“Ah.” My mouth twists. “I’ve tried to tell her off, but Arwen just won’t stop singing my praises.”
Vaughn laughs uproariously, then crosses toward me without warning, closing the distance in two strides. He moves with surprising speed for such a behemoth. Before I know what is happening, he’s hauled me into his arms and lifted me clear off my feet in a hug that squeezes every particle of air from my lungs. I fear my rib cage might crack under the strain. When I expel an involuntaryoof, Soren looses a low oath.
“You’re crushing her.”
“And? She’s a Remnant, isn’t she? Just because she looks fragile doesn’t mean she is.” With one last bone-crushing squeeze, he sets me back on my feet. His huge hands rest on my shoulders, each the size of a ham. “It’s good to finally meet you, Rhya.”
I drag in a desperate gulp of air that makes my bruised chest ache. “Nice to meet”—I wheeze—“you, too.”
“Gods,” Soren hisses.
Vaughn only chuckles, then retreats to grab an apple off the table. Half of it disappears in a single chomp. “So, Rhya, how are you enjoying your time in the Water Court? Puts a damper on the Fire Court, I’ll bet.”
“Vaughn.”
The half-Titan ignores his brother’s menacing warning. “Can’t imagine why you’d want to go back there.”
I don’t know how to respond to that. In lieu of an answer, I grab an apple of my own and take a bite. Luckily, Vaughn does not seem to notice he is carrying on a one-sided conversation.
“Couldn’t convince me to live in Caeldera, not for all the gemstones in those Dyvedi mines of theirs. I’d sooner winter over in Melité’s clammy cave or with the ice giants atop the Cimmerians.”
I choke on my apple.
He pounds me on the back so hard, I fly forward into the table—a collision Soren prevents at the last moment by throwing out an arm to stop me slamming against the edge.
“Though hoarfrost monsters aren’t a worry for you, are they, Rhya?” Vaughn goes on, oblivious. “Given the way you fried them on Fyremas. Soren described it in detail in one of his letters, but I still would’ve liked to see that for myself.”
I’m too busy catching my breath to do more than nod weakly.
Soren smoothly intervenes, drawing his brother’s attention away. “Where’s Wotek?”
“Left him on Prydain. You know he hates ship travel.” Vaughn’s strong features contort into a frown. “Don’t blame him, being crated in the hold for days on end…”
“Who is Wotek?” I ask, voice somewhat hoarse.
Vaughn glances at me. “My bear.”
“Yourbear?” I blink, bewildered. “You have a bear?”
“I’m too big for a horse.” He shrugs. “Have to ride something into battle, don’t I?”
Reaching over, Soren uses two fingers beneath my chin to click my jaw—which has fallen open in shock—closed again.
“Of course, I wouldn’t need to ride at all if I weren’t so small.” Vaughn scratches at his thickly bearded jawline. “No one else on Prydain requires a mount to keep up.”
I stare at him. He is the farthest thing fromsmallI’ve ever seen.
“I’m only half-Titan,” he explains, recognizing my confusion. “My mother was a true colossal. Makes one wonder how our father managed to bed her all those years ago, logistically speaking.”
Soren grimaces. “Some things are best left a mystery.”
“Alas, no amount of her blood could make up for his shortcomings.” Vaughn grins. “Emphasis onshort.I’m the runt of Prydain. It’s why I’m called Vaughn. Means ‘little one.’ An inside joke among my kind.”
“How tall are the rest of the Titans?” I ask.
“The youngest are at least double Soren’s height. The oldest easily triple it.”
Skies, that’s on par with the ice giants.