They ate in the living room rather than crowding around the kitchen table. “Nim,” Sapphire said. “You’ve drawn three pictures in your potatoes. What’s wrong?” Nim had been deliberating how to bring it up. “I saw Shintanillic today.” “What? Where?” Pt’this asked. “We stopped at the karate studio for a minute.” Andy smiled. “I wonder what John would say if he knew he had a dragon in his class.” “John is the dragon,” Joanne said. “What? No.” Andy shook his head. “Ann?” “I agree. John’s not a dragon.” “He recognized me, and he spoke to me in Dragon and telepathically. “I didn’t tell him why we’re here. I just said I was visiting Joanne and that we met at the wedding. He says congratulations by the way. Well, to Ann and Andy. I didn’t mention Pt’this and Sapphire. He told me that he woke up here after the explosion and couldn’t get back home.” “That’s all?” Pt’this asked. “He made a comment in Dragon, but there are ladies present.” “Sounds like Tani.”Pt’this nodded. “That doesn’t sound like John. He’s always a gentleman.” Andy frowned. “He is,’ Jo agreed. “But he told me he hadn’t always been. He learned to change, but sometimes, when we get with old friends, we take up old habits.” “I didn’t feel comfortable telling him more. Something just didn’t feel right,” Nim continued. “Probably for the best. I’ve always wondered why the Council’s mouthpiece would go against them and help a supposedly immortal, especially from what I heard about the way he treated you.” Nim nodded in agreement. “I often wondered the same thing. Oh, he did contact me and told me that to avoid getting sick from the eta-vie, just don’t use magic.” “Wait,” Andy said. “Back near the gate, Pt’this got sick, and he was still claiming to not be a mage.” “I wasn’t casting spells, but I was drawing in magic to train you.” “We’ve been here half a day. Has anyone started feeling sick?” Shunati asked. Sapphire raised her hand. “Aside from the incidents with the steaks this morning,” he amended. Sapphire put her hand down. No one else felt sick. “What do we do about John?” Ann asked. “For now, nothing,” Emeton said. “We’ll see what happens.” “Mishtali is here,” Pt’this reported. “He didn’t respond when I tried contacting him but, he did let me know he heard me.” “How are we going to find him?” Nim asked. “I could try scrying for him,” Ann suggested. “Didn’t we just say you can’t use magic?” Emeton asked. “They can’t use magic. I have no problems. My human half must protect me. I worked with magic every day without getting sick. I was even able to scry.” “Did you forget about what happened? You almost died,” Sapphire pointed out. “That was because of the...” She stopped herself. “... Because of something else.” “Ann...” Emeton warned. “It was because of the brand,” she said softly. “You act like we don’t all know about that.” “Not everyone did.” Her eyes flickered to Joanne. “Would it be better if I left?” Joanne asked. “No. I’m going to go. I need to get some air. Andy, don’t come.” She left. “Is she going to be okay?” Joanne asked. “She will be,” Andy said. “It’s just part of something she’d like to forget. Perhaps Nim should fill you in later. It might pertain to this. “But, Ann is right. She can cast the spell safely. She’s also strong enough.” “How can she cast with this much eta-vie?” Shunati asked. “She said something about using backlash,” Andy explained. “Only immortals can do that,” Shunati said. “Mishtali could,” Pt’this said. “That’s part of why he was accused of being immortal,” Nim added. “And he taught it to me to prove you don’t have to be immortal to use it,” Pt’this said. “I could cast the spell too if need be.” “As could I,” Nim said. “I never was taught how to do it, but I saw my mentor do it often enough that I figured it out on my own. I’ve done it a few times.” “But you two will get sick,” Tylan said. “We will. Ann would be the best choice,” Pt’this said. “We’ll keep it as an option,” Emeton decided. “But, let’s wait. Scrying is a dangerous spell. She may be strong enough to cast it but will she have any magic left after?” He glanced at Nim and Andy. “Mage sight doesn’t work here,” Nim said. “I couldn’t tell you without using my own magic to check.” “I’ve done that,” Andy said. “She barely touched what she took in to bring us here. And she recovered most of that this morning while she waited for us to wake.” “Okay. Pt’this, you keep trying to contact Mishtali. Ann can join you when she’s calmed down. Sapphire, you know your way around, and I’m sure you made a few contacts last time you were here. No one from Torthoc is going to recognize you. You and Tylan look around and see what you can find. Be careful. I don’t want to have to deal with mad-dragon if something happens to you or the baby. “Nim, you fill in Joanne with everything she needs to know. And by the expression on her face a moment ago, including what mad-dragon is. “Shunati, I guess you can keep testing that hammock.” Emeton grinned. “You know, you don’t all have to cram into Ann’s room,” Joanne said. “Sure, Nim could sleep with you,” Andy said with a grin. “I’d like that, but I meant the room Ann used as a lab is still empty. Some people can sleep there.” “Actually, if no one minds, I’d like to sleep out in the hammock tonight. I prefer sleeping outside. I don’t get much chance at the palace,” Shunati said. “And it will give me a little space from the rest of you, so I don’t read you all night.” “I don’t see a problem,” Joanne shrugged. “Nim, are you taking Joanne up on her offer?” Emeton asked. Nim nodded. For once, he didn’t blush. “Okay, men upstairs women down. Split it three and three?” Emeton suggested. “No,” Andy said. “Ann and I are staying together. I’m not risking a lightning strike on the house.” “Do you think that’s likely?” Tylan asked. “I guarantee it.” Andy nodded. “You could draw straws,” Nim suggested. “See who gets to be by themselves.” “Oh, that’s always been fair,” Pt’this said eyeing Andy. “That was Rejenn and Ann. I had nothing to do with that,” Andy insisted. “What are you two talking about?” Tylan asked. “When we went to Resdelk. We drew straws to see who would be paired up with who for watch. Amazingly, Sapphire and I were paired together every time,” Pt’this said. “And how is this bad?” Joanne asked. “They weren’t together then,” Andy said. “So when did they get together?” She asked. “When Andy gave me an ultimatum. Tell her how I felt or he would,” Pt’this told her. “See, they both fell in love with each other years ago but were too afraid to tell the other because they didn’t know how the other felt. The thing was, if they had just looked, they would have seen it. Everybody else knew. You know me. I think that’s nonsense,” Andy added. “You would not believe how many times I heard ‘it’s about time’ from the servants,” Tylan added. Sapphire was blushing. Emeton took pity on her and changed the subject. “We’re all married. Couples can sleep together. Two in the larger room. We’ll hang up something for privacy.” Andy smiled and looked at Pt’this. “Don’t go there,” the dragon warned, grinning. Andy shook his head. “I wasn’t going to say anything. But the four of us did practically live together then. We can take the double room.” Both were referring to their trip to Resdelk. After a night where Ann almost took out the town with lightning, Andy started spending the night with her to ward off nightmares. They’d gotten a room for four people so Sapphire and Pt’this could chaperone them and had hung a blanket for privacy. “We can take turns. You, newlyweds, need privacy too.” Tylan said. All eyes turned to her. “What? I want grand-babies,” she said. “You have grand-babies” Emeton pointed out. “I want more. I have six kids. I should have more than three grand-babies. Besides, I’m sure Carla wants them too.” Andy slapped his forehead. “I forgot to call them. I’ll have to do that as soon as Ann is ready to talk. They’ll want to talk with her too.” “Okay, Shunati, you and I will move the rooms around. Andy, calm Ann and call your parents. The rest of you have your jobs.”