“My one redeeming factor?” Drepal growled. “After all I’ve done to help her, that wyrm has the nerve to say that?” “She was trying to keep up your reputation. You don’t want to be known as soft do you?” Andy asked. After dinner, Ann, Andy, and Emeton had locked themselves in the office to try to “contact” Drepal. She was reluctant to come awake and in a very bad mood when she did. She did not care for the feel of all the copper in the world. “How about we get this over so you can go back to sleep,” Emeton suggested. Drepal nodded. “What do you want?” “To know more about that warning you gave Andy about Mishtali,” Emeton told her. Drepal’s lips curled into a snarl, and for a moment Andy thought she would growl, or attempt to like Pt’this and Nim did. However, Ann had not been successful in her attempts, and Drepal seemed to deny her dragon half as much as possible. “I told you, he can’t be trusted.” “Why?” Emeton asked and then added, “Why can’t he be trusted?” If he didn’t specify, she would answer the question “why did she warn him?” or something else, just to be difficult. “He reeks of immortal,” she said. “How do you know that?” Andy asked. He handed her a small glass of whiskey. She took a sip. She knew he was rationing the stuff and wanted it to last. “I saw him while the wyrm was in the trance. I saw you too, but you didn’t see me. We were all hiding until her strength increased enough for us to attack. Unfortunately, she was smart enough not to draw in the strength she needed to escape until just before she did.” “We?” Andy asked. “Me and her nightmares.” Drepal’s grin made Andy’s blood run cold. “Let’s not get sidetracked. What do you mean he reeks of it?” Emeton asked. “I mean either Scale’s brother was right, and he is immortal, or he’s working with one.” “He can’t be immortal. He is a dragon. You’re proof of that.” Andy pointed out. “So, he’s working with one, probably Nor’than.” Drepal shrugged. Andy poured her more whiskey. “Why would Mishtali work with Nor’than?” “Why do I work for you? We don’t always have a choice.” “You think he’s a prisoner?” Andy summarized. “Pretty and smart.” “What makes you think that?” Emeton asked. “Eta-vie burns on his throat and wrists. Five hundred years chained with that will leave marks. Only a great healer can remove them. The healer you brought might be able to.” Andy poured her more whiskey. She was feeling it enough to become more talkative. As he did, he saw her look at her own wrists. There were no scars. He wondered if someone had removed some and who was a greater healer than Shunati. Her dad was, but when had she seen him? “Whoever he’s working for or with, he was made to send that message, but some parts he added on his own. I can tell when someone is acting defiant.” “What parts?” Emeton asked. “The part I’m not supposed to mention. Pretty Boy knows. And she was only supposed to bring a healer and Copper. Not Scales, not Pretty Boy. That Dad was missing allowed him to change the message. She was also supposed to come through the gate. They’re probably watching it.” “And they probably saw Nim and Jo use it which is how they knew to call her,” Andy guessed. “Were you aware Lyra was working with her father?” Emeton asked. “No. I was aware there was a project she kept from me. There were trolls that would go missing for weeks at a time or that she would send away without telling me. But, that was all I knew. Oh, and that she wanted vials and a dragon to use them.” “But they have a dragon,” Andy said. “They had two. But, perhaps they didn’t know what I am,” Drepal pointed out. “If they had a dragon, why would she need another?” Emeton asked. “Ann said she took a bunch of vials when she left, and there were more still there. Could she need more dragons to handle all the vials?” Andy asked. “One dragon can use as many vials as he can get. There is no limit. It’s more likely she was planning on betraying her father. She made no secret of how she felt about him.” “Could that have been an act?” Emeton asked. “I can tell the difference between an act and the real thing. I tortured people for three years. They would try to lie. If I couldn’t tell the difference, I would be the one to suffer. That never happened.” “Mishtali knew you warned us, but that didn’t happen until long after Ann woke up. Do you know how he knew?” Drepal nodded. “I spoke to him briefly in the trance. His magic was helping Ann. I wanted to stall him, but he couldn’t stay. I said I would warn her not to trust him. He said that would be best and left.” Emeton nodded. “Thank you, Drepal. I know you feel you don’t have a choice in helping us, but I do appreciate that you do. Is there anything you’d like as payment?” “Thilgat?” Was her response. “I thought you hated him.” “I do. I don’t want him as a companion. I want him as a prisoner.” “To torture? I told you how I feel. Besides, you had your chance.” “It was too quick. You don’t lock me up or try to hurt me. The whiskey and the chance to sleep are good. This is a fine arrangement. I don’t need anything else.” “Will you help us defeat Nor’than?” “If you need me. I think the White Wyrm will be able to handle it though.” “Okay. Thank you again. Enjoy the whiskey and good night.” With that, Emeton left. Andy knew he was uncomfortable with what his son-in-law did to get Drepal to sleep, even if Drepal was part of his daughter. Andy started to pour her more whiskey. She stopped him. “No, thank you.” “Do you not want to sleep yet?” “No, I do. I just don’t need the whiskey and you.” “You enjoy what we do,” Andy said, and she nodded. “Because it makes Ann jealous?” “She’s not jealous. You know that. I enjoy it because it feels nice. I like feeling something besides hate and pain and fear. And, when we’re close, I can feel you.” “You don’t feel the bond?” “Only when we’re touching. The bond is part of her dragon half. I’m part of her other half. Dragons don’t get multiple personalities. The closer I am to sleep, the more I feel of you. You don’t think I’m a monster. You love me like you love her. No one has ever loved me.” “You are getting soft.” “I am, but I can still do what’s needed.” “I know you can.” He held her close, massaging her neck and kissing her. She pressed up against him. She kissed him back. He was starting to get aroused. She smiled. “Not tonight, pretty boy.” “Someday?” “Perhaps.” She was already falling asleep. Then, she looked at his eyes. What he saw wasn’t the heartless, blood-freezing look he normally saw but something softer, something with emotion, concern even. “Andy, stay close to Ann tonight. Today has stirred up memories, and she’s going to have a terrible nightmare.” And with that warning, she was gone. Later, during the night, Drepal brought Andy into the nightmare Ann was having, a memory of Lerjao. He could understand why she still had nightmares all these years later.