“Because I said so.”

“Did you actually tell the guards who you are?” Vigholf continued on.

“Didn’t feel like it. And I don’t think ‘Because I said so’ is really a good enough reason for not letting me do you this favor.”

Keita’s eyes narrowed on Éibhear and Éibhear narrowed his right back.

“Maybe you could have just asked them to check with your sister before you attacked them,” Vigholf suggested.

Letting out a sigh, Éibhear yelled out, “Aidan! Are they still breathing?”

“Aye. They are.” The three Mì-runach entered the cavern, Aidan stopping to lean against the entrance wall with one shoulder. “And they still have all their parts. That’s pretty good for us.”

Éibhear looked at Vigholf. “Happy now?”

“Not particularly.”

“We will take care of my niece. You can just head home,” Keita insisted.

Éibhear couldn’t help but laugh a little. “Are you really trying to keep me away from her? After all this time?”

“It’s not just me, brother, and we’re doing it in Izzy’s best interest.”

“Oh, come on, Keita. That was a long time ago. And I apologized.”

“And when did you do that? You haven’t seen her in ten years!”

“Five years ago I wrote her a letter and apologized.”

“Uh . . .”

Éibhear looked over his shoulder at Aidan. “Uh . . . what?”

Caswyn looked at Aidan, and asked, “You didn’t tell him?”

“Tell me? Tell me what?”

“It never seemed the right time.”

“What never seemed the right time? What’s going on?”

Aidan stared at Éibhear and finally admitted, “We burned your letter.”

Keita gave a shocked laugh as Éibhear faced his comrades.

“You did what?”

“Don’t get mad. It was in your best interest.”

“How was burning my letter to Izzy in my best interest?”

“We could have let it be sent instead.”

“Females hate that,” Uther felt the need to explain. “A letter. If you can’t say it to her face, then you shouldn’t bother.”

“So we’ll go pick her up,” Aidan said, winking at Éibhear. “You can tell her to her face on the way to Garbhán Isle.”

Éibhear looked back at his sister. “Guess I’ll be picking up Izzy. So we can talk.”

Keita’s eyes crossed. “Why must you be sooooo difficult?”

“It’s in the bloodline.”

“That’s no longer a good enough excuse!”

Éibhear reached over and stroked his sister’s cheek. “I’m glad to see you’re well, sister.” He turned, headed toward the exit. “Where can I find Izzy?”

“You’ll find her in the Blathnat Forests fighting the ogres,” Ragnar replied.

Éibhear stopped, glanced back at the Northland Dragonlord. “Because she’ll ask . . . why am I taking Izzy back to Garbhán Isle?”

“I still say you shouldn’t be taking her—” Keita began to protest again, but Ragnar covered her snout with his claw and nodded at Éibhear.

“Have a good trip. We’ll see you at Garbhán Isle in a few days’ time.”

Not only did Éibhear realize that Ragnar didn’t answer his question, he also kind of knew that the Lightning wasn’t going to answer his question. No matter how many times he asked. So why bother? Instead, he headed off to track down Izzy and do what he thought he’d done five years ago.

Once Éibhear and his entourage of dangerous friends were gone, Keita slapped her mate’s claw off her snout and spun to face him. “Why did you do that?”

“I don’t see the problem, Keita.”

“Of course you don’t.” She swept her claw at the idiot Northland males. “None of you do!”

“Where’s Éibhear going?” Rhona demanded as she stalked into the cavern.

“These idiots—”

Vigholf frowned. “What do you mean ‘these idiots’?”

“—sent Éibhear to pick up Iseabail.”

Rhona stopped and faced Vigholf. “You did what?”

“It wasn’t me. It was Ragnar.”

Ragnar sighed in disgust. “Your weakness sickens me, brother.”

Vigholf shrugged. “I do what I have to in order to get through my day.”

“You lot,” Rhona said, sneering. “You Northlanders forget nothing.”

“Don’t know what you’re talking about, Rhona.”

“This is still about that cousin of yours missing his wing and horns, isn’t it?”

“That was a long time ago,” Vigholf stated. “Nothing we’d ever . . . cling to.”

“Although it would have been nice if he’d at least apologized.”

“You bastards,” Rhona sighed, shaking her head. “All of you . . . bastards.”

“I don’t know what you’re all talking about,” Keita snarled. “And I don’t care. I just can’t believe you were all so bloody stupid!”

“The boy’s no longer a hatchling, Keita,” Ragnar argued. “So I’m unclear why you’re acting like he is.”