Yannic did so, not laughing now. They piled his out­stretched palms with all the gold coins they were carrying, till they were slipping from the top of the heap and his fingers grasped at them desperately.

‘Do we have a deal?’ Joe asked.

‘Deal,’ Yannic said, still looking stunned. He hurriedly found homes for all the coins, slipping them down his boots, under his shirt, in his pockets, till Joe was surprised he didn’t clink with every step. ‘Now tell me again, what do I need to do?’

So Joe told him, very slowly.

284

CHAPTER FORTY

When Yannic had sneaked off to the kitchen entrance at the back of the palace, Joe, Conor and Amina, with Tiago and Flavia, hurried after the soldiers heading down into the city. There was no need to hide now that the remaining members of Brotherhood were all gathered in the palace. Speed was everything. Joe pushed himself on­wards, his friends keeping pace, and for a few moments they only spoke to their dragons in a low murmur.

‘Ren, whatever happens today … you’re my best friend. Ever. You know that, don’t you?’ Joe began, but a lump formed in his throat, and he couldn’t carry on.

She reached up, and bumped her head against his chin, chittering softly.

They were on the main road into the city, and the side streets were already filling with people fleeing from their homes. Soon Joe could barely think over the din. The dragonriders were yelling down instructions to their groups. 285Children were crying. People were calling frantic farewells and questions.

Flavia and Tiago split up, heading to their own streets to evacuate their families.

‘Stay with your neighbours! Follow me,’ one dragonrider was yelling, struggling to keep her dragon steady as she circled above them.

‘No, bring only food and water, they said,’ a woman was shrieking at her young daughter, who was holding a strug­gling cat.

‘I won’t eat then! I can’t leave him.’ The girl stuck her lip out and refused to move.

‘Don’t rush! Steady now. We still have time,’ the dragon­rider was shouting down.

Joe hoped it was true. If Thom was wrong, and the volcano blew now, everyone would be caught in the open. He pushed the awful images from his mind and threaded his way through the growing crush of bodies, heading home.

When they reached the gates of the Yellow House, Joe found his mother and Matteo ready to leave, laden with bags of food and water.

‘Mum! How are you feeling? Are you better?’ Joe flew to Josi, his arms round her broad waist, resting his head down on her shoulder and breathing in the comfort of her.

‘Almost,’ she said.

Prrt? Ren was asking.

Joe pulled back. ‘Mum, this is Ren, and here’s Winter’s Fidell.’

‘Hello, Ren, Fidell. Aren’t you something?’ Josi smiled at 286the shadow dragons, then winced. The bruises had almost faded, but she was holding herself so carefully that Joe guessed she was still in pain. It kept his fury against the Brotherhood simmering inside him.