How to Drive a Dragon Crazy (Dragon Kin #6)(82)

The Mì-runach looked at each other and then over at the arguing Izzy and Éibhear. Izzy’s dog was in her arms now but still attempting to lunge at Éibhear’s face.

Together, the males stated, “Not at all.”

After a few more hours of travel, they stopped in a town pub for a meal and to discuss the remainder of their trip.

Izzy had been sure that Éibhear had made up all that centaur shit about Aidan knowing his way around the Desert Lands in order to convince her mother he and his friends were necessary. But it turned out Aidan had spent years in the Desert Lands and remembered well his way there and around.

He pulled out a map and spread it out on the table, pushing the empty bowls and plates out of the way so they could all look.

“I know of at least seventeen ways we can sneak into the Desert Lands unseen, including taking the pass through—”

“Wait,” Izzy cut in. “Why do we need to sneak into the Desert Lands? Both Annwyl and Rhiannon have an alliance with the Desert Land rulers.”

Aidan looked down at the map and back up at her. “I thought this was a kill assignment. Isn’t this a kill assignment?” he asked Éibhear.

She saw Brannie quickly turn her head away when Izzy snarled, “No. This isn’t a kill assignment.”

“But that’s what we do,” Aidan insisted. “We kill. We sneak in and kill. Are you unclear on what the Mì-runach do?”

“I didn’t invite you people!” Izzy looked at Éibhear. “Fix this. Fix this right now.”

He held his hands up and said to Aidan, “We’re not there to kill anyone.”

“Then why are we going?”

“I’m going to see my grandmother,” Izzy said.

“We just left your grandmother.”

“Another grandmother!”

“Well, how many do you have?”

“That’s it!” Éibhear ordered them all. “That’s it.”

Éibhear stopped a moment to glare at the people in the pub who’d started to stare at them. When everyone looked away, he focused back on the group.

“We’ve got two things to do when we get to the Desert Lands. See if we can find Vateria Flominia and if we do, learn whether she’s causing problems. Then I’ll report that back to my mother. The other task is to escort General Iseabail to the Nolwenn territories to meet with her grandmother and—”

“Did you make an appointment?” Aidan asked Izzy.

Izzy looked around. “Did who make an appointment?”

“You.”

“Make an appointment with my grandmother? Why would I do that?”

“Powerful rulers wait months to meet with the Nolwenns.”

“I’m her granddaughter.”

Uther said around the chicken leg he was currently sucking marrow from, “Thought she kicked your mum on the street.”

Izzy was nearly across the table, her hands around the big bastard’s throat before another big bastard scooped her up and took her out of the pub.

“I don’t know how this is going to work if you can’t control your temper.”

Izzy pulled herself away from his arms, which he didn’t really want her to do, but he knew better than to grab her back.

“Why are they here?” she demanded, facing him. “For that matter, why are you here?”

“We both know why I’m here.”

“Why? For more f**king? Will you finally get your chance to brag to Celyn when we get back? Laugh about it at the pub? Or have another reason to blame me for your gods-damn misery? To again point the finger at the whore who came between cousins?”

Éibhear answered the only way he could think of at the moment, “Are you still going on about that?”

Izzy’s hands curled into fists and she took an angry step forward. But then, just as suddenly, she took a quick step back, looked around, and finally—wonderfully—laughed.

“You rude bastard.”

Éibhear joined her, the two of them standing in some alley in some town neither knew much about, laughing.

“Sorry. I couldn’t resist.”

She waved the apology away. “It’s a little matter.”

“You’re worried about meeting her, aren’t you?”

“I want to do what’s best for my sister. But this is about her future and if I get it wrong . . .”

“That’s why I’ll be with you through all this. Your sister but my niece. I’m not about to let her train under someone not worthy of the challenge. And if we can also find out whether Vateria is in the Desert Lands for my mother, that’s even better. We’ll accomplish more in a few weeks than most of my kin accomplish in a few thousand years.”

“You know, I’ve seen Vateria, I know what she did to her cousin. Why Grandmum isn’t just getting rid of her is beyond me.”

“The last thing we need is for other dragon kingdoms to think we’re here to kill on order.”

“So she sends in the Mì-runach? That seems like a good plan to you?”

“The Mì-runach have done reconnaissance. We’re good at it.”

“I can see that. All four of you just . . . blend.”