continued from S3-3-18: The Chasm - Part 2. All of the House of Stars was in an uproar! Dune’s surprisingly heroic death, Antonia’s horrible plot to sing the world into Chaos, and the discovery of the hidden ritual chasm were to much for the peace and order loving scholars and priests of Law, who immediately sent a dispatch to the senator of Oberlorn, the nearest city, requesting a detachment of soldiers to help restore order… The fact that the danger was passed and they were the only cause of disorder now seemed to elude them! “It seems we’ve been given a squad of soldiers to accompany us to Ordis,” Rodrigo informed Rynard and Syn after several hours of interrogation. “Although I believe their true mission is to see that we leave Ilmiora with out causing any more trouble.” “I don’t doubt that,” Rynard replied with a chuckle, but then asked in a concerned tone; “What of Lennara?” “She’s young… She’ll recover,” Rodrigo replied with genuine compassion. “But I don’t expect there’s a wedding in her near future… At lest not her own.” He smiled coyly with the last comment, and rose to withdraw as Blade approached, pausing take her hand for a moment. “I’m going on to Vilmir,” she addressed Rynard and Syn in a strained voice, “and staying there with Rodrigo.” Then she smiled as she panned her eyes between them. “Not the most surprising of revelations?” she smirked at their lack of reaction. “Surprising… But not unexpected,” Rynard teased, as he leaned forward to embrace her, and then he rose to leave her and Syn to say their goodbyes in private. She had been a good and trusted friend, as well as a fair distraction to admire, but traveling with Syn, he had become accustomed to loosing companions, and usually in a more germinate manner. Blade looked into Syn’s unfathomable eyes as a sly smile turned his lips. “You’re not going to say anything?” she asked, unsure if she should be grateful or enraged. She had shared his bed many nights, but so had many other women, and she never laid a claim to him, just as she never offered him one on her. However, she expected some reaction… But then he wasn’t human… He was a Dragon Lord, and he had proven time and again that there was no humanity in him! “What would you have me say?” Syn asked with true sincerely. “That I wish you well? You know that I do. That I shall miss your company… both in battle and in bed? You know that too. That Rodrigo is a fortunate man to have you? You should know that already as well.” Blade chuckled and smiled at him. He was right. She knew all that he would have said, and knew that he never would have said it… There was no need to. “Well, now what?” Rynard asked as he settled back into the chair by Syn after Blade had gotten up and left, glancing back only once with a humorless smile and shake of her head. “Oberlorn,” he replied as he raised his goblet and took a deep draft, as if nothing had changed. To be continued in "book" four. The nineteenth and final installment in the third "book" of my Stormbringer characters' adventures. Thanks for looking... Hope you enjoy! Comments and suggestions always welcome and appreciated! I'd like to especially thanks all those who followed the entire series!