Little Ash.”
“ Uh, oh,” Acasia
says.
I have no idea what upsets her until
Ashrac hits me in the nose. “I am not little. I am the deadliest
dragon in the land. I will smite you with fire and dance in your
ashes,” he yells into my ear.
I set him down and place my hand on
his forehead to keep him from kicking me. “I see. I must agree that
you are not as small as I remember. I’m shaking in my boots that I
have insulted a dragon as great as yourself. If you will forgive
me, I have a present for you in my bag.”
He stops trying to connect with my
shin. “I will judge whether to forgive you based on the gift, Uncle
Laryn. You must remember to fear me as you would any great
dragon.”
It’s nearly impossible to keep from
rolling my eyes. He’s always been a handful. This is why I care for
him so dearly. He runs to my bags, which I set down just inside the
room with the others. I turn to my bride and see the smile playing
on her lips. She actually winks at me and I want to depart now and
take her to bed.
“ Introduce us, please,” Sarn
requests in a businesslike, stern voice that is so unlike him. I
bristle. He’s angry at the world and I try to let it go. Taking my
bride’s arm, I draw her closer. “Bride, this is Sarn.”
His gaze leaves her and he turns to
me. “She does not have a name? You call her bride?”
Smoke drifts from my nostrils. I’ve
never asked for her name. “Bride of Laryn will do,” I snap
back.
He turns back to my bride and takes
one step too close. “If you are ever tired of this oaf, let me know
and I will show you what a real dragon does with a
bride.”
I shove him away so hard he flies
against a cabinet and knocks it over. Bastian and Tahr are between
us before I knock Sarn’s teeth out.
“ That’s enough,” Bastian
shouts as Sarn takes his feet and comes at me. Tahr grabs
him.
“ Why do you think your bride
deserves to be safe?” Sarn spits out. “You stole Acasia and there
are no longer rules.”
That pisses me off more. “There have
never been rules, you idiot. If you can’t keep your woman, then
she’s fair game.”
“ Enough,” Bastian blares.
Now he’s angry at me too. I turn to my bride. Her hand rests on the
handle of the halberd. She nods her head and all the fury leaves my
body. She’s willing to take on a room full of dragons with no
questions asked.
Acasia approaches Sarn and places her
hand on his arm. “It’s over, Sarn. Has been over for a long time.
My son watches you.”
We all turn to Ashrac. He holds a
small jeweled train engine in his hands. I’ve had it for years. I
knew he would enjoy it. I walk over and place my hand against his
back. “Uncle Laryn and Uncle Sarn needed to get that out of the
way, Ashrac. It is the way small-minded dragons behave. Even though
your mother is a fierce dragon in her own right, it’s your job to
protect the women. Chivalry demands we take care of them before
ourselves.” I know Acasia will forgive me for making her appear
weak. As badass as I know I am, I’m no match for a mother
dragon.
Ashrac gives me his most serious look.
“You and Uncle Sarn need a time-out. When my temper gets the best
of me, that’s what I must do.”
I look at Sarn, who no longer needs
anyone holding him back. He appears embarrassed. We will finish
this discussion outside. The matter needs to be dropped once and
for all. I gaze at Tahr. “Do you need to come outside with me and
Sarn and take part in our time-out?”
Tahr doesn’t answer, he just walks to
me and wraps his arms around my shoulders and pulls me in for a
quick man-hug. “No, brother. I’m good. The two of you go out and we
will comfort your bride while she meets the rest of us.”
I grin and nod her way. “Don’t let her
size fool you; the last thing my bride needs at this moment is
comfort. She’s quite upset we didn’t start a small war that she
could finish.”
All eyes go to my bride. She slowly
removes her hand from the sheath strap.
“ Uh, oh,” Acasia
says.
I have no idea what upsets her until
Ashrac hits me in the nose. “I am not little. I am the deadliest
dragon in the land. I will smite you with fire and dance in your
ashes,” he yells into my ear.
I set him down and place my hand on
his forehead to keep him from kicking me. “I see. I must agree that
you are not as small as I remember. I’m shaking in my boots that I
have insulted a dragon as great as yourself. If you will forgive
me, I have a present for you in my bag.”
He stops trying to connect with my
shin. “I will judge whether to forgive you based on the gift, Uncle
Laryn. You must remember to fear me as you would any great
dragon.”
It’s nearly impossible to keep from
rolling my eyes. He’s always been a handful. This is why I care for
him so dearly. He runs to my bags, which I set down just inside the
room with the others. I turn to my bride and see the smile playing
on her lips. She actually winks at me and I want to depart now and
take her to bed.
“ Introduce us, please,” Sarn
requests in a businesslike, stern voice that is so unlike him. I
bristle. He’s angry at the world and I try to let it go. Taking my
bride’s arm, I draw her closer. “Bride, this is Sarn.”
His gaze leaves her and he turns to
me. “She does not have a name? You call her bride?”
Smoke drifts from my nostrils. I’ve
never asked for her name. “Bride of Laryn will do,” I snap
back.
He turns back to my bride and takes
one step too close. “If you are ever tired of this oaf, let me know
and I will show you what a real dragon does with a
bride.”
I shove him away so hard he flies
against a cabinet and knocks it over. Bastian and Tahr are between
us before I knock Sarn’s teeth out.
“ That’s enough,” Bastian
shouts as Sarn takes his feet and comes at me. Tahr grabs
him.
“ Why do you think your bride
deserves to be safe?” Sarn spits out. “You stole Acasia and there
are no longer rules.”
That pisses me off more. “There have
never been rules, you idiot. If you can’t keep your woman, then
she’s fair game.”
“ Enough,” Bastian blares.
Now he’s angry at me too. I turn to my bride. Her hand rests on the
handle of the halberd. She nods her head and all the fury leaves my
body. She’s willing to take on a room full of dragons with no
questions asked.
Acasia approaches Sarn and places her
hand on his arm. “It’s over, Sarn. Has been over for a long time.
My son watches you.”
We all turn to Ashrac. He holds a
small jeweled train engine in his hands. I’ve had it for years. I
knew he would enjoy it. I walk over and place my hand against his
back. “Uncle Laryn and Uncle Sarn needed to get that out of the
way, Ashrac. It is the way small-minded dragons behave. Even though
your mother is a fierce dragon in her own right, it’s your job to
protect the women. Chivalry demands we take care of them before
ourselves.” I know Acasia will forgive me for making her appear
weak. As badass as I know I am, I’m no match for a mother
dragon.
Ashrac gives me his most serious look.
“You and Uncle Sarn need a time-out. When my temper gets the best
of me, that’s what I must do.”
I look at Sarn, who no longer needs
anyone holding him back. He appears embarrassed. We will finish
this discussion outside. The matter needs to be dropped once and
for all. I gaze at Tahr. “Do you need to come outside with me and
Sarn and take part in our time-out?”
Tahr doesn’t answer, he just walks to
me and wraps his arms around my shoulders and pulls me in for a
quick man-hug. “No, brother. I’m good. The two of you go out and we
will comfort your bride while she meets the rest of us.”
I grin and nod her way. “Don’t let her
size fool you; the last thing my bride needs at this moment is
comfort. She’s quite upset we didn’t start a small war that she
could finish.”
All eyes go to my bride. She slowly
removes her hand from the sheath strap.
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