Bring the Heat

Gaius growled but had to grudgingly agree. “All right. But if Aidan doesn’t work something out with his father by tomorrow, no one will enjoy my attitude.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Aidan couldn’t sleep, so he decided to go and search out his father.

He and Aidan’s mother had not shared the same room or cavern in decades, so he knew he’d at least find him alone.

As Aidan eased out of his room and made his way down the hall, he quickly noticed that his eldest brother, Ainmire, sat on the top step of the stairs.

Ainmire had been acting strange all night. He’d always been strange, but now he was managing to be stranger. He’d said nothing at the feast, not even bothering to insult Aidan, which had been the dragon’s one true passion for several decades. It was like Aidan wasn’t even in the room.

Of course, when Aidan thought about it, it was like none of them had been in the room. Like Ainmire was just floating along . . .

And where had he been for the last three years? None of the rest of his kin seemed to know or care. He was Jarlath’s eldest son and heir to the Stone Castle and surrounding territories. Yet his absence didn’t seem to mean any more than Aidan’s.

That realization made Aidan slow down, his eyes searching for signs of a trap. Perhaps his petty brother wanted revenge for being so ignored. For being treated no better than Aidan.

When Aidan didn’t see anything, he carefully eased his way over to his brother.

“What are you doing?” he asked the back of his brother’s head.

“Thinking.”

“That’s new for you, isn’t it?”

“Ahhh, yes, Aidan the Gold’s sense of humor. How could I forget?”

“It’s Aidan the Divine now.”

Ainmire snorted. “Given to you by the queen, no doubt. What did you have to do for such an honor, little brother?”

“Watch what you say, Ainmire. Such words are considered treacherous by those of us who protect the queen, which includes Bercelak the Great. Her very protective mate.”

“Do you think the Cadwaladrs scare me? That anything scares me anymore?”

“They should. The Cadwaladrs should scare you greatly.”

“You were always a fool, brother. Always so eager to please. So eager to be loved by all.”

Aidan frowned. “Who are you talking about?” Because it couldn’t be him. He might be known as divine, but Aidan had never been known as “eager to please.”

“They said I wasn’t ready to commit. That I wasn’t ready to give myself . . . completely. So they sent me back.”

“Who sent you back?”

“They sent me back here and I then realized they were right. I couldn’t go on like this. Like them. Mother and Harkin and . . . you.”

“I’m not that bad.”

“So beholden to the whores.”

Aidan’s hands curled into fists. “If you have any sense, brother, you’ll shut up now.”

“Or what? You’ll kill me for betraying a She-dragon unworthy of your devotion? So very foolish, brother. Now I have made my commitment. Now I am ready to act.”

Slowly Ainmire stood and, just as slowly, faced him.

Horrified, Aidan stumbled back. “Your eyes, brother. Where are your eyes?” he screamed.

“I do not need eyes to see the evil before me, boy. You come here and bring true evil with you, without once questioning. Without thinking. Because you are beholden to them.”

Ainmire suddenly lifted the axe he’d held low against his side and swung it at Aidan’s head.

His aim, even without his eyes, was true, and the only thing that saved Aidan was his speed. He’d learned to move fast among the Mì-runach.

He dropped to the ground and scrambled back, away from Ainmire. His brother lifted the axe again, his eyeless gaze locked directly on Aidan.

Aidan didn’t know if it was because it was his brother or just general fear, but he couldn’t move. He couldn’t think. All he could do was wait until that axe came down.

And it did. Right for Aidan’s head. But a hand reached out of the dark of the hall, grabbing Ainmire’s wrist and stopping the axe before it met its target.

Marina Aleksandrovna stood behind Ainmire. She yanked his arm back with one hand and drove her blade into his chest with the other.

Without a word, she shoved the dragon off her blade and over the stone banister to the floor below.

“We move. Now,” she ordered, walking away from Aidan and going down the hall to wake up the others.

Forcing himself to get to his feet, Aidan moved to the banister and looked over. There was blood where his brother had landed, but . . .

Aidan scanned the floor and saw his brother, still in his human form, stumbling toward the front doors. Ainmire had his hand over his chest, and there was a trail of blood behind him.

But, by all rights, Aidan’s brother should be dead. A dragon in human form, impaled directly in the heart, does not survive. But giving his soul—and eyes—up to his new god, must have changed everything about him.

For Ainmire was not only surviving . . . he was on the move.

“Out!” Aidan yelled, running down the halls of his kin, and banging on the doors. “Everyone, out!”

His mother yanked her door open. She probably never slept in these rooms, but tonight she’d wanted to be as close to the Rebel King as she could manage.

“What?” she barked at him. “What’s happening?”

“We need to go.”

“Go? Go where?”

“In.” He grabbed her arm, yanking her out of her room. Aidan pointed toward the cave entrance that began at the back of the hall. “Go.”

By now, his two eldest sisters and other brother were out in the hall.

“Go,” he ordered. “To the caves.”

“What for?” Cinnie demanded. “You’re home five minutes, and already you’re annoying the hells out of me.”

Caswyn and Uther, already dressed and ready for battle—they probably had gone to bed clothed and with weapons, if they went to bed at all—stalked toward him.

“Take my mother and sisters,” he commanded.

“And your brother?”

Aidan rolled his eyes. “Who cares?” he asked as he moved off in the opposite direction.

“I care!” Harkin complained. “I care very much!”

Aidan saw Brannie coming toward him. “I have to find my sister Orla.”

Brannie pushed her door open. “Come on.”

He leaned into the room and saw his sister crawl out from under Brannie’s bed.

“What—?”

“I was going to sneak her out with us when we were done. Figured she could stay at Devenallt Mountain.”

“It looks like that will be happening anyway.”

He kissed Orla’s forehead before pushing her toward the others.

Brannie began to follow but he caught her arm, held it. “Thank you. For looking out for her.”

“It’s the little sister club,” she replied, giving him a wink. “I’m a founding member.”

Aidan released her and watched the Rebel King stride up to him. He was no longer Gaius, dragon searching out and eliminating the rogue elements of his kin. Now he appeared kingly and very royal. A dragon ready for anything.