Deyama, Sinta, Rin and the elders met. Lyra and the trolls had approached the human city of Resdelk. All its inhabitants had been evacuated, and everyone was at Dragon Castle. The Castle was once where the rulers of the four kingdoms had presided. It had been abandoned after the war of the living night, five hundred years ago. Deyama had managed to convince the elders to allow the refugees to come to stay in the southern portion of the valley. The dragons would bring them in the wagons and then would take the army back to help fight. They’d just informed Emeton of it when there was a flash of light. When Sinta’s eyes cleared there stood the most terrifying man she’d ever seen. He made her uncle look kindly. Behind him was a giant of a troll. “Greetings, your majesty. I’m afraid there’s been a change of plans.” His voice made Sinta’s skin crawl. Deyama, however, stood firm. “Who in the shades of night are you and what are you doing in my valley?” Deyama demanded. “I am Cramda. I’m here at Lyra’s behest. You see, she doesn’t want you to come to the aid of the humans, and frankly, neither do I.” “I don’t care what you want. Rin, sound the alarm.” Cramda cast a spell holding Rin frozen in place. “Oh, I wouldn’t do that, my little dragon.” “Release her,” Deyama commanded. She had a knife in her hand. Suddenly, she froze too. “You mortals are so predictable. Thilgat, show them.” The troll nodded. He went to the door and beckoned. Moments later, another troll entered with two young elves. “You see, while we were talking, Thilgat’s squad of trolls was at the school, gathering the children. Now, you’ll do as I say or I’ll let the trolls do what they want to those kids, and I must say, they can be pretty barbaric.” “If you hurt those kids…” Deyama warned. “What can you do to an immortal?” Cramda laughed. “I’m the queen. This is my valley. It obeys me.” Sinta realized what she was talking about. The valley sat on a ground quake fault. Centuries ago, there had been protections put in place to keep the quakes from happening. The ruler of the valley controlled those protections and could remove them with a word. The resulting quake would not only destroy the valley, but it would also destroy the four kingdoms and Lerjao. “Deyama, you can’t,” she said. “Without our children, we are nothing. I will not let these beasts hurt them,” Deyama insisted. “Do you think a little tremor would stop me?” Cramda sneered. “If you think it would be little, you’re dumber than a troll,” Deyama spat. “And after all these years, the resulting quake would happen too fast for you to even transport out.” Thilgat growled, and Cramda put up a restraining hand. “The whole valley would be destroyed. It took ten immortals working with Augmenters to create the protections that keep this land stable. You will perish with us,” He pointed out. “You would kill everyone to save the children?” “Better a quick death and what your trolls would do,” Deyama spat. “If you cooperate, the trolls won’t hurt anyone. It’s quite simple. You will let the dragons bring the refugees, as you said, but you will let us have them, and you won’t send your army. In short, all you have to do is nothing.” “You shade blasted cur. Those dragons are children. You have me. Let them alone,” Rin cried. “For what we have planned, I could use all of the Baj-tisk, and that’s what we’ll get.” He approached the still paralyzed dragon woman. He reached into her pocket and pulled out her vial. It was what she used to take alternate form. Without it, she couldn’t change back to a dragon. As long as he held it, she was under his control. “If you want this back, it’s quite simple. Don’t cause trouble, do what you’re told, and when I release you, do not contact the other dragons.” “If she doesn’t, they’ll know something’s wrong,” Sinta pointed out, hoping to gain Rin a chance to warn them. Cramda nodded. “We don’t want to make them suspicious. You may contact them as normal, but you may not warn them. You will do nothing to let them know something’s wrong. Do you understand?” “I understand,” Rin said. “I will send no warning messages.” “Good. Now, if they don’t send the wagons, I’ll know someone betrayed me and the trolls will have their way with your children and anyone else they want.” “You will have our cooperation,” Deyama agreed through gritted teeth. **** “Vor, you’re Deyama’s pledged. What is she doing?” Rejenn, a friend of Voramini’s asked. “What are you talking about?” Vor was with Shunati in the healers’ area. Shunati was glad for a chance to visit with his cousin, even if it was a pending war that allowed it. “Pt’this said she’s sending the army back with the young dragons. But my sources are claiming she’s not.” “And your sources are always so accurate?” Vor asked. Rejenn had been a buyer and seller of information since he was a young teen. He could find information about almost anything. Usually, his information was accurate, but he had limited resources here. “I’m not sure how reliable my sources are,” Rejenn admitted. “That’s why I came to you. I figured you’d know why there’s conflicting information.” “To my knowledge, she is sending the army.” Vor shrugged. “Maybe you should scry her and double-check,” Shunati suggested. “Rin doesn’t speak Elven, and Deyama doesn’t speak Dragon. There could be some mix-up in the translation.” Vor nodded. “Do you have a mirror?” “Use this.” Shunati gave him a silver tray. Rejenn excused himself, saying he had responsibilities while Vor cast the spell. **** “Rin taught me a spell to send a message long-distance. Someone at the castle knows we won’t be sending the army,” Sinta whispered. They hadn’t been left alone but for a few minutes here and there. Sinta had to work quickly so she wasn’t sure who had received the message. “She’s risking a lot,” Deyama whispered back. “She said she’d give up her vial if it would help.” “We won’t ask her to do that.” “What are you ladies whispering about?” Cramda came over to them. “Girl problems,” Sinta said quickly. “Girl problems?” Cramda frowned. “You know, cycles, cramps, hot flashes,” she elaborated. She found most men would run from this topic. Even Shunati was uncomfortable talking about it, and he needed to. “Do immortal women have that problem too?” Deyama asked, catching on. Cramda frowned. “Deyama?” A voice called. The three jumped. It took a moment for them to realize it was coming from the scrying mirror. “Deyama?” “That’s Vor, Deyama’s pledged. If she doesn’t talk with him, he’ll think something’s wrong. They speak all the time,” Sinta lied, hoping Deyama would understand and play along. Cramda frowned. “Remember, I’ll be listening.” He moved out of sight of the mirror. Deyama uncovered at the mirror and smiled big. “Vor, my love. It’s so good to see you.” “It’s good to see you too,” he said, puzzled. “I wasn’t expecting you to scry yet. I’m just glad you did. You know how much I enjoy talking to you.” Deyama was all smiles. “I enjoy it too. I’m hearing conflicting reports. Some are saying you’re bringing the army. Others say you’re not. I thought I’d talk to you directly.” “Of course. Let me assure you, we are sending the army. Pisha is coordinating everything.” “Pisha is?” Vor asked. “I see. Thank you. I know you’re busy. I let you get back to it.” “Thank you. I’ll see you then.” “I’ll see you soon. I love you.” He ended the spell. “Who is this Pisha?” Cramda asked. “She’s another of my aides. She’s Sinta’s cousin,” Deyama told him. “Why haven’t I seen her?” “She’s busy with the troops,” Deyama said as if it was obvious. “You never answered my question. Do immortal women have similar girl problems?” She asked then. Cramda frowned. “You two don’t cause trouble.” He hurried away. “Do you think he understood?” Sinta whispered. “Vor’s not stupid. He understood. Expect him to scry again with Emeton in a short while.” **** “You didn’t tell me you worked everything out,” Shunati said to his cousin. “We didn’t.” Vor frowned. “She’s been so angry for so long she’s having trouble adjusting. She was trying to tell me something.” “Why didn’t she just say it?” “Perhaps she couldn’t. But she did say Pisha’s coordinating the army.” “Isn’t Pisha Sinta’s cousin, the one in the coma?” “She is.” Vor agreed. “She woke up?” “No.” Vor’s frown grew. Then he looked up, his eyes wide. “The army isn’t coming. I need to warn King Emeton.” “Talk with Pt’this. He’ll help you out.” Vor nodded. “I’ll find him. **** Shunati decided to scry Sinta. He needed someone to talk to. He had just learned that Ann was the Monster of the North, Drepal and was shocked by the news. Ann’s mother had been killed when she was still pregnant with Ann. They’d managed to save the child, but she was months premature. Shunati kept her with him almost constantly keeping her warm and healthy. Pt’this and his late wife and nephew had helped. Because of that, they’d all grown close to her. Shunati saw her as a niece. He knew Ann had been a prisoner of the trolls in Lerjao. He was aware that the physical damage that had been done. He’d never guessed the extent of the emotional damage. Drepal had been feared as much as Lyra. She had terrorized the northern cities and villages. And while she hadn’t been seen in ten years, people still whispered her name and worried she may return. He had trouble believing someone as compassionate as Ann had become this monster. If he hadn’t read her, he would have never guessed. He cast the spell to contact his pledged. She smiled when she saw him. “Shunati, it’s good to see you.” “I’ve missed you.” “I’ve missed you too,” she assured him. “Do you have time to talk?” “I have a few minutes. What’s wrong?” “A friend suffered something traumatic a while ago. I just found out it was worse than she let on and am worried about her.” “Can you heal her?” Sinta asked. Shunati shook his head. “This is emotional.” He could only heal the physical body. “Then be there as a friend. Talk with her.” She glanced off behind the mirror she was using. “I’m sorry I need to go. Deyama needs me. I’ll try to scry you this evening.” “We have a strategy meeting this evening. I’ll scry you in a day or two,” he said. Vor and the others had figured out there were trolls in Erilu and were holding the elf children hostage. They were planning a rescue for that evening, but he couldn’t tell Sinta. Someone might overhear. “I love you,” she said. “I love you too.” He smiled and ended the spell. **** Shunati was trying to keep himself busy by making sure his workspace was best organized for the potential battle tonight. He was worried about Ann and Sinta. He hoped the work would keep his mind off them, but the place was already organized as best he could do. There was a knock. “Come in.” He called. Vor entered. “Hi. I just wanted to let you know, we found a place to bring the kids, the entryway to Elven Keep.” Shunati nodded. “Thanks.” “Shun, are you okay?” “Sometimes I read things that are disturbing,” Shunati told him, although that was something Vor already knew. “Talk to me. You know I won’t tell anyone,” Vor encouraged. In the past, he had listened when healing people had caused problems for Shunati. “If I tell you, you absolutely cannot tell anyone, not even Deyama, especially not her.” “Shun, you know I won’t,” Vor assured him. Shunati nodded. “Drepal was in here, and I touched her.” Vor nodded. “What she went through in Lerjao must’ve been horrible.” “Vor, she’s Ann.” “Ann?” Vor frowned. “Princess Annlonna?” Vor shook his head. “No, Drepal is Shimmer.” “Shimmer?” Shunati asked. “Yeah, you met her in Thager, the powerful runaway mage that was pledged to Pt’this’s nephew, Kithmar.” Vor nodded. Shunati knew who Shimmer was. Ann had kept her true identity from her friends in Thager for protection. First, so she wouldn’t be found by her family and later so that no one would know the princess was out on her own. He hadn’t realized Vor had known who Drepal was. “Ann was the runaway pledged to Kithmar.” He told Vor. “Seriously?” Vor’s eyebrows rose. “Princess Ann is Shimmer. Vor, you can’t tell anyone.” “Shun, I’ve known Drepal since she escaped Lerjao, ten years ago. I didn’t even tell you. I’m not going to tell people any of this now.” “You really knew her that long?” “She was a kid trying to overcome her past. We helped her.” “We?” “Fists, Darkham, Kith, Sapphire, and Rejenn.” “You all knew who she was?” “Yes, well no. Apparently, we didn’t. We knew she had been Drepal. We didn’t know she was the princess.” Shunati wondered what Vor would say when he found out Ann was also half dragon. Emeton had asked Shunati to keep the information a secret for political reasons. Even Ann hadn’t known. She’d recently acquired a series of letters written to her from her birth father so she should know now. Shunati hadn’t heard who the father was, but he had an idea. There was a knock on the door. “Come in,” Shunati called. At least now he was busy. Fists and Darkham entered. “Prince-general Remtani asked us to bring some bandages and supplies to the command center,” Darkham explained. “I have a box set up here.” Shunati took a box and handed it to Fists. “Darkham, do you speak Elvish?” He asked. Darkham nodded. “Some, if you speak slowly.” “Rejenn doesn’t speak it well. He’s going to be helping watch the kids with his wife. His wife was going to be a translator, but I don’t think she’s up to it.” “Wife?” Fists frowned. “Cesni, the pregnant woman he’s been working with.” “Rejenn isn’t married,” Fists said. “And he can’t get anyone pregnant,” Darkham added. You could’ve fooled me. She’s definitely pregnant, and he’s in love with her. She went into early labor last night. He practically dragged me by my hair to help her. He held her hand the whole time.” “I’ll help,” Darkham said. “If she’s going into early labor, she needs rest. I’ll let Prince Remtani know.” He left. “And I need to have a talk with my best friend,” Fists said and left. “I should get ready for tonight,” Vor said. “Are you okay now?” He waited for Shunati’s nod and then left.