Thailyn went back to Trittan the next afternoon, fully ready to take his business elsewhere. He knew of the merchant in Resdelk who would sell to him. It was just a lot further away. He thought about getting another license. The Council hadn't told him he couldn't. He could take the classes at the college and get a license under his current name. He could also buy potions. He wasn't saving any money using black market ingredients. But he'd run into too many potions that were either made poorly or had other problems. This way, he had what he wanted, when he needed it. Fortunately, Trittan did have the merchandise. The man must have guessed that Thailyn was thinking of using another merchant because he gave him a discount, putting the price similar to what a legitimate customer might pay. By now, it was late enough he couldn't return to Illia if he wanted. He couldn't transport these ingredients and flying at night with them was a bad idea. It was okay. He didn't want to go back. He had to eventually. He had patients who needed him and the potions he'd be making. His partner, Lial, needed them too. But he had one more night here, one more evening with Darina. She hadn't said she’d definitely meet him but he could tell through the bond she intended to. She met him at the Dragon’s Wine that evening. He bought her dinner and they talked for quite a while. Then, they went upstairs to his room. He had planned on talking with her more. They were still getting to know each other. But one thing led to another and soon they were in bed. He was seriously considering making her his mate but he wanted to wait. The longer they were intimate, without mating, the stronger the bond would be. His parents had a strong bond and he'd always hoped to have similar. He knew it was getting late and he knew she couldn't spend the night. He was about to ask how much longer she could stay when he heard a voice. “Is this what I'm paying a week's worth of lodging for? You didn’t tell me you took a mate.” It was Lial, his partner. Thailyn carefully put himself between Darina and the mirror Lial was scrying them through. “I haven't yet.” He growled. “That charm is supposed to be for emergencies.” “I was worried about you. I haven't heard from you. I wanted to make sure your heart hadn't quit.” Lial explained. He at least had the decency to look away. “My heart is fine,” Thailyn said crossly. Darina rubbed his back to soothe him. His temper was acting up and she could feel him through the bond. “We're also almost out of two potions. We've only got two silver root and one blue rain.” Lial continued. “It's blue rame.” Thailyn corrected. The proper name was blue rame but few besides the potion maker called it that. Most others called it blue rain, hearing the more commonly used word. “Whatever. We still only have one.” “The shipment didn't arrive until late this afternoon. I can't bring that stuff back the dark.” Thailyn told him. “Uh-huh.” Lial looked skeptical. Darina pressed close to Thailyn's back and picked over his shoulder. “It was late. We've been out of silver root for days. The trolls are causing trouble and the elves are only letting a few merchants at a time through the pass.” She offered. “Lial, meet Star. Star, this is my business partner, Lial.” Thailyn introduce the two. “Hi,” Darina said. Thailyn could tell she was uncomfortable with the situation. He needed to end this conversation. “Lial, I'll be home tomorrow. Good night.” He told the man. “Will Star be coming with you?” Lial asked. “No. Good night.” Thailyn said shortly. “Will…” “Lial, end the spell before I come there and do it myself.” Thailyn snapped. Darina put an arm around him. “So sorry,” Lial said and ended the spell. Thailyn levitated his cloak and draped it over the mirror. It had silk in it to stop any more interruptions. He turned to Darina. “I'm sorry about that.” He told her. “It's okay. It's not like he saw anything.” She waved him off but he knew it was a bigger deal for her than that. “I should've scried him and let him know.” “Don't worry about it.” She insisted. “I can't stay much longer in your living tomorrow. Let's enjoy what time we have.” She suggested. **** Thailyn insisted on walking or home. In addition to making sure she got home safe, it gave him a chance to spend a little more time with her and to see where she lived, if he could remember it. He kissed her one last time, not wanting to leave. “Come in, spend the night.” She requested. “I can't,” he said reluctantly. “I need to get some sleep. I’ll come back in a few days.” “You will?” She asked, surprised. “You don't want me to?” Suddenly, he was worried. Maybe she had just wanted a few days together. “I do. I just didn't expect it. Illia is quite a ways away, isn't it?” She looked unsure. “Even if you flew, wouldn't take a while?” He smiled. “I can transport. It only takes a moment.” She smiled at that. “I'll miss you.” “I’ll miss you too.” He kissed her again. Then he pulled away. “I should let you go and check on your mother.” She nodded and slipped inside. He transported back to the inn. **** The next day, he flew back to Illia with the crate. It was mid-afternoon when he arrived. Lial was with a patient so he set about making the potions they needed. He was making more green bough root extract when Lial came in. “Sorry about last night,” Lial said. “I should've scried you. I was bit preoccupied.” Thailyn admitted. Some potions needed all of Thailyn's concentration to make. However, it wasn't a problem to talk while he made this potion. He made it frequently. He drank most of it too. It helped with his heart. Green bough root was a pain reliever. It helped him not feel the heart problems and it also helped alleviate the pain he experienced from healing others so that helped reduce the stress healing put on his heart. “Understandably so.” Lial smiled. “She's quite pretty.” Thailyn growled. Lial didn't need an unreadable. He also had several women he slept with regularly. “Hey, I know better than to come between a dragon and his mate,” Lial said defensively. “She's not my mate.” “You could've fooled me.” Lial shrugged. “I want the bond to be stronger so this stuff doesn't deaden it.” He gestured to the green bough he was making. It would block the bond. He'd have to be careful how much he took before they made the bond permanent or it could totally destroy it. “So, what’s she like? How did you two meet?” Lial asked. Thailyn smiled. **** Darina went to the Dragon’s Wine that night to see her friends. Kith was already quite drunk. He nodded a greeting but didn't say anything. “Where you been?” Slippurse asked. “Around. Had another cooking lesson the other night.” Darina shrugged. “How many pans am I repairing this time?” Kith asked. “None. My mother kept a close eye on the stove.” It was one of their codes. He was asking if there were any fires. Slippurse’s family had been killed in a house fire when she was little. She still got upset if anyone talked about fires. “Good, I’m busy enough. To top off the rest of my work, some guy brought in this drawing of some strange looking – I don't know what. So my boss wasted an hour discussing what it might be.” “Is that why you're drinking today?” Darina asked. Kith knew and accepted he had a drinking problem. He was quite open about it too. “No,” he said sourly. “So why are you drinking?” She pressed. “To get drunk.” “Kith, you know we care about you. If you’re having a problem, talk to us.” Kith shook his head. “This is nothing new, just the same old thing.” 'The same old thing.' Kith had yet to tell her what that was. All she knew was that it was why he lived in Thager rather than Baj-tisk like most dragons. It somehow involved his parents and the fact that they hadn’t raised him but left him to be raised by his uncle. “If you need to, talk with the hags. I've got a little money saved. I can help you pay for.” She offered. Kith shook his head. “I can get money for that from my aunt and uncle.” “How are they?” Slippurse asked. Kith shrugged. “Okay, I guess.” “You haven't spoken to them lately?” “I have, kind of. I'm just a disappointment. Maybe someday I'll just go home.” “They'd like that.” Darina nodded. The look he gave her made her freeze for a moment. “You didn't mean Baj-tisk, did you?” She guessed. “I meant find my parents, my own clan. I don't belong here.” “Kith, before you go, scry them. Find out where they are.” Slippurse suggested. “I've tried that.” “Keep trying.” Darina encouraged. She wondered if she could talk Vor into scrying Kith's uncle and letting him know what was going on. Slippurse was closer to Vor. Maybe she should ask. She glanced at Slippurse. She was looking off at some guy who was smiling at her. “No.” She told a friend. “No what?” Slippurse frowned. “No, don't sleep with him.” “Why not? He looks like a decent guy.” Slippurse shrugged. “Tylan,” Darina said using her real name. “Looks aren't the same thing as being decent. Besides, he's with three other guys and they're all looking at you. Are you going to sleep with all of them? Because I'll bet that's what they have in mind.” Slippurse hesitated. She was actually considering it. “Ty, it's not worth the risk.” Kith told her. “I'm just a broken down tramp. Does it really matter?” “Yes.” They both said in unison. “Ty, there's someone out there for you.” Kith assured her. “Someone who won't care about Ceebo. But you aren’t going to find him this way.” Darina told her. Ceebo had been a boy at the orphanage Slippurse had grown up in. She fell in love with him and when he came of age he'd encouraged her to run away and come to Thager with him. He used, manipulated and then betrayed her. The whole time they been together, he'd been sleeping with other girls and encouraging her to risk her life stealing to support them while spending what he made on those girls. And during that time, he worked at convincing her she was worthless and no other man would want her. Now that he was gone, she’d settled for any man who wanted her for the night, well almost any man. She had some standards and Kith and Darina tried to protect her. “How’s Vor doing?” Darina asked. She noticed he wasn’t working tonight. “Deyama still won't talk with him,” Slippurse said. “Why not?” “She won't say. But she's still busy trying to help a friend's cousin.” Kith added. “Something needs to be done to help the elves. The way King Arlin keeps them captive in their kingdom is terrible.” Slippurse frowned. Kith smiled. “Why don’t you come with me the next time I go to Sen-gan? You can tell King Emeton.” He offered. His uncle was the new king’s advisor and Kith had been in the palace while the king was growing up. This was no idle offer. “Perhaps I will.” Slippurse smiled. “No stealing anything there.” Kith warned. “Prince Tolin would have your tail in prison where even you couldn't break out.” “Now, would I do that?” Slippurse feigned innocence. “Only as often as I get drunk.” Kith smiled. Darina shook her head. “I was up late last night. I'm going to bed early,” She said her goodbyes and left.