How to Drive a Dragon Crazy (Dragon Kin #6)(116)

“But you can’t because . . .”

“You know why. This isn’t the end of it for us. We’re not meant to be nobles like Lord Pombray’s boy or even our uncles. But what you’ve been telling us from the beginning is that without knowledge, we can’t lead, we can’t fight, we can’t do anything but hope others protect us. And, Mum . . . we just don’t have that luxury anymore.”

Annwyl nodded. “My own words thrown back at me . . . and yet they were brilliant words.”

Talan grinned. “Just like your son.”

Annwyl took his hand. “Are you truly comfortable with your sister going off with the Kyvich?”

“No. Not because I think it will be bad for her. But I know she has no intention of staying. And when she’s ready to go, that will be a problem.”

“For her?”

“For them.”

“And this . . . monastery? This is what you want?”

“No. But this is what I need. I will admit, I almost turned it down. Almost walked away. But you always said to trust my instincts and my instincts tell me to do this. Now. Not later. Right now.” He kissed the back of her hand. “And because I know you’re thinking it, I only look like I’m not listening to you. But I hear every word. And thank you. For surviving. For doing what you’ve done. I know for a fact, no other female in this universe could have been my mother.”

Fighting tears, Annwyl wrapped her arms around her son’s massive and still-growing shoulders and hugged him tight. They stayed like that until the bedroom door opened again and she heard Fearghus’s voice.

“Remind me why I bother dealing with that old bastard. And don’t say it’s just because of blood ties.” Fearghus stopped and eyed his mate and son. “What did the boy do now?”

With his head resting on Annwyl’s shoulder, Talan replied, “Everything you’ve only dreamed about.”

Annwyl immediately caught Fearghus’s grasping hand and snapped, “Fearghus, no!”

“Just one punch to the head! Just one!”

Chapter 36

For a half an hour Izzy sat there and watched her grandmother—and the commander general of the city’s protection force—try to negotiate Izzy’s entrance into the Nolwenn temple. Her aunts and uncles, a few of her older cousins, and her grandfather stood with her and Éibhear, waiting as well. But as the suns moved overhead, the heat beginning to sear Izzy’s brain inside her skull, she began to get more and more annoyed.

She tried not to get annoyed. She tried to focus on other things. Like the beauty of the city. Sefu was a grand city with a major river that connected it to the ocean and several major Desert Land ports. Bustling and well-designed, Sefu boasted one of the largest libraries and a major theater.

Yet even thinking about those things only managed to irritate Izzy more because she wouldn’t be able to enjoy them. Not when she had things to do.

Maskini made her way down the long stairs.

“I’m sorry, Izzy,” she said when she was close enough so that she didn’t have to yell her failure. “They suggested that you come back tomorrow. They’re expecting one of their appointments to cancel and they say—Izzy? Where are you going?”

“All of you wait here.”

Taking the stairs two at a time, Izzy walked up to the temple doors. She pressed on them, but they were solid marble and bolted from inside.

“Izzy?” She looked over her shoulder at Éibhear. He’d followed her up the stairs and now watched her.

She stepped back and motioned to the doors. “Get them down.”

Éibhear glanced around. “You sure about this?”

“You have no idea how sure I am. Now do it.”

Éibhear shrugged and took a couple of steps down. He stripped his clothes off and handed them to Izzy. He motioned her farther away with a wave of his hand, and then he shifted, his natural powers even stronger when dragon.

Once in his dragonform, he took in a deep breath and unleashed a stream of flame at the doors. The thick marble buckled, the heat melting part of the door. But still it stood strong. With his flame still shooting straight, Éibhear ran forward and rammed his shoulder into the marble. The doors were torn off their hinges and flew inside, crashing into the walls and ceiling before landing several feet away.

Stepping back, Éibhear gestured to the now open doorway with a tilt of his head. Izzy placed his clothes down and walked up the stairs and into the temple. Éibhear glanced back at Izzy’s shocked family, their eyes wide, some with their mouths open. He winked at them and followed Izzy inside.

Izzy entered the Nolwenn temple. It was quite a beautiful place. And big. So big, Éibhear was able to follow her inside without shifting back to human.

Looking around at the marble statues and marble floors, she demanded, “Where’s Haldane?”

“So you’re Talaith’s daughter?” a young witch asked her.

“Haldane,” Izzy repeated as she walked up to the young witch.

“She has much to do, I’m afraid, and I don’t think she’ll be able to find the time to meet with the child of a traitor—”

Izzy cut off the witch’s words by laying her out with a right cross to the jaw. The witch dropped to the floor and Izzy stepped over her.