How to Drive a Dragon Crazy (Dragon Kin #6)(123)

“No, what?”

“You need sleep. We’ll get started tomorrow.”

“Éibhear—”

“After what happened between you and Haldane, you need your sleep.”

“I’m fine. I don’t need—”

The dragon put his obscenely large hand over Izzy’s face. Completely over her face.

“Hush, now. I’m doing what’s best for you.”

That seemed to irritate Izzy because she began swinging and trying to pry his hand off her face. Maskini glanced across the room at her husband. Zachariah didn’t believe this disturbingly large—when human; as dragon he was horrifyingly large—blue-haired “uncle” was any sort of proper uncle. But like her mother, Izzy seemed a bit clueless when it came to the true feelings of males.

The dragon pulled Izzy into his body, one arm around her waist, the other still over her face while Izzy continued to swing and curse behind that hand. “Poor Izzy is always so eager to work. I often have to remind her that she’s merely human and needs her rest.”

“It’s not a problem,” Maskini told him. “We can send my troops out tonight to do some recon around the city. We’ll have more information for you in the morning so you won’t have to waste any time.”

“Excellent! Hear that, Izzy? This is just what we need.”

Although Maskini couldn’t quite make out the words, she sensed that her granddaughter was not agreeing with the dragon.

“My lady—”

“General.”

“Right. Well, General, will you be able to fit my comrades and Branwen in your beautiful home for the night? Or should I find them accommodations in the city?”

“They can stay here.”

Rachel looked at her. “They can?”

“Of course. The three males can stay with you, dragon. And Branwen can stay with Izzy.”

She saw the immediate disappointment on the dragon’s face. “Oh. Branwen won’t get her own room?”

“We just don’t have the space. Sorry. But I’m sure the, uh, cousins would like to share a room together tonight. Eh, ladies?”

“Oh, yes, General,” the lady dragon crowed. “Thank you!”

Now those two, Branwen and the blue-haired dragon, were definitely related and viewed each other as such.

Izzy finally pulled herself from the dragon’s arms, spun around, and slapped at his chest and shoulders with her hands.

Rachel leaned in and whispered in Maskini’s ear, “I certainly hope she’s better in battle than this.”

“That makes two of us.”

“Maybe we shouldn’t wait. We should go looking tonight,” Izzy pushed.

Brannie pulled on a loose, white cotton shirt and soft cotton leggings. Her usual clothes for sleeping whenever humans were around.

“Maskini already sent out her troops. You gave them detailed instructions. I don’t know what you think we can do. We don’t even know this city.” Brannie looked over her shoulder. Izzy stood on the other side of the bed they’d be sharing, dressed in the same style as Brannie but her shirt was blue. “You’re anxious, Iz. Why?”

“Don’t know.”

Bran settled on the bed, her legs crossed. Izzy always got like this when she had to wait to go into battle. Like Annwyl, she wasn’t good with the waiting. Unlike Annwyl, however, Izzy could go ages without a good war to keep her busy. As long as she got in her daily training and spent time with her troops, she was fine. But when she knew a battle was imminent, Izzy hated the occasional delay that happened before she could dive in and start the killing. That’s when Brannie had to be careful because it was easy to start fights with her cousin.

“Don’t worry, Iz. We’ll get this cleaned up, get Elisa’s agreement about your sister, and take it from there.”

“Right. Of course.”

Bran knew her cousin had given up that fight much too easily, which made her think there might be something else going on. Something beyond all the doings of witches and sand.

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” Brannie demanded quietly, so as not to disturb the rest of the house, which had settled down for the evening.

“What are you talking about?”

“You. You’re anxious. Practically crawling the walls.”

“I’ve got a lot on my mind.”

“Does what’s on your mind have really big hands and blue hair?”

“Let it go, Bran.”

“You f**ked him, right?”

“So? It’s not like he’s the first.”

“There’s f**king, Iz, and then there’s something more. Or at least that’s what I’ve been told.”

“And?”

“And, it looks to me like you’ve got something more.”

“With Éibhear? Lord I-Can’t-Get-Too-Close?”

“He doesn’t seem to mind getting too close now. Doing it in front of your human kin, too. With all of them glaring at him. The fact he hasn’t run off screaming I find admirable.”

Izzy chuckled and sat down on the bed. “They probably don’t like him because he’s dragon.”

“They tolerate me well enough. Not an unkind word or terrified scream of panic yet.” Bran studied her friend. “You falling for him, Iz?”