Aodh guffawed.He didn’t hate humans but had little sympathy for their current plight.One they had placed themselves in.“Everything will be set right soon.”Aodh looked over at Liekki.
“Is she yours?”
He knew what his brother asked.“Yes.”Ending the conversation for now, Aodh strode in Kai’s direction.“We need to go.”
Snapping out of her grief-induced trance from his words, Kai leaped to her feet and rushed him.“You did this to her.You said you would help, but you kil-l-ed h-er.”
“She’s got fight.”Liekki smiled, his gaze ablaze with curiosity and humor as he folded his arms, standing back to watch the exchange.
For a moment, Aodh bore the strikes of her fists.They barely registered through his tough skin.Finally, not wanting her to injure herself, he grabbed her wrists.“Enough, little flame.”
“My sister is in there dying or dead now.Who are you to tell me when my pain is enough?”She yanked against his hold as she widened her feet for leverage.
Kai wasn’t strong enough to break away from him, but he eased his grip so she could.Even feeling her soft, delicate skin and the heat of her form close to him caused a desire to fill his core.He sacrificed the increased want of her for what she needed now.Besides, he didn’t want her to consider her puniness compared to his people and fear him, believing he would hurt her.The sour stench of human fear wasn’t something he needed on top of her anger over her sister.
“She is neither.Morlie lives.Her body will revive and be stronger than before sickness set in.”He drove his fingers through his hair in frustration.Like the humans they’d interacted with, Kai did not understand them or their ways.He’d have to pace the flow of information with her.
She shook her head.“How is that possible?In the Dispatch, I have seen what smoke can do to people...”
Aodh picked up on the shadows of pain in her words.The sadness surrounding her was older and greater than the freshness of what she felt for her sister.His mate had suffered on multiple levels.It made him want to grab his broad sword and slay them all, break the treaty lines, sail over the heavy wall they locked themselves behind, and release a blaze of fury on them.The spirits of his ancestors rose in him, reminding him of the glories of times past.Before another treaty humans had begun to break.
“Not this time, Kai.”He reached out to lightly touch her hand, needing the connection.
She moved away as she faced him.“I’ve been lied to before.Why should I trust what you say?You are a stranger.”
I am your mate.
“You have the word of our McKenna,” Liekki’s chest swelled as he lowered his arms and spoke Aodh’s true name in the language of their beast.
Her hard gaze shot towards his brother.“Am I supposed to understand what that means?”
“Liekki, leave it.”Aodh slashed a hand through the air.It wasn’t because Aodh didn’t want Kai to know who they were.He preferred to discuss everything with her in private in due time.
“Oh, little fighter.”Liekki didn’t follow his command.His brother rarely followed them, to Aodh’s exasperation.“You’ve saddled yourself up with Aodh Brandr McKenna, the God of Fire.”
“God of Fire?”Kai shifted and stared back at him.
Aodh could practically hear her mind processing the information and trying to figure it out.
“Yes.Before you stands the bona fideDragonKing,” Liekki continued, no temperance in his news.
Kai gasped and took a step back.
“Welcome toourworld.”Liekki chuckled as he spread his arms wide, indicating more than the room, more than their lair.
Aodh’s growled at his kin’s reckless audacity.
“Be careful of his bite.”His annoying brother tossed over his shoulder as he exited the room.
“Where do you keep them?”She glanced from left to right as if she expected a secret cave to open at any moment.“Was that your plan?Bring us here and feed us to your massive, fire-breathing reptiles?”She moved away from him until her back pressed against the glass door.
Kai’s stance was more about protecting her sister than trying to save herself by running out of the room, screaming like the hounds of hell were after her, as many of the humans brought to them had done.
“I’ve read the old books and seen the movies they made.Your kind destroys.”
Reptile.He had barely heard beyond the slanderous words.
Aodh didn’t hold back the rumble of his awake beast, who rose inside of him, ready to provide proof to her words to showcase his power.Aodh strengthened the leash around him—holding back the beast.
