The basset hound had sprawled across my chest sometime during the night, his weight pinning me in place. One of his ears draped over my face, and his breath smelled like the meat he’d stolen from dinner.
“Fletcher,” I muttered, trying to shift him off me.
He snored louder.
Morning light streamed through the windows, and I could hear movement. Adele was already awake.
I managed to extract myself from beneath the hound, who grumbled in his sleep and immediately claimed the entire sofa. When I emerged into the sitting room after bathing and getting dressed, I found Adele wearing practical traveling clothes—sturdy boots, fitted pants, and a tunic in deep green that made her eyes luminous.
She’d braided her hair back from her face, and she was arranging breakfast on the table.
“Good morning.” She glanced up with a smile that diddangerous things to my pulse. “We can eat before we leave. How long do you think we’ll be gone?”
“I’m not sure. A few days, potentially. We’ll need to investigate Brightmore, then visit both Silvervale and Goldwing territories. You should pack a bag.”
“Already done.” She gestured to a leather satchel sitting by the door, stuffed full, looking ready to burst. “I brought three notebooks, extra ink, a few changes of clothing like what I’m wearing, my thermal mapping crystals, and some bread and cheese in case we get hungry along the way.”
“Very thorough.” I’d pack quickly myself.
“I like to be prepared.” She poured tea into two cups. “Will we be flying the entire way?”
“It’s the fastest method, and we’re working against time if there’s a drought in Brightmore.”
Fletcher slid off the couch and lumbered over to sit beside Adele, looking up.
“Good morning,” Adele said, rubbing his ears. “I packed you some dried meat strips for the trip.”
He grunted.
Her eyebrows lifted before she looked my way. “He says he’s not coming.” She frowned down at him. “What do you mean?”
Her sigh rang out as she relayed his side of the conversation. He was refusing to ride on a dragon’s back again.
“Last time,” she said. “He thought his stomach was going to exit through his throat. And do we know how terrifying it is to be thousands of feet in the air with nothing but scales between him and certain death?”
“You were perfectly safe,” I said. “I wouldn’t have allowed anything to happen to you.”
“You say that now,” she said, telling me what the houndsaid. “But what if you sneeze or get distracted? Or decide to do one of those barrel roll things dragons do for fun?”
I huffed. “I would never?—”
“He says he’s staying here,” she said.
Fletcher’s jowls set in stubborn lines.
“He says he can visit with Demi,” Adele said. “She’ll give him lots of honeycakes and meat. He says she’s not stingy.”
He shot Adele a pointed look.
“She won’t give you lots of honeycakes, though probably lots of meat,” Adele pointed out. She shook her head, and a rueful smile rose on her face. “He says I should watch and see.”
Fletcher waddled toward the door.
“Are you sure?” Adele called after him. “I imagine there will be lots of meat and maybe a bite or two of honeycake during this journey.”
I nodded confirmation.
Fletcher paused at the door, looking back at her with droopy, soulful eyes.
