“As the boy said, it was an accident,” A woman said coming down the hall. “Do not touch me. I said I would leave and I will. After I tell them what happened.” She pulled away from Fists who was escorting her. “You couldn’t hold me if you tried.” “No, but I could,” Ann said. She was pretty sure it was the woman who worked next door to the home. But she’d never gotten a good look at her. She often wore clothing with properties like her own cloak to prevent that. “Are you sure, little dragon?” The woman’s asked, smugly. “Would you like to find out?” Ann asked. For a brief second, Drepal flashed in her eyes. The woman took a step back, a little less sure herself. “I’d like to say what I came to say and leave.” Remtani left with Kortu, leaving Jaidu behind. Nim, who had been whispering with Remtani suddenly turned to the woman. “Auntie Morina?” He asked in surprise. “Auntie?” Jo asked. “Do I know you?” The woman asked. “How many dragons call you auntie?” Nim countered. “Little Nimmy?” Morina asked in surprise. “Little Nimmy?” Ann laughed. “Please, just Nim now.” Nim smiled. “Guys, this is Chapado’s sister, Morina.” “What are you doing here?” Morina asked. “What are you doing here?” Nim countered. “It’s a long story.” “No, what are you doing here, at the palace, now?” He corrected. “I brought a boy from the home to the healers.” “I told the steward to send a healer to the house,” Chormi said to her. She nodded. “The dragon went but the elf was still here. He said the boy would be fine. Perhaps one of you telepaths should call the dragon back.” “Chormi, what did you do?” Pt’this growled. “It was an accident. I swear,” Chormi cried. At that time, Sapphire and Dae arrived. “He beat up Fenta. He was unconscious.” “He was picking on Ruzi. Calling him names and pushing him. I was trying to get him to stop. I didn’t mean to hurt him. It was an accident.” “No, it wasn’t an accident. But it wasn’t Chormi that did it. It was - Ruzi’s the elf’s name?” “I hit Fenta, not Ruzi.” Chormi corrected. “No, Ruzi used you to hit Fenta,” Morina corrected. She looked at Pt’this. “Don’t you train any of your mages?” “What are you talking about?” Pt’this asked. “Ruzi used magic to control Chormi to make Fenta stop. He tried to take control of Fenta but it didn’t work because Fenta has no magic.” “He put a spell on me?” Chormi asked. “No. It’s a special ability only a few mages have.” She glanced at Nim. “I can help train him to control it if you don’t know others who can but I think you can find someone who can do it.” “I’m sure we can,” Nim agreed. “Do you guys realize this woman is an immortal?” Sapphire asked. “She’s Chapado’s sister,” Nim said. “We met when I was an apprentice.” “She did something with Fenta.” Pt’this nodded. “She took him to Shunati.” He turned to Fists. “That is correct, isn’t it?” “She brought a boy in, transported past the blocks on the healing rooms, like Ann does. I don’t know his name. He’d been beaten. It could’ve been by a child. Shunati is helping him. He said he’d be fine. He also said when he finds out who did it, he was going to recommend him to Prince Remtani as a soldier. I’m going to strongly agree. The boy needs training so he doesn’t kill anyone. I’m, um, familiar with this kind of fighting, desperation, learned on the streets. It only leads to someone’s death.” He was referring to himself. Most there knew Fists’s past. He wasn’t truly a street kid. He had a family, a quite large one in fact. That was part of the problem. A large, poor family sometimes meant some kids might get neglected. He spent as much time away from home as possible. Running wild, as he put it, he met Rejenn. They quickly became close friends. Fists learned to fight to protect them and he was quite good hence his nickname. He, like Chormi, lacked discipline and it landed him and his adversary in the healer’s care. He recognized his need for training and started hanging around the city guard. He might’ve enlisted but he was too young. The guard was impressed and let him hang out, hoping he would join. He never did. Eventually, he enlisted in the royal army instead. “He’s too young,” Pt’this said. “Is this something that should be discussed in the middle of the hallway?” Mishtali asked as he, Shay, and Thailyn join them. Pt’this nodded. They all went into one of the meeting rooms. “How’s Fenta?” Pt’this asked. “He’s fine. We’re keeping him overnight but we don’t anticipate any problems,” Thailyn said. “What happened?” They explained the situation. “Sorry about you having to go all the way to the house for nothing,” Morina said. “Actually, I didn’t. I received the page’s message and started on my way but I contacted Ti for details who said the boy was brought here.” “Good. I’m sorry to have caused trouble. I didn’t realize what the boy was when I brought him to you, either his heritage or his abilities. Had I known, I would’ve said something. “I’d seen Chormi sneaking food out to him a few nights and where this gentleman had told me you were taking in street kids, I thought you’d be able to help him.” “I’m sorry. I neglected to introduce myself the other day when we spoke didn’t I? I’m Thailyn.” “Thailyn the healer, Thailyn the healer? And by the resemblance, you must be Mishtali?” She raised a questioning eyebrow. “But you couldn’t be Mirimar, could you?” She asked Shay. Shay shook her head. “My name is Shay.” “By the looks of it, you’re related to the princess here. Her birth mother perhaps?” “Her grandmother actually,” Shay said. “You dragons age as well as us immortals.” “Thank you. I know that I haven’t aged as well as I’d have liked.” “Nonsense, but we’re not here to discuss beauty secrets.” “Morina, whatever happened to Chapado?” Nim asked. “I’ve tried to scry her periodically but I haven’t been successful.” “I haven’t seen her in a few decades. Perhaps she’s in Ertonia. Things in the desert keep people from scrying across it.” “Chapado told me how to get around that.” Nim nodded. “She’s been traveling quite a bit and so have I. Like I said, I haven’t spoken to her in a few decades. I can tell you she was doing fine then.” Nim nodded. “If you see her, would you ask her to contact me?” Morina nodded. “I will. Actually, I’m surprised she never did.” “Morina, do you happen to know any of these men?” Ann asked. She made a picture of the man that had sent Sapphire to Earth. “I’ve never met him. I believe he lives in Yarba. That tattoo on his cheek indicates he wants to be left alone. He’s disowned our people. He’s likely a crossbreed that was treated poorly.” “How about him?” The next one was the immortal who killed Darina. Thorgrey had shown her what he looked like. Morina shook his head. “I’ve never seen him before, either.” Next was Nor’than. He might be dead but they still knew little about him. “He’s what most people here think all immortals are like. His name is Nor’than. He was here at one time. He was part of a faction that wanted to create a White Wyrm by mixing dragon and immortal blood and control it with an Augmenter. He was insane, power-mad. Most wouldn’t have anything to do with him. I heard he was killed a few years back. Good riddance.” Then Ann showed her Morcri “Stay away from that one, especially Nim, Ruzi, and any others like them. He’s caused quite a bit of trouble back in Ertonia and is considered a criminal. If you know where he is, I can let our authorities know.” Ann glanced at Shay and then Pt’this. Both nodded. “He’s in Yarba acting as King Kamlia’s advisor.” Morina snorted. “King Kamlia. He’s no more fit to be king than I am a dragon.” Jaidu looked angry but didn’t say anything. Morina seemed not to notice. “One more.” She showed her Mr. Creepy. Morina’s eyes grew wide for a brief second and then flickered to Nim. “That’s our brother. He’s harmless but he’s not stable either. You’re best to avoid him. He can be a little disconcerting at times if you’re not used to him.” “What’s his affiliation?” “Same as Nor’than’s.” “Do you, Ertonia, have dealings with the western clan of dragons?” “The western clan? That new settlement west of the desert? No. We aren’t supposed to have dealings with dragons at all. After the massacre on Tricon, we were banned from all contact.” “Then how was Chapado able to raise me?” Nim asked. “She was given special permission. Your parents came to Ertonia looking for help. Chapado volunteered to help with the understanding she wouldn’t have to live in Baj-tisk.” Nim nodded. “Menthanla is an open kingdom. We allow people from all over to live here, regardless of ancestry. We’re more concerned with an individual’s behavior than race. However, this can cause problems. We have had difficulties with immortals in the past. We’ve managed to deal with them but at great cost. Would Ertonia be willing to enter into a treaty with us agreeing to help us if any should become a problem?” Ann asked. Morina nodded. “We are very willing to help with that.” “We know very little of your kingdom. Would you be available if I had questions?” “I can help. However, if it’s all right, right now I need to get back to my employers. They need my help when they wake. Come to the house sometime, and we can talk.” Ann nodded and then glanced at Fists. “Might I request, the next time you come to the palace, please use the main gates? Our guards can be thorough and I’d hate for one to hurt you when you were trying to help.” “Of course. I’m sorry about that. However, I am an immortal. I doubt anyone here could hurt me.” “Immortal doesn’t mean invincible. We have our own skills. I myself have killed two immortals, Nor’than and his daughter Lyra.” Morina didn’t try to her hide her surprise. “You? A tiny little half-breed?” “I get by with what my parents gave me.” Ann nodded. “Thank you again for your help.” Morina nodded. She stood and looked to Fists. “Are you going to escort me the rest of the way out?” Fists stood and followed her out. “She lied about my parents and Chapado. Chapado was living in Baj-tisk when my parents went to her and it was my parents’ idea for us to not live there. I was there,” Nim said. “She was lying about more than that,” Drepal said. “Shades, you’re getting good at being Ann,” Mishtali said. Fists returned. “Drepal, why are you here?” “Ann woke me. How did you know?” Drepal asked. “Your line of questions. Although Shimmer, sorry, Ann is there too. You’re too tactful to just be Drepal.” “You know who she is?” Shay asked. Fists nodded. “All of us from Thager do. We met Drepal before she started going by Shimmer. Kith was the one to start calling her that, the Shimmering Mage. It got shortened to just Shimmer. It was fitting when Nim gave her the shimmering tattoo.” “What else was Morina lying about?” Pt’this asked. “Mr. Creepy. You notice she didn’t give us his name. He’s a lot more dangerous than she admitted. Nim’s had dealings with him and she knows it. The others, she didn’t lie about nor about Ertonia’s desire to rein in their citizens. They did decide to avoid contact with dragons but it’s not completely forbidden and was more recent than the attack on Tricon, unless there was one since the Baj-tisk left.” She looked to Thailyn. He shook his head. “No. There wasn’t.” “And Nim, while she has no intention of giving Chapado your message, everything else she said was true.” Nim nodded. “Thank you.”