Milla looked embarrassed. ‘Er, no. I think it’s just me. I’ve never found anyone else who can do it. But Isak always checks with me in a hatching ceremony that I’ve seen the connection begin, before he confirms the bond.’

‘Oh! That’s what it was.’ He remembered Milla’s nod to Isak, back on Hatching Day. He could think of it now with­out the same awful pain. He was quiet for a while as he went back to his task, absorbing all the new information, still glowing with joy that his bond to his egg would never be challenged now.

Thom was surprisingly strict, swift and highly organised, piling a heap of dried meat for the dragons to eat, and filling huge flasks of water. Joe watched him pack a leather back­pack with maps, compass, knife, snare, tinderbox, ropes, water flask and bandages.

‘Are you expecting trouble?’ Joe said, only part-joking, seeing Milla also packing healing supplies.

‘You have to take the right equipment,’ Thom said. ‘The dragons’ lives might depend on it, and ours. If I got injured, Ruby wouldn’t leave me. I need to make sure I can get us back safely, whatever happens.’

Thom’s enormous scarlet dragon was dozing near the stove, alongside Iggie. Hearing her name, she lifted her huge head and sighed a long smoky breath.

‘Hey, Joe, come over here, get to know Ruby a bit more. 133It’s a long flight tomorrow and everything will be easier if you’re used to each other before we start.’

‘Good idea, Thom,’ Milla said. ‘Winter, same to you. You’ll be flying with me and Iggie so come and have a sit on his back now while he’s basking. He’ll get used to the flavour of your thoughts.’

Joe had been worrying about Winter: would she be able to handle being so close to two dragons? Would it bring back memories of Jin? He watched her with concern now, but her curiosity seemed to be winning as she went to greet Iggie.

‘What do you mean, her thoughts?’ Joe asked Milla. ‘Do they have a flavour?’

Winter didn’t seem surprised – maybe she’d learned this during her training too.

‘Of course.’ Milla looked up and grinned at him, her hands busy rolling a cloak so it would fit in a small side pocket. ‘Dragons can sense more than anyone used to realise: moods, thoughts, feelings, or if you’re about to do something.’

‘How?’ he asked.

‘I don’t know exactly,’ Milla replied. ‘It could be a mix­ture of scent, or if they’re sensitive to every movement we make – even ones we aren’t aware of. But it’s been proved time and again. You saw me tell Iggie to bring your parents today. And when I had to leave him and flee the island during the revolution, your sister’s dragon sensed my arrival on the mainland.’

Joe would look forward to sharing all his thoughts with 134his purple shadow dragon. For now, he focused on approach­ing Ruby with nothing but calm and welcoming feelings uppermost in his mind. ‘Hello, Ruby,’ he said, stopping an arm’s-length from her massive head, which was still resting on the floor, her scales glittering in the sunshine.