Ghleanna put on armor given to her by the soldiers. It was quite. . elaborate and spoke of how they felt about her.
Her battle axes were tied to her back and her sword to her side.
“Excellent,” Helena said, prodding. She couldn’t wait to see the back of them. “So you’re off.”
“We are.” Bram faced the Empress. “Thank you for everything, my Lady.”
“You’re very welcome, Bram the Merciful. Good and safe travels to you.” She looked over at Ghleanna. “And to you, Captain.”
“Thank you, my Lady.”
She didn’t mention the truce because she didn’t have to. She knew Bram would keep his end of the bargain. It was a tragic flaw in his nature.
The Empress motioned her entourage to leave and Kleitos took the opportunity to slither over to Bram.
“Good-bye, old friend.”
“Shut up.”
The Fin sneered and turned to Ghleanna. “And good-bye to you, Captain.”
She gazed at the Fin. “And to you, Chancellor Kleitos.”
Bram turned, thinking they were done with all the formalities when he saw a flash of steel. He spun back around as Ghleanna’s sword rammed into Kleitos’s gut.
“Ghleanna!”
Gods, what had she done? What had she done?
Ghleanna twisted her sword, and Kleitos dropped to his knees. She pressed her back claw to his chest and shoved him off her blade. The Fin dropped to the ground, his insides pouring out from the hole Ghleanna had made.
Yet Bram began to notice something — no one did anything. Nothing. Not to him, not to Ghleanna. There was no shock, no confusion, no outrage.
Ghleanna wiped off her blade and put it back into its sheath. She walked to the Empress, and stopped, briefly bowing her head. “Empress.”
“Captain.”
Completely confused, Bram followed Ghleanna to the tunnel they’d take back to the surface. “Ghleanna?”
She stopped, faced him. “Did you really think I’d let Kleitos live? After what he did to you?” She raised a brow. “Really?”
“I told you that Kleitos was not to be touched. You said you understood.”
“And I did. I understood that you wanted me to leave Kleitos be. I never said I would. Never agreed to that.”
“Gods,” he sighed in awe, “my father will adore you.”
Catching his tail with hers, Ghleanna tugged. “Come, peacemaker. My kin awaits.”
Chapter 17
Bram landed on the ledge and waited for Ghleanna. She landed beside him.
“So Helena agreed?” he asked.
“She hated Kleitos and so did most of her army. Plus he firmly represented her father’s reign. Getting rid of him was a favor she was more than happy to allow.”
“And?”
“And?”
“You don’t like Helena, Captain. You’d do her no favors unless it was in your best interest.”
She shrugged. “Well, I wanted Kleitos dead and. .”
“And you still have the loyalty of her army, in case she ever tries to cross us. And you’ll most likely have that loyalty for a very long time after the rights you’ve won them.”
“Perhaps.”
Bram grinned. “And if you’d been completely wrong? Miscalculated even the tiniest bit?”
“I’d have let you fix it.” She nuzzled his snout with her own. “Now let’s get out of here.”
Good plan. He was done with the memories of this place. He’d faced it again, and had conquered it — again. But there’d be no nightmares this time.
“Come. This way.”
Another mile to the surface they went, cutting tree roots that were in their way until they reached the mouth of the cavern. It was brilliantly hidden behind a close-by hill and together they maneuvered around it and headed toward the ocean.
But suddenly Ghleanna stopped.
Lifting her face, she gazed up, past the trees of the surrounding forest, at the two suns. “I didn’t realize how much I would miss them until they were gone from my sight for so long.”
“I don’t know how the Fins do it,” he admitted. “Living under there without the suns. The moon. It’s not like our caves, is it? Where fresh air and freedom are just a short walk or flight away. And the short time we were down there, I began to feel. .”
“I know. Me, too.”
Ghleanna caught Bram’s claw and tugged, her eagerness clear. “Let’s go. My kin wait for me on the beach.”
They walked until they reached the edge of the forest, but Bram stopped and gazed out. “How long do you think they’ve been standing there like that?”
He watched Ghleanna smile at the backs of her kin. They all stood on the beach, looking like statues, staring out at the ocean, waiting for Ghleanna to appear. She’d originally told Addolgar she’d be coming from the ocean because she hadn’t known there was another exit. One that placed them directly on land.
“Hours. Perhaps a couple of days.”
“And how much longer—”
“Days. Weeks. Eventually, though, they’d take turns. One bunch would have first watch and then another bunch would have second. . that’s just how they are. How we are.”
“Amazing.”
Ghleanna put a talon to her snout, then crept up behind the group of warriors. The number had substantially increased from the original group who’d been escorting Bram and he suddenly began to worry that he’d have all these Cadwaladrs escorting him into the Desert Lands.
Uh-oh.
Once Ghleanna was right behind her kin, she screamed. Like a wild banshee.
And her kin screamed in return, spinning around, raising weapons and shields.
“Did you lot miss me?” Ghleanna asked with a smile.
“You mad cow!” Addolgar yelled, shoving her with his shield. “That was about to be the second time you got a sword in the chest!”
“As if you’ve ever been that fast, brother.”
Then they were hugging and Bram knew nearly everything was as it should be.
Ghleanna accepted hugs, shoves, punches, and hair yanks for what they were. Familial affection — the Cadwaladr way. A way she’d missed so much.
“But you’re all right, yeah?” Hew pushed. “You sure you’re all right?”
“I’m fine.” She held her forearms away from her body. “Look at me. Better than ever. Them Fins have good surgeons, they do.”
“Thank the gods for that,” Kyna said. “Isn’t that right, Kennis?”
“It is. For them. ’Cause if they hadn’t sent our girl back to us—”
“—we’d have grown gills and gone down there ourselves to their watery pit to tear the scales from their flesh and those bloody fins from their backs.”
Ahhh. Nothing like the true love and caring of the Cadwaladr Twins.
It was all as she’d expected and she was damn grateful for her kin. But what Ghleanna hadn’t expected. .
“The Twins would have been the least of the Fins’ problem if they hadn’t sent my girl back to me alive and well.”
Eyes wide, Ghleanna faced her father. He was in his battle armor, weapons strapped to him and ready. He hadn’t left her mother in ages to go into battle. He left that “to me brats.”
“Da?”
“I’m so glad you’re home, girl. So glad you’re safe.” Ghleanna swallowed past the lump in her throat before she threw herself into her father’s arms. Let them all say what they would about Ailean the Wicked — none of it mattered. His heart was as big as any ocean and the love he had for his offspring as mighty and strong as any mountain.
“I’m glad, too, Da. And what I said to you before—”
“It’s forgotten, Ghleanna. Don’t even think about it.” He pulled back. Smiled at her. “Understand?”