Jahree’s thoughts went to Lanni as he went about his daily duties. Now that he knew she was a dragon, he could clearly see all the signs he had missed before her peculi-ar dining habits, the mysterious anecdotes she shared with Shri, her unchanging youth despite the multitude of things she had accomplished, her magic, her formidable strength which became evident when she had effortlessly tossed him aside during their physical altercation, and the way she matched Tellic’s movements during their practice bouts. Even the rhythmic thrum of her purring should have given her away. But the revelation came with an important consequence: he could no longer con-sider a casual romantic tryst with her. To be intimate with a dragon was far from a transi-ent affair. It wasn’t a matter of days or weeks; it meant a lifelong bond. Dragons deeply bonded with their chosen partners, sharing thoughts, sensations, and emotions with an intensity that was nearly incomprehensible to others. Jahree was familiar with dynamic—it was something he admired about the bond between Tey and Sai, who knew each oth-er’s feelings, touch, and even geographical location with mere fleeting thoughts. The question now plaguing Jahree was whether he wanted such a bond for him-self. Was he willing to forego all other potential lovers for one permanent mate? The idea was daunting, yet he found himself surprisingly open to contemplating such a commit-ment. He had long since abandoned the notion of marriage, but Lanni’s presence had re-ignited the possibility. Nevertheless, a larger question loomed: would his unique immunity to magic prevent them from forming the necessary magical bond? It would be just his luck for that to happen. As he contemplated these matters, Trema approached with news. Kritalla or Morina would take over half of Jahree’s and half of Shan’s shifts, giving them time to work with Chapado. Released an hour early, Jahree decided to employ this newfound time to seek answers from Tellic—they weren’t due to begin their work together just yet. Specifically, Jahree was curious about the term “drepal.” “You’re done with your rounds already?” Tellic noted upon seeing Jahree. “They’re preparing to test me,” Jahree said. Tellic’s expression shifted to one of concern. “Are you willingly allowing them to treat you like an experiment?” Barely masking his apprehension, Jahree affirmed with a nod. His desire to un-derstand his own nature—why he was the outlier among refugees with resistance to mag-ic, and maybe uncover why his parents had left Tameria—outweighed his trepidation. “Just ensure they don’t push you further than you’re comfortable with,” Tellic cautioned. “I’ll be careful. What does ‘drepal’ mean? It’s Trollish, right?” Jahree asked, shifting the subject to his original question. Tellic replied with affirmation, a grave look crossing his face. “It refers to harbor-ing a death wish—a descriptor fitting for your current experimentation, I might add. But why do you ask? Who mentioned ‘drepal’ to you?” “Before she was called away, Lanni told me about it. She said to ask you about ‘drepal,’” said Jahree, conveying Lanni’s message. Tellic’s face then transitioned from the color of ash to the color of snow. “Ah, I understand now. Lanni wasn’t prompting you to seek the definition of the word from me. Instead, she meant for me to explain who Drepal was.” Intrigued, Jahree pressed for more information. “Who was Drepal?” “A millennium ago, during a time when trolls were ruled by an immortal named Lyra, there was someone called Drepal. Lyra had captured a different immortal, subject-ing her to extreme torment until she broke, ultimately becoming more fearsome than any ancient troll or power-driven immortal. Everyone feared her, including Lyra herself. You had to have a death wish to anger her so they called her death wish, Drepal. She eventual-ly exacted her revenge by slaying Lyra. After that, troll history remains largely silent about her, with only brief mentions indicating she became a problem for humans instead. Even in Menthanlan texts, details about her are scarce,” explained Tellic. Processing this historical narrative, Jahree wondered aloud why Lanni would want him to learn about such a dark figure. Shrugging, Tellic speculated, “Both Lanni and Drepal experienced life as cap-tives. It’s possible Lanni endured similar tribulations as Drepal did.” The very thought sickened Jahree. While he was no stranger to a harsh upbring-ing, the idea that others—especially Lanni—might have shared similar fates was deeply troubling. Sensing Jahree’s internal upheaval, Tellic recommended, “Perhaps you should consult Loka for a sleeping potion today.” Jahree shook his head, dismissing the suggestion. “It won’t help. I might sleep more deeply, but the dreams would only intensify—and it does nothing to stop the nightmares.” Tellic exhaled deeply, understanding yet helpless to offer consolation, “I know.” #fantasy, #magic, #dragons, #hiddenlands