As he was
forced to tell his father more than once, “I said I’d fight for my mother’s
throne. I never said I’d die for it.” Then he’d add, simply to annoy the old
bastard into one of his frothy temper tantrums, “Don’t you think I’m too
pretty to die?

Then he stalked off into the woods, leaving Talaith alone.
Good. Now I can panic in peace.

. “And I stole some oxen jerky out of Bercelak’s bag. He makes the best oxen jerky.”

“Bercelak the Vengeful cooks?”

“Aye. And he’s surprisingly good at it, too!

What are you doing?” she asked.

“Getting naked.”

“What the hells for?”

“So you can be comfortable getting naked, too, so we can get some sleep.”

“How would that make me feel comfortable? In what universe would that make me feel comfortable?”

“You can see my scars.”

“I don’t want to see your scars!

We’re not talking about you. You’re Braith of the Darkness. I’m Addolgar the Cheerful. I’ve earned this name, and you’re ruining it by being unreasonable.”

“You throw me into a tree—”

“That was for your own good.”

“—have me attacked by your kin—”

“You brought that on yourself.”

“—and leave me alone with Brigida the Foul, of all She-dragons—”

“She got away from us. Normally none of us would have done that. Not even to our worst enemy.”

“—and I’m being unreasonable.”

Addolgar nodded. “See? You do understand.

What’s going on?”
“Nothing.” She coughed, and released Talaith’s hand. “Except
you have some powerful enemies.”
“Tell me what I don’t know, witch.”
“Powerful enemies who are gods.”
For a moment, Annwyl was shocked beyond all reason…then
she shrugged. “Now that I think of it—I don’t know why I would be
surprised.