Page 59 of Soul of Fire

“What?”

She nodded her head at Jorgen, who was still scratching Bryndis’ eye ridges.

“Demanding thing.” Her head was larger than I was, and I had to stand on my toes to reach the sensitive spot above her eyes. Shegrumbled as if somewhat mollified as I scratched the ridges. “Don’t shift yet. Not till we have a plan. Eisa would freeze.”

She growled, and I could almost hear Eisa telling me that she wasn’t a complete idiot.

Something must have tipped my father off. Possibly the guards had woken early or someone had spotted Branka and Eisa. Regardless, it was my plan that got us here. If I hadn’t let Eisa go without me…

But no. That wasn’t fair. It wouldn’t have changed anything, and it wasn’t her fault in the slightest.

Idunn snorted impatiently, and I realized I had stopped scratching. I resumed with a sigh, meeting her giant blue eyes. “It was quick thinking, flying north. Is it because you still want to see Sigrid?”

She nodded her great, scale head and nuzzled back against my chest. She withdrew with another hiss, her blue eyes wide.

“What now?”

She butted me again, and a bead of heat warmed over my sternum.

“Oh.” I pulled the tiny gem out from beneath my tunic. It glowed faintly as I held it before Idunn’s eyes, and she snorted in recognition. “The only thing that went to plan.”

My father’s guards had stormed into my mothers rooms just as I had asked her about it. None of the guards had noticed the chain she had clasped around my neck as she frantically embraced me.Her cries as they pulled me from her would haunt me for a good long while.

Idunn whined, possibly a demand for explanation? I wasn’t sure. Trying to communicate without Baldur was a disaster, and I realized how challenging it must have been for Eisa when Baldur and Kindra had flown her to Ironholm.

“You were brilliant, by the way. Both of you.” I patted Idunn’s scaly snout, remembering how well they had done without any help from me or Jorgen. The glorious sight of her blue fire exploding from the ceiling of the Great Hall. “My brilliant, bold mate.”

She snorted again as if to say, “Of course,” and I huffed a laugh, despite my misery.

“What do we do now?” Jorgen asked, his hand on Bryndis’ neck. The gold dragon was snuffling at Jorgen’s jacket as if hopeful he had a snack stashed somewhere.

“Inventory,” I commanded Jorgen, beginning to turn out my pockets into my hands, careful not to drop anything into the mud. “Do you have anything useful on you?”

It wasn’t an inspiring haul. We had a few copper coins, the clothes on our backs, a switchblade that Jorgen had hidden in his boot, and the necklace, which we couldn’t give up under any circumstances.

“They took my pack with all our belongings when they bound my hands,” Jorgen explained apologetically. “And my sword.”

“Mine too.” I put a hand on his shoulder. “It’s not your fault.”

Jorgen chuckled. “I’m aware of that. It’s not yours either, in case you were thinking of blaming yourself.”

Idunn snuffled, and I wasn’t sure which of us she was agreeing with.

“Orders then, Dragehersker?”

“I’m not fucking sure I should be giving anyone orders at this point,” I sighed.

Jorgen gave me a wry smile and thumped me on the back. “And yet, here we are. No rest for the weary.”

I rubbed my chin, thinking. My beard had grown longer in the last few days and was desperately in need of a trim. And a wash, since it was now covered in mud.

“You and Bryndis should go back to Ironholm. Tell Revna what happened.” I looked up at Idunn and she snorted impatiently. “Eisa and I still need to speak with Sigrid.”

Bryndis snorted in obvious annoyance at this suggestion.

“Be reasonable, love,” Jorgen began, but it was Idunn who tempered Bryndis’ frustration.

She pressed her scaly blue head against Bryndis’ gold, their eyes level as they exchanged silent arguments.