“Where’d you learn to drive like that?” Zephyr asked Kass.

  It was the day of departure and they had all agreed to meet at Cat’s garage again. Cat was making some last minute preparations on the vehicles while the group sorted out who was in which car, or at least they would be once everyone was ready and present.

  Kass was early as usual, and Zephyr had arrived not long after. He’d brought Arianna with him. Kass had eyed her but hadn’t said anything beyond a simple hello which Arianna had returned.

  The three of them had sat on the bank and basked in the early morning sun in silence, while Falco and Indi fluffed about with bags. From the sounds of it, Falco was trying unsuccessfully to convince Indi to leave some things behind.

  Kass’s son, as well as Indi and Falco’s kid, Jesse and Jewel respectively, were chatting and walking along the bank not far away. Both were going to get dropped off at Indi’s parent’s house in Marblewood on the way out of the valley.

  Eventually Zephyr had decided to make small talk.

  At Zephyr’s question, Kass gave Arianna a wary look as if she wasn’t sure how much about her past to say in front of her. Kass shrugged. “It snows a lot where I used to live in the north. I’m used to not having much traction.”

  Zephyr frowned and then decided not to press about how she’d learned to drive so fast. He trusted Arianna but he understood that Kass was cagey about her past for good reasons. He’d ask her another time. Instead he asked, “Are you going to be alright on tarmac then?” He hadn’t considered before now the possibility that Kass might just be good at the rally style of driving.

  Kass gave his question some thought and then she replied, “I should be fine. I may not have driven that road before but I have seen it driven. Plus, we’ll have Amanda. I assume she’ll be travelling in whichever car Cat’s not driving.”

  Zephyr nodded slowly but it didn’t alleviate his worries. Now it was driving day he wasn’t sure if it was worse to be the passenger or the driver.

  Kass was perceptive. “Are you sure you’re fine with me driving? You can drive if you want to,” she offered.

  He gave her a thankful smile. “No, it’s alright. We can swap half way though if you find you’re getting tired, assuming we can find somewhere safe to stop.” Zephyr knew that meant he’d probably be in Kass’s car then. He fought the fear that bit into his stomach. It would be fine, right?

  Kass nodded.

  Arianna gave him a reassuring smile, although she had no idea how afraid he was.

  He squeezed Arianna’s hand. “You sure you want to come?” he asked.

  She nodded. “It’ll be a nice distraction from everything else.”

  Cat emerged from the front of the garage, looked around the car park, and threw her hands in the air. “Where is everyone?”

  As if waiting for his cue, Wolf strode out of the forest as she finished speaking. He was swinging a dark brown duffel bag, one that had an extra set of straps. Zephyr figured that was so Wolf could carry it in werewolf form. He was also carrying a large box though and Zephyr had no idea how he’d managed to carry that in werewolf form. Perhaps he’d walked in his human form the entire way here?

  Cat scowled and walked over to the bank where they sat. “Where are Amanda and Sirius?” she demanded.

  She was met with nothing but shrugs in reply.

  Indi and Falco approached the group, Indi bouncing along with a big grin on her face and two duffel bags in tow plus a backpack, a handbag, and a pillow. Falco had his own army green duffel, a hot pink and neon green one which belonged to Jewel, as well as a shopping bag filled with what looked like several bags of candy. He was looking a little defeated.

  Wolf placed his box on the ground and then opened his duffel bag to search for something. It looked like it was full of books rather than clothing. With the exception of a couple of book covers, Zephyr couldn’t see anything that looked like fabric from where he sat.

  Cat eyed Zephyr and Kass for several seconds, a frown on her face, as if she was trying to decide something. Finally, her gaze caught Arianna, but just as she opened her mouth to inquire, a light blue truck pulled into the car park.

  Cat relaxed as she watched Amanda and Sirius climb out. But her face darkened when Lily got out as well, tugging her own little duffel bag with her. Cat bit her lip but said nothing.

  “Sorry we’re late,” Amanda said. “Had a few last minute things to organise before we left.”

  Behind her, Lily eyed the slightly older kids who had paused to look a the newcomers. But when Jewel and Jesse looked back at her, Lily ducked her eyes, wrung her hands together, and hid behind Amanda.

  “You’re bringing the kid?” Cat asked with a frown.

  “Figured she’s safer with us,” Amanda replied in a way that invited no argument.

  Zephyr wondered whether she meant Lily was safer from harm this way or whether she was safer to be around.

  The explanation appeared to appease Cat though, who relaxed again and gave a single nod. Then her eyes soon slid Arianna’s way again. It wasn’t Cat who questioned Zephyr about Arianna though, it was Amanda.

  “Morning,” Amanda said pleasantly but curtly to Arianna before immediately turning to Zephyr and raising her eyebrows. “Zeph?” The flick of her eyes back toward Arianna made it clear what she was asking.

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  Zephyr explained. “ Arianna had some time off and I explained to her about...” He paused and glanced at Lily, “...everything, and she wants to help.”

  The look Amanda gave him said she wasn’t impressed that he’d told someone. He mentally prepared himself for a telling off, feeling for a moment like a school boy standing before his teacher.

  But Arianna jumped in before anyone else could.

  “You can trust me, I promise. I wouldn’t do anything to endanger anyone, least of all one so young.”

  More glances were sent Lily’s way and the small girl glanced up as if realising they were talking about her but not quite sure how she was supposed to act.

  Amanda’s expression softened and she reached a hand out to grace Lily’s shoulder briefly before turning back to Zephyr and Arianna. “How much did you tell her exactly?” she asked Zephyr.

  “Everything,” he admitted. He had done as much. Something about Arianna’s soft nature had made him feel like he could trust her.

  Luckily, Amanda appeared to feel the same, for she gave a resigned nod. “Okay, well, that’s fine then but”—she glanced around the group, her eyes taking in the numbers—“even without Arianna we’re a bit short on seat space. We’ve got 10 seats and there’s twelve of us.”

  “Only as far as Indi’s parent’s place,” Falco said.

  “I can run there if you take my bags,” Wolf added.

  “We can share seats. I’ll sit on Falco’s lap,” Indi said gleefully.

  “That’s unsafe,” Cat pointed out.

  “As opposed to travelling at high speed in a metal box through dragon territory?” Falco replied with a snort and an eye-roll.

  Cat narrowed her eyes. “They’re more than boxes.” She then glanced at the two four-door sports cars currently parked in front of her garage with an almost wounded look.

  Zephyr expected them to escalate but Falco knew better than to give Cat an opening for a repartee and he simply remained silent. Cat wasn’t riled up enough to push him. In spite of everything she seemed in a surprisingly good mood this morning, probably because they were about to drive through the Dragon Mountains, and open road driving always put Cat in a good mood. Remembering the dragons, Zephyr’s stomach sank a little and he had to remind himself it would be a little while yet before they got there. They had to go through Marblewood first and stop by Indi’s parent’s house. But eventually... He swallowed. There was no point worrying about it until they got to the mountains and that would probably be a good hour yet, and even then it wasn’t like worrying did much. It was just his body’s way of trying to make him prepared or think of things that would make him prepared and that was what they were doing now. It would be better for him to focus on that than worry about what may or may not be coming.

  Amanda got things underway quickly least Falco and Cat start a new argument.

  “The older kids can share a seat and Lily can sit on my lap. We can rearrange after we drop them off, although we should probably at least figure out who is going in which car now.” She looked at Zephyr and Kass. “Which one of you two is driving?”

  Kass raised her hand and Zephyr pointed at Kass.

  “We can swap later if needed to. It is possible to stop on that road if we have to,” Kass added.

  Amanda nodded. “We’ll probably want a spare driver anyway, for both cars.” she added with a pointed look at Cat.

  Cat narrowed her eyes then gave them a slight roll but did not object.

  Amanda pointed toward Zephyr and Kass. “I’ll travel with you two-”

  “Would it be better if you travelled with me?” Cat suggested. “That way if we meet a dragon we can easily move the fire where it’s needed.”

  “If we meet a dragon, I’ll lure in a direction that puts it nearer you and you can lead it away?” Amanda said starting with a statement and finishing with a question. Before Cat could answer however, she added, “Although it’s probably best to try to lure it away from both cars?”

  Cat shrugged. “Either works for me. We likely won’t have reception in the mountains though.”

  Amanda hesitated. She’d be wanting to work out a plan. Getting Cat to plan anything was difficult though.

  “It’ll be fine,” Cat said nonchalantly. “As long as the driver’s not an idiot." She looked pointedly at Kass and then at Zephyr as if tying to decide which one of them she trusted not to mess things up less.

  Zephyr was glad the pressure wasn’t on him. Somehow disappointing Cat, even after everything, was even worse than the idea of being scorched by a dragon. Or perhaps by not driving he had already disappointed her. He choked down a sigh. There was no winning.

  Kass was impossibly difficult to read as always and she stayed silent. She met Cat’s eyes briefly before glancing away.

  Amanda was still wearing a thoughtful frown.

  Cat sighed and shook her head. “There’s a decent chance we don’t even see a dragon. If we do, you look after your car and I’ll look after mine. If I don’t see you in my rear view mirror for long enough, I’ll double back.”

  Amanda nodded, although she still looked worried. Then she added, “Better to keep going, drop the others off somewhere safe and then come back through. If everything goes to hell we’ll hole up off the road somewhere and I’ll leave a reflective flag out by the road side. I’ve got one with me.”

  Cat gave a single nod.

  “Great!” Falco said, “So Amanda goes with Kass and Zephyr, whose in Cat’s car?”

  Amanda answered, “Lily can sit on my lap as far as Indi’s parent’s house then she can sit beside me. I guess Arianna will want to ride with Zeph and Falco can be back up driver for Cat-”

  “Shotgun!” declared Indi.

  At everyone’s questioning looks she shrugged and replied, “It’s a better view.” As an afterthought she added, “Plus I’m a shield so it’s like backup defenses.”

  Amanda nodded. “Okay, so Cat, Indi, Falco...” She looked at Sirius and was quiet for a moment. “Sirius, you’ll go with them...”

  Sirius gave a nod of acknowledgement.

  “And Wolf you too.” Amanda added before finally turning her attention toward Jewel and Jesse who had joined the group half-way through preparations. She gave them a thoughtful look.

  “Might be better if the older kids both come with me and then you don’t have to stop,” Cat said to Amanda. “I can catch you guys up and overtake later.”

  Falco nodded vigorously.

  “We got a whole spare seat in our car though. It might be easier for them to share,” Zephyr said with a confused frown before he noticed the look Falco was giving Lily. Ah, he suddenly realised, Falco doesn’t want Jewel in the same car as Lily. At the unspoken looks being shared among the others it also seemed he was one of the last of the adults to catch on, apart from Indi who was still looking confused.

  Amanda and Falco were almost having a whole conversation without saying a word. Just staring at each other, neither one quite willing to back down, neither one ready with an alternative option.

  Then Jewel interjected in a demanding expectant tone, “I want my own seat.”

  This prompted Jesse to kindly offer, “I can share with Lily.”

  Kass definitely tensed up at that and she looked as worried as Falco now, although she said nothing yet.

  Falco finally came up with a solution. “How about I ride with you lot,” he told Amanda, “and the kids...” He hesitated then corrected himself, “Jesse and Jewel can go with Indi and Cat.”

  Given the looks both Kass and Falco were giving Amanda now it seemed like it was two against one. Amanda conceded with a nod.

  Cat rolled her eyes but quickly moved on to the next thing. “It’s probably better if you sit in the middle,” she told Amanda. At Amanda’s piercing look Cat quickly clarified, “for the drive through the mountains I mean. I picked cars with sunroofs for a reason.”

  “Oh.” Amanda eased off and then nodded.

  There were a few more shared looks as well as wary glances at Lily. Wolf was pointedly not looking at the girl at all. Zephyr eyed the child himself and wondered how dangerous she was. Was it safe to be in the same car as her? Sure, Amanda was there, but would she react fast enough if the child turned? Was it too late to swap cars?