“What are you doing up?” Wench demanded. “Trying not to get bedsores,” Thailyn growled. “I’m just moving to a chair out here. I need a change of scenery.” Like before, he was leaning heavily on the wall and a cane. “But you can’t exert yourself,” Wench argued. “I’m not. It’s just a few steps,” Thailyn insisted. “Do I need to get your dad here?” Wench threatened. “Go ahead.” Thailyn shrugged. He lowered himself into a chair. “Having him yelling at me won’t be any worse for my heart than walking out here, especially since he’s busy with Wyrm and Jaidu and this would take him away from that.” Wench frowned. She knew he was right. Mishtali was incredibly hard on his son. It explained so much of Thailyn’s behavior over the years, why he was so hard on himself, why he pushed himself so much, why his best was never enough, especially if the patient didn’t make it. “When can I have visitors?” Thailyn asked. “When can you avoid healing?” Wench countered. “I want to check on my grandbaby.” “The baby’s doing fine. Shunati and Darkham are both keeping an eye on them.” “I know but…” His voice trailed off. He knew she would counter any argument. “I know, I know. All you healers are like. You can’t give up control. You can’t trust another healer. But this time, you have no choice. If you take it easy and do as you’re told, you’ll be better soon and you can keep an eye on your grandchild,” she assured him. There was a knock on the door. Wench answered it. “Ruzi, come in. What brings you by?” “Shunati needs a second opinion on my eyes,” the boy explained. “Darkham’s not here right now.” “He wanted Thailyn to check them.” He handed her a piece of parchment. She read it, nodded, and handed it to Thailyn. Shunati didn’t like how Ruzi’s eyes were healing and he wanted Thailyn to simply read him, no healing, while Darkham was there to supervise and send a message back with the boy. “Darkham will be back shortly. You can do it then,” Wench told Thailyn. He nodded. He knew he wasn’t ready to be healing, and even reading someone was pushing it. But there was little healing for him to do on himself any longer, mostly he just needed rest. But healing was his addiction and he was a strong enough mage, he needed to indulge in it frequently to prevent problems the buildup of magical energy caused. Shunati knew this. It was why he was willing to send Ruzi to him. “While we wait, would you two like some tea?” Wench offered. “Please.” Thailyn nodded. “Chamomile or lavender, if you have it.” Wench nodded. “Do you have peppermint?” Ruzi asked. “Sorry, we’re out. We have some raspberry. Have you ever had that?” Ruzi shook his head. “My mom used to buy raspberries. I like those.” “Okay. Two teas coming up.” Wench nodded and went to the kitchen. “How are you doing at the home?” Thailyn asked the boy. Ruzi shrugged. “It’s better than eating out of the trash. But there are so many people there and more come all the time. I don’t know if I can stay much longer. Someone’s going to see me.” “Nobody cares. Most humans think the law is stupid and no dragon would ever dream of letting a child get hurt,” Thailyn assured him. “But what about elves?” “What elves?” There were very few elves that lived anywhere in Menthanla. “At the college or what if someone’s at the palace. Pt’this wants me to start classes and go to the college to learn magic.” “The students at the palace don’t go near visitors. If he’s sending you to the college, he’ll take precautions.” “More potion for my eyes?” Ruzi guessed. “No. You can never use that potion again. If you do, you’ll go blind.” “It’s better than being dead,” the boy pointed out. Thailyn’s heart broke. He wished there was something he could do to help. “No one is going to kill you,” he insisted. “Yet.” Ruzi had reason to be worried. He was half elf and half human. The previous king of Erilu had declared half breeds abomination and ordered all of them and their parents killed. The current queen was trying to get the law changed, but unlike in the human kingdom, her word wasn’t absolute. The elders had some say. Currently, they were reluctant to cooperate. Ruzi was ten years old. Five years ago, his mother, had needed to return to Erilu for a time. Up until that point, she kept him hidden. Before she left, she cut his ears and put a potion in his eyes to make them look human. His mom was beaten and went into a coma, so she never returned. Long-term use of the potion had damaged his eyes. Being on his own so young hadn’t helped. He’d resorted to stealing food, mostly out of people’s trash. Needless to say, he’d been quite sick when he’d been found and brought to the home. “Why does Lamdi call me soft? Is it a healer thing?” “She says your soft?” Thailyn frowned. Had she read other problems? Ruzi nodded. “Like Princess Ann.” “Oh. She probably means you’re an unreadable.” “What’s that?” Ruzi asked. Wench returned with the tea. Ruzi took a sip. “That’s good. Thank you.” Thailyn took a sip of his too and smiled. She’d combined chamomile and lavender. The relaxing properties would help his heart. “What’s an unreadable?” Ruzi asked again. “It’s a misname,” Wench said. “Unreadables are more difficult for healers to read than most people. Few healers can’t read them at all.” “For an untrained sensitive like Lamdi, you’re much less painful to touch,” Thailyn added. “It hurts you to touch people?” “Not me. I’m not a sensitive. I don’t enjoy it because each time I touch someone, I get a list of every ailment they’ve had. Healers like Shunati and Lamdi experience pain similar to when your foot falls asleep. It’s more severe when you’re untrained.” “Is this part of her problem?” Ruzi ventured. Thailyn nodded. “She couldn’t take the pain of being around people and her parents got upset. At least that’s what I’ve gathered. She’s not real talkative.” “Is this a girl at the home?” Wench asked. Ruzi nodded. “She’s pretty new there too, like me.” “How long has she had problems?” “She said all her life,” Thailyn told her. Darkham came in. “What are you doing up?” he demanded of Thailyn, frowning. “Getting a change of scenery and waiting for you. We have a patient,” Thailyn told him. “We?” “Shunati wants me to check his eyes and for you to keep an eye on me while I do it.” He handed Darkham, the message. “Let me check them first,” Darkham decided. Ruzi held out a hand and Darkham took it. “An unreadable?” He sighed. “Fine. Check him. There’s something off. But no healing.” Thailyn nodded and took Ruzi’s hand. He frowned. “Don’t worry. I know I’m not ready for that kind of work.” He held out a hand to Darkham, so the healer could check him, though he was fine. Thailyn looked at Ruzi. “Tell Shunati he’ll need to use the same type of healing, we used on Prince Remtani to repair his hearing.” Darkham frowned. “When did you heal the prince?” “A long time ago. Shunati came to me for a consult. By the suggestions on his notes, I’d say he went to you too.” “He came once for a consult. He never said who the patient was, but Tylan was with him, so I assumed it was one of her boys.” “It was Remtani. I can’t tell you more details.” Darkham nodded. “I won’t ask.” He looked at Ruzi. “You better get back.” Ruzi nodded and started to leave when he turned back. “Thank you for the tea.” He hurried off.