A Tale of Dragons   Chapter 11

“It’s more my fight than yours. It was me they’d planned to kill. That alone will bring every Cadwaladr within a thousand leagues to exact revenge. Trust me when I say you don’t want to be in the middle of that shit storm.” “What does it matter? Your family already hates me.” Addolgar gazed at her for several moments before asking, “Why would you say that?” “Because they attacked me in your father’s courtyard?” “Only because you battered Ghleanna. And she only tried to stop you because of me. Actually . . . my kin was quite impressed. Once we wrapped up their wounds and snapped bones back into place. Where did you learn to fight like that?” “My mother. And she learned from her mother. The females on my mother’s side are, what my father has always called when he was feeling nice, hearty.”“Hearty’s good. The Cadwaladrs respect hearty.” Braith couldn’t help but snort a little laugh at that while she tried to figure out where to put her damn hands with these damn manacles and chains

A Tale of Dragons   Chapter 12

“Mum,” Bercelak kindly said, their mother being one of the few dragons he showed any true respect for. “We can’t just dismiss this. Whether it was Addiena or her mother, this is something that would be considered treachery by any who held the throne.”“He’s right,” Braith said softly, her gaze now on Shalin. “I don’t know why my father did this, whether he has intentions of taking the throne for himself or for someone who has offered him more than Addiena. But whatever his reason, this cannot be ignored. It has to be dealt with.” “Aye, it does,” Brigida announced as she made her slow way back into the hall. She had her walking stick in one hand and a jug of Ailean’s ale in the other. “And what do you suggest, Auntie Brigida?” Ghleanna asked. Brigida stopped by Bercelak’s side and began to tap him on the head with her walking stick. With an annoyed growl, Bercelak got the hint and moved out of the chair and into another one while Brigida took his place and slowly settled her ancient

A Tale of Dragons   Chapter 13

“Because of Addiena?”“No. Not for Braith. It’s that father of hers.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “I’ve never liked him. Not at all. But he is dangerous. Maybe not physically to you, but he’s not above using others to get what he wants. Keep that in mind.”“I will. And I’ll stay outside her door to make sure she doesn’t sneak away from here during the night.”“Excellent plan. I’ll bring you some food so you can eat up here.”“Thanks, Mum.”Finally smiling, Shalin went up on her toes, then stretched her arm up so that she could pet Addolgar’s cheek. “My handsome son.”She winked at him and went down the stairs“Don’t let that compliment go to your head, brother,” Bercelak said from behind Addolgar, and it took all of Addolgar’s training not to scream and run away. Did the dragon e

A Tale of Dragons   Chapter 14

“She told you to?” Bercelak barked. “What are you? A well-trained dog?”“Last night you were ready to cut her down in Da’s hall.”“That was last night. Today is different! And we’re not talking about me, we’re talking about you, you idiot!”“Big-headed Bercelak is right!” one of their cousins called out, earning a glower from Bercelak. “We should follow those Queen’s Guards and slaughter them all!”Addolgar’s kin cheered in agreement, but a calmly spoken, “No,” stopped them from doing just that.Ailean still stood at the top of the stairs, staring down at them all. “We will not slaughter anyone.”“So we just let them take her?” Ghleanna asked.Ailean grinned. “I didn’t say that either.”Braith would admit, she’d expected rougher treatment from the Queen’s Guard as

A Tale of Dragons   Chapter 15

But, honestly, none of that mattered. Not with Braith’s life on the line.“Come on,” Ghleanna said, tugging at Addolgar’s forearm. She headed inside the chamber, Addolgar and Bercelak following. The guards let them by, but watched closely.Brigida was still making her very slow way across the chamber toward the Queen.Addolgar was about to storm around her one way while Bercelak went the other, but Ghleanna caught them both by the hair and yanked them back.“But—” Addolgar began.“We follow,” Ghleanna whispered.“She’s moving like a snail,” Bercelak grumbled.“We follow,” Ghleanna insisted.So they did . . . very slowly. Painfully slowly. Addolgar hadn’t known anything could move that slowly and still be moving.Even stranger, though, was the fact that everyone waited for Brigida. They watched. They waited. They moved out of her way

A Tale of Dragons   Chapter 16

A Tale of Dragons   Chapter 17

“What about them?”“We should probably bring them in, too, or Addiena will just send us out again.”“Don’t worry. Where my father goes, my brothers will go. They’ve never been able to think on their own.”“That’s sad.”“My mum tried to help them, but since hatching they’ve been loyal to my father. Plus they’re rather stupid.”“And you’ve been loyal to your mum.”“From the beginning to the end of time, I’ll be loyal to my mum.”“I don’t blame you. She did a good job teaching you to fight.”“She did?”“Braith, you may not be ready to ride into battle”—yet—“but you’ve got basic hand-to-hand combat techniques down pretty well from what I’ve seen. You took out Bercelak.” He leaned down until their noses nearly touched. &ldquo

A Tale of Dragons   Chapter 18

“And you?” she asked, before Addolgar could list the reasons all of his kin would be involved in this.“Why are you doing this?”“That’s easy. Because I like you.” He grinned. “I like you a lot.”“Why?”“Because you make me smile.”“You’re Addolgar the Cheerful. Everything makes you smile.”“Not everything. And if I want to like you, Braith of the Darkness, I get to like you. Whether you want me to or not.”“Why wouldn’t I want you to?”“I don’t know. Maybe because I’m not a royal?”“Is there anything about me, Addolgar, that says I embrace being a royal? That I live my life as a royal? Anything?”Addolgar thought on that a moment before replying, “Not really.”“The Penardduns may be royals, but you don’t find any of them li