sneered.
Gemma jumped in front of her sister as Keeley pointed her finger and informed their mother, “Blacksmithing is the most ancient and noble art in the world!”
“Keeley,” Gemma implored, “let it go.”
“You’re just lucky our mum isn’t here. She’d tear your skin off.”
“I’m sorry,” his mother said, a small smile turning up the corners of her mouth.
Keeley frowned. “Are you?”
“Of course. I shouldn’t have insulted you. But in spite of the fact that a god came to you—”
“Gods.”
His mother blinked. “Pardon?”
“Gods. I met gods. As in plural.”
“You met someone other than Ofydd Naw? Who else?”
Keeley shrugged. “Not sure about the name, but he was a giant version of my wolf friends.”
Laila’s eyes grew wide. “Your wolf friends . . . ? Do you mean the demon wolves we can’t get rid of?”
“They’re still wolves.”
His mother scratched her cheek. “That’s Maelgwn. The other gods use him when someone makes them angry. They’ll send him up here to destroy whole cities or entire races of people, depending on how pissed off they are.”
Really? Keeley shrugged. “He let me rub his belly.”
* * *
The entire tent was silent until Gaira looked at Laila with those light eyes and sweetly said, “May I speak to you for a moment, dear?”
“No, thank you,” Laila attempted but her mother grabbed her by her hair as she walked by and dragged Laila from the tent.
“What kind of mad human did you bring to our territory?” Gaira demanded, shoving Laila away and shifting to human so she could easily pace in front of her daughter.
“She’s not mad. Just different.”
Gaira stopped pacing. “She rubbed the belly of a demon god.”
“Demon wolf god.”
“What difference does that make?”
“To her it makes all the difference. As far as she’s concerned . . . they’re wolves and therefore, they are more animal than evil being.”
“Despite the eyes of flame?”
“She just doesn’t put her hands near that area . . . so they don’t get burned.”
Gaira moved in close and reminded her, “You do understand that one day you’ll be taking my role? As chieftain. You get that, yes? Which means you’ll be responsible for all these people. Not just the ones who can wield a sword, but the ones who farm, who heal, who make pretty jewelry. You do understand that?”
“Of course I do.”
“Then you understand bringing mad human women into their midst is stupid . . . yes?”
“Just talk to her.”
“I tried. She bickered with her War Monk—another discussion we’ll need to have one day—sister and talked about rubbing the belly of a demon god.”
“And Ofydd Naw came to get her. To send her back here to battle her own sister. Or did you forget that part, Mum?”
“Don’t call me ‘Mum.’ We’re not peasants.”
“I know it’s hard for you to not look down on others, but I’ve fought beside Keeley. I’ve seen her with her family. I’ve seen her with her workers. I’ve seen her challenge the Witches of Amhuinn. Can she win against Beatrix? I really don’t know. But I think if we give that bitch Beatrix even the slightest chance, she will destroy all of us.”
* * *
“Tell me what you need, blacksmith,” the leader of the centaur clans, Chieftain Gaira, asked Keeley as they walked through her tribal lands together.
“I need an army.”
“You’ll have to give me a very good reason to assign my warriors to you.”
“No, no,” Keeley felt the need to insist. “I need an army.”
“Are you saying my warriors are not good enough for you?”
“No. I’m saying I need a big army. Big. Beatrix has access to at least half of the Old King’s armies. Cyrus the Honored has the other half.”
“So what you truly need are allies.”
“I do, but I’m nobody.”
Gaira stopped, wagged her forefinger at Keeley. “Ah-ah-ah. Never say that. You are the true queen prophesized by the Witches of Amhuinn.”
“Who are no longer here to verify it.”
“They’re not dead. Just moved. If you want allies, you need to be that true and prophesized queen. You need to make potential allies promises that you’ll one day be able to deliver on.”
“That means gold? Because I don’t have gold.”
Gaira shrugged. “Mhmm. Not all promises mean gold. Sometimes they mean . . . marriage. Perhaps marry a duke or baron with a substantial army?”
Keeley couldn’t help but pull her lips back in a grimace.
“I . . . I can’t do that.”
“Looking for love, are you?”
“It would be nice.”
“Well,” Gaira went on, “I have another option. It’s a little . . . dangerous. And I’m sure my