A Tale Of Two Dragons by G. A. Aiken

after another.
    Brigida faced Addolgar and Braith. “You see,” she said. “Ghleanna is not alone. A Cadwaladr is never alone.” The old She-dragon moved in closer, pressed the top part of her walking stick against the middle of Braith’s chest. “And you don’t have to be alone either. But we all make our own choices, Braith of the Darkness. And I’ve made mine. Now track down your father and bring him here.” Brigida stepped back, her forearms lifting away from her body. “Or you alone will be responsible for the civil war between the Cadwaladrs and the Queen’s Guard when we tear this place apart to get dear, sweet, defenseless Ghleanna from the bowels of Devenallt Mountain.”
    “Dear sweet, defenseless Ghleanna?” one of the Cadwaladrs called out. “Since when did centaurs fly?”
    Then all the Cadwaladrs laughed, including Addolgar. Because it was funny.
    But the way Braith was gawking at him . . . he sensed she didn’t see the humor.

Chapter 10
    They flew for about an hour before Braith indicated she wanted to land. She pointed at the ground and Addolgar quickly found a good, safe spot for them. They dived and landed hard in a clearing surrounded by trees.
    Addolgar took off his travel bag, dropping it to the ground, and shook out his wings. He grinned at Braith. “We’ll make good time, as fast as you fly.”
    She nodded and pushed her blue hair off her face.
    “You all right?” he asked.
    “Aye. I’m fine. Any water?”
    “There’s a lake right over there.”
    Braith stared off in the direction Addolgar had pointed out, but she seemed . . . confused. It had been an overwhelming day for her. True, she seemed invincible to Addolgar, but a bit of polite behavior couldn’t hurt. She was a royal after all, probably used to getting everything she needed handed to her and all that.
    “You wait here,” he told her. “I’ll be right back.”
    She nodded and looked off like she’d already forgotten about him.
    Addolgar headed into the trees but quickly realized he’d forgotten his travel bags and the water flask he had inside. He turned back around and headed to where he’d left everything, but as he approached, he slowed down, his gaze on Braith. She was still staring off, but he realized she was breathing heavily. So heavily that, suddenly, she dropped to her knees, her front claws digging into the dirt.
    Addolgar sprinted to her side, his forearms reaching around her.
    “Braith? What is it?”
    Panting, barely able to breathe, it seemed, she stuttered out, “I . . . I . . . I almost died. I almost died. I almost died.”
    Then it hit him—she wasn’t invincible at all. She was, however, one of the strongest females he’d ever known. Because she’d lasted this long without having a full-on panic attack, and that was much longer than he would have lasted if he’d been in her place. Much longer.
     
     
    Braith didn’t care that she was making a fool of herself. She didn’t care that she couldn’t breathe, that she was babbling, that she was wrapping her forearms around Addolgar the Cheerful and holding him tight. She didn’t care.
    Because an hour ago . . . she’d thought her life would end on a cold stone floor in the Queen’s throne room.
    Big claws stroked her back and hair, while he held her tight against his warm body, where she felt safe. It was the safest she’d felt since her father had summoned her a few days ago.
    When Braith’s panting calmed down enough that she could hear again, she realized Addolgar was speaking to her.
    “You’re going to be all right, Braith. We’re going to get through this together. I promise.”
    Gods, he was trying to make her feel better. His sister was being held hostage, his entire family was about to start a civil war that could get them all killed, and he was being forced to track down a traitor outside of Southland borders with a panicking, pathetic female—and he was trying to make her feel better.
    Appalled, Braith quickly pulled