How to Drive a Dragon Crazy (Dragon Kin #6)(99)

“You say blood cult,” Izzy noted, “so you mean sacrifices.”

“Many young ones. Human and otherwise. The true zealots, the priests of this cult, are blinded, their eyes usually removed completely during some kind of ritual.”

“They willingly allow their eyes to be removed?”

“In honor of their god.”

“Chramnesind,” Éibhear said.

“Yes.”

“Is he a dragon god? I’ve never heard of him.”

“No. He’s among the human pantheon of gods.”

Izzy glanced at Éibhear. “No offense, King Heru, but you’re saying that dragons are joining a human cult?”

“I am.”

Izzy didn’t understand. From what she’d always heard, not only from her kin but from Rhydderch Hael himself, dragon gods could barely get dragons to do their bidding. How, then, could a human god get dragons to join a cult that insisted on self-mutilation and the killing of young ones? Even the most barbaric of dragon tribes didn’t believe in the harming of youngsters.

“Why?” Éibhear asked. “What could possibly be the benefit of joining a cult like this?”

“That I don’t know. My soldiers have captured exactly two of their loyalists this past year. They both ended their own lives before we were able to question them.”

Éibhear leaned back in his chair. “They killed themselves? Dragons took their own lives?”

“What?” Izzy asked.

“Dragons don’t kill themselves,” Éibhear explained.

“Why not?”

“We’re too arrogant,” he said simply. “Why would we destroy perfection?”

“You’re serious, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” every dragon at the table replied.

“And that’s the power we’re dealing with,” Heru went on.

“If Chramnesind is a human god,” Izzy asked Heru, “what is the point of having dragons worshipping him?”

“Other than maybe having them as part of the cult’s growing army, I really don’t know.”

“But perhaps, Princess Iseabail,” the king’s head magi, Kafele, finally offered, “you could find out for us.”

Izzy blinked. “Find out for you? Do you mean ask my grandmother and Aunt Morfyd?”

“No. I mean ask Rhydderch Hael yourself. You are his chosen champion, are you not?”

Izzy stared at the magi for several seconds before she slowly moved her gaze to the king. “Is that what this is about? Is that why you took me?”

“We had to do something. It’s believed this cult has infiltrated our ranks.”

“Is that why you came for Izzy yourself?” Éibhear asked. “Because there was no one else you could trust?”

“They went there for Iseabail. They knew she was there. I had to move quickly and without concern that there’d be a betrayal.”

“Were they coming to take me . . . or kill me?”

“I don’t know, but it doesn’t really matter, does it?”

“You’re right. It doesn’t.” Izzy pushed her chair back and stood. “Thank you for your help. Of course, my grandmother will hear about all you’ve done for me.”

The king stood as well. “Of course, you’ll stay for a bit.”

“I can’t. I have to get to the city of Sefu.”

“Then let me provide you and Prince Éibhear with an escort.”

“I need no escort, King Heru. But I truly do appreciate all you’ve done.” She stepped away from the table. “And if I discover any further information, I will get it to you.”

“Thank you. And just a word of caution. The suns burn much hotter here in my beautiful land than in your Dark Plains. You may want to travel at night; there are small caves throughout the territory where you can sleep during the day. If that’s not possible, sleep under Prince Éibhear’s wings for protection.”

With a nod, Izzy headed out of the chamber and back to where she’d left her travel bag and Macsen.

Éibhear caught up to her, his stride matching hers. “Are you sure about this?” he asked.

“We have to keep moving. We have to get this settled.”

Éibhear didn’t reply until they arrived back in their chamber. Then, once there, he caught hold of her arm and walked her back until she was against the wall.

“What is it, Izzy?” he asked, keeping his voice low. “I know you, Izzy. A cult is after you. Normally, you’d be heading toward them, not away.”

And Éibhear was right. She would be. Annwyl had always taught Izzy to face her battles head-on unless there was a tactical advantage not to. Yet this particular decision wasn’t about Izzy. Not at all.

“When Rhi was young, she told me she had lots of friends. She talked to them all the time. Sometimes Talan and Talwyn didn’t mind about her friends, but sometimes her cousins chased those friends off.”

“They were gods.”

“When I asked her to describe her friends, she told me some were bright like the sun, blinding her. Others were made of earth and shit, but they were ever so nice.”

Éibhear chuckled at that.