Page 26 of The Mountain King
“Cinvarra, fight!”
“I am fighting!” her daughter shrieked back, incensed. “Stop telling me to fight!”
“If you would fight, I wouldn’t have to scream at you! You’re spending all week in training!”
Kai watched the struggle, waiting until a dragon guard distracted the man who’d shot at her, and then emerged from her hiding spot, running towards her daughter. But she wasn’t fast enough, nor Cinvarra vicious enough. The man dragged the girl onto the balcony, looked down, and tossed Cinvarra over.
“Cin!”
Kailigh barreled into the abductor, pushing him over the balcony and barely managing to keep from falling over. Four men were at the bottom with a large sheet taut between them, Cin stunned but unhurt. They moved as if to swaddle her in the cloth.
“Oh, hell no.”
Swinging a leg over the railing, ignoring that she was two stories up and had mostly human bones, she clambered over and with a deep breath and gritted teeth… jumped.
A heavy burst of wind buffered her, a claw grabbing her out of the air. She flew, momentarily dizzy as the dragon whipped her around—likely inadvertently, but probably not.
Fire roared over the heads of the abductors as they dropped Cin and scattered, drawing weapons to fire. More Dwyrkin arrived, and Amnan stole Kai’s idea and flew off the second floor with the speed of a man who’d had a running start. She resented his grace as he landed, like a damn black cat, on his feet, long hair streaming over his shoulders.
Kailigh was set down on the balcony, the room now quiet, and shoved inside with a hard claw tip. She stumbled, whirled, and glared as Persia leaped off the back of the obsidian-scaled reptile hovering just long enough for that purpose.
“Stairs, Ma,” Persia said, gaining her feet and running. “I don’t think the Lord liked seeing you jump. It looked fucking awesome though!”
Kailigh glared at the dragon, who returned her baleful look then turned away and dived towards the ground. She followed Persia, catching up with the girl in a matter of seconds. She was just slightly faster than all her daughters, slightly stronger.
“Where’s Sere?”
“Hunting humans,” Persia said. “Keep an eye on town.”
Cin was on her feet, the enemy humans quarreled, when they made the bottom of the stairs. Kailigh drew her blade, bared her teeth, and strode forward.
Maddugh turned, tail dropping in front of her with a certain finality, lip drawing up to reveal a fang.
She glared. “Get out of my way, you oversized forest toad.”
Amnan coughed. “Mistress, we have things well in hand. Further bloodshed will—”
“Make my point.”
She danced around the tail, swiping her scarlet skirts out of the way. Maddugh snorted, and his form contracted. Kailigh took advantage and strode past him, Persia going to Cinvarra.
“Father, you mentioned something about chomping if I put hands on your woman,” Amnan said.
“Get out of my way,” she snarled at the Dwyrkin who formed a guard in front of the prisoners.
An arm slid around her waist. “Temper, Kai,” Maddugh said in her ear. “We need to see to your wound, and Cinvarra. Come, let the guards take away the bad nasty humans.”
He continued to talk, in what he likely thought were soothing, persuasive tones, drawing her away. Kailigh didn’t resist because she knew he was right—Cin came before her desire to cut someone. She noted out of the corner of her eye that Amnan gestured hastily, and the guards ushered the prisoners away. Quickly.
“Bloodthirsty wench,” Maddugh said. “I approve the sentiment, if not the practicality of it in this situation.”
Kailigh sheathed her knife and Maddugh let her go. Persia had an arm wrapped around her sister, Cin having shed the sheet meant to imprison her.
“Ma,” the girl said, a plaintive note in her voice. “This is getting old.”
“It is, indeed, getting old,” Maddugh said, nostrils flaring. He rubbed his hands together. “But, patience, my girl. I—”
“Will do nothing.” Kailigh threw him a hard look. “This is my business. I get to slit the varmint’s throat.”
