“Raylee, you’re an Augmenter. How much magic can you handle?” Ann asked. “I’ve never found my limit.” “Can you handle my magic?” “I believe so.” “I can’t go down to the well. I’ve known that for a long time. I only have very minimal Augmenter abilities, but I can send magic. If I send my magic to the floor, can you collect it and add it to your own to strengthen the well? I get the feeling that by the time the senate sends help, the well would crumble completely.” Raylee nodded. “It feels like that. I can collect your magic. That would work. Is Tercala able to send too, in case we need more magic?” “He is.” “Very good. Then, the three of us will plan to repair the well.” “And then perhaps, we can reinforce the testing room shields in case we get another like Vor.” “I think that would be a good idea, but it may take us a bit to recover,” Raylee warned. Ann nodded. “I figured it would. Will my rips or shunts cause problems?” “They shouldn’t. They’ve all been treated.” “Then we should talk to the others.” “We’ll need mages to shield us.” “If I’m in the testing room, will I need a shield?” “No, good point. But given your madness, I think you should have some people there who you trust to help keep you grounded.” Ann nodded. “Andy will need to be with you, but Thailyn and Pisha will help.” “What about Ter? Will they help him?” “They’ll try. Grandpa Mishtali might be better.” “We’ll talk to him. Let’s get ready.” *** Ann sat looking at Tercala, waiting. She had drawn in magic all day and continued as she waited. She had a feeling she was getting to the point of being full. Her hands shook from the energy. She really needed to read. She had a box of sand she could write in and read what she wrote or others could write to her. Tercala rolled a ball between his hands, as though agitated. That ball was his addiction, and his strength was such that his addiction wasn’t helping much. Ann knew if she used her mage sight, he’d be white-hot. Andy, down in the well room, was having problems. Raylee was just as bright and those there to shield her all glowed. Cari was doing what she could to dim his sight so it wouldn’t get overwhelmed. Thailyn was there supervising but would come up when they started. He was doing so much better now. All restrictions on his healing had been lifted, as long as he didn’t overtax himself. Mishtali sat with them. He had been more relaxed, but he still wasn’t one to cross. He would keep Tercala in line if there was a problem and he’d help with Ann and Drepal if she woke. Then Raylee sent that she was ready. Ann started sending magic into the floor. Soon, Raylee had picked up her magic and was drawing it into herself. Thailyn entered a moment later with Pisha. “Everything looks good down there,” Thailyn reported. “How are Andy and Cari?” Ann asked. “Cari’s doing fine. She’s covering Andy’s eyes at the moment. Ruzi’s using a blindfold. Cari was dimming their site but she can’t keep it sustained. When her magic is fully developed, I’d like to see if she can convert normal magic to healing.” Ann nodded. “When the time comes.” She squirmed. “Are you okay?” Thailyn asked. “The pulling on my magic reminds me of fighting Merrada.” “Who?” Tercala asked. “Someone we knew when we lived in Thager,” Ann told him. “He was nothing but trouble.” “He ran most of the criminal activity there. Both Tylan and Sapphire worked for him at times. Rejenn did too. Merrada was the one I went to in order to hire someone to help me get Ann out of Lerjao,” Thailyn explained. Ann squirmed again and wrote the word stop in the sand. “He didn’t like me or that I work for Kritalla. He attacked me. He tried to drain me so I fed him as much magic as I could and ripped him.” “He was ripped worse than you from what I hear,” Thailyn told her. “You didn’t patch him, did you?” Mishtali asked. Thailyn shook his head. “After that stunt with hiring a kid to go into Lerjao, I refused to have anything to do with him. I didn’t treat many in town anyhow. I usually was out in the villages. It was lucky that I happened to be in town when Kith brought Ann in to be healed when she escaped Lerjao.” “That wasn’t me. That was Drepal. I didn’t truly resurface until you put me to sleep when I drank too much.” She wrote the word drink in the sand. She then listed several drinks. “Maybe this isn’t the best subject to continue on about,” Mishtali suggested. “Tercala, how are you in Shuli getting along?” Pisha asked. Tercala blushed. “We’re good. She’s really sweet. She’s patient with me.” “A lot of people were patient with her when she needed it,” Ann told him. “She was pretty shy when she came.” “She told me the keepers told her horror stories,” Tercala said. “They did, but it was more than that,” Ann told him how she had overheard Rejenn saying bad things about Emeton and the palace. She had trusted Tolin but had been terrified of his brother. She had needed someone with her until they took her back to Thager to visit Rejenn. He had told her they would be good to her and that he had been speaking out of anger. He also told her that Pt’this was Kith’s uncle. If she had any problems, she could ask him to contact Kith. Both Pt’this and Kith had confirmed that. “So you knew you were involved with the nephew of someone you ran away from?” Pisha asked. “No, I didn’t hear about that for a while. I didn’t know Kith and Pt’this were related until much later, not until I was back home. When Pt’this took me to study in Baj-tisk, he asked Kith to come and help me get settled. He didn’t know we were together. He just wanted help from someone else who was used to humans.” She wrote keywords from her explanation in the sand. “You were pledged for quite a while. How is it you didn’t know?” Pisha asked. “Kith, usually used ‘aunt’ and ‘uncle’ in place of their names, like most use ‘mom’ and ‘dad’. He and Pt’this didn’t get along and there was tension because I was so young. At least, Tercala and Shuli are the same age.” “Are you going to court her?” Thailyn asked. Tercala nodded. “For now. This is all new to me. I don’t want to rush into anything.” Mishtali nodded. “Wise choice.” “You don’t like them together?” Ann asked. “I just finished five years of trying to keep Remtani and Jaidu from going too far. I was hoping for a break. As long as they don’t push it and he shows her respect, I think they make a great couple. What dad doesn’t dream of his kids finding someone to be their mate? Thailyn has Pisha and Mirimar had Pt’this. While I had my misgivings about Remtani, he turned out to be good for Jaidu. And if things work out between Tercala and Shuli, I’ll be happy for them.” Thailyn grinned. “Anything for more grandkids.” Mishtali growled but grinned too. “Well, you’ll be happy to know, Thailyn and I have talked about it and since his heart is doing better, we’re planning on having some too,” Pisha told him. Mishtali’s grin grew. Then he chuckled. “Shay’s happy to hear it too.” Thailyn smiled. “What about you and Mom having more?” “Four isn’t enough? We did talk about it but she had just as many difficulties with Jaidu’s birth as she did with yours and Mirimar’s. She doesn’t want to go through that again. We’ll contend ourselves with grandchildren and maybe help out with the foster homes.” Thailyn nodded. “I suppose twenty-five hundred is a bit old to have a kid.” Mishtali growled. “Hey! What about me?” Tercala asked. “You’re already grown and you’re part human. If they had a baby dragon, it would be two hundred years before he became an adult.” “Pisha, Cari says they need you down in the well room,” Mishtali said. “Thailyn is to stay here.” “What’s going on?” Ann asked. She’d been too distracted to notice but now she felt worry coming through the bond. “She didn’t say. I’m not sure I should push since it’s so painful for her.”