Page 52 (2/2)

She realized with a smile that she truly did earn her name She really was Annwyl the Bloody And proud of it But she tired of wasting herself on these ods, she would have it

She killed off two ed up the ridge, screa for Lorcan As she rass Lorcan waited for her Waited for her with his dragon

She glanced behind her and realized that lared at her brother "Afraid to face me yourself, Lorcan?" He wouldn’t even meet her eyes "Can’t you answer me, brother?"

"You can direct your questions to me, Lady Annwyl"

She looked at what could only be Hefaidd-Hen Unlike Fearghus and his kin, she saw no beauty in this beast No sense of grace or elegance Just a cold-blooded killer His dragon body appeared alon eyes a pale, watery blue Just looking at him made her skin crawl

"Are you ruler of Dark Plains now, Hefaidd-Hen?"

"I am merely counsel to Lorcan"

"And what has been your counsel toyou He should leave that to ave her a gift that would help her fight Hefaidd-Hen She had no idea what her flames would do, but she prayed that the queen really did help her She prayed hard For although she could hear Brastias calling to his h the line of troops separating her from them, she still knew She knew, as Hefaidd-Hen reared back to take in a lungful of air, that they would never get to her in time

She looked at her brother "No hus flew as fast as he could, Morfyd doing her best to keep up with hinored her Morfyd saw the a as she was now, she would never be able to face Hefaidd-Hen down Never be able to win against hion, but a wizard as well His flaick

But as he closed in on the ridge his woman now stood on, he could see he wouldn’t be in time No matter how fast he flew No matter what he did He would lose her

Brastias couldn’t clear the enee before the foul beast sent a blast that completely covered his leader in a white-hot flaon-lover spew But soick, considering she was just a girl

But when the flaht, her face turned away Everything as it should be Even her chainmail and surcoat

Brastias stopped That wasn’t possible There should be nothing of her left Not even ash