Deyama sent Sinta to check on the children. She’d been worried, naturally, but since Vor’s last scrying, she’d been more agitated. The trolls had gathered all the children in the southern clearing of the Green Glen. One of the four squads of trolls guarded them. So far, the trolls hadn’t hurt anyone. Some gave Sinta looks that made her uncomfortable. Some gave similar looks to the children. Neither she nor Deyama was stupid. They didn’t believe the trolls would leave quietly when they had the dragons. Deyama was fully ready to start the ground quake. She believed that the humans were doing something to help, but she had no idea what. She was waiting as long as possible, but they were running out of time. Sinta knelt by one whimpering child and whispered promises that everything would be all right soon, promises she feared to believe. She moved to another. The children were trying to be brave, but it was too much for them. As she knelt by the child, there was a flash of light. “Stay down,” a voice said in her ear. She looked, but there was no one there. She saw some of the children looking also. She wondered if it was the same spell she’d used to send the warning. Sinta ducked holding the children near her. There was another flash and the ground beneath her changed. She looked. They were in a stone room surrounded by not only trolls but also human soldiers. They had been transported somewhere else. Who had that kind of strength? Even immortals couldn’t transport this many people. Then she saw Ann stand, holding a taki-sphere. A taki-sphere was a magical charm that could help her transport a large group. “Stay down. Tell the others.” She whispered to the kids near her. Then she cast a spell shield draping it over the children like a blanket so it wouldn’t hamper the fighters but would protect the children from the battle and waited. She watched the fight, wishing she could help. Some soldiers had dark glass strapped over their eyes. She realized it probably would have protected their eyes from the flash. She saw two trolls escape, and two soldiers go after them. Soon, the rest of the trolls were dead. She released the shield and stood. Human soldiers were helping the wounded. A human and a dwarf were gathering the children. “Come on,” she said to the little ones nearby. They followed, bringing others with them too. Soon, they were all outside and heading to another building. “Tell them we need to go to the second floor,” She heard the human tell the dwarf. She guessed he didn’t speak Elvish. She translated. Both men turned her in surprise. “I’m sorry. I thought if it came from someone familiar it might help,” she said. “Where did you come from?” The human asked. “Erilu. I was checking on the children would they were brought here. My name is Sinta.” “I’m Rejenn, and this is Darkham,” the human said. “Where are we?” She asked. “Dragon Castle. That was Elven Keep,” Rejenn explained. “The families with children are on the second floor. A friend and I have been watching the children while their parents are busy. We thought we’d bring these ones up there too. They might feel more comfortable with someone their own age.” Sinta nodded. “I agree. I’ll help too. I’m no fighter. I’m just an aide.” Rejenn nodded and led them to the upper room. There he introduced her to a pregnant woman named Cesni. “Since you have your translator, I’m going back to work. I’m sure the other healers need some help,” Darkham said and was gone before Sinta could ask him to let Shunati know she was there. This way was probably better. He needed to concentrate on healing the soldiers, not worry about her. They set about getting the children settled and finding them places to sleep. Vor came in a short time later to check on the kids. “Sinta? What are you doing here?” He asked in surprise. “You know her?” Rejenn asked. “She’s a friend of Deyama, well, now she’s her aide. She’s pledged to Shunati. Does he know you’re here? Why are you here?” Sinta knew Vor was addicted to coffee. She wondered how many cups he’d drank to ‘relax’ him. “No, he doesn’t know. No one does, though hopefully, Deyama will figure it out. I was checking on the children when we were transported here. Don’t tell Shunati yet. I don’t want to be a distraction. I’ll see him when he’s done.” Vor nodded. “Do you know how they’re doing in Erilu?” She asked. “They seem to be doing quite well. Two dragons were there to act as a distraction for Ann and stayed to help, but one got hurt, and they had to come back. The other said most of the trolls were gone.” “Deyama was going to release the fault,” ahe told him. Vor’s eyes grew wide. “I’m pledged to a crazy woman.” “More like desperate.” “Well, let’s be thankful she didn’t do it,” he decided. Sinta nodded. “Agreed.” “Emeton is talking about scrying her tomorrow to see how things went. I’ll ask him to let her know what happened to you,” Hhe offered. She nodded. “Thanks.” “How are the kids?” “Confused, scared, but they know they’re safer here than that in Erilu.” Vor nodded. “Are you three okay? Do you need anything?” “I think we’re good,” Rejenn said. “Cesni?” “We’re good.” Cesni nodded. “Good. I’m needed downstairs. Rejenn, you know where I can find whiskey?” Rejenn shook his head. “Sorry, why?” “Why do you think?” Rejenn frowned. “I thought Andy was taking care of her.” “Well, he is, but they caught two trolls, and she’s helping question them.” “She’s not…?” “She is.” Vor nodded and frowned. They were referring to Ann. One of the things she’d done as Drepal was to torture people for information. She’d been quite skilled at it. As Drepal, she didn’t care what it did to the person. As Ann, she hated having done it. She wasn’t truly Drepal anymore, but she always said that part of her was still there, sleeping in the back of her mind. It seemed dealing with Lyra, her creator, had woken that part of her up. Ann apparently was letting her help, but she would take over, and it would take losing consciousness to get her back to sleep. That was what the alcohol was for. Whiskey was Drepal’s favorite and she’d be willing to drink enough to pass out. “Talk to the man three doors down. I don’t know if he has whiskey, but he’s been drunk a lot. He has something,” Rejenn suggested. Vor nodded. “Will do. Thanks.” He left. “What was that about?” Cesni asked. Sinta also wondered. “Sorry, I can’t tell you,” Rejenn apologized. **** Shunati tended the wounded. There weren’t many. Then Ghin came. “Ti ... was... ber...bur...” He stumbled over the words. “Ghin, I speak Dragon,” Shunati said in Dragon. “Oh, good.” Ghin switched languages. “Ti was burned in Erilu. Nim and Kav are bringing him back.” “They aren’t transporting him, are they?” “I don’t think so. I’ll ask.” He was silent a moment. “No. They’re flying.” “Transporting someone badly injured is dangerous.” Ghin frowned. “Kav says Dae might be injured too. She’s having trouble flying, but he doesn’t see anything wrong.” Shunati nodded. “We have a tent ready to put over him. We’ll need your help to put it up once they arrive.” “Okay.” Ghin nodded. Finally, the dragons passed overhead. By this time, several fires had been lit for light, and healers were lined up waiting to help. Nim circled twice before landing. He had Ti on his back. Kav flew alongside helping balance the injured dragon. He also seemed to be steadying Dae. While Nim, Kav, and Ghin worked to get Ti off Nim’s back, Shunati went to check on Dae. She backed away. “I’m fine. Ti needs your help.” “Dae, you’re hurt.” “No. Ti’s hurt. I’m not.” “Dae, let him heal you,” Nim commanded from where they worked. He was in charge of the young dragons. “I don’t need healing.” She insisted. She took elf form. “See, I’m fine.” Dragons wouldn’t change form if they were injured. Changing made the injury worse and made it harder to heal properly. “Then why are you having trouble flying?” Nim asked. Kav and Ghin held up Ti, and Nim took human form and slipped out from under Ti. “Dae, are you bonded with Ti?” Shunati guessed. When dragons mated, they formed a bond allowing them to feel what the other felt. But while Dae and Ti were a couple, they were too young for that. “We didn’t mate. I swear,” Dae said quickly, shaking her head. “Then what’s going on?” Nim asked, coming over. Ghin and Kav were working on the tent. “We couldn’t mate. You chaperoned us.” “What about in Erilu? You didn’t go too far acting as a distraction?” “No.” “Then how are you bonded?” Nim demanded. “I don’t know.” She was crying. “Help Ti. He’s in so much pain. Banished me if you want, but please, help him.” Sapphire came and put an arm around her. “You guys tend to Ti. Pt’this and I will talk with her.” Sapphire led the girl away. “The gall of that girl to say…” Nim started. “Nim, not now. Let’s help Ti. And don’t go lecturing her either. If they are bonded, Ti doesn’t need to feel her guilt. Sapphire is a good one to talk to her. She’ll find out what happened. Now, let me deal with my patient.” He braced himself and touched Ti. He felt the blast of heat and pain. There was some nerve damage. The boy had taken the brunt of the fire in his face. His eyes were at risk. The other healers were looking at the burns, trying to figure out how to heal them. Most of his body was burned. “Let me heal his eyes first.” He told them. “His eyes?” One frowned. “The blast hit him in the face. Eyes are more fragile. There’s a smaller window before there’s permanent damage.” He explained though he shouldn’t have had to. They nodded, and he healed Ti’s eyes. Ti opened them. He was conscious? “Get sleeping potions.” Shunati cried. “Why?” One of the healers asked. Shunati stared. Were they all idiots? “Because he’s awake, you shade blasted cur. Why else?” Darkham growled. “Dae?” Ti managed, weekly. “She’s fine. She’s with Sapphire and Pt’this.” “Need deathwatch.” “No one’s dead yet,” Darkham said. “And no one’s going to die.” A deathwatch was to keep it constant eye on a dragon when their bonded died to make sure they didn’t die too. Several doses of sleeping potion were administered to the young dragon, and he was soon out. “How much green bough do we have?” Darkham asked. Green bough root extract was a painkiller that also blocked the bond. “Not enough.” “Can you do emergency healing on him?” Darkham asked. Shunati shook his head. “It would still take hours. Even if my strength lasted, we’d both end up with heart attacks or worse.” “You might be able to skin him,” Nim suggested. “Skin him?” Shunati was shocked. Nim nodded. “We’re creatures of fire. We don’t burn easily. It’s rare the burns go deep enough to affect more than one layer of skin. Dragons shed every seven years. If he’s close, we can help it along.” Shunati noticed Nim unconsciously rubbing his burned arm. He had said it had happened after the war. It happened just after the war. Again, he wondered how the dragon had done it. “If he’s near his shedding cycle, the burned skin can be cut away. Then he only has to deal with the discomfort he’d have shedding until his scales go back.” “You’re not serious.” Darkham insisted. “Do know if he’s near his shedding?” Shunati asked. If this worked, they could save Ti months of pain, and he wouldn’t be at risk for infection. “You’re considering this?” Darkham looked shocked. Shunati nodded. “If it’s possible and will help him, yes.” “We need to know when his next shedding will be.” Nim reminded them. “You wouldn’t happen to know, would you?” Shunati asked, doubtful. Nim shook his head. “His parents might or Dae.” They found Dae with Sapphire and Pt’this a short way away. She saw Nim with them. “I swear, we didn’t mate. I don’t know why we’re bonding,” she insisted. “We’re not here about that,” Nim assured her. “Is he okay? I mean, he’s not going to die, is he?” “Not now. Things are bad, though. Do you know when Ti’s shedding cycle is?” Shunati asked. Dae frowned. “It’s getting close, why?” “We were thinking of skinning him,” Nim explained. Dae paled. “He’s that bad?” Nim nodded. “It’s the best option.” “He said he was worried that if this took too long, he might have to leave.” “He’s that close?” Nim asked. “I don’t remember.” She shook her head. “Why don’t we scry his parents?” Pt’this suggested. “Has anyone one told them of the injury yet?” Shunati asked. Pt’this shook his head. “We wanted to know the extent of the injury.” Shunati nodded. “I’ll let them know.” He put a hand on Dae’s. “We’re going to do everything we can to help him.” She jerked away quickly. He wondered what it was she didn’t want him to read. He started to leave. “Nim, you’re their chaperone, will you join me?” Nim followed. Once they were out of hearing, he turned to Nim. “They did not mate.” “What?” “I just checked and from what I can tell, they did not mate. Pt’this and Sapphire haven’t and neither have Andy and Ann, but both couples have bonded.” “You’re sure?” “The accuracy of the read is questionable, and she pulled away rather quickly, but I’d say yes.” “I’ll let their parents know.” Nim nodded. “Might it be better if Dae was involved?” Shunati asked. Nim shook his head. “You don’t know enough about dragons to think that. I’ll scry Ti’s parents and find out when he’ll shed and then I’ll let both parents know about the bonding and then let Dae talk to them. They’re my responsibility. You go see what you can do for him.” Shunati nodded and went back to the dragon. Darkham had all the healers monitoring Ti, checking for any possible complications. “What’s the plan?” Darkham asked. “Dae thinks he’s close to needing shedding. Nim’s talking to his parents to get a better idea.” “And if he isn’t? Then what?” “Then we do it the hard way. Can you do emergency healing?” Darkham shook his head. “Can any of them?” He indicated the army healers. He didn’t work with the army healers much and Darkham had been put in charge of them while they were there. “One or two might.” Darkham shrugged. “I don’t suppose you know how to reach your old partner, Lyni?” Shunati had worked with Lyni a few times. He was probably the strongest healer in the four kingdoms. “Lyni shouldn’t do emergency healing. And no, I don’t know how to find him.” “Then let’s hope we can skin him.” He shuddered. “I never thought I’d say that.” Pt’this and Nim both join them. “Dae’s still talking with their parents. Her dad is starting to believe her. He’ll get the others to agree,” Nim told them. “She’s their only child. Her dad cherishes her.” Pt’this added. “And the shedding?” Shunati asked. “We believe he’s a month away,” Nim said. “Is that soon enough?” Darkham asked. Nim nodded. “I talked with a friend who’s a healer. He says he’s seen it done successfully up to three months early. Pt’this and I will show you how to do it properly so you don’t do any damage.” “We will?” Pt’this asked. “I don’t know how to do that.” Nim frowned. “What about helping Mirimar shed?” Mirimar was Pt’this’s late wife. She had several injuries that left her debilitated and needed help with many things, including shedding. “I used my claws. Kith used a knife.” Pt’this explained. “I have to check my spell books, but I believe I have a spell for skinning someone.” “That’s a forbidden spell,” Nim growled. Pt’this nodded and shrugged. “Probably. Mishtali didn’t know which spells were forbidden here. I probably have several.” Mishtali had been Mirimar’s father and the one who taught Pt’this to use magic. They had come from a distant land along with Mirimar’s brother, an amazing healer named Thailyn. Both Thailyn and Mishtali had vanished at the end of the war five hundred years ago and were presumed dead. Though, while he was still missing, it appeared Thailyn hadn’t died since rumors were now circulating he was Ann’s father and she was nowhere near that old. “I’ll show you how it’s done. That spell is dangerous,” Nim said. “Have you done this before?” Shunati asked. “Thailyn showed me how.” Nim nodded. “Thailyn? He’s been gone five hundred years.” Shunati protested. “So?” Nim shrugged. “Nim has a perfect memory. He never forgets anything.” Pt’this explained. Shunati nodded. “I’ll gather the others.”