“I can transport all eight of us but not all the way to Ertonia,” Nim said. Between him and Kar, they had a close idea where to find the homeland of the immortals. No one could transport all the way there in one shot. Even immortals had to do it in stages. There was something about the desert that prevented it. “At what cost?” Mishtali asked. “Little cost. The first transport, I’ll use Shay’s magic. The second, I’ll use the magic I keep in my vial. The third, I’ll take a little from each of you and augment it.” “That would leave you too drained.” Mishtali insisted. “Flying would take weeks,” Nim said. “Let me do one transport.” Andy offered. “You’ll be blind and of no help.” Nim shook his head. “So I do the first one. Store Shay’s magic for the second. We’ll wait a few minutes at each spot for my eyes to recover and you to prepare. I’ll be fine by the time we get there and you’ll be strong enough to help.” “What magic will you use? Yours isn’t strong enough even with augmenting,” Shay asked. “He can use mine,” Tor offered. “He can have some of mine too,” Emeton said. “And my will make enough,” Shunati said. Nim nodded. Tor, Emeton, and Shunati were staying in Menthanla. Tor was going to help Shay watch the children at the home while Emeton and Shunati would do their usual duties. “And worry,” Shunati had added. “You know where we’re going first?” Nim asked. “The desert,” Andy said. He pointed on the map. Nim nodded. Andy drew in the magic he needed from the three mages and magnified it while Nim did the same with Shay’s. He switched to heat vision to start with although his mage sight would take over as he cast the spell. He was having a problem with that. Nim took one hand while Thailyn took the other. Pt’this, Mishtali, Kar, Ti and Remtani joined the circle. He cast the spell. Having started with his heat vision, it wasn’t as bad as it had been going to Erilu but he still couldn’t see. He felt a stinging sensation all over his exposed skin and then it stopped. He sensed a spell shield. “Sandstorm,” Kar said. “We need to find shelter while Nim prepares.” “This way,” Nim said. Thailyn led Andy. Soon they were out of the storm and in a cave. “How did you know this was here?” Pt’this asked. “This is where I grew up. This is my other cave,” Nim explained. “It’s a diamond mine,” Pt’this said. “Where do you think I get the diamonds for the vials?” Nim countered. “The gnomes sold your parents a diamond mine?” “They didn’t know was a mine. No one did until I hit the wall with lightning,” Nim explained. “They steal them now and then. As long as they don’t leave this first room, I don’t worry about it. The ones further back are better for making vials.” “That thing is huge. It’s as big as my head,” Ti said. He was looking at a huge diamond still mostly buried in the wall of the cave. “I can’t get that out. I’ve tried for years,” Nim said. “What would you do with it?” Remtani asked. Nim shrugged. “I haven’t decided. Maybe make vials. Maybe sculpt a statue of Jo. It’s too big to sell. No one could afford it. We’ll see how big it is if I ever get it out. It’s already a lot bigger than I thought.” “Does Jo know about this place?” Andy asked. “She knows there’s a mine in the desert. She doesn’t know we own it. She didn’t want to marry into money because of her parents. I told her up front I had some but not how much. She now knows how much I have in my accounts. She’s not comfortable with it. I don’t know how she’d feel about this place. I thought about selling it back to the nomads. Part of the reason I haven’t is that.” He pointed to a dark smudge on the wall. He growled when he saw it. “I told them to leave it alone. I told them never to touch it.” He sounded on the verge of mad-dragon. His fingers change to claws and he swiped at it. “What is it?” Andy asked. “It was a drawing,” Nim said. “Of what?” “A dog.” “A dog?” Nim nodded though Andy couldn’t see it. “It really was a terrible drawing, but it was the first I did here. Chapado was proud of it. Remember when I said she would erase on my drawings when Morcri came? That one she didn’t. She’d hide it. She said I should keep it there forever.” He sighed. “Now it’s gone.” “Is it? I can’t see it. Is it gone or smudged?” “It’s smudged beyond recognition.” “But the charcoal is there?” “Yes, why?” “Ann once used a spell to turn orange juice into oranges. Can you do something like that to restore the drawing?” “Use regenerate.” Nim smiled. “I can.” He cast the spell and frowned. “I know you said it was a bad drawing the how do you see that was a dog?” Ti asked. “That’s not my drawing. It’s a spell. It’s Chapado’s writing.” Nim started to cast the spell. “Nim is that a good idea?” Pt’this asked cautiously. Nim ignored him. The giant diamond disappeared. In its place was a box set in the wall. Nim opened it. In it was a drawing of Mr. Creepy just like the ones Nim did and a note. -Dentrias, I’m sorry for having done this to you. Your parents and I thought it best if you didn’t remember until you were older. You’ve been having such nightmares and they don’t seem to fade. Your memory won’t allow it so we changed your memories. When you fell on that tree while learning to fly you were not hurt. You knew we were going after Cramda, the man in the drawing, and his son. He wanted to use you to control his son when the boy went insane. Even at that age, you understood that was wrong. You didn’t want to kill him. You did what was necessary. Yes, I said you did it. Later, we made you believe I had killed the boy using your help. In truth, it was the other way around. It was the first time you’d taken human form. You’d just finished your vial recently. I’d hoped Cramda would think you were an immortal. You used my magic and went after the boy with everything you could, killing him. Then, you attacked Cramda but before you could kill him, he cast a lightning bolt and hit you in the chest between your bellyfire and lung. You went mad-dragon and took true form before I could stop you. Changing, of course, made it worse. The healers did what they could but to truly repair it would take more skill than they have. They’re unsure if you will ever breathe fire again. If you do, they’re sure it will be quite painful. We had to hide this from you so you could recover mentally as well as physically. We kept some of the details the same as one day you’ll return to Baj-tisk and may hear about it. I’m sorry to have deceived you. I left the clues so one day you might know the truth. Be warned, reading this will remove the spell and your memory will return. Your mentor, Chapado. Nim stared at the letter, stunned. Then the spell giving him false memories dissolved. He cried out in pain, grasping his head as the real memories flooded back. He sat there panting trying to sort the real from the spell. Tears came to his eyes. Kar put his arm around him, giving him a shoulder to cry on. “Cramda was the leader of the sleepers, the faction wanting to control a White Wyrm with an Augmenter. He was the one in Baj-tisk who fathered that child who killed so many. Morina was right. He is insane and obsessed with the White Wyrm. I remember him now coming here to try to talk Chapado into letting me help them control the boy. I think Morcri worked for him and was trying to get me and that’s why she’d hide me.” “Nim, I know this is upsetting, but we need to get going,” Mishtali said gently. Nim nodded. He stood and took Andy’s hand. The rest joined hands. “Hopefully, no sand storms,” Andy said as Nim cast the spell. “No, it’s worse,” Nim said. “It feels like the shades,” Andy said. “It is, the dark ones,” Nim said. “They feel the same. How can you tell?” “These are dark,” Pt’this said. “But…” “He means literally,” Ti explained. “The good shades come out at night and are lights. The dark ones come in the daytime and are dark spots.” “They feel the same,” Andy said. “We can’t stay here,” Pt’this said. “Thailyn, is there anything you can do for Andy’s eyes?” “Let me see.” Thailyn checked. “How much do you see now?” “A little light and dark.” “This might hurt some.” Thailyn said. He sent healing to Andy. Andy flinched in pain. Then he blinked at the light. “Remind me to check your eyes later for side effects.” Thailyn said. Andy nodded barely listening. “Guys, these are the same shades,” he said. “No these are dark, the others are light,” Ti said. “These are the same. They looked different in the day to you because of the sun, but to me, I see the same thing. These are the same shades.” Andy insisted. “These have more immortal magic,” Ti explained. “I think that makes them different.” “Same or not, we need to get going,” Pt’this said. “Nim?” Nim nodded. He cast the spell and took them to the city of Ertonia, in the kingdom of the same name.