Pt’this and Sapphire found Andy, Ann, and Nim eating in the dining hall. “Okay, which one of you threatened to roast a servant?” Ann asked looking between Pt’this and Nimitinas. “They’re all whispering about mad-dragon. I haven’t done anything so they can’t be talking about me. I don’t think most of them even realize I’m a dragon yet. “ Pt’this’s face turned dark. “I did. A steward barged in on us this morning, not even knocking.” “You two weren’t...” Ann asked. “We were. Then, he acted like he didn’t even know we were married.” “Remtani got back last night. Perhaps it was someone that had been with him,” Ann said. “He still should have knocked,” Pt’this said. “Oh, agreed.” Ann nodded. “Ann, tell me something,” Pt’this said. “What would Nim have done to you if you had gone into a wizard’s trance while scrying Kith?” “After at least an hour of lecture, I would’ve had to do chores for hours and then been barred from talking to Kith for three days. He also said that next time it happened, he’d leave me in the trance for a few hours too. Why? Wait, he didn’t.” All eyes turned to a very red Nimitinas. “Nimitinas, shame on you!” Sapphire scolded. “It was an accident. I didn’t realize how drained I was getting. By the time I did, it was too late.” “That’s because you were also drawing,” Pt’this said. “Nim!” Ann cried. “I needed to.” He looked about in tears. Ann felt sorry for him. “If I hadn’t been in my study and heard Joanne yelling, no one would’ve known, and you would’ve died,” Pt’this said. “I know. I needed the drawing to help me focus. I get nervous talking about myself. It’s uncomfortable.” “Nim, for your safety, how about you let one of us know when you’re talking to her so we can check on you,” Pt’this suggested. Nim nodded. “I’ll do that.” “Good. Did you show Ann that book?” Pt’this asked. Nim shook his head. “Not yet.” Nim pulled a book out from a pouch he had with him and handed it to her. She looked at it a moment. “What is this? I can’t read any of it.” “A language she can’t read?” Pt’this asked surprised. Sapphire leaned over and looked at it. “That’s one of Pt’this’s spell books that I found at Dragon Castle.” Ann looked at Pt’this in surprise. “She found it with my books, but it’s not one of mine. Pt’bur and I found it long ago. I can’t read it either.” “It’s a spell book in the language of the immortals. It talks about making potions, how to make, and the full use of, vials, there’s a bunch of spells.” Nim explained. Ann looked at the book again and then walked off, frowning. They watched her go, confused. “She’ll be back,” Andy said. And she was back moments later. She set a matching book down on the table. Nim opened it. It was the same book written in Tricot. “Where did you get that?” Pt’this asked. “Lerjao, when I retrieved your vial. It was where you said Mishtali’s books would be. This isn’t his is it?” “Shades no. His was nothing like this,” Pt’this said looking through the one Ann had brought. “Did you find the other one too?” Ann asked. “The other? There was only the one,” Pt’this said. “I have a second one, and they are definitely a pair,” Ann said. “Have you tried any of these spells?” Nim asked. “A few. They’re pretty hard.” “They’re immortal.” “So? I was trained by an immortal.” “So was I.” “But I’m stronger than you.” Nim shook his head. “Just be careful.” “You too. That scrying spell you’ve been using comes from the other book.” “It does? I got it from my mentor. I’ll be careful though. Actually, I was thinking. Maybe I should help Andy contact his mom and make sure she’s okay,” Nim offered. “Okay? What happened to my mom? Did something happen on the way to Paosij?” Andy grew concerned. “No. I didn’t take her to Paosij. Queen Deyama did. They left right after you guys did. Your mom said something about running out of medicine and needing to get back for more. I had to take the young ones back, so Queen Deyama offered to take them.” “My mother isn’t on any medication,” Andy said. Then he smiled. “I bet this was so you and Jo could spend time together alone.” “They were commenting on how nice a couple you two made.” Ann smiled. “They were?” Nim was turning red again. “I think you were the only one who didn’t realize you two are a couple,” Sapphire said. “Ti contacted me the next day to ask if you two had mated where you didn’t stay in Baj-tisk that night,” Ann said. “He what?” Anger started to replace Nim’s embarrassment. “Relax. He didn’t put it that way. He was very polite and proper about it,” Ann assured him. “He said he didn’t want to make assumptions and he wanted to make sure the others weren’t spreading false rumors.” “What did you tell him?” “That I was in Erilu and had no idea. I said I thought it was unlikely since you weren’t about to mate with someone who wasn’t ready for that kind of commitment and that she wasn’t the type to just drop everything for a guy she just met. Then I told him it was best to talk with you.” “I think if it could have been done through a mirror, they would have mated last night,” Pt’this said. Nim growled, but Pt’this ignored him. “What else happened?” Andy asked. “Nothing,” Nim said emphatically. “Nope, nothing happened,” Pt’this agreed, grinning. “Nothing, including Joanne not getting dressed after her bath.” “What? Nim!” Sapphire cried. “No wonder you went into a trance. If I had Ann naked in front of me before we got married, I’d let myself go into a trance too,” Andy said. “Heck, I still might.” “Were you drawing naked pictures of her?” Ann teased. There was no possible way for Nim to get any redder. “Actually, he wasn’t,” Pt’this said. “He was drawing flowers and runes.” “I think I need to go back to being a hermit,” Nim said, starting to get up. “Nim, we’re only teasing. We’re sorry,” Sapphire said. She laid a hand on his arm. He sat back down. “Look on the bright side. No one is going to show her a naked picture of your last mate,” Pt’this said. “What? Mirimar?” Pt’this nodded. “Didn’t you hear about that? When Sapphire was up in my room at Dragon Castle, she found a naked painting of Mirimar.” “Why does that not surprise me? She liked sex more than you.” Nim shook his head. “How do you think I got addicted?” Pt’this asked. Nim finally relented after Pt’this relayed some of the comments he and Sapphire endured when they first became chosen. They then went their separate ways. Pt’this and Sapphire went to their meeting. Ann went to review the treaties her father had drafted. Andy had a karate lesson to teach. And Nimitinas was going to Baj-tisk to meet with The High Council to discuss the revelation that a treaty had been broken seventy-three times at least without repercussions.