Keeley kept her eyes closed. Not wanting this moment ruined by that expression men often got after sex. That look that said, “That was great, luv. Thanks,” before they rode off to another war or to meet up with their regiment. She didn’t want to see that same expression on Caid’s face. Not Caid’s.

So she kept her eyes closed and just enjoyed how she felt, which was very good. She felt very good.

But Caid didn’t leave. He didn’t give her a friendly punch on the shoulder and walk away. He just curled his arms around her and rolled to his back, bringing her with him.

He let out what sounded—and felt—like a happy sigh, holding her against his big chest.

“I’m still wearing my kilt,” he finally said.

“Yes, you are. And if I hadn’t mentioned it before . . . I’ve become a big fan of the kilt.”

CHAPTER 26

Caid woke up the next morning with his arms around Keeley, the pair facing each other as they slept, and his brother staring down at them.

“What are you doing?” Caid whispered desperately, not wanting Keeley to wake up and find Mad Quinn of the Scarred Earth Clan glaring down at her.

“I’m wondering what you’re doing,” Quinn whispered back.

“What does it look like? Now fuck off!”

“I can tell you it doesn’t look right, Brother. Not right at all.”

Assuming his brother was talking about Keeley, Caid was about to get up and beat the bastard into the ground with his front hooves, until he felt something resting against his hip. Something . . . furry.

He glared down at the wolf sleeping on him like he was nothing but a pillow. He growled at the lead demon wolf and one lid opened, its flame-covered orb gazing at him.

“Fuck off,” he whispered at the beast, but it ignored him. He attempted to slap the demon away but Caid nearly got his hand snapped off.

“Keeley,” he finally said.

“Hhhm?”

“Keeley.”

Startled, she sat up and threw her sword. Quinn barely ducked in time, the weapon impaling a tree right behind him.

“What the hells was that?”

Keeley opened her eyes and looked at Caid’s brother. “Oh. Sorry.”

Snarling, Quinn stalked back to camp and Keeley motioned to the wolf still resting on Caid.

“Piss off with you,” she said sweetly. “You’re making Caid uncomfortable.”

Those disturbing eyes of some hell flickered over to him, then away. With a loud, dramatic sigh, the creature rose to its feet and trotted off after Quinn.

Caid kissed Keeley’s forehead and asked, “You knew that was Quinn when you threw the blade at him, didn’t you?”

“Oh, yes. I knew.”

* * *

Dressed with her weapons strapped to her back and around her hips, Keeley began to walk to camp, but Caid caught her around the waist and pulled her in close.

“Is this over before it’s barely begun?” he asked.

“Not for me, but . . .”

“But what?”

“Can’t speak for you, can I?”

He frowned, appearing confused. “Keeley . . . do you expect me to be like human men?”

“I guess I do.”

“Except I’m not human.”

“Which means what? To me, I mean.”

“That, like it or not, my heart belongs to you. So if your interest was only in one night—”

More excited than she could say, Keeley didn’t let him finish his grand speech but instead threw herself into his arms and kissed him.

“Are you sure this is what you want?” he asked, laughing, when she pulled away.

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Because . . . I’m not human. You have to remember that, Keeley, because trust me when I say . . . everyone else will remember it for you.”

* * *

Gemma had just watched Samuel saddle her horse when her sister returned with Caid. The pair said nothing to each other and weren’t even holding hands, but Gemma knew that things had changed between them.

She’d rather that hadn’t happened. She’d rather things were simple and clear-cut. At least until they got Keeley onto her throne, but that was just not how life worked. At least not for her family.

“You and Laila,” Quinn muttered to her, “such looks of disapproval between the two of you.”

Gemma glanced up at the big blond centaur. “Stop talking to me,” she ordered.

“But I find you fascinating.”

“No, you don’t.”

“No,” he agreed with his mad grin and little laugh. “I really don’t. But you do entertain.”

Gemma mounted her horse and waited for the others. They were heading back to the dwarves to give them their gold and, hopefully, get an army in return. It wasn’t nearly enough of what they needed, but it would be a healthy start. Gemma just hoped the dwarves were as true to their word as her mother and the Smythe clan believed them to be.

Keeley mounted the gray mare, which had returned in the night with Samuel, and looked around at them all. “Let’s move out,” she ordered, and set off. Everyone followed.

After just a few feet, Keeley called a halt and suddenly yelled out, “Gods-dammit, Keran!”

“Coming, coming,” their cousin returned, stumbling around the boulder she’d passed out behind the night before.

* * *

When they’d run from the wood elves’ territory and that angry volcano, they’d simply taken off. Not really caring where they were going. Unfortunately, to get back to dwarf territory, they had to circle around until they could get to another mountain entrance that would lead them back to the dwarf city.

But in making this move, they were forced to cross from elf territory into barbarian. A small section that Caid and hundreds of other centaurs had crossed on many occasions. From the elves’ woods into an open plain.

Only this time, instead of just moving right through and back into dwarf territory, they had to stop.

“What the hells is this?” Quinn asked, gazing out at hundreds of silent barbarians. Barbarians that had clearly been waiting for them.

They weren’t attacking or making their battle cries, but they were armed with their flint weapons and had on their war woad, the blue markings clearly visible even from this distance. The barbarians were also blocking them from moving out of their territory and into the dwarves’, so Quinn’s question was legitimate. What the hells were the barbarians doing?

Keeley dismounted and came to stand between Caid and Laila. “What’s happening?”

“We’re not sure,” Caid replied.

“Do they want something from us?”

“I think I know what this is!”

Surprised by the speaker’s identity, they all turned and looked at Keran.

“What?” she asked.

“You know?” Keeley raised an eyebrow. “You?”

“I know things.”

“Do you?”

“We’ve had barbarians in my fighter’s guild. I learned from them. So I think I know what this is.” Keran nodded when they just stared at her. “I do,” she insisted. “I know.”

“So what is it?” Gemma asked, now standing behind Keeley and sounding as disbelieving as her sister.

Keran began to answer but she turned abruptly pale, raised one finger at them, then quickly walked a few feet away so she could vomit in peace.

Keeley rolled her eyes. “Anyway,” she said, dismissing her cousin and focusing on Laila, “what do you lot suggest?”

“We’ve never seen them like this,” Laila admitted. “We either see them attacking like crazed animals. Or ignoring the world completely. This is”—she gestured toward them—“just strange.”

“Then I’ll go talk to them,” Keeley said.

“No!” the rest of them all said together.

“They are not friendly, Keeley,” Laila explained, “and those are their warriors. For all we know, they may want to capture you and force you into marrying their leader.”

Quinn pointed. “That’s their leader there. Torin-sa.”

“How tall is he?” Keeley asked, eyes wide.

“Seven and a half feet . . . or so,” Quinn guessed. “Maybe eight.”

“You are not helping,” Laila softly chided him.

Keeley shook her head, horrified. “I’m not marrying him!”

“Of course not.” Laila patted her shoulder as the barbarian leader strode purposefully into the center of the open field, between the two groups. “I’ll speak with him.”

“We’ll go with you,” Caid said.

“No. Both of you stay here with Keeley. I’ll be fine.”

Laila made her way across the open field until she reached Torin-sa. They began to speak and though Laila attempted to keep things calm, the barbarian leader continued to gesture in Keeley’s direction.

“Do you think this has to do with Beatrix?” Gemma asked.

“No,” Keeley replied with a slow head shake. “I think it has to do with the wood elves. I think they blame me for what happened to them.”

Gemma glanced at Caid in disbelief before asking her sister, “What in the world makes you think that?”

She pointed. “Because their troops are holding some of the half-melted bodies.”

“Oh, shit.” Gemma began to push Keeley back. “Caid, Quinn. We need to get her out of here now and—Keran, nooooo!”

But it was too late. Keeley’s still-drunk cousin had looped around and was now charging straight at the side of the barbarian leader.

He turned his head toward her just as she launched herself off the ground and slammed her sword directly into his neck.

“Oh, shit!” Quinn exclaimed, saying what everyone else was thinking. Poor Laila, blood splattered across her face and chainmail, was forced to turn and dash back to their side.

Torin-sa dropped to his knees and Keran yanked out her sword. When the barbarian fell over on his side, she stood in front of him, chopped off his head with one blow of her blade, and grabbed it by its hair.