Thailyn’s knees protested as he stood. He frowned. He wasn’t getting arthritis, was he? He checked them. They were fine. Then he saw the clock. He’d been kneeling for a couple of hours. With Cari continuously rearranging his potions to play with them, taking inventory was going slowly. He heard the door open and someone enter. The clinic wasn’t open, but he left the door unlocked. He wouldn’t turn away an emergency. “How can I help…?” He stopped when he saw who it was. Pt’this is brother, Kar was there holding his unconscious wife. “Thailyn, please.” There were tears in his eyes. “What happened?” Thailyn asked. Tor was a healer. She should have been able to heal herself. “She’s sick. I don’t know what it is.” “Fire death?” Thailyn guessed. It was one of the few diseases a healer might get. Kar shook his head. “She’s running a fever. Her bellyfire’s still hot.” Fire death started in the bellyfire and caused it to cool. “Kar, I can’t treat her.” “Please, I can’t lose her. I don’t know where else to go.” “Kar, she’s a healer. I can’t even touch her. My heart’s too bad. I’m lucky to be healing it all. I’ll send for Lamdi. If she can’t heal her, I’ll scry Shunati. He’s up in Erilu visiting Vor.” There was a flash of light and Pisha appeared, holding Cari’s hand. “This gentleman stopped by the house looking for you. He said his wife was a healer. After I sent him here, I figured you’d need help. Lamdi was in the middle of that report so I brought Cari. They were having a break time.” “You’re going to have a little girl heal her?” Kar frowned and Thailyn growled. “Grandpa, be nice,” Cari scolded. “Grandpa?” Kar raised an eyebrow. “She’s Ann’s girl.” “You look like Uncle Pt’this,” Cari told Kar. “He’s Uncle Pt’this is brother,” Thailyn said. “Kith’s dad?” Cari asked. Thailyn nodded. “So you’re a grandpa. I’ll tell Vaila. Let’s help Grandma.” She led a confused Kar to a healing room. “Everyone’s shepol,” Thailyn explained. Cari laid her hand on Tor and Thailyn laid his on hers. Using her as a buffer worked well and she helped him detect the disease. “This is very bad,” he told Kar. “Can you help her? I took her to the college first. They sent me to your house.” Thailyn shook his head. “I can give her a potion to help her out until Shunati gets here,” he told them. “I can help,” Cari offered. “We can drain the sickness like Vaila and I did with Uncle Tolin’s poison. Then we give her the troll potion. She can heal herself the rest of the way.” “Troll potion?” Kar asked. “Rat’s nectar. She plays games with the potion bottles and those are trolls,” Thailyn explained. “Cari, I can’t draw out illnesses anymore.” “I can do it with your power. You can show me.” “She sounds like Nim.” “She should. She’s an Augmenter.” “Grandpa, I’m missing school,” Cari reminded him. She enjoyed school now that she was with her friends. Thailyn nodded. He could see how the rat’s nectar would kill the pathogen. He was surprised that Cari had seen it. But she did see a lot that others didn’t. And he might have to watch her closer when she played with his bottles. They treated Tor and gave her the potions. Soon, she was awake. She was quite surprised to see where they were. She’d been unconscious for the trip. Pisha took Cari back to school. Kar explained that a couple of friends helped them cross the desert. One had transported them the first leg and another had come with to transport them the second. Kar had made the third transport. The friend had business elsewhere and would check on them. Thailyn invited them to come stay with him. “Tor needs to rest and regain her strength. She’d be more comfortable there than at the college. I don’t keep patients here overnight.” Kar hesitated. “I don’t want to be an imposition.” “It’ll give Pisha company.” “Pisha? The elf? She works for you?” “She’s my pledged.” “Pledged?” “Shunati and Dad arranged it.” “A dragon in an arranged marriage?” “Do you remember Ruzi, the half elf?” “The boy at the home?” Kar nodded. “I adopted him. Pisha’s his mother. We fell in love while I was healing her. She’s Sinta’s cousin so Ruzi convinced Shun to arrange a pledge so we could become mates.” “But isn’t there a law?” Tor asked. “It only extends to Erulian elves. Pisha’s Menthanlan.” “I thought elves couldn’t give up citizenship.” “Deyama made an exception. Ann and Drepal can be very convincing.” “Drepal?” Thailyn nodded. He knew they knew who she really was. “Emeton pardoned her shortly after you went home.” “So she’s free?” Thailyn growled. Kar growled right back. “I meant, before, they were posing that she was down in the prison and would ‘release’ her from there. They’re not still doing that?” Thailyn relaxed. “No. They aren’t.” “And what about your brother? What happened to him?” “He lives with our parents. Emeton found him guilty, but due to his age and situation gave him a lenient sentence. He’s doing rather well.” “It’s good to hear.” “Okay. I’ll take Tor to my place. You find your friend and tell her where you’re staying. She can stay too, of course. If you get lost, ask about the children’s home. It’s right next door.” Thailyn guessed someone from the college had transported him to the house and then Kar had transported to the clinic from there. “Are you sure? We don’t want to be an imposition,” Tor asked. “We can go to an inn. I can monitor myself.” “I’m sure. Come. Stay. Pisha would love the company, and I’m sure the kids would be happy to see you.” “Kids? Did you and Pisha have a baby?” “Not yet. I meant Ruzi and Lamdi.” “Lamdi? That little healer girl?” “Ruzi’s sort of courting her. She’s over all the time.” “Sort of?” Tor smiled. “He knows they’re both young and he’s trying to be responsible, but he’s a teenage boy.” Kar laughed. “I remember the time.” He glanced at Tor who smiled. “Okay. Go talk to your friend. We’ll meet you there.” “Don’t you need to keep an eye on things here?” Tor asked. Thailyn shook his head. “I’m not open today. I was just taking inventory. I’m only open three mornings a week for people who need a strong healer, so they don’t have to get a referral to see Shunati. He’s less busy and I get away from the nobles.” “There had been talk about you working at the palace,” Tor said. “I do that on the days I’m not here. Lamdi helps both of us when she’s not in school. It works out well.” “I’ll see you two soon,” Kar told them and left.