He crept as close as he could without breaking cover, crouching under a tree and peering out at the palace for the sign he was hoping for.

Had Yannic managed his part? Did the Brotherhood suspect him? Joe was gambling they’d be too distracted by their enemy leaving to notice Yannic’s return. 289

He looked at the palace, now silent and watchful. Heral and Petra still waited on their desperate vigil. Joe wondered when they had last eaten or drunk anything. They wanted to be close to their imprisoned people, and he knew they’d never leave, even now that danger threatened. He’d never leave Ren like that, either. So for the dragons’ sake, as well as his sister’s, his plan had to work.

He forced himself to be methodical and took his time searching from west to east, checking every single window, every turret, every annexe, every passageway. He was almost losing hope when he saw it – finally! A tiny square of red and green fabric, the colours Tarya and Vigo always wore to match their dragons, pressed up against a window high in the southern turret. Yannic had done it! He’d managed to discover the exact location where Tarya and Vigo were being held and send a signal.

As Isak had suggested, something must be blocking the connection between his sister and her dragon. What had he and Winter said? Only a yew barrier or a certain herb could do it? Or Tarya might be dead already, but Joe wasn’t going to consider that.

Now for his part. ‘Ren?’ he whispered, turning to her and bending close to her long purple ears. ‘I need you to do something for me. I know you’re new to this. I know you’re only young, but I have faith in you.’

She looked up at him, huge golden eyes unblinking. She tilted her purple head to one side, listening hard. Her long ears twitched as he spoke.

‘You’re connected, each dragon to each dragon. You’re 290all connected.’ Joe remembered Noah’s smugness as he’d thrown that in his face. The dragons knew; they always do. He might be late to this particular lesson, but he would make it count. He focused on Ren again. ‘Tell Heral that Tarya is in that southern turret.’ He focused on it very strongly, the image of the window with the green and red banner showing. ‘Tell him about the western cave. Then tell Petra. All right?’

Ren closed her eyes. She stood very still. Was it too much? Was she too tired? How would he know if it had worked?

A strange ripple passed through Ren’s purple body from nose to tail, then she opened her eyes and said proudly, Aark!

Joe stood staring at the palace, craning his neck, praying Heral and Petra would hear and understand.

For a moment, nothing happened. What else could he do? Joe was out of ideas and almost out of time. Then Heral launched into the air. He was still the largest of all the drag­ons, bigger even than Thom’s Ruby. The huge red dragon flapped higher and gave a bellow of rage. He lifted, circling up and up, and then suddenly turned in the air and plunged like a hawk, hurtling down, gaining momentum, faster and faster as he levelled out finally.