Free The Dragon Who Loved Me by G.A. Aiken Page A

barbarian’s eaten what we’ve brought with us. He just sucks up all the food around him without caring about anyone else.”
    Ren chuckled. “It could be worse. He could be chatty.”
    “Good point. You know how I hate chatty.” Rhona stood. “Let me see if I can track something down for you. I’ll even roast it for you.”
    “That would be perfect. Thank you.”
    “Anything for you, Ren of the Chosen.”
    “Really? And why’s that then?”
    “Because you manage to control Keita and keep her relatively safe. For that alone—the entire Clan owes you.”
    Rhona lifted her head, sniffed the air. “Deer,” she said and went after it.
     
     
    Vigholf caught the deer by its throat and slammed it into a tree, snapping its neck, and tossed the carcass to the ground. His stomach grumbled and he reached for the animal, planning to tear it open and enjoy its still-warm insides.
    But before his fingers could touch the animal’s soft pelt, a blast of flame singed his human fingers.
    “Gods-dammit! What was that for?”
    “You have to be the most selfish dragon I’ve ever met,” Rhona accused. “And considering my kin—that’s truly saying something.”
    “What did I do now?”
    “Ren needs to eat.”
    “So? Let him eat.”
    “You’ve devoured all the dried beef and bread we had. You haven’t even asked any of us if we’re hungry or not.”
    Vigholf shrugged. “I asked Keita. But she—”
    “Keita? You asked Keita? Keita who’s not doing any Magicks to protect her nieces and nephew? Keita who’s not protecting anyone? Keita who’s done nothing but talk about all the bloody dresses she plans to get—not buy mind, but get—when she arrives in Dark Plains? She’s the one you’re making sure is fed?”
    Vigholf cleared his throat, scratched the back of his neck. “Well . . . yeah.”
    Rhona’s eyes narrowed and she shoved him back from the carcass. “I’m giving this to Ren. You can bring your precious Keita something else that you caught or killed.”
    “That deer wasn’t for her. It was for me. I’m hungry.”
    “Again?” Rhona gawked up at him. “How can you be hungry again? You’ve done nothing but eat all day. Now that I think about it, I’ve never seen a dragon eat while flying.”
    “Then clearly you’re not putting in enough effort.” Rhona’s eyes narrowed again, and Vigholf, in no mood to fight with her, quickly put his hands up. “There’s more deer over in that glen. I’ll grab one of those.”
    “Good.”
    Rhona crouched beside the carcass and proceeded to skin it.
    Vigholf watched her for a time until he asked, “How’s the Eastlander doing anyway?”
    “He’s tired. To-his-bones tired.”
    “You’re worried about him.”
    “Aye. I am.”
    “You two seem . . . close.”
    Rhona gave a good yank and removed the deer’s pelt with her bare hands. “Aye. I guess we are.”
    “How close?”
    She tossed the pelt aside and looked up at Vigholf. “What?”
    “How close are you to the one your sisters refer to as the ‘ handsome foreigner’?”
    “Why are you asking?”
    “Why won’t you tell me?”
    “Because it’s none of your business?”
    “And what exactly is none of my business? What are you hiding from me?”
    Rhona stood, flicking the deer blood and pulp from her hands. “I hide nothing from you, but my business and my personal life are my own. Even my mother doesn’t ask me these sorts of questions.”
    “I’m not your mother.”
    “No. So you have even less right.”
    “Then answer me this,” he quickly said before she could walk off. “Are you two . . . attached?”
    She snorted a small laugh. “No. Not like that. We’re . . . old friends.”
    “Uh-huh.”
    “Unattached old friends. So leave it be.”
    Except Vigholf wasn’t sure he could.
     
     
    Rhona blasted the deer with her flame, using the power of it to turn the carcass over and over until it was wonderfully roasted on all sides. She reached for it and lifted it onto her