught her and carefully brought her to the ground.