Rhiannon stood up so fast, she knocked her chair back, the book falling from her lap, completely forgotten. She pushed past Bercelak’s kin as they all made their way to the dining hall doorway. As dragon, Bercelak released his battle armor so that it clattered loudly to the ground. He stepped over it and shifted to human without missing a step.

Her knees weakened at the sight of him alive and seemingly unmarked. But she saw the look on his face. Something was wrong and she could only guess what.

Naked, Bercelak took the steps leading to the hall two at a time. With only a brief nod to his mother, he took tight hold of Rhiannon’s hand and dragged her toward the stairs. Glancing back at his confused family, she followed because she had no choice. He led her up the stairs and back to their room. He pulled her inside, closing the door behind them.

Once inside, he released her and strode to the window. He stood where she’d stood night after night waiting for his return. She’d even slept in a chair because she couldn’t bring herself to return to the bed without him.

He clasped his hands behind his back, his legs braced apart.

For many minutes, Bercelak said nothing and she waited while staring at his human body. She’d never seen his muscles so tight and tense before, even when he was f**king her.

Finally, he said, “You were right. About your mother. And, apparently, about my reputation among most of her court.”

She still didn’t speak, letting him get this out in his own way.

“She wants me to break you, and then . . . I’m certain . . . she’s going to demand I kill you. To prove my allegiance to her. And,” he choked out, “she seems to think I will.”

Bercelak cleared his throat, then went on. “The first thing she asked me was whether I Claimed you already and when I said no, she seemed relieved. She knows it would be hard for any dragon to kill their mate. That’s why she kept coming up with excuses to keep me there so that the full moon would pass. From what I could tell among the court gossip, she thought the fall would kill you.” He looked over his shoulder at her and Rhiannon saw the love and pain in those beautiful black eyes. With a soft smile, he said, “She underestimated your will to survive, I think.”

He turned back to again look out the window. “She wants me to bring you to court in three days time. Broken and chained. I think then she’ll expect me to kill you.”

Rhiannon walked up to Bercelak. She ran her hands across his strong shoulders and down his back, enjoying the feel of his flesh and muscle. Leaning forward, she kissed him between his shoulder blades. Sighing, Rhiannon wrapped her arms around his waist and rested against him.

“I’ll go back tomorrow. One of your brothers can—”

Bercelak turned around so fast, she almost fell flat on her ass.

“You’ll do no such thing!” Grasping her upper arms, he pulled Rhiannon hard against him. “You’ll stay here with my family is what you’ll do! I’ll take care of your mother.”

“No! She’ll destroy your family just to get to me and I won’t allow that!”

Lifting her so that she had to go on tiptoes, Bercelak leaned in close. “Who said I was giving you an option, Princess?”

“Who said you had to, Low Born?” she snarled in return. “This is my problem to deal with. Not yours. And definitely not your family’s!”

“Unless we decide it’s our problem.”

Startled by the presence of a third, the pair pulled apart and looked at Ailean. He stood in the open doorway, leaning casually against the frame with his arms crossed over his massive chest.

“Neither of you will face that old bitch on your own.”

“This isn’t your problem, Father.”

Bercelak was using all his control to hold in the rage he felt. It had been growing day by day, especially as he played the oblivious fool for that bitch queen. All that kept him going was the thought of getting back to his Rhiannon and making sure she was safe.

Now, with his father staring at him and acting like all this was some meaningless diversion, he didn’t know how much longer he could keep this up before he snapped like so much dry wood.

“You’re my son,” he said calmly. “That makes this my problem.”

“Actually,” Rhiannon interrupted, “she’s neither of your problems. She’s mine. And I’ll deal with her.”

“Like hell you will!”

“Don’t bark at me!”

“You’ll do as I tell you!”

“Like hell I will!”

The lash of flame came out so quickly, they almost missed moving in time. But Bercelak pulled back, his arms around Rhiannon, and the flame slammed into the wall behind them.

“What the hell are you doing?” Bercelak yelled at his father, his control gone.

“Getting fed up with both of you!” Ailean yelled back, stunning Bercelak into silence. His father never yelled. Ever. He never had to. He found it much more annoying to mock people than to yell. Only one being ever forced him to yell . . . Bercelak’s mother.

“I hate to break this to the both of you, but this has very little to do with either of you. True,” he motioned to Rhiannon, “she wants you dead all right. But she could have done that at anytime. And the way her court fears her, no one would dare question it. And you,” now he motioned to Bercelak, “she doesn’t use to get to her daughter. She’s using you to get to me. And dumb ass that you are, you fell right into it. I’ve been telling you for years to watch your back with that bitch and you refused to listen. Now she’s found a way in. And she knows if she hurts you, if she destroys you, she destroys me. Because, as much as it pains me to admit it, you’re my son.”