How to Drive a Dragon Crazy (Dragon Kin #6)(120)

“Forget that, Éibhear. We need to talk about—”

“Izzy!” a voice called out.

Izzy looked at the street and grinned. “Brannie!” She ran down the stairs and met Branwen halfway. They threw their arms around each other and Éibhear looked past them to Aidan, Caswyn, and Uther. All four of them rolled their eyes at each other. One would think the two females hadn’t seen each other in years rather than a few days.

“Are you all right?” Izzy demanded of her friend. “Were you hurt?”

“Iz, I’m fine.” Brannie hugged her again. “I figured this was the most likely place to find you. We have word from Rhiannon.”

“I’m sure you do, but that’ll have to wait.” Izzy smiled. “I have people for you to meet.”

“People?”

Izzy took Brannie’s hand and led her down the steps to her birth father’s family, who were still waiting at the bottom of the stairs for her.

“Who’s that?” Aidan asked, the four of them watching Izzy introduce each family member to an overwhelmed Branwen.

“The family of Izzy’s birth father.”

“Really?”

“Aye.”

“How are they?”

“Ever so nice. All soldiers and blacksmiths. I think my father will like Izzy’s grandfather.”

“How does Izzy’s grandfather feel about you?”

“Oh, he hates me.”

Aidan shrugged. “He knows you’re defiling his granddaughter. What do you expect?”

“I hate you.”

“Only when I’m right.”

“So now what?” Caswyn asked.

“You sound eager.”

“He’s met some long-tailed royal,” Aidan explained. “And hopes to spend time with her at the human’s harvest festival.”

“I hope to buy a prostitute at the harvest festival,” Uther announced. “Just for a night or two. Not to keep.”

“Especially since Annwyl outlawed slavery of any kind.”

“Did she?”

Éibhear walked around his idiot friends and headed toward Izzy and her family. “You ready?” he asked.

“What’s going on?” Maskini asked.

“Well,” Izzy said, “I beat up my grandmother, which was weird because she looked just like Mum, but she did start it, and I found out that all the times I’ve used a shield to protect myself from Magicks was apparently a vast waste of effort. I also met my great grandmother who said she’d help my sister but only if Éibhear does something incredibly stupid, but it seems he won’t listen to me about it. Plus, Brannie, it looks like Macsen is descended from battle dogs, and as far as Éibhear’s concerned, tea can soothe anything.”

Aidan smiled. “Now aren’t you glad you asked?”

“Gods,” Layla sighed, “you really are like your mother.”

Chapter 39

Éibhear held up a map that Zachariah had dug up for them. Normally, they’d place a map on a table, but at the moment, there wasn’t enough room around the table for that. There was Izzy, Izzy’s family, Éibhear’s comrades, and Brannie all packed into this small, fourth-floor family room.

“Are you just going to hold that?” Maskini asked him.

“Unless you have a better option.”

Maskini took the map from Éibhear’s hands and walked over to the far wall. She held it up against the cool brick. “Layla.”

Layla walked over to her mother and pulled out two blades from her boot. Lifting the daggers, she rammed one in each of the top two corners. “There,” she said, pleased with herself. Her smile just like Izzy’s.

Stepping back, Éibhear studied the map.

“What did the witch tell you?” Aidan asked.

“That they’ll have Vateria near a source of power. Most likely here,” he said, pointing to a mountainous terrain less than a half day’s flight outside the city walls.

“They weren’t more specific?”

“They never are.”

Éibhear felt a tug on the back of his shirt and he saw that it was Izzy sitting on the table behind him. He stepped back until his ass rested against the table and she handed him something. He stared at it.

“What is this?”

“I got it from Zarah. She took two slices of bread and put meat in the middle. It’s good and you can eat it without a knife.”

Éibhear took a bite.

“It’s good, yeah?”

He nodded his head in approval while Uther sidled up next to him. “What’s that you got there?”

Éibhear glared at his comrade. “It’s mine. That’s what it is.”

“You can’t share?”

“No.”

“Are you two done?” Maskini demanded. She pointed at the map. “We’ve got work to do.”

“But we’re hungry,” Uther replied.

“Are you whining?”

“Maybe. A little.”

Rolling her eyes, Maskini pushed past her family and walked out.

“Maybe?” Izzy teased Uther.

“I’m hungry!”