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Tears pricked and her vision blurred. If that wasn’t a slap in the face… Did he truly think so little of her? Even Varlett had said something similar. “Why would you say that? You know I love you.”

“You left me once. You could do it again. I’m not saying you love me less. I mean you’re stronger than I am.” He brushed his fingers across her collarbone. “My entire life has been to protect you, to love you, to make sure you were safe. If I didn’t have you, what would I live for?”

She clenched her teeth. This line of talk scared her. “Stop it.” Layala pulled away. She wanted to smack him upside the head. “You’re acting like this is the end, that it’s already over and you lost.”

“I’m only preparing you for a possibility. Yoren is old, powerful and has never been defeated.”

Her bottom lip trembled. “If you die, I die, remember? Bond or not.” She whirled away from him, determined to go through that office door.

“Layala,” he quietly called. His fingers brushed her arm, but she jerked away.

Even if the dragons scared the shit out of her, to potentially watch the one she loved more than life die, frightened her even more. There was one way to get this done. She shoved through the door. “ThaneandI accept the challenge.”

Prince Yoren looked her up and down and then turned to the queen. She gave one slight nod. Prince Yoren’s face lit up with a huge grin; he may as well have been clapping. Was this a huge mistake? Probably, but she didn’t regret it.

She felt the breeze of Thane’s presence just before his hand rested on her lower back. Yoren stopped in front of them. “I accept your challenge Lady Lightbringer and King Thane. I’ll give you two days to prepare, and no one will blame you if you change your mind.” His normally dark-brown eyes flashed yellow, and the round pupils turned to slits. “And make sure to prepare arrangements for where you want your bodies sent, just in case. We’ll at least give you that for having the courage to try.”

The door clicked shut in Layala’s face. Thane glared daggers at the door before he turned that furious gaze on her. He could be angry all he wanted, she wouldn’t back out, nothing he said would change her mind. She raised her chin and waited for whatever argument he wanted to have out.

Thane’s nostrils flared and he opened his mouth only to be cut off by Ronan slipping out to meet them. He slow-clapped. “Bold move.” He let out a giddy laugh and threw his arms around both of their shoulders, walking in between them down the empty hall. “Let’s go get you two ready, eh? If you want a chance at not dying, you’ll need my help.”

* * *

The morning sunhung level with the mountain range, staining the sky a vibrant pink. Layala stared at how the colors changed from light blue, to salmon, to pink. The wide, blue slow-moving river trickled serenely, and wind brushed through the needles of anciently-tall pine trees.

Things seemed more beautiful when life threats lurked around every corner. Although, she refused to die in two days’ time. She had too many things left to do. Even if fate tried to deal her that hand, she’d pull an ace from up her sleeve and fight it. That dragon prince had no idea who he was dealing with. And Layala had a feeling they’d only seen the seedling of Thane’s power of what could be a mighty oak. Like her, he didn’t rely on his magic, didn’t use it except when necessary. What would happen if he’d leaned into it fully? And now that she would be fighting beside him, he’d do anything to win. When it was only his life on the line, he seemed to allow death an option.

Prince Ronan gave them fire-resistant, bronze-colored armor that shimmered in the sunlight. She brushed her fingers over the coin-sized pieces, seamlessly melded together, dragon scales. Real ones. It was surprisingly pliable, considering its weight. She was covered from neck to ankle and the pieces must add an extra twenty pounds to her frame. Thane tightened one of the buckles on her left, jerking it tighter than necessary. Layala rolled her eyes. “You can be pissy all you want. It’s not going to change anything.”

“I will be pissy. Thanks for your permission.” He moved onto the next buckle and tugged on it like a brute would a saddle.

“I’m not a horse you know.”

“Clearly. A horse would listen.” He stepped back, fury smoldering. “Now I’ll have to not only take on a dragon, but make certain you don’t get hurt or killed while I’m at it.”

“You’ve known since the day you met me that I don’t follow orders like one of your servants.” He reached for another loose strap on her side, and she smacked his hand away. “And you don’t need to make sure of anything. You do what you need to do, and I’ll do the same.” Layala worked furiously on latching her own armor. “It will probably be me saving your ass.”

Prince Ronan stood beside Piper with his arms crossed. “They always like this?”

“Half the time,” Piper answered with one hand on her popped-out hip. “This isn’t as bad as they used to be though. They’ve had some epic blowouts. I mean, she tried to murder him once in his sleep.”

Prince Ronan laughed and slapped his thigh. “Oh, that’s spectacular.”

Thane rolled his shoulders and neck. “I would have gotten out of that cage without you, you know. Those chains were close to breaking.”

Oh, now he wanted to bring up what happened in Newarden? If she, Piper and Fennan hadn’t come to save him, he would have been tortured to death. “Your ego is astounding.” Layala picked up her sword. “And here I thought you were grateful we came.”

“I am. I’ve already said thank you. All I’m saying is I’d have gotten free.” He swung both his swords in figure eights in front of him. “And I’m not the only one of the two of us that’s needed rescuing. If we’re going to keep a tally I’ve got a couple marks on you, my dear.”

Layala arched an eyebrow. “Do you? Shall we talk about the sirens?”

“How about,” Piper said, stepping in between the two of them. “You work together rather than try to prove who has saved who more times. And please for the love of the Maker, stop arguing. You have two days to prepare to fight a dragon prince.”

Ronan crossed his arms over his broad chest. “Your lives depend on you working together.”

“Why are you helping us anyway?” Layala asked. “If we win, that means your brother is dead.”

Ronan tsked. “Oh, sweet child, they’ll never allow you to kill Yoren. Defeat him, possibly, but don’t count on it. And look out for other obstacles.”