Rhiannon readied her speech. The speech she’d given more than once over the years to Éibhear and, when they were much younger, to her older sons. The one that included things like:
“I’m sure your father didn’t mean that.”
“Of course your father loves you.”
“No. He didn’t try to sell your egg to the highest human bidder.”
“And of course, he never tried to kill you while you slept!”
She readied that speech, but before she could recite it as she’d been doing for the last few centuries, her son said, “Izzy didn’t come to dinner.”
Rhiannon blinked, closed her mouth. “No. Morfyd said she was tired and wanted to sleep.”
“But she’s not in her room.”
“She has a house now.”
Her son finally looked at her, those bright silver eyes curious. . . as always. Especially when it came to Iseabail.
“A house? Izzy has a house?”
“Gwenvael had it built for her. It’s just outside of town.” Rhiannon leaned in a bit and said low, “I think she was feeling a little crowded here.”
“Talaith?”
“The twins. They’re appallingly nosey.” When her son only stared at her, she added, “Not like me!”
He grunted and looked back out over the land. “I bought a castle.”
“Whatever for?”
“I like sleeping in a bed.”
“You can have beds in caves.”
“I have a cave, too. But I wanted a castle.”
She shook her head. “Just like your grandfather. I couldn’t believe when your father kidnapped me and took me to Ailean’s castle rather than a cave. Imagine! An entire dragon family forced to live in a castle.”
“Must you always point out you were kidnapped by our father?”
“I was.”
“Dad says you were tossed on his doorstep like so much royal trash. And you were haughty about it, too.”
“I was not haughty. I’m just better than him. Once he understood that, we were fine.”
And then, there it was. The thing she’d been missing for so long now. Éibhear the Blue smiled.
“I missed you, Mum.”
“I missed you, too.” She rested her head against his arm, marveling at the size of the muscle under her ear. “And I’m glad you’re home. At least for a little while.”
“Yeah. Me, too.”
After her friends left, Izzy cleaned off the table, gave Macsen a break outside, and washed up. She was about to slip into bed when a knock on the door had her throwing a nightdress over her naked body and grabbing her sword. She cracked the door open a bit, but she immediately lowered her weapon.
“Yes?”
“I had a bad dream.”
Izzy opened the door but blocked the way so her sister couldn’t walk in. “You had a bad dream?”
“Yes.”
“So you walked all the way over from the castle, in a nightdress and robe, so that you can sleep in my bed?”
“Yes.”
“The stuffed bear is a nice touch.”
“Thank you.”
“And you came here alone?”
“No, no. The twins are with me.”
Izzy leaned out and looked around. “The twins are where?”
“In the trees.”
“Why . . .” Izzy glanced up, trying to understand this. “Why are they in the trees?”
“To sleep.”
“They don’t want to come in?”
“They like to sleep in trees. I, however, do not.” Rhi tightened her arms around her body. “Getting colder . . .”
“You just expect me to kick Macsen out?”
“Macsen adores me!” Rhi pushed her way through. “You’re so mean!”
Laughing, Izzy stepped out and said to the trees, while hoping not to disturb her nearby neighbors, “You can sleep on my floor.”
“No thank you,” came back to her. She shrugged and went inside, closing the door behind her but leaving it unlatched. She knew if the twins didn’t come inside, they would stay in the trees all night, ensuring Rhi’s safety.
Izzy walked into her bedroom to find her sister wrestling with Macsen on the bed, the dog trying to get the stuffed bear she’d brought along with her.
“Give it, you vile beast!”
“If you two aren’t going to play nice . . .”
“You two?”
Macsen tore the bear from Rhi’s hands, leaped off the bed, and began to prance around the room. Almost like a small horse.
“Now you’re just being mean, Macsen!”
“That’s it.” Izzy held her hand out. “Toy. Now.”
Macsen stopped, stared at her. “Now.”
He spit the toy at her feet and Izzy swiped it up, putting it on a shelf that, in theory, he shouldn’t be able to reach.
“On the bed,” she ordered. And to her sister, “Under the covers. No crowding.”
Giggling, Rhi dived under the sheets. Knowing her sister was so happy to see her really did mean a lot to Izzy. As a general, there were days her men loved the sight of her, and other days when they absolutely dreaded it. But no matter the day, Rhi was always excited. Izzy got in the bed behind her sister.
“Your feet are freezing!” Rhi complained.
“Then you should have stayed in your own bed, whiner.”