The next few days were busy. Emeton wanted to know how they could avoid a repeat of the incident and talked to everyone who might know anything. Kritalla reported what he knew and left. He had to finish the assignment he’d interrupted to warn them. He said he’d be back. Chapado was his best source since she had studied the gate and other pinholes between worlds and had looked for ways to close them. According to her, it couldn’t be done. The pinholes had always been a concern to the Ertonians and they’d tried to close them. The three attempts had been out in the desert. They had exploded and distorted magic in the area. It was why only Ann and Tercala could transport straight across. They didn’t seem to be improving either. It was believed that since the gate was a pinhole stuck open, the damage would be much greater. Tercala reported that Cramda had spoken of a buried gate becoming available again. He’d assumed it was that one, but neither Mishtali nor John had been aware of it ever being buried. Tercala was glad he was done. He was happy to help in any way he could but he had studying to do. Magic classes were going well, but he struggled in Nim’s class. He didn’t want to get put in with the younger kids. He was already older than anyone else. But there were so many things Cramda taught him or lied to him about. “Wyrm,” someone called. He turned to find Shuli. He smiled. He liked that she called him Wyrm. “Shuli, hi. How’s your dad?” “Doing so much better, thanks. He’s going to be able to come home soon. I’m so glad.” “Good. I’m glad too.” “I wanted to thank you for sitting with me the other day. It meant a lot.” Tercala shrugged. “You’re welcome.” “I was going to go see Krila and Chormi. Do you want to come?” He did, but he had responsibilities. “I can’t. I have to study.” “What are you working on?” “Reading and writing. Cramda taught me to speak Menthan, but he didn’t teach me to read it. I only knew how to read Ertonian. I get confused with the different letters. I know I should practice more, but I end up using Ertonian to take notes and in my spellbook.” He showed her his book. She laughed. “You wrote Tricon spells with the Ertonian alphabet?” “You speak Ertonian?” She nodded. “We had to learn to speak Baj-tisk and one other language of our choice. I chose Ertonian. Emissary Nim helped me. Come. We’ll help you.” Tercala agreed. Dad, I’m going to spend some time with my friends, he sent. What about studying? Mishtali sent back. They said they’d help me. Who are they? Shuli, Krila, and Chormi. Krila and Chormi don’t speak Ertonian. But they can still read Menthan. Dad, please. If I need to, I’ll study after you two go to bed. Okay, you need to spend time with friends. Thanks. He followed Shuli to Krila’s place and found Remtani and Jaidu were also visiting. “I ran into Wyrm, so I brought him,” Shuli said. “Hey, great.” Chormi smiled. “Come on in. Sit down.” “Hi, guys,” Krila called from the kitchen. “I’ll be out in a moment. “We were talking about a half-elf Rem and Jaidu met on their honeymoon,” Chormi filled them in. “We were speculating on how he survived the half-elf culling. I said it was impossible to kill a healer. Rem was just about to explain otherwise.” Rem shrugged. “It’s not much. I just know some healer tried to take advantage of Barin and her family. Shortly after Crito found out about it, the healer was found dead with most of his bones broken. The army healer investigating claimed it was from a fall down three steps. That seems unlikely.” “You think Crito beat him?” Krila asked, joining them. “No. It happened at night while he was on duty. Most of the day shift was gone for personal reasons. The palace guards are close. I think they took care of it for him so he wouldn’t get in trouble.” “Is that what happened?” Tercala asked Chormi. “I don’t know. That happened when I was a little kid. I was living up north then.” “That’s the kind of response I get from any of them. I know this isn’t the first time something like this has happened. It probably won’t be the last. They just better watch themselves and not go too far and hurt someone who isn’t guilty. I’ll arrest all of them. I don’t care if it is half the army.” “But the point is healers can be killed,” Jaidu said, bringing them back to the original topic. “Maybe he’s not half human,” Tercala suggested. “He’s not fully an elf.” “So? Maybe he’s part dragon or immortal. That would make him harder to kill. Or maybe the elves didn’t send half the army after him. Why does it matter?” “We’re looking for ways to protect Ruzi, just in case.” “You met him in Illia? Talk to Thailyn,” Shuli suggested. “He used to go there often. He probably knows him.” “If he knows and it’s something he could do to protect Ruzi, he would have done it already,” Remtani reasoned. “Does anyone speak Ertonian?” Shuli asked. “I do a little,” Jaidu said. “Rem does too.” “I speak about five words,” Remtani countered. “Why? Ter grew up speaking it if you need help.” “He’s the one needing help. He’s having trouble learning to write Menthan. I said we could help,” Shuli explained. “Of course we will,” Krila agreed. “After dinner. We’re having a celebration.” She led the others to the table. “A celebration? Of what?” Shuli asked. “Krila has given me her pledge to marry me,” Chormi announced proudly. “Congratulations,” Tercala told Chormi and Krila. He may not understand falling in love, but he was happy for them. He knew a lot of people wanted to be in a relationship. There were more congratulations, and even a few toasts, another custom Tercala didn’t understand. Of course, he’d never been involved in the celebrations in Ertonia. “It’s about time you asked her,” Remtani laughed. “Shut up. She’s only been of age a short time.” Chormi’s comment surprised Tercala. He was always so polite at the palace. But he was on duty then. He had to be polite. “So? You’ve known her for years. Jaidu and I were pledged less than a week after we met.” “Rem, be nice,” Jaidu scolded. “We all know the only reason you did that was to protect me from my dad.” “I didn’t marry you for that.” “No, you didn’t.” Jaidu smiled and kissed him. “You two want to use the other room?” Chormi offered. “Hey, I have to sleep in there,” Krila protested. “We’re good,” Remtani assured them. Tercala was surprised to see Remtani blushing a little. “Did you guys hear about the latest new relationship?” Shuli asked while they ate. “Who?” Krila wanted to know. Shuli smiled. “Chapado and Crito.” Chormi frowned. “I hardly call that a relationship.” “You knew and didn’t tell me?” Krila demanded. “There’s not much to tell. They slept together a couple of times. Chapado’s always sleeping with someone.” He shrugged it off. “Except when was the last time Crito slept with anyone except his bear?” Remtani asked. “He sleeps with a bear? In the barracks?” Tercala frowned. “It’s not a real bear. It’s a doll. Didn’t you have one?” Krila asked. Tercala shook his head. “I slept with a pillow and blanket.” When he was lucky. “It’s a kid’s toy,” Shuli explained. “It belonged to his little sister. She gave it to him before she was killed.” “Someone killed her?” Tercala asked. “His whole family,” Chormi confirmed. “Barin and her parents are all the family he has left.” “And he prefers the toy to women?” Tercala was trying to understand. Maybe this was something he needed Jo’s help on. “No. He doesn’t sleep with the bear all the time. Most of the time, if you find it in his bed, someone else put it there. There are a few times he uses it for comfort, though,” Remtani explained. “But he certainly does sleep with it more than any women.” “I’ve never seen him with a woman,” Chormi agreed. “I’d think he preferred men, but those Yarb servant women caught his eye with the way they were dressed.” Jaidu frowned. “That’s the point. They’re meant to be a distraction.” “And that’s why I had who I did on duty in the area,” Remtani pointed out. “And I saw how Crito was looking at them and told him they were off-limits. He told me he would never take advantage of a woman in that position. I thought he was going to take my head off for even suggesting it.” “So, he respects women.” Krila shrugged. “He has slept with a few. It’s just been a long time and it never lasts. If he’s still with Chapado, it is something to gossip about.” “Well, with what Dad said, it may be more than company in bed,” Shuli said. “She was quite angry with him for going up to the gate and being unarmed. He got angry with her for worrying about him. Dad said when she left, he agreed to meet with her when he got off.” “When he got off?” Remtani frowned. “You mean this was while he was on duty?” “Don’t go yelling at Crito. Dad probably encouraged it. And that poison wasn’t meant for him anyhow.” “You can look and talk at the same time,” Chormi pointed out. “And if anyone had come after Prince Tolin, Chapado would have helped out.” Remtani nodded. “And Crito would have yelled at her, for getting in the way.” Tercala thought Cramda would have liked Crito and his dedication to duty. But he didn’t say anything. People here didn’t like hearing about Cramda. After dinner, they worked with Tercala to help him with his reading. Krila showed him some tricks Sapphire had taught her. Remtani said he remembered Ann using similar tricks. They seem to help him. He wasn’t reading where he should be, but he felt confident he’d be able to improve. He had originally felt self-conscious about it. Some of the students at the college had given him a hard time. But Remtani and Shuli were the only ones there who were brought up with an education. And while he and Jaidu had been in Menthanla the same amount of time, she had started school right away while he had been kept sleeping for several months. He’d probably been there a year before he started classes. After they were done, he walked Shuli home. He had a good time and told her so. Neither of his parents seemed to mind how late he was and both seemed happy he’d been with friends, even if one was his sister.