Even now Brannie missed Izzy. After her morning with Aidan, the first thing Brannie would have done would be to tell Izzy. In detail. And not having her here hurt. Their kinship went beyond the blood and tough times they’d shared during battle. They considered themselves sisters on another level. Their species differences—dragon versus human—meant nothing when it came down to it. Because they understood each other as no one else had ever understood them.

Brannie’s brother Celyn didn’t even understand her the way Izzy did. And this trip would be ten thousand times more tolerable if only her best friend were here.

“Such sighs,” Aidan remarked from beside her, pulling her away from her thoughts. “What makes Branwen the Awful so miserable?”

She gave a little smile. “I’m not miserable. Just missing—”

“The great Izzy?”

Brannie nodded. “This is the kind of mission she loved when there was no war to pull us away. For some, a proper holiday is in the Desolate Caverns. For me and Iz, it was finding shit to get into. A little protection work. A little killing when necessary.” She sighed again. “I miss our holidays.”

“Wasn’t it one of your holidays with Izzy where Éibhear nearly lost a foot?”

Eyes rolling, “Gods, is he still going on about that? We wouldn’t have let him be sacrificed. I don’t know why he goes on so about it.”

“Because he almost lost a foot.”

“All these years and he’s still a big baby.”

Keita suddenly pulled back on the reins of her horse and looked around.

Brannie stopped behind her cousin and sighed once more. “You’re lost, aren’t you?”

“I am not lost. I’m just . . .”

“Lost.”

“Orienting myself!”

“This road does lead us to the Port Cities,” Aidan pointed out.

“But remember what the priest said. He didn’t lose Ren in Port Cities, so I’m just—”

“Lost.”

Keita glared at Brannie. “We are not lost, peasant!” She suddenly pointed. “There. We should head that way.”

Eyes narrowing, Brannie grabbed Aidan’s arm before he could ride off with his Mì-runach brethren who would automatically follow.

“Why?” Brannie asked Keita.

“Why what?”

“Why would Ren turn off that way?”

“Why are you asking me that?”

“Because I’m almost positive you’re guessing. And we don’t have time for your guesses. So why don’t we just go to the Port Cities, then backtrack ten leagues northeast? See what we find?”

“I’d rather follow in Ren’s claw-steps, thank you very much.”

“That’s fine, but you don’t know where that is.”

“We are five dragons,” Keita needlessly reminded her. “I think we can handle a little off-road searching.” She pointed at a large dent in a nearby tree. “And the mark on that tree. That’s from Ren. A message to me.”

“You’re sure?”

“Are you calling me a liar?”