“I’ll keep that in mind for future reference.”
Prince Briec pushed his niece out of the way, ignored his struggling nephew, and lifted his daughter by her waist, turning in a circle as if she were still a small child rather than a grown woman.
“There she is!” he announced to the room. “My beautiful, perfect daughter.”
“Daddy! Stop!”
“You shouldn’t be telling me to stop. You should be thanking me for giving you such beauty and perfection.”
“Wow,” Gaius muttered to Kachka. “That is an amazing amount of arrogance standing there.”
“So this is the Southlands,” Marina Aleksandrovna said as she stood, turning in her own circle to look at the hall.
“This,” Tatyana Shestakova announced with awe, “is the seat of power of Queen Annwyl.”
“I bet,” Kachka whispered in his ear, “that she wishes she’d landed in the queen’s lap, the way you landed in the arrogant dragon’s.”
Gaius dropped his head and chuckled just as Zoya Kolesova demanded, “Where is your mother, boy? I will barter with her for you.”
Briec quickly placed his daughter safely behind him. “Why is there a giantess in this house?”
“Why are you looking at me?” Talan asked.
“Because she’s holding on to you like she owns you.”
“That is plan!” Zoya cheerfully announced. Then, she suddenly looked at Briec. “I will take you as well, pretty one. I have older daughters who will like you, too.”
“Older? What does that mean?”
Rhi jumped in front of her father, both arms out to block Zoya. “No. This is Prince Briec and he has been Claimed by my mother. An incredibly powerful witch.” When the giant smirked, Rhi added, “She can turn your blood to glass.”
Actually, from what Gaius had seen of Talaith’s magicks, no, she couldn’t. But he understood Rhi’s need to protect her father from Zoya. He would need that protection.
Zoya stared at Briec, apparently debating the pros and cons of all this when Talwyn suddenly pried the woman’s arms off her brother and said, “You need to see our mother before any decisions are made.”
In panic, Gaius quickly glanced at Kachka, but she only smirked.
“I do?” Zoya asked.
“Oh, yes. She’s the queen and Talan is her favorite. You need to go to her before you do anything else. Right now. Right this second. And make sure you are bold and pushy. And make sure you’re in her face about taking her son. The queen likes confidence.”
“Thank you, evil Abomination!” Zoya cheered, arms thrown wide. “Your help is truly appreciated!”
“Tal—” Rhi began, but Briec placed his hand over her mouth to silence her.
“I believe the females are down by the big lake.” He glanced over. Saw one of the squires walking by. “You there. Boy. Take this extremely large female down to your queen. Immediately.”
The boy stared up at Zoya, his mouth open, before he finally nodded his head and started walking. Quickly.
Zoya followed, the Khoruzhaya siblings, Tatyana, and Marina going with her while Nina toddled off in the opposite direction so she could deal with whatever wounds she had. Gaius had smelled the blood earlier, but thankfully he’d already eaten.
“Aren’t you going to warn Zoya about Annwyl?” Gaius asked Kachka.
“I didn’t invite her here, so . . . no.”
Kachka tracked her sister down. Took a bit. She started off outside, assuming Elina was hunting. But she was in bed. Kachka was ready to be disgusted, but when she found her sister on top of that dragon, she understood more. When one had to fuck, one had to fuck.
Without knocking, Kachka walked into the room her sister shared with no one but the dragon. Such a big room. Could get a whole tribe in here.
“When you’re done,” Kachka said to her sister, “find me.”
“Get out!” Celyn ordered, his body covered in sweat, his big hands around Elina’s waist, but the sisters ignored him.
“Why are you back so soon?” Elina asked. She, too, was covered in sweat, her white-blond hair stretched down to her hips in drenched ringlets, her back straight, small tits out proud, nipples hard because of excitement. Yes. She’d been giving the dragon quite a ride. “You were to go off and face death after rounding up team.”
“Woman!” the dragon snarled. “Get out of this room!”
“Team I got,” Kachka replied to her sister, “but was sidetracked by your Iron friend. The one missing eye.”
“The Rebel King?”
“So many titles with these royals.”
“Kachka,” her sister pushed.
“Yes. Your precious Rebel King. He had been captured. We rescued him and I beheaded priestess.”
“Good. I owe him.”
“Well, your debt has been paid. Death almost had him, but he is healthy again.”
“Get out!” the dragon roared.
“Whine you do,” Kachka accused the dragon. “Like little boy.” She looked at her sister. “When you are done. Come. Meet team.”
“I will.”