“Ann? How? Even you said...” Andy was stunned that she was awake. He could see her starting to fade again. She needed more strength. He tried to magnify her magical energy, but there was too little to begin with. “I’ll get help. Stay awake,” he said and kissed her. He ran from the room yelling for Pt’this at the top of his lungs. When they returned, Ann’s eyes were closed. “Andy, you’re not going to keep her alive by lying about her waking up,” Pt’this said crossly. “I wasn’t. Check her magic,” Andy insisted. “Magic you put there? This ends now. You said your goodbyes now leave the room.” Pt’this hated this course of action but dragging this out was causing problems for Andy. He couldn’t cope. He started to the bed, drawing his knife. Ann’s eyes opened briefly. “Pt’this, wait,” Sapphire said. She’d seen it too. “This is impossible. What did you do?” He looked accusingly at Andy. “Nothing. We’ll worry about the hows and the whys later. Now, we need to help her before we lose her again.” Andy insisted. Pt’this agreed. He sent his magic to Andy to magnify and send on to Ann. Soon she opened her eyes again and smiled. “Thanks.” Pt’this sat down on a chair near the bed and checked her energy. It was low but acceptable. He turned to Andy. “Now, tell me what you did.” “I told you. I didn’t do anything. I didn’t even touch her,” Andy insisted. “I did it,” Ann said. “What? How? Where did you get the magic?” “I think I broke my fireplace,” she said sheepishly. Pt’this put his head in his hands. “What did you do?” “I used the magic from the spell on my fireplace as a base, but I don’t think I removed the spell right.” Andy pushed the sleeve of her nightdress up. The dragon tattoo was gone. “That’s what she used to build on it. I’ll bet the diamond eye is gone too.” Ann nodded. “There wasn’t enough magic in the fireplace alone.” Pt’this smiled. “Congratulations, you’re finally free.” “I am.” Ann smiled too. The diamond eye was a magical brand given to Ann when she was captured by Lyra and forced to work for her. It caused her great pain anytime she did something against Lyra’s wishes. It had almost killed her to escape. “We need to let the king and queen know,” Sapphire said. Everyone agreed. “Where is everyone?” Ann asked. The place seemed awfully quiet to her. “Headed home. They wanted you to have some peace,” Sapphire explained as Pt’this went to get the scrying mirror. “Your brother hired both Rejenn and Darkham. He also gave Fists money to pay off the noble he’d been a bodyguard for. He wants Fists as a soldier.” “How long was I out?” Ann asked. “Four days.” “Four? It didn’t seem that long. Did the dragons go back with the army?” “No, only Nimitinas did. The liaison to the elves took the young ones back to Baj-tisk. They burnt the wagons, so there was no point in them going to Sen-gan,” Sapphire explained. “Why did they burn the wagons?” “They went mad-dragon,” Andy said. “The young ones?” “All of them,” Sapphire told her. “Why? What happened?” Ann couldn’t imagine anything that could upset all the dragons so much. “You went into a trance. We all thought you were going to die,” Sapphire told her. Ann was stunned. She hadn’t thought they had really liked her that much. She had always felt like an outsider. It wasn’t as if they were mean or anything. She just didn’t fit in. “I should try to get a hold of them,” she said. “Let them know I’m okay.” “Is that a good idea in your condition?” Andy asked. “It doesn’t use any magic.” “No, but it does cause you a lot of pain. If they get excited, and all try to talk at once, there might be problems,” Andy pointed out. Dragons were telepathic, so they could speak into each other’s minds. Where Ann was only half dragon, she was able to communicate also, but any response was extremely painful. She could handle soft, gentle responses but anything more was overwhelming. “Why don’t you wait until Pt’this gets back and let him contact them. Then, maybe they can contact you, one at a time,” Sapphire suggested. Ann nodded. “I suppose you’re right.” Andy sat next to her on the bed and helped her sit up. She leaned heavily on him for support, being too weak to sit on her own. She could feel the joy he felt at her being okay. The last four days had been worse for him than for her. She had only been vaguely aware of his grief, it being overshadowed by her own pain. But she could tell he had acutely felt each and every pain she had endured. She kissed him and whispered, “I love you.” Pt’this returned. “If you may have done something to your fireplace we should contact the palace first. They may be in an uproar.” He cast the spell. They found Tylan laying on Ann’s bed crying. It appeared she had been alone in the room when Ann had taken the magic and hadn’t told anyone yet. “Your Majesty?” Pt’this asked tentatively. She either didn’t hear him or ignored him. “Queen Tylan?” Still no response. “Mother?” Ann tried. Tylan heard her voice but didn’t look up. “Mother, the mirror, please look at me,” Ann said. Tylan finally looked up. “Ann? You’re okay?” She asked sitting up. “The fireplace froze. I thought you were dead. They said you wouldn’t make it.” “Sorry about the fireplace. I had to use the spell’s magic to help me wake.” “Sorry? You’re sorry? Do you think I care about a pile of stones? I’m just so happy you’re all right.” They spoke for several more minutes before Pt’this reminded them they had other people to contact. They contacted Emeton next. He too was delighted to see his daughter awake. He called all her friends who were traveling with the army into his tent to see her. There was much laughter and celebration. Before the scrying session ended, Ann had asked three of them to have a drink for her and had gotten scolded twice by Nimitinas for her carelessness.