Page 60 of Soul of Fire

Bryndis snorted, and Idunn snorted right back, both huffing their frustrations at the other.

It might have been comical were our straits not quite so dire.

I wasn’t sure dragons could sigh in resignation, but it was the closest approximation to the sound Bryndis finally made. She nodded once, then lowered her head beside Jorgen, waiting.

“I think that’s a yes,” I ventured, giving Idunn a nod of thanks. “Go back to Revna. See if you can come up with a better way to get the Book now that Branka knows where it’s kept.”

“You take the money, then,” Jorgen dropped the coins into my palm. “Might be enough to rent a horse. And the knife. I’ll have Bryndis to protect me.”

The gold dragon licked her forked tongue over Jorgen’s cheek in agreement, and he patted her neck.

“You should take my tunic, too.” Bryndis sat up a little straighter as Jorgen unbuckled his jacket and pulled off his tunic, her eyes a gleaming gold. “For Eisa. When she shifts.”

He tossed me the shirt and replaced his jacket, much to Bryndis’ dismay.

I hated the idea of Eisa smelling like another man. Normally Baldur would have growled in agreement, and I felt his absence like a hollow ache. He had been with me since I was basically still a boy, and I felt unmoored without him.

“Thanks. Idunn will send word to Bryndis when we’re heading back.”

“If Baldur and Sigurd aren’t back yet.” Jorgen looked worried as he climbed atop Bryndis’ neck. She stood and shook out her golden wings as she prepared for flight. “How long do youthink—“

“Days, if we’re lucky.”

“And if we’re unlucky? Never mind, don’t answer that,” he shouted as Bryndis began to flap. “Not sure I want to know.”

I stepped back several paces as Bryndis launched herself into the sky, Jorgen pressed tight against her neck as she ascended above the clouds and out of sight.

A warm, scaly head butted against my back.

“I haven’t forgotten about you.” I turned, rubbing my hands over Idunn’s snout. “What do you think? Should we try to find food and sleep now, or fly to Sigrid tonight?”

Idunn tilted her head as if considering, then snorted toward the sky. Fly, then.

I nodded. “You have the strength?”

She gave me such a withering look that I almost believed it was Eisa looking back at me.

“Okay, okay,” I said, raising my hands in surrender. “I’m sorry I doubted you.”

She huffed a haughty acceptance of my apology as she lowered her head to make it easier to climb atop her back.

I patted the glittering blue scales of Idunn’s neck, wishing I could hear Eisa across our mental bridge. The way was still firmly blocked, and I looked forward to her finally shifting back.

At least she was warm like this.

Idunn snuffled impatiently. “Alright, yes, I’m ready.”

She was in the sky before I was fully seated, the misty field below growing distant as she turned east toward the village where we had left Sigrid.

And hopefully toward some answers.

Chapter nineteen

Revna

“It’sonlybeentwodays.”

I shot Ingmar a look of incredulity, and they raised their hands in defeat.