Minx found Jo and Nim in the corner of the garden. “Hello.” She smiled. “Do you mind company?” Nim looked at Jo, who shrugged. Nim nodded. “My name’s Minx. Well, really it’s Treku, but everyone calls me Minx.” “I’m Nim and this is Jo,” Nim introduced them. “I think we met at Princess Ann’s wedding. I met so many then. And now I’m meeting them all again. Do you know what it’s like moving to someplace new, and not knowing anyone?” Jo nodded slightly. Minx sighed. She’d wanted to get a feel for them without them knowing. But it seemed a direct approach was best. “Darkham asked me to talk with you. Everyone’s worried.” “We’re fine,” Nim assured her. “Troll spit,” Minx swore. “We’re fine. I’m fine. She’s fine. He’s fine. Fine should be banished from the language. All it’s used for is to try to hide a problem.” Jo looked up, surprised. At first, Minx thought her outburst had upset her. But then Jo smiled a little. “I told Thailyn that when he wouldn’t admit to his heart defect,” she explained. “We’re okay. We don’t need help.” Minx nodded. “Nim, could you give us a few minutes?” Nim hesitated and Jo gripped his hand tighter. Minx nodded again. “As I was saying, troll spit. Both of you need help. Jo, I know you work with people in this manner too. You should already know what you need to do, but I know treating yourself can be more difficult. I will expect more from you and I will expect you to help me with your mate.” She paused a moment. “You’re from a different land. Do you prefer mate or husband?” “Either is fine. Both are true. We’re not quite as modest there and more open to talking about it,” Jo explained. “I do expect you to help me with him. Dragons are a stubborn lot and a mutual friend tells me this one is extremely so.” Nim growled and Jo hushed him. “Jo, who are your patients here? Wench and I can help you with them until you recover.” Jo hesitated. “Oh, don’t be so territorial. You’re as bad as the healers.” “No, it’s not that,” Jo assured her. “I could use the help. But…” “In their homeland, they have very strict confidentiality laws,” Nim explained. “And while she could probably talk to you, she couldn’t do it with me sitting here.” “It’s not so much that, but this garden is gossip central. The only worse place is the laundry,” Jo told her. Some of my patients don’t want others knowing they come to me.” Minx nodded, understanding. “Of course. Where is your office? We can talk there. We don’t have one set up yet.” “I don’t have one either. I usually use our study or a room at the children’s home.” “Children’s home? What children?” “It’s a place for runaways and other homeless kids. Pt’this and Sapphire run it with the help of Dae and Ti. It’s for any kid who can’t live with their parents, but we also sometimes work with the kids and their parents so they can be reconciled.” Minx smiled. “I had a friend in Thager who would love this. He was always helping kids.” Nim nodded. “Kith. He’d be very proud of Sapphire.” Sapphire had been one of Kith’s runaways and she’d help him with many more. “How about the three of us go to the home and you two can introduce me to the kids. You can tell me a little about them on the way,” Minx suggested. “And I can see how to get there. Then, we can work something out.” Jo glanced at Nim and he nodded. They led Minx from the palace.