Wyrm waited again. This time, he was getting nervous. His fate lay in their hands. He’d already told himself that he wouldn’t cause trouble. He would abide by their sentence, even if he were to be executed. He was scared, but he was going to do the right thing for once in his life. Emeton, Ann, Remtani, and Lamdi appeared. Emeton frowned at the room. “Sorry,” Lamdi said and tried to change it. Wyrm saw her struggling and changed it for her. “Wyrm, I’ve reached my verdict. I find you guilty of the war crimes of attacking the palace and taking the king hostage. Taking into consideration your age and situation, I sentence you to five months confinement, retroactive and counseling sessions with Jo and the hags until they deem you recovered once you’re awake and able to be up and about.” Wyrm breathed a sigh of relief that he wasn’t being killed. Five months wasn’t bad. He could handle it in here that long. “Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir. Will I be permitted to make new rooms or do you want me to stay in my cell?” “Wyrm, he said retroactive,” Ann told him. “That means he starting your sentence from the time you were first put to sleep. That was almost 6 months ago. The healers will be waking you up soon.” Wyrm couldn’t believe what he’d heard. He didn’t believe it until they woke him up. Thailyn had been the one to do that. Mishtali, Shay, and Jaidu were there. Thailyn smiled. “Welcome back.” “Congratulations.” Mishtali smiled. Jaidu hugged him again. It was odd. He wasn’t used to being touched. He normally didn’t like it. Of course, he normally was getting hit or kicked. “Congratulations,” Shay told him. “How did your trial go?” Wyrm asked Thailyn. His voice was hoarse from disuse. “I was found not guilty,” Thailyn assured him. Wyrm sensed some tension. Perhaps not everything had gone right. He was hesitant to ask, though. Bringing up negative events had always meant beatings in the past. “What’s going to happen to me now?” He asked. “You’ll have some therapy first to get you used to moving again,” his dad told him. “And then you’ll come home.” “But my home was destroyed,” Wyrm protested. Mishtali growled and Wyrm flinched involuntarily. “Not Ertonia,” Shay told him, putting a hand on his dad’s arm. “Your home with us. We have a house not far from here. It’s a human place, but there’s room outside to take true form.” “Dragon form, Mom,” Jaidu corrected her. “Dragon form.” Shay nodded. “And we’ll set up sessions for you to work with Jo and the hags to help you get used to life here,” Mishtali said. “And you’ll get to go to school with me,” Jaidu added. “He’ll probably go to Nim’s school in town,” Shay told her. Jaidu looked disappointed. “But he’ll go to the college with you.” “What’s a college?” Wyrm asked. “That’s a school to study magic,” Mishtali told him. “But I know magic.” “You’ll be tested, but everyone can benefit from a little formal training,” Shay explained. “And you’ll learn to be a proper dragon,” Mishtali told him. “You’ll learn to fly and hunt and use telepathy.” Wyrm nodded. It seemed like he’d be kept busy. That was okay. He preferred it to sitting in a cell. He spoke with his family a while longer until Thailyn said he shouldn’t overdo it.