“How can you not be concerned?”
“We live with Brigida the Foul,” Talwyn reminded her. “That She-dragon is the epitome of pure evil. You don’t mind her.”
“Because she’s loyal to family. This family.”
“I think you’re being ridiculous.”
“You never listen to me.”
“I listen to you constantly. I just think that, at the moment, you’re being an emotional nutter.”
Rhi stomped her small foot. “For once, just once, I wish you’d side with me. Would that be so bloody hard?”
“What are you talking about?” Talwyn demanded. “I always side with you.”
“No. You constantly argue with me. You argue everything with me!”
“It’s healthy debate.”
“I don’t want a healthy debate. Sometimes I just want you to accept the fact that some bitch is pure evil!”
Then Talwyn did that thing she did that really pissed Rhi off. She blew out a breath and gave a dismissive wave of her hand. Their mother often did the same thing when anyone started talking about anything regarding her kingdom that had nothing to do with battle and war.
But Talwyn wasn’t their mother and Rhi was definitely not their aunt Dagmar. Which was quite evident when she suddenly punched Talwyn in the nose.
“You cow!” Talwyn yelled with her hand over her bleeding nose.
Talan tried to get off the table to get between his sister and cousin, but the giant yanked him back and, to his growing horror, put both her big arms around his chest, pulling him close.
“No, no, pretty boy,” she said close to his ear. “You should never get between two strong women fighting. That is not your place. Your place is just to be pretty and satisfy one of my daughters.”
“Woman,” Talan warned, “get your hands off me.”
The giant laughed. “Look, comrades! He is so very saucy! I love saucy boys!”
By the dark gods, what is happening?
Kachka was nearing the main cavern when she felt her burden lessen a bit. She looked over her shoulder to see that the Iron dragon, in his naked human form, had picked up the bear and carried it over his shoulder.
“Trying to impress?” she asked.
“Of course! That’s what kings do. We either want to impress or terrify.”
“I like that you are honest.”
As they came around a corner, the old She-dragon limped her way into the tunnel. And moving slowly behind her was Nina Chechneva.
Kachka frowned, wondering what was wrong with her.
“Ahh, Lady Brigida,” the king said.
“I ain’t no lady, Iron scum. So say your piece.”
“Still haven’t let that first war go, have you, Brigida?”
“No,” the witch replied flatly. “So what do ya want?”
“I was told you can get me to the Southlands . . . quickly. Is that true?”
“Yeah. But what do I get out of it? I do nothin’ for free, Iron scum.”
“Can anyone just use my name?” the dragon asked . . . the air.
Kachka fell back to walk beside Nina. She sniffed the air. “Are you bleeding?”
“I do not want to talk of it.”
“Well, comrade, if it is your monthly, stuff something up there. These dragons and Abominations will have you half-eaten before you can hope to beg for your useless life.”
“It is not my . . . forget it.”
“Already done.”
They entered the main cavern and all of them stopped. And stared.
What else could they do?
In the middle of the cavern, by the big dining table, two of the girl Abominations fought. It was kind of like the wrestling the Daughters of the Steppes taught their little girls when they were still learning to walk. Only the toddlers were better at it.
On the dining table was Zoya Kolesova. She held on to the boy Abomination while he tried to get away from her without using a weapon.
He needed a weapon.
On the other side of that table was the rest of Kachka’s team. They were telling Zoya to let the boy go, which Kachka truly appreciated.
With a sigh, Kachka began to move forward, hoping to restore some semblance of order, but the old Dragonwitch yanked her back and moved with a sure-footedness that Kachka found rather shocking considering the female’s usual limping gait.
Raising her walking stick, the old witch slammed it into the ground, shaking the cave walls and shocking everyone into silence. The two girls jumped apart as if on fire, panting from . . . what exactly? Exertion? Exertion from that?
“That is enough!” the She-dragon bellowed. “I’m tired of this centaur shit!”
“She started it!” the cousins screamed in unison while the boy yelled, “Get this beast off me!”
“You want to go to the Southlands, Iron scum?” Brigida abruptly asked the king.
“Uh . . .”
“Then go you shall.”
Brigida lifted her arms, her walking staff held high, the black crystal on the head suddenly glowing.
“Shit,” Nina murmured, her hand falling on Kachka’s shoulder.
Kachka glanced at her, wondering why the bitch was touching her. But the look of fear on her face . . .