There was a knock on the door. Thailyn answered it. He was still staying with Darkham and the hags. He was almost fully recovered. The potion helped, though it hadn’t done much for his heart. It looked like he wouldn’t have to stop healing, though there would be some limitations. Ruzi was there. “Can I come visit a while?” He asked. Thailyn shrugged. It wasn’t the first time the boy had come to visit. “Sure. Is everything okay?” “There’s a bunch of people at the home. It makes me nervous.” “Ruzi, humans don’t care.” That was often the boy’s reason for wanting to come. Thailyn told him the same thing every time. He wished there was something more he could do to protect the boy, help him feel safe. “It’s dragons. Kar and Tor are leaving. A bunch of people came to say goodbye.” Kar was Pt’this’s brother and Tor was Kar’s mate. They had left several centuries ago with a bunch of other dragons and formed their own clan. They returned a couple of years ago, looking for their son, who they’d asked Pt’this to raise. He’d died a few years earlier, so they stayed to learn who he’d become, and make amends with the clan here and help with the immortal trouble. “Dragons are less likely to turn you in than humans. That law borders on a treaty violation.” “People still make me nervous. My mom always wanted me to avoid them.” “How are you doing at the college?” Thailyn decided to change the subject. He could only tell the boy not to worry so many times. Ruzi was going to have to see it for himself. “I worry the glamour Pt’this uses will fail while I’m with the other elves.” “Pt’this is one of the strongest dragons around. Only my dad, Ann, and Wyrm are stronger.” “What about Drepal?” Thailyn nodded. “Her too.” He had to remember to talk about her like she was a separate person from Ann. “How about you?” Thailyn shook his head. “Pt’this and I might be evenly matched. He might be a little stronger. We never did figure it out.” The tests for checking how strong a mage was weren’t precise enough so they were constantly challenging each other until they’d both ended up in trances and Mishtali put an end to it. “Master Nim is going to mentor me because I’m an augmenter. You did know that, right? My mom said I wasn’t supposed to tell.” “I knew. I can read it. And once Nim is done with you, it won’t matter who knows. No one will be able to take advantage of you.” “Some of the kids said he made Ann go to school in Baj-tisk. Will he make me do that too?” Thailyn shook his head. “He did that because I requested it. Since I couldn’t raise her, I needed someone to teach her to be a dragon. You’ll stay here and go to school with the kids at the home.” “I like it there. I’ve never had friends before. Is it okay that I hold Lamdi’s hand? Sometimes the other kids make comments. But it helps her stay calm.” “If neither of you mind, I don’t see why not. When I was growing up, I would have liked someone I could touch. But talk to the grownups there.” Ruzi nodded. “I will.” They talked for quite a while until Pt’this sent for Ruzi saying it was safe to come home.