Riana nodded in perfect understanding. “Tough choice. I think we need to get you away from these adventurers. Deciding to go after the dragon instead of your companion . . . you’d think some of their ‘nobility’ had rubbed off.”

“Not really.” He glanced at the prince. “Straum just made a bigger target.”

The dragonchild straightened and walked toward Jig, who tightened his grip on his spear. Darnak rose behind him. The dwarf had lost his war club, but he held a large chunk of rock and looked ready to bash anything remotely threatening. On Jig’s other side, Riana drew her knife and waited.

“What happened to the one who was here before me?” A long, clawed finger pointed to the blood-soaked sand.

“Straum killed him,” Darnak answered. “Said he was getting ideas of his own, not wanting to follow his scaliness anymore.”

The dragonchild’s head drooped. “I assumed as much.”

“Straum said something about being able to read your folks’ minds,” Darnak said slowly. “That’s how he was knowing what your friend was up to.”

“Of course. Straum was ever paranoid. We have wondered if he had some magic to sense our hearts.”

Darnak frowned. “So tell us how it is that you killed him without his realizing what you had in mind?”

The dragonchild squatted down and grabbed a handful of sand. “When we were younger, a pair of ogres found our lair. The adults were hunting, and the ogres were confident in their ability to massacre mere children. They killed one of our cousins, as well as the old grandmother who had been left behind to watch for danger.”

Wet clumps of sand fell to the ground. “We leaped on the nearest ogre. Our claws and teeth are sharpest when we’re young. I doubt the beast felt anything as I tore open his stomach. The second fled, only to encounter the hunting party. He died . . . slowly.”

Jig glanced at the creature’s hands. Those claws might not be as sharp as they used to be, but they still looked powerful enough to rip a goblin in half.

“He and I were mated several years later.” Glancing back at Straum’s body, she said, “As you said, Straum knew our thoughts. But when I realized my mate was dead, I stopped thinking. I simply acted.”

Her eyes turned back to Jig. “What should we do now?”

Jig blinked. She was asking him? The others looked as confused as Jig felt. Except for Barius. He looked angry.

“You ask this miserable coward for advice?” he said with a derogatory wave toward Jig.

Jig agreed completely with the sentiment, though he might not have said it in those words. “Me?” he squeaked.

“I lead this party,” Barius said. “I brought us here to slay Straum.”