“You don’t think we’re coming with you?” Crystin snapped, suddenly appearing quite annoyed. “Do you really think we’d let you meet that Red bitch on your own?”
“Auntie Crystin—”
“Shut up. You ramble like your mother sometimes.”
Braith looked up at him. “I ramble?”
“Not compared to my people,” Addolgar admitted.
Crystin faced her sisters. “We need to get these three idiots back to Devenallt Mountain without breaking our backs in the process. Any suggestions?”
“Aye,” Owena said. “I’ve got one.” She held out her claw to Addolgar. “Give us your ax, yeah?”
Addolgar took a step back. “Owena . . . no.”“Just give us your ax. We’ll take care of the rest.”
Disgusted, but not seeing much option, he looked at Braith. “And are you all right with that?&
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“I am sorry about this, Lady Braith.”Braith looked down at the diminutive She-dragon, forced a smile. “It’s all right, Lady Katarina. I know this isn’t your fault.”“Just Katarina.” She stepped aside as one of their escorts hustled by. “I’ll be glad to return home so I have to worry less about all these titles.”“Well, you need not worry about mine at all.”Braith studied the soldiers that had been chosen for this trip. She recognized a few. They were soldiers loyal to her father. She didn’t know why that bothered her, but it did. She didn’t like this.“Something wrong, Braith?” Katarina asked.“Uh . . .” She focused back on the royal. “No. Nothing. Just thinking. Wasn’t really planning on a trip.”“And I wasn’t really planning to come here.” She raised, then lowered her front claws. “Yet here I am.”Braith felt bad for her. This was just a few days out of Braith’s life. Yet Katarina had spent a year as nothing more than a well-treated hostage.Placing one claw on the royal’s shoulde