“Never heard of them.”

“Your cousin seems to know the leader quite well.”

It was something in Aidan’s voice and, after a few seconds, Brannie caught on. “Oh. Yeah.” She shrugged. “Well, the one thing Ragnar must know is that Keita loves him, because she’s never stayed with anyone too long. Everyone bores her eventually.”

Brannie leaned her head down and dug her fingers into her hair, massaging her scalp for a bit.

“Can I admit something to you?” she asked Aidan.

“You’re just relieved to be off that bloody boat?”

“By the gods, Aidan,” she gasped out, “you have no idea.”

The room door slid open and a woman stepped in. She was beautiful and tall and definitely in charge.

“You’re awake,” she announced.

“Branwen, this is Lady Meihui. Lady Meihui, Branwen the Awful of the Cadwaladr Clan, captain of the First and Fifteenth Companies.”

Brannie smirked at him. “You’re such a royal.”

“I know. It’s a flaw.”

“No introductions are needed for us,” the witch said, moving into the room. “We all know Branwen the Awful.” When Brannie cringed, she added, “Don’t worry. You didn’t kill anyone we know.”

“Well, that’s a relief. Always a bit awkward when you have . . . but you don’t know it until you’re face to face.”

“We’ve just heard a lot about you.”

That surprised Brannie. “You have? About me?”

“Of course. You’re the great Branwen the Awful.”

“I am?” She heard Aidan chuckle. “Shut up.”

“I didn’t say anything!”

Meihui leaned over Brannie and studied her back. Fingers prodded the wound.

“It’s healing very nicely, Captain.”

“Brannie’s fine. Everybody calls me Brannie.”

“All right, Brannie. You’ll need to stay another day. Maybe two before you can head inland to Emperor’s City.”

Brannie looked at Aidan. “Do we have time for that?”

“We’ll make time.”

“Is there a rush?” Meihui asked.

Aidan gave his most charming smile. “Not at all. Captain Branwen just hates to dawdle. Military logic.”

“Of course.” Meihui moved back to the door. “I’ll be sending up some medicinal tea. It tastes awful, but drink all of it anyway. It’ll help the healing.”

“All right.”

“And your Riders . . . we put them out in the stables because they annoyed me.”

Meihui walked out, closing the sliding door behind her.

Brannie and Aidan were silent for a long moment until Aidan noted, “At least the Riders like horses.”

Laughing, Brannie buried her face into her pillow.

Chapter Twenty-Four

The torrential rains started that night. Aidan went out on the terrace outside Brannie’s room and watched the rain fall for an hour while she slept.

He would forever be grateful to the warrior witches for helping Branwen. When trapped in that storm, he hadn’t known if any of them would survive, but Branwen . . .

She’d been right. He was falling for her fast. And he didn’t mean to. It wasn’t like he was one of those dragons looking for a mate. It had always been the last thing he wanted.

But Branwen . . .

“What are you doing up?” she asked from the bed. Still on her stomach . . . still naked. Her wound still healing.

“Can’t sleep.”

“Come here.”

He did. Afraid if he didn’t, she’d get up again and hamper the healing.

Aidan eased onto the bed and stretched out on his back. He put one arm behind his head and gazed up at the ceiling, waiting for Brannie to go back to sleep.

Her hand reached out and gripped his chain mail shirt. She began tugging, but when that didn’t work, she yanked.

“What are you doing?” he finally asked.

“Closer,” she commanded, her eyes closed, half her head buried deep into the pillow.

Aidan moved over until he was able to reach out to Brannie and gently move her so her head was resting on his shoulder and her arm was over his chest.

“I thought you didn’t want any cuddling?” he asked even as he stroked his fingers against her waist with the hand currently trapped under her body.

“No cuddling while dragon,” she said into his shoulder. “We’re not dragon. So we’re fine. We can cuddle away.”

Aidan chuckled and tucked in even more.

“Are you sure we’re okay with time?” Brannie asked, although she seemed half-asleep.

“By Keita’s original time line, we’re still supposed to be on that boat. Not even close to Eastland shores. So we have time for you to heal properly.”

“Okay. Where is everyone else?”

“No idea.”

Brannie lifted her head a bit and stared at him. “You haven’t checked on everyone?”

“I’m sure they’re fine.”

“Even Uther and Caswyn? Seriously?”

“I’m not leaving you.”

“I’m not dying.” She thought a moment. “I wasn’t even dying before. I was just wounded and in a lot of pain. But the witches helped with that. Now you need to go and keep the peace.”

“Keita can take care of it. She knows the Eastlanders better than I do.”

“But—”

“I’m not leaving, so shut up.”

“Fine. But if those witches strip Caswyn and Uther of their scales, that’s going to be on you.”

* * *

Keita eased the door closed and began tiptoeing away when a hand was slapped over her mouth, an arm went around her waist, and she was carried down the hall and into another bedroom.

When she was finally released, she spun around and began slapping. Caswyn immediately put his arms up to block the blows.

“What is wrong with you, lizard?” Keita demanded.

“I didn’t want those witches to know we were talking,” he whispered, stepping back to the door and pressing his ear against it.

“What are you doing?”

“Listening for spies.”

Keita rubbed her eyes with the palms of her hands before reminding the big idiot, “I am a spy.”

“Yeah, but you’re on our side—so I don’t care.” He listened a few seconds more. “All right. I don’t hear anything.”

That’s when the door swung open hard and Uther rushed in, closing the door behind him and using his body to block it.

“Those witches are putting poison in our food!” he whispered desperately. “They’re going to kill us all!”

“Told you!” Caswyn stated from the floor, where he’d landed on his big ass. “We have to get you out of here.”

“I need you both to calm down.”

Keita seriously thought about going back to her cousin’s bedroom and dragging Aidan out.

A few minutes ago, when she’d seen him and Brannie cuddled together, asleep, she’d decided to leave them alone, assuming there was no situation she couldn’t handle at least until the morning. But she’d forgotten about Caswyn and Uther. Helpful dragons, to be sure, but not what Keita would call smart. She instantly missed the days she’d spent with Ren and Gwenvael, the three of them starting trouble wherever they landed. But her brother and Ren had been smart, Ren able to talk them out of any trouble and Gwenvael able to seduce anyone who could help them.

It had been the best time of Keita’s life before meeting Ragnar. But now she had to deal with her easily distracted cousin, two dragons who, Keita was sure, couldn’t count to five, three Riders who never listened to anyone but themselves, and Aidan.

And what good was he when he was always so busy mooning over Branwen?

Even more irritating? Brannie still didn’t seem to understand. She was completely oblivious to how that dragon felt about her. And that was foolish. Not a lot of dragon males would be comfortable with a female who could outmatch him in any type of warrior situation.

There simply were not a lot of Bram the Mercifuls running around, on the lookout for Ghleanna the Decimators! So her cousin needed to snatch up this chance before it was too late!