Unraveling Stories - Chapter 41

<-Chapter 40

 

"Curse me not for my heart; curse me not for my way."

 

After picking up those waiting for them, Tyrian used the Echo Mirror to transport everyone back to the castle. Whatever Yumi had done had been successful, and the statue waited in the courtyard for Jeo to finish it. It wasn't the only thing waiting. Squint and Ewan waited, too.

"Tyrian," Ewan said, "you need to come to the meeting room, quickly."

Squint's entire body seemed to be vibrating with anger, and smoke puffed from her nose. "I'm going to eat Blaine!" she vowed fiercely.

"You'd get indigestion." Tyrian wrapped an arm around her shoulders and urged her along as he followed Ewan. He could smell, never mind sense, the Dragon magic rumbling through his Star's body. It grew stronger every passing day.

Inside the meeting room, Matthias and Alex stood talking with three newcomers. Two were female, one was male. The male was a teenager wearing the clothes of a Dragonist; clothes that fit more snug than usual to cut down on wind resistance, but actual plate armor on the top in the form of a half breastplate and shin guards. A lance was sheathed on his back.

One of the females had pure white hair and snowy white eyes. She wore casual clothing normally suited to a civilian, but her body was strong despite being slender, seeming to imply she was a combatant of some type. Around her left wrist rested a silver bracer identical to one worn by the young man. Power permeated the air around her in a familiar way.

The other female wore full plate armor and had a battleaxe on her back. Her helm sat on the table beside her, so her short black hair and lively brown eyes were visible. She wasn't lovely by the normal definition, but her features seemed pleasing to look at. She looked not much older than the Dragonist.

Tyrian knew two things on one look. One, he knew that he was looking at the Dragonist that Alex had met with. And two, he knew that the Warrior and the berserker were both Destined Stars. The white haired female, he was sure, was Ryu's Dragon partner, Celestial. "Greetings," he said. "I understand there's something wrong."

"You understand right." Ryu looked at him sadly. "I am so sorry, Lord Tyrian. I wanted to come and offer the assistance of the Dragonist clan. Instead, I must ask for yours."

"I have a feeling I'm not going to like this." Tyrian sat down at the table with a sigh. He raked his hands through his hair. "Let's start at the top."

Everyone except for Squint sat down. She was pacing off her agitation. Because it helped her stay calm, the others didn't argue. "To begin with," Alex said, "let me introduce you to Ryu and Celestial. They are the Dragonist pair that I met with long ago. With them is Tamari. She isn't a Dragonist, but she came with Ryu in case something happened to Celestial."

"And other reasons," Tamari admitted. "Obvious ones."

"Indeed. I'm glad for your aid. There aren't enough axe users around here." Tyrian found a smile. "And watch out for my daughter. She'll be peppering you with questions."

"So noted."

Matthias linked his hands on top of the table. "Yhalenia and Miranda returned from their reconnaissance an hour before Ryu arrived. As soon as they were within a mile of the city, they triggered the defense mechanism. Beams of light came from the directions of the four checkpoints and encased the entirety of Trinan in a powerful barrier. It blocks everyone and everything from getting in or out. Miranda examined the barrier before they came back, and she is certain that Dragon magic could break it."

"Dragon magic," Celestial offered, "is not necessarily stronger than the magic belonging to anyone else, but it tends to be more potent, possibly because we live such long lives. We average a few centuries in age. Ryu is my third partner in my life. I might have three or four more."

Tyrian closed his eyes. "And with a barrier only breakable by Dragon magic, it would stand to reason that that would provoke me to seek out the Dragonist clan sooner rather than later. And on the basis that Ryu is here for my help, and there was concern for Celestial's health, I can assume that Blaine has made the first strike against you."

"We're not even sure what's wrong." Ryu stared at the table blindly. "Dragons are just . . . dying. Left and right. It's a curse of some kind. And because we're linked to our Dragons, the rest of us are getting violently sick. I don't even know why Celestial and I have been spared. There's supposed to be a doctor somewhere who can break curses, but none of us can be spared to find them. I'm so sorry, Lord Tyrian, that we must ask this of you on top of everything else."

"It's not your fault!" Ewan snapped. "Kid, it's no one's fault except for Blaine!"

"I agree," Tyrian said firmly. Even saying it, he couldn't help but feel his own share of guilt. It was Cassie's hand on his leg that kept him steady. This had to end before anyone else died. "I'll go with you to the Dragonists stronghold. I'll speak with your leader and make things formal. I'll break the curse and you can lend whatever help you can to breaking the barrier."

Squint's hands hit the table with a thump. "I'm going!" She stuck her chin out in a stubborn angle. "It's my kind that's being hurt! I have to help, Lord Tyrian! I know I'll be in danger of getting sick, but I have to do this!"

"Easy," he said. "I won't stop you." He smiled. "Why would I turn down the help of my Dragon monk? Tamari, I'd like you to go along as well since you're familiar with the landscape. For the sixth, we'll bring Dylan. I'm not sure I want to expose Magicians or Healers to whatever's going on there until we're sure it is racially confined and not simply targeting powerful magic."

"It'll be easy enough to get there," Kyle noted. "Miranda can use her magic to transport you there. We'll begin preparing for the final battle while you're gone." He stopped and shook his head. "What an odd thing that is to say."

There were ten Destined Stars to be found. Somehow, Tyrian had no doubts that he would find all of them before he returned to the castle the next time. He could feel them calling to him. He was so close to unlocking his relic's full potential that he could feel the magic brimming over inside. On one hand, he wasn't looking forward to the final spell's effects, but on the other, he knew it would be needed.

Dylan waited for them by the time the group reached Miranda. He asked no questions. All he said was, "Where to, Tyrian?" Interest lit his eyes as he spotted Tamari. "Hello." He smiled. "I don't often meet female berserkers. It's a nice change."

"I was bored with just swords," she admitted dryly. "And I have a tendency to be, uhm, a bit out of control when I start fighting, so it just fit."

"She's not legal," Ryu told Dylan dryly.

Dylan grinned at him. "But not by enough that I'm not allowed to appreciate her." He offered a hand. "Dylan."

"Ryu." He shook Dylan's hand and decided he would like the hard-edged berserker; he had a good heart. "This is Celestial, my partner. And that's Tamari. She's not a Dragonist, though. She hasn't met a Dragon she was comfortable with."

"It must be like having a twin," Cassie murmured. "Someone you have to be able to trust implicitly and understand wholly."

Celestial crooked an arm around Ryu's neck. Both stood roughly the same height as Cassie did. "So far Ryu's been my favorite partner," she said. "I'm going to miss him like hell when he's gone." Without hesitation, she admitted, "He might well be my last partner. Sometimes it happens that way. That one partner is so special you can't replace him or her."

Ryu smiled at her. "You're just glad I let you cheat at chesstac."

"That too."

Tyrian smiled. He was not really surprised that Celestial wasn't a Star herself. She and Ryu were a package deal; only one needed to be a Star. And Ryu was the one who needed Tyrian as much as Tyrian needed him, and therefore that was where Destiny swayed. Tyrian often felt that life was a tapestry that Destiny wove with careful threads; he was still figuring out the pattern to his.

"Okay, who's the victim this time?" Miranda asked curiously.

"Him." Squint pointed at Ryu. "We're going to the Dragonists' stronghold in the mountains." She frowned at Cassie suddenly. "How come we've never run into each other?"

"Different ends of the mountains," Cassie explained. "And deliberately so. Would you want to have two such powerful factions in close proximity? It would cause more trouble than it was worth."

"Fair enough."

Miranda swung her wand up and focused on Ryu. "Hang on everyone! Here we go! Please work!" she added under her breath as her relic began to glow brightly.

It might have been simply that asking nicely was all that was needed, but when everyone landed outside the stronghold, they landed safely. Everyone was intact, together, and not in a tree or river. "Holy hell," Dylan said. "She did it."

"Follow me," Ryu said. "We'll go talk to Draco Silver. He's the leader of the Dragonists."

The party fell into step behind him and Celestial, and Tyrian looked around curiously. The stronghold was built directly into the cliffs of the mountains, and caves served as homes and shops alike. It gave them added shelter from the sometimes bitter winters that came to the peaks this high, and it also allowed for structures big enough to accommodate Dragons in either their natural form or their chosen smaller shape.

Most chose to take a Human shape when they wanted to be smaller, but others opted for Elf. Curiously, they couldn't take a Faerie or Flier shape. Squint's best guess was that it had to do with their wings. In any shape, a Dragon retained his or her strength, so it was just as well they couldn't become a delicate Faerie.

The entire stronghold felt quiet and somber. Only a handful of people walked around. Doors were shut up and down the cliffs. The only door that stood open was the one for the infirmary. Several Healers were coming and going as quickly as possible. Beyond the main area, tucked behind some trees, was what looked like a new, and alarmingly large, graveyard.

"How many lost?" Tyrian asked quietly.

Ryu took a long breath. "The Dragonist clan stood at two units in strength. We're down to one on active duty, and half a unit in various stages of illness. We've lost over five hundred thus far. It seems to simply grow faster and spread quicker the more people we lose. That's why we weren't even sure Celestial would make it. She's an older Dragon, and they seem more vulnerable."

The guards outside the leader's domain were glad to move aside to let the party enter. The strain showed visibly on their faces as well. The Dragonists were as close as the monks were, and because of it, they all suffered.

Ryu led the way to the meeting room, and as he walked inside, he said, "I've brought Tyrian Southerwind. He's here to help us so that we can help him as well."

The man sitting at the table with his head in his hands couldn't have been much older than Ewan, but worry for his people had aged him rapidly. Without looking up, Draco Silver said, "I'm sorry, Tyrian. I would not have asked you to come here in this way."

Somehow unsurprised by the tug inside, Tyrian walked over and knelt down beside him. "It was inevitable that I come here to help," he said softly. "Even if you hadn't sent for me, I would have known you needed me. Ryu and Tamari are Destined Stars . . . and so are you. There may be others as yet here. That means all of you are mine to protect. Perhaps that as much as the threat to the barrier is why Blaine came after you. I'm going to make everything right. I promise it."

Draco straightened up with a little smile. "You make me believe the impossible."

"He's good at that," Dylan agreed.

"How is Peyn?" Tamari asked Draco. "Is he still okay?" At the curious look from Squint, she explained, "Peyn is Draco's partner."

"He's fine so far. He's been tending to the youngest, trying to keep their spirits from lagging." Draco drew a deep breath. "Lord Tyrian, I cannot offer my service to you until my people are whole once more. Please. I beg of you to find a cure. There's supposed to be a hidden city somewhere in the Empire where people have escaped the tyranny. If the doctor who can cure curses is anywhere, then that is where he or she will be."

"We've covered most every inch of the Empire," Cassie said softly. "We've been through the forest, and we've seen most of the mountains. Where else could there be left to be hidden? With so much flat land, there is no hiding a town of any size in the Empire."

"We'll have to figure out something." Tyrian got to his feet. "I'd like to talk to everyone here, if that's okay. Perhaps there will be more pieces to the puzzle that I can use to find this hidden city. Someone will always know something. Ryu, would you show me and Cassie around?"

"Gladly."

Celestial nodded slightly. "I will secure rooms for everyone. It is late enough that we couldn't leave today if we wanted to."

Dylan decided to stay to talk to Draco, and Squint went with Tamari for a tour of the training grounds. Tyrian and Cassie followed Ryu out of the building and into the main area of the stronghold. They went up one level to a row of doors and Ryu said, "This is where our civilians reside. We have shops and the like, of course. We even have a Tradesmaster. It's where we get a lot of our supplies. Oh, and we have a tailor and a teacher. We have kids here too."

He pushed open the door to a shop to let Tyrian and Cassie in and then followed them calling, "Anyone home?"

"Ouch!"

He winced as he heard the yelp. "Sorry, Dart. Did I startle you?"

With a scowl, an older woman with blonde hair only just starting to go gray came out of the back room shaking out her hand. "Stabbed myself with a needle, dang it." She propped her hands on her hips as she surveyed the two that he had brought in. "So what have we here? What have you brought me, Ryu?"

"A hero." He nodded firmly.

"A friend," Tyrian corrected. He smiled. "I'm only a hero on my off days. Most of the time I'm just running around trying to keep people from doing stupid things. And stopping the inventor from blowing up stuff." He sighed. "Or traumatizing the sheep."

"Oh my." Dart decided she liked him. "So you're Tyrian Southerwind, eh? Hmm. You're cuter than I expected."

"Thanks," he said dryly.

There was something about him that tugged sharply at her. He looked like a man in serious need of someone to take burdens off his shoulders. She could practically see the ropes tying him down! And she was sure, positive, that she could help him in some way. He needed her. "Who does your tailoring out at that castle of yours?"

"Our barkeep and our gardener."

"Well, that won't do!" She nodded firmly. "I'll have to come out there and take over. You can't be fighting a war while worrying that you'll split your pants or something." She went over to the door and leaned out. "Tyler!" she shouted. She pulled her head back in and grinned. "Don't suppose you need a teacher, too, do you? I can't very well leave my husband here. He'd whine."

A gray haired older man walked in the door with a rueful smile. Though climbing in age, he was still trim and fit, well able to keep up with the little hooligans he tried to teach. "You bellowed?" he asked dryly.

"We're going to Aon Castle."

"We are?" He blinked at his wife and then looked at Tyrian. Instantly, he realized what she was thinking and why. If this was Tyrian Southerwind, then he definitely needed their help. Tyler could feel it inside. And there was sadness as well. Why were the heavy burdens put on the shoulders of the young? "If you need a teacher, I'm glad to help as well, Lord Tyrian."

"We have a lot of kids running amok," Tyrian said frankly. "If you can corral them, I welcome you with thanks."

"Not that they idolize their Kaiten Star," Cassie murmured drolly. "Someone else would run amok if I wasn't there to keep him out of trouble on a daily basis."

"Shush."

Dart and Tyler exchanged a grin. They had been married for thirty years and they still bickered like that. It spoke well for a good, long life together. Bickering with the one you loved was half the fun. Making up was the other half. "We'll start packing," Tyler promised. "By the time the curse is gone, we'll be ready to go." There was no doubt in him at all that Tyrian would find a way. The green-eyed Kaiten could do anything he set his mind to.

"Wow," Ryu said softly as they left the shop. "I mean, I felt it myself, but it's sort of amazing to watch it happen to someone else. I wish I could have been there for you for longer, Lord Tyrian."

"You're here now. It's enough."

They stopped by the item shop and armory, the owners of which were glad to see Tyrian as well. There wasn't anyone in the Empire who didn't know that he was the only one who could make everything right again.

It was evening by the time they got to the trade shop, and the young Flier who ran it was in the process of turning over the closed sign. When she saw who approached, she opened the door for them with a smile that lit her blue eyes. "Come in anyway."

"Not if you're closed," Tyrian protested.

"Nah, it's okay. I don't mind. I'm just keeping the kids out." She let the door close behind them and walked over to begin closing cabinets and displays that showed wares from around the world. The brown and blue feathers that covered her head and wings fluttered lightly in the air as she moved. "There's so little to be happy about right now. The kids come here to look at the toys from other countries and think about when things were so much better. There's no one who hasn't lost a loved one. And we lose more by the day. Oh." She turned around quickly. "I'm so sorry to rattle on like that."

"Don't be," Tyrian disagreed.

"I'm Cleo." She smiled as she said it. "I took over the shop from my parents." Her gaze lowered. "Dad was a Dragonist," she whispered. "His partner was one of the first to fall ill. It took him and my mother fairly quickly too." She lifted her chin. "Lord Tyrian, if you'll help us, I want to help you. Aon Castle could use a trade shop too. I mean, it's become a hub for the Empire, right? You can't sustain commerce on just regular shops. Stuff has to go outside the country. I can help you do it."

"Done," Tyrian said instantly. "I know I can count on you, Cleo."

She beamed. "Okay then! I'll get my stuff together." She hesitated and then hugged him tightly. "You just looked like you needed that."

Oddly, he had. "Thank you," he said softly.

When they had made their way back to the inn situated in the middle of the stronghold, it was no longer evening and had finally become night. Tyrian felt exhausted to his soul, evidence that he had hit the ground running from the moment he had woken. Claiming a city and arranging to fight a curse could be tiring.

Dylan and Squint sat in the nearly empty dining room with Celestial and Tamari. The female berserker and younger Dragon were having a lively conversation while their older companions relaxed over ale. Somehow, Tyrian wasn't surprised that Tamari and Squint had bonded quickly. They suited each other very well. Whether they partnered or not, he didn't particularly care. He just wanted them to be happy.

As Tyrian sat beside him, Dylan said wistfully, "I wish she was legal."

"Sixteen isn't that far off from eighteen. Just date her until you can court her. Patience can be rewarding, Dylan." Tyrian grimaced as he took the glass of brandy that Cassie offered. "I just had another of those weird Pure Relic moments. I realized my birthday was in roughly a month and a half, and that I would only be nineteen. I don't feel it. I feel old."

"You are old," Dylan retorted bluntly. "Inside. Before I went to meet up with you, I ran into Yumi. She was crying because you'd told her to enjoy being a child, and she'd realized that you'd been cheated out of it."

Tyrian didn't deny the charge. It had nothing to do with the events on his birthday, and it had nothing to do with the fact that most people were at least mostly mentally and emotionally mature by eighteen. His whole life, he had always been older inside. Perhaps partially because of being bound to the Devourer at nine, perhaps partially because of his father's job. "I suppose so," he agreed quietly.

"Dinner!" The announcement came from a lovely brunette carrying a tray with plates on it. She passed out the plates and then put down a basket of bread. "I'm C.J.," she said with a smile to Tyrian. "I'm the innkeeper here. Well, sort of," she added on a laugh. "I'm more like a denmother! I'm always taking care of others. But I enjoy it, so they indulge me." Tamari had pointedly pulled over an extra chair, and she sat down with a sigh. "I have beds to turn down."

"And yet she doesn't move." Tamari happily broke open a loaf of bread.

"My feet are too grateful." She propped her elbows on the table and smiled as she watched everyone dig into their food. Especially Tyrian. The poor thing looked as if he simply didn't have enough time to think let alone sit and relax. She wasn't that much older, but she definitely got the feeling he needed someone to take some pressure off his shoulders. "Do you have an inn for travelers out where you are?"

"Sure do." Tyrian dunked a piece of bread into his soup. "We have an innkeeper named R.K. He's been with me from the beginning." He sighed. "Poor guy wears too many hats. He was doing the cooking and the cleaning on top of everything else until we found other people to take over. He's single-handedly running that inn, and with the massive foot traffic, I'm worried he's going to work himself to death."

"I could help him. I'm good at bossing people around until they take a break."

"She is," Ryu assured Tyrian.

"Then your help is greatly appreciated. And I know I speak for R.K. as well." Tyrian shook his head wryly. "I worry about all my friends to begin with. I don't need you all working yourselves into the ground for my sake or anyone else's either!" He smiled at her. He had a sneaking suspicion that R.K. would be putty in her hands, and he couldn't have been happier. "Thanks, C.J."

"Anything I can do," she said simply as she got to her feet and picked up her tray. "And I'd feel that way even if I wasn't a Destined Star."

As she walked away, Tamari asked. "Did anyone know anything?"

"The item seller said something that caught my attention," Tyrian admitted. "When I mentioned that I was going to be looking for this hidden city, he said that if he was going to hide a city, he'd go to ground. It made me think about my castle. What if the hidden city is underground?"

"That makes sense," Celestial said slowly. "It would certainly be off detection of the capitol."

Squint groaned and put her head on the table. "How do you find something underground?"

"Let's be logical," Cassie said. "If you're going to live underground, you still need a way to get supplies. You're also going to need water. If you emerge, you need to emerge in a place where you're not going to be immediately seen."

Dylan tapped a finger on the table. "Isn't there a really small lake in the forest, other than Gammine's? It's too close to Foresalia for a city to be built there, so it hasn't been tapped as a source of water. If I was hiding, that'd be a good place for it."

"From where we are, we're close to the Commune of Soldiers," Ryu said. "A day or two out. Relative to that and the checkpoint further south, how far are we from that spot?"

"By foot, we're talking a few days."

"What about by flight?"

"I have no idea. How long does it take you to fly to the Commune?" Dylan asked Celestial.

"A few hours. We'd be flying downhill, so it goes faster. Most Dragons can cover in a few hours what people can cover by foot in a day. Not only are we faster to begin with, we also don't have to deal with monsters."

"Then we're probably a day's flight away from the lake." He eyed Celestial. "I don't know how big Dragons can get, but can you carry all of us at once?"

"I can certainly try. At the worst, I can literally carry two of you in my claws while everyone else rides." She glanced at Squint and then back again. "We might also be able to recruit another Dragon to help us out."

Because it was getting late, and they wanted an early start, they split up for the night. Tyrian said little as he went down the hall with Cassie; his mind was buzzing in a million directions with everything left to be done. "It seems like the closer we get to being done," he said softly, "the more I want to run away. I hate myself for that."

Her arms slid around his waist and she pressed against his back. "That's only natural. The pressure is just getting stronger. Externally and internally." She feathered her lips over his shoulder. "I can feel the magic inside you getting hotter. Not just when we make love, but at all times. We can do this, Tyrian."

"We?"

She smiled. "You're not alone, remember?" She caught her breath as he turned suddenly and his arms banded around her waist. He buried his face against her neck and she wrapped her arms around him. "I'm here," she promised softly. "I could never leave you. And you have the others as well. Whatever you need from us, we provide."

He turned and tumbled her down onto the bed. "Right now, I need only you. Don't let go of me, Cassie. I'm safe in your arms."

Let go of him? There was no letting go of him. She knew it and accepted it. She would hold onto him for eternity.

 

In the morning, just before dawn, they met up with the others in the dining room. C.J. had suspected they would be up early, and she had coffee and food waiting for them. Squint was more restless than usual, unable to sit still. Finally she blurted, "I want to help! I'm going to help fly us there!"

"But!" Tamari stopped when Dylan held an arm in front of her and shook his head silently. She clung onto his arm tightly, her eyes dark with distress. Squint had told her everything. She knew why this was dangerous.

Tyrian walked over to Squint and put his hands on her shoulders. "Are you sure?" he asked her quietly. "I know full well what this means, and what it might do to you."

"Well, I don't!" Ryu said. "What's wrong with Squint taking her natural shape?"

"She hasn't done it since she was a baby," Cassie explained softly. "We found her in her natural shape, but she transformed into a Human one while we were transporting her to safety. She's never changed back. The eye that was lost was her focal point."

"Her . . ." Ryu took a sharp breath. Every Dragon had a focal point where their power was strongest. Losing that point was like losing all control over their power. Squint's choice not to transform back to her natural shape was not that much of a choice after all. It would be something she had no control over. "You're still a kid," he told her fiercely. "Especially by Dragon standards! We can figure something else out."

"I have to do this!" She shook her head so hard that her red hair flew around her face. "I have to help Lord Tyrian! Doc said that if I tried hard, I could control my power again. I'm going to do it!"

Losing control of her power would destroy not only Squint, but also potentially anyone in the area. Tyrian knew it. But he also had full faith in her. He knew she had the strength for this. "If you think you can do this, then I know you can."

Knowing he believed in her made it easier for her to calm her nerves. She had to do this. She could do this. Tyrian believed in her and he needed her.

"Let's go where there is more room," Celestial said. "Down to the landing area would be best."

She led the way, and everyone stayed back as far as they could so that Squint had plenty of space. She seemed impossibly young as she stood in the center of the landing zone and looked at the places where claws had dug into stone for purchase. She had never felt a lack of her Dragon origins. The monks had made her one of them. But, now, it was time to claim her true shape.

The fire that billowed into the air around her was not unexpected. Her red coloring and smoky breath belied a Fire Dragon heritage. She closed her eye and concentrated fiercely on willing her power to do what she wanted it to do. She didn't even know what she was doing. It was all instinct. She thought she could see the spell she had used to take her Human shape, and thought that undoing it might be what she needed.

The magic began to go rogue. Sparks leapt over her skin as the fire burned out of control. "Get back!" Celestial shouted. She shifted into her Dragon shape with a surge of white, cloudy light and covered Ryu, Tamari, and Dylan protectively with her wings. She managed to wrap her tail around Cassie and bring her closer for safety, but Tyrian moved forward before she could stop him. "Lord Tyrian!"

"Get back!" Squint cried at Tyrian. "I can't do this!"

"Yes, you can." He stood only feet in front of her, his green eyes calm. "You were chosen to share the skies with me, Squint. That means that you have something only you can do. This is that something. You can do this, and you will."

Tears welled in her eye and she found a tremulous smile. "I can do anything."

The power engulfed her and surged outward in a red sea. Tyrian dove to the side and rolled several feet to safety. When he cautiously lifted his head, he found himself nose to snout with a lovely red Dragon. She was lying in front of him with her head on her claws, her good eye almost shy. The other, no longer covered by a patch, showed the mark of vicious scars where someone had deliberately attacked her.

He rolled nimbly to his feet and wrapped his arms around her neck to gently kiss the scars. She wasn't very big compared to an adult Dragon, though that was to be expected; at most, her length was ten feet from tip to tail, with her wings that and a half. Celestial was half that larger. "You make a beautiful Dragon," he told her. Teasingly, he added, "I hope I won't have to scare off your Dragon admirers. I think I'd be outmatched."

She rubbed her head against him contentedly. "Nah, I'm okay with being a kid for now." Her ears perked up and she lifted her head to look at the others. "It's okay now. I think I have control. But I can't change too frequently."

"That's normal," Celestial told her as she lowered her wing so the others were freed. "Even with a focal point, young Dragons can't change shape often. Actually, the fact that you changed shape successfully as a baby without your focal point is evidence of your natural skill. You'll do just fine, Squint."

"You look amazing!" Tamari hurried over to hug Squint as well, her eyes bright with excitement. "I can't believe how amazing you look! Don't worry about flying. I've heard the other Dragons say it's as natural as breathing."

"Squint, if you can carry Lord Tyrian and Lady Cassie, I can carry the other three," Celestial said as she offered a claw to help Ryu climb nimbly up onto her back.

"Okay!" Squint lay down again to make it easier for Tyrian and Cassie to climb onto her back. She barely felt their weight, and they were just enough smaller to fit perfectly. "Will I get bigger?" she asked wistfully.

"Of course you will. You're of average height for your age, hon." Tamari wistfully eyed her and then went over to join Ryu and Dylan. She really wanted to ride with Squint, but there was no room for a third person.

Having never flown, the three newcomers had no idea what to expect. The two Dragons got a running start and then suddenly took off up into the air. Squint was a little wobbly, but as soon as she caught the wind, her balance steadied. "I can't see to my left," she told Tyrian and Cassie. "Please watch out for me."

"No worries." Celestial flew down onto Squint's left. "I can block this side."

"This is amazing!" Tyrian exclaimed. "I've always wondered what it would be like to fly!"

Hearing the happiness in his voice just made Squint feel even better about her accomplishment. She had given him this wish, and had made him happy. Something only she could do. She had done it damn well.

  

©Stacy J. Garrett. Do not reprint or redistribute without permission.

Chapter 42->

Unraveling Stories - Chapter 40

<-Chapter 39

 

"What is there to fight over when we are the same inside?"

 

After speaking with the mayor of Larksville, Tyrian was reassured that the fifteen militia units of the city would hold it while the Special Forces units came back with him to the castle. He and Cassie collected the other Stars from their waiting locations and returned via the mirror to their base. Ewan, tactful soul that he was, noticed rather pointedly that Kaiten and Kentei wanted to be alone. He intercepted Raven as she came to greet her parents and spirited her off to the pub to get a sundae from Persephone.

Tyrian and Cassie's need to be together was fairly obvious to one and all. Catherine stood with Marigold and they watched as their leaders headed for their tower. They weren't walking quickly, and it wasn't as if they deliberately ignored anyone else. But there was so much intimacy in the way their fingers brushed together that Catherine felt a little embarrassed to be watching them.

"There's an old story," Marigold murmured softly. "About how the swan became the symbol of peace."

Catherine looked at her curiously, her ears quirked. "What is it?"

"There was a black swan who lived among a flock of white swans," Marigold began. "He was a bit different, obviously, but he was accepted. One day, hunters came looking for feathers for sale in a town. The black swan rallied his family and spirited them away safely. In the process, he was wounded by a hunter. Before he could be killed, a female panther came out of the trees and went after the hunters for her next meal."

"And?"

"The hunters fled obviously. The panther, deprived of her meal, turned her attention on the swan, which was easy prey." She shook her head. "No one knows why she didn't kill him. Instead, she took care of him. She fished for the both of them, and let the swan ride on her back if his wing hurt too much for him to fly. Well, those hunters came back looking for the panther to get her claws. They found her hunting for food, and they threw a net over her. Before they could kill her, the swan came out of nowhere and protected her."

"And the sight of two natural enemies living together peacefully shook them up." Catherine was holding her breath. It seemed like a children's story, but she could believe it had happened.

"It was said that a few days later, there was a fight between two cities. Before the soldiers could come to blows, the swan and panther arrived. The swan knocked weapons out of hands and caused general mayhem before returning to the panther's side. And seeing them made people realize that peace could be found between such opposites." She smiled. "So the swan became the symbol of peace, and the panther became the symbol of hope."

"That's it!" Catherine waved her hands excitedly. "That's it! Marigold, that's it! Come with me!" She grabbed Marigold's wrist with her tail and dragged the narcissist behind her as she ran off to find where her art supplies had been stashed.

"You're getting me dirty, you lousy feline!" Marigold complained as she saw dirt splattering all over her clean clothes.

"Shut up and help me!" She snagged the sleeve of a bard going past. "Hey, are there any messengers around here?"

Myr blinked. "Yeah, the old guys." Curious, she followed along as Catherine dragged Marigold toward the small building that had been designated an art space. "Can I help with something?"

"Yeah!" Catherine briefly and concisely explained what was in her mind and knew she had gotten both of the other two females' assistance when they began grinning. "I'll get started on the flag! Marigold is great with a needle. You go send my message!"

"Okay!" Myr happily dashed off to find one of the three old gossips. She had been trying for months to come up with the symbol of the Liberation Army. Finally, they would have a proper flag for the cities to fly.

Come the dawn, Tyrian and Cassie were reluctantly watching their alone time disappear with the rising sun. They were sitting together in front of the fire with Cassie leaning against Tyrian and enjoying the feel of his arms around her. A thick blanket kept the wind from the open balcony doors from chilling them.

Tyrian combed his fingers through Cassie's hair and watched the strands glide over his fingers. When they had met, it had hung close around her face. It now fell to the tops of her shoulders. There wasn't a hint of curl in her hair, but that was to her advantage since it was so thick. "Are you going to cut it?" he asked as he rubbed his cheek against her hair.

"Not really," she said. "It seems to have stopped since I got my relic, so I figure I'll keep it." She smiled up at him. "Your hair is getting a little shaggy too."

He ran a hand through his hair. Unlike his need to shave, his regular hair had only slowed down a little in its ability to grow. Lane had told him it would taper off within another few months. Some people with Pure Relics just took longer for all growth processes to cease. Others like Cassie ceased right from the start. "Should I grow a ponytail?" he teased.

After a moment of thought, she said, "Maybe a small one. I think it would be very good on you." At the speculative look on his face, she sat up to turn around and face him. Her fingers trailed over his face to memorize the lines. "You never considered it before?"

"Actually, no." He smiled. "I'll give it a try. If it looks bad, I just need to get rid of it. It's not like I'd be stuck with it." He stretched largely and sighed. The sun was distinctly coming in the window. "Let's wash up and get dressed. By the time we're done, it'll be about right for heading to the meeting room. We can grab food along the way."

They had only just gotten dressed and pulled on their shoes when they heard the voice-box beginning to beep. Tyrian walked over and pressed the button. "We're on our way to the meeting room," he said.

"Detour," Matthias suggested. "Come down to the city center. We have something to show you."

Tyrian quirked a brow. "Alright." He looked at Cassie but she shook her head; she had no idea either.

Hands linked, they took the elevator down to the courtyard. To their surprise, it was pretty well vacant. It was as if everyone had gone to the city center as well. More intrigued than ever, Tyrian and Cassie made their way to the city center. It wasn't easy. They had to make their way through the crowd. Even with people trying to move out of the way, there wasn't much room to move to begin with.

It certainly seemed as if everyone in Aon Castle was present. Tyrian spotted all of his Stars as well as every civilian that could possibly fit. Soldiers sat on rooftops and packed the walls. He didn't worry that kids would be lost in the crowd; most rode on someone taller's shoulders. Laia had Raven perched on her shoulder, and Lupe sat on Ewan's; she waved when she saw Tyrian.

In the center of the crowd was an opening that Tyrian and Cassie finally reached. There they found Matthias with Myr, Catherine, and Marigold. Frances was also close at hand, and she and her fellow narcissist held onto the edges of some giant swatch of material in Tyrian's familiar black and green colors. He thought it might be a flag, but couldn't be sure. "What's the occasion?" he asked curiously.

"It would seem that Catherine had a moment of brilliant inspiration when she was speaking with Marigold," Matthias began. He lifted his voice so that everyone could hear him. "With Myr's help, she has created the symbol of the Liberation Army, and when she brought it to me, I knew she had finally realized what we'd all subconsciously known all along."

"Let's see it then," Tyrian said with a smile. "I trust you both."

Marigold and Frances opened up the flag with great flourish so that everyone could see it. Most realized instantly what they were looking at, but it took Tyrian and Cassie a few moments. When they did realize, they both felt greatly humbled.

The image in the center of the flag showed a black panther sitting with one paw in the air. Perched gracefully on the panther's paw was a black swan. It seemed almost impossible to tell who was supporting who. Though the panther held the swan in the air, the swan's body was arched protectively, his wings sheltering his love.

"Well." It was all Tyrian could say.

Catherine linked her hands together behind her back. The surprise in his eyes made her exasperated. Didn't he realize how they all saw him? "I have a friend named Jeo. He's a sculptor. Tod sent him a message for me last night. He lives in Pardue. I sent him my sketches so he can make a statue to go here too. Is . . . do you like it?"

"I love it," he said simply. "And I'm glad you were in charge, Catherine. Do you know how long it took me to name this place? Left to me, the war would be done and gone and Raven would have kids herself before I came up with a design!"

Laughter rippled through the crowd. Matthias smiled. "We have also sent the design to the other cities so that tailors can update the flags we already have flying. We lack our own tailor, so we must rely on others."

"Hopefully we find one soon," Persephone grumbled from where she stood in the crowd. She and Serentia shared mending and altering duties for the time being, and it was quite a lot on top of everything else they did.

The flag was absconded by some soldiers to be flown from the top of the castle itself, and the crowd began to disperse. Tyrian, Cassie, Matthias, Cherry, Ewan, and Kyle (the usual suspects, as Laia called them) made their way back into the castle and took the elevator up to the second floor.

Tyrian had no idea how Evelyn and Terrence had done it—he swore he had seen them in the crowd—but there were pastries, coffee, and other breakfast items waiting on a cart in the meeting room. They were still piping hot. Tyrian got a cup of coffee and decided to call it another quirk of his Stars' varied and sundried abilities.

They had only just seated themselves when Raven showed up with Divan. Though he was not a Star himself, Tyrian felt a strong kinship to the older man. Divan reminded him a great deal of Donald; he was not surprised that they had been such good friends. "Good morning," he said.

"Good morning." Divan put Raven down on the chair beside Tyrian and then took a seat as well. "I feel honored that I am being included here."

"You hold a skill on par with the Lower Generals," Matthias reminded him. "In fact, you are a Lower General, though it is for Foresalia. Your skill is very welcome, as is your knowledge of the Special Forces. That is something that not even our generals can provide to us. It was Lord Tyrian's request to have you here, and I concur wholeheartedly."

Divan smiled wryly at Tyrian. "Never meet Rihou. You'd take over the world."

The statement just made Tyrian more determined to meet the other boy, but he kept that to himself. "So noted," he said dryly. He saw Raven eyeing his coffee and offered her the mug. Caffeine didn't affect Faeries, thankfully. The last thing he needed was his daughter buzzed on an energy rush. "Pardue," he said. "We're past the games stage. I want to do there what we did at Larksville."

"Drop in unannounced in the middle of enemy units?" Ewan grumbled.

"Alright, I'd like to do most of what we did at Larksville," Tyrian conceded. "To be more specific, I want to talk to the lieutenant in charge of the units. He has the same orders that Divan did, and we know already that they refused to retaliate against the city for ceasing to pay taxes."

"How do we get there without transporting units?" Kyle asked. "Has anyone been to the city recently?"

"I know Olan's been there," Matthias supplied. "He ran reconnaissance for me not very long ago. Miranda could use him to take you to the city. Relatively speaking, of course."

Tyrian nodded. "Then we'll be on our way now." He took a deep breath. "I can't shake the feeling that there's something bad looming. The people in Trinan are in danger, of that I can be sure." He shook his head. "There's also that business of the checkpoints forming distinct paths right across the city."

"To the best of Kell and Grace's investigating," Cherry offered, "we know for a fact that it is a defensive mechanism. But even the people who live in the checkpoints aren't sure just what it is, what it does, or how it is triggered."

"It might be like the defenses on the checkpoints themselves," Cassie suggested. "Triggered only by hostile forces invading. We might even want to test it. Miranda could take Yhalenia out that that way and see how close they get before something happens. Yhalenia can shield both herself and Miranda from being seen, and if something happens, Miranda can bring them both back."

"Agreed." Matthias looked at Cherry. "Go talk to Yhalenia. As soon as Miranda has transported Lord Tyrian, she can take herself and Yhalenia near to Trinan. And they are to be very careful."

Cherry hurried out, and Tyrian got to his feet. "In addition to Olan, I'll take Kyle, Kris, and Yumi." Cassie went without saying, and he had stopped mentioning her. "Yumi deserves a chance to come along."

They had all noticed that the younger Stars were feeling the strain of not being able to help their Kaiten as much as they wanted. It surprised no one that Tyrian had picked up on it as well and was doing whatever he could to show them they were all just as important.

Kyle and Cassie followed Tyrian out of the meeting room, and none were surprised that the other three had already gathered near Miranda. They always knew when Tyrian needed them. The bond only got stronger as time passed.

Yumi was almost bouncing on her toes in excitement. When she saw Tyrian, she threw her arms around his waist. "I'm so glad I get to go along!" She beamed up at him and her hat fell over her eyes.

He put her hat back into place and then lightly tweaked her nose. "Since we're not going to have any field combat, you can help me get things done." He looked at Miranda. "Focus on Olan to send us to Pardue, please."

"Okay!" Miranda studied Olan and swung her wand into the air. "Here we go!"

The magic kicked in and sent everyone winging across the land. The good news was that they didn't land in the middle of the Special Forces. The bad news was that they landed in the river right next to the city.

Kyle was the first to surface, and when he didn't immediately see Yumi, he dove back under to find her. He caught her under the arms and propelled her to the surface quickly. Her belt with its tools added more weight than she could overcome by swimming. "You okay?" he asked her.

She held onto his shoulders and sighed. "Yes, thank you."

The others surfaced as well and they made their way to the shore. As they were climbing out, Tyrian realized a hand was being offered to assist. He looked up quickly to discover several soldiers from the Special Forces standing nearby. The lieutenant in charge was the one offering her help. "Thank you." He took her hand and let her pull him up out of the water. He then turned and helped Cassie and Kris.

"You certainly have a way of making an entrance," a soldier said dryly.

"We've done worse," Kyle sighed.

Tyrian studied the lieutenant before saying, "I'm beyond the point where I want to play games. A monster sits in Trinan, bloated by the promise of power. If she isn't stopped, then there will be nothing left. Rebellion? We're beyond that. Either you stand and fight for the people, or you fight for Blaine."

"We fight for the people," the lieutenant answered calmly as she removed the emblem from her jacket. "But we fight for you as well, Lord Tyrian. General Southerwind's last orders to us were clear. You may count on our strength joining yours. We will help you save our country."

His breath unraveled softly. So far. He had come so far. Every city in the Empire save the capitol was now under his protection. He held command over more than a hundred and twenty units. There were barely twenty total left at Trinan. For all intents and purposes, he commanded what had once been the entirety of the Imperial Army, and then some.

Kyle lightly rested a hand on his shoulder and looked at the lieutenant. "Rally your troops and have them switch to Tyrian's colors. Send a signal flare to Aon Castle and a unit will come to meet you. They will bring a flag to fly over Pardue."

"Done." The lieutenant saluted and then walked away with her soldiers.

"Thanks," Tyrian said softly.

"That's what friends are for." Kyle took a deep breath. "And I need to thank you, Tyrian. Seeing this happen . . . seeing what Ophelia wanted to happen actually start to occur . . . it makes her death easier to bear."

"I'm glad." Tyrian covered his hand for a moment and smiled. "Well, let's go into the city. By the time we've made the rounds, we should be dry again."

"Speak for yourself," Kris groused as she continued trying to wring out her robes. "You're not wearing ten layers of cloth!"

"You could be wearing ten layers of metal, you know," Olan reminded her.

She snorted. "I wouldn't have surfaced without help. At least cloth makes me buoyant. Most of the time, anyway. Remind me to tell you about when Klint and I went spelunking the hard way."

Lucky for all of them, the sun was high enough and hot enough that they had mostly dried by the time they entered the city. Kris and Cassie, wearing the most layers, were still slightly soggy but took it with good nature.

A palpable air of cheer lingered everywhere inside the city. Despite a different layout, Pardue looked quite similar to Larksville in many ways. The soldiers and the city militia were moving quickly, and the flags were being changed out. People were beginning to gather supplies and prepare for the final battle looming in the distance. No matter how you looked at it, Trinan would be devastated. Pardue citizens had every intention of giving the escapees and survivors every aid they could.

The party hadn't gotten very far into the city before they were assailed by a sudden cloud of strong cologne. "Euuw." Kris wrinkled her nose. "Who bathed in the perfume bottle again?"

A horse suddenly skidded to a stop beside them, and Tyrian sensed as much as heard the groans from those with him. He just smiled. "Greetings," he said.

The dandy perched on the back of the horse wore almost as many laces and ruffles as Frances did, had hair curlier than Laia's after the infamous Mechanoportal incident, and exuded a strong aura of self-importance. He peered down at Tyrian and nodded decisively. "You must be Lord Tyrian! I hear my cousin is at your palace." At the lifted brow, he sighed dramatically. "Frances Kween. I am Francis Garmint. And if you have the Kween branch, you simply must have the Garmint branch! We're so much more cultured than they are, you know. Of course you know!"

With all the frankness of childhood, Yumi said, "You smell like the bottom of a cologne bottle. Is your nose broken?"

Kyle and Olan choked and turned in different directions. Francis' face turned several shades of red before settling on an embarrassed pink. "I'll forgive your lack of taste because of your age," he decided graciously. "Only a mature woman of refined taste would ever appreciate my fine scent and masculine air."

Yumi looked at him for long moments and then looked at Tyrian. "If that's a refined gentleman, can I marry a Northman?"

Francis sputtered, then said, "Y-you would prefer a Northman to likes of me?!"

"They don't smell like perfume stores," she countered reasonably.

Knowing full well that Francis stood no chance against the pragmatic scientist, Tyrian took pity on him. "Francis, your aid is very welcome. I would be glad to have you on my side. You may wait for us to finish our rounds and go back with us, or you can go back with the soldiers."

"Soldiers?! Ugh. I'll wait here." As they walked away, he muttered, "How can she prefer a Northman to me? I'm cultured! I'm fashionable. I'm on a horse, damn it!"

"Don't worry," Kris told Yumi solemnly. "It's not your age. I wasn't that impressed either."

"Tell me there won't be any more narcissists in the Stars," Olan pleaded with Tyrian. "I know they have as much value as the rest of us, but they can be a bit trying, Lord Tyrian. The girls were enough without adding him to the mix. No offense to Catherine and Grim, but the catfights are pretty terrible."

Tyrian found himself laughing. "I can't promise anything, Olan. Everyone has a purpose. If we hadn't found Marigold and Frances, we'd have no flag to fly. We might not even have a symbol yet. They gave the inspiration to Catherine."

"Yes, but still." The archer sighed. "If I shoot that puffed up pink marshmallow in the ass, you can't blame me."

"So noted," his leader said dryly. He tugged Yumi's hat down slightly over her eyes. "I think Yumi has fine taste, personally."

She grinned up at him impishly. "Think Rourke has a little brother?"

"In fact, he has several." Tyrian smiled as he saw the looks on Kris and Kyle's faces. "But you're scaring your surrogate big siblings with these plans for being an adult. Enjoy being a kid, Yumi. It doesn't last long enough." Cassie slipped her hand into his without a word, and he laced their fingers together, his other hand resting companionably on Yumi's shoulder.

A young man suddenly popped out of a building. "Lord Tyrian!" Bits of dust and stone clung to his dark skin and dirty apron. In one hand was a chisel and in the other was a hammer. "I'm Jeo!" he said excitedly. "Cat's friend! I'm almost done with your statue! Come in and see it!"

"Ooh! Let me see!" Yumi darted into the building quickly.

The others followed, and Jeo turned on more lights than just his working ones. The statue sat in the middle of the main room, and it was being carved from black marble that held blue and green veins. The base was all that was left to be completed; the panther and the swan rose from the marble gracefully, so realistic that it was as if they were live animals posing for the artist.

The marble was still rough on the surface and in need of polishing, but Jeo's skill couldn't be missed. "It's amazing," Tyrian murmured. It was also very big, he realized. It stood a foot higher than he did. It would look amazing in the middle of the courtyard. "Transporting this will take some doing," he admitted. "It must weigh a ton."

Yumi held out her hands to Jeo. "Paper, please!" He handed her a notepad and a pencil, and she promptly began writing down what looked like complicated mathematical equations. "Height? Weight?" she asked Jeo. He supplied them and she wrinkled her nose as she studied her numbers. "I can get it there," she said decisively.

"Dare we ask how?" Kyle asked dryly.

"It won't blow up," she noted reasonably, "so you don't have anything to worry about, y'know. It'll get there just fine! I'm going to hijack the Mechanoportal through my Mechanobot. A bit of remote finagling and it'll be perfect."

Jeo grinned at Tyrian. "I have no idea what she's talking about, but she sounds like she knows what she's doing."

"She does," Tyrian assured him. He held out his relic hand with a smile. "I can't wait to see what else you create, Jeo. Are statues your specialty?"

"Nah, I do all kinds of carving." He took Tyrian's hand and smiled as the star appeared on his shoulder. "I do everything from tiny stuff to big stuff." His eyes flicked to Cassie, to her hands, and then back to Tyrian. "I'm versatile."

"Good to know," Tyrian murmured. "I might have a commission for you. And you'll let me pay you," he scolded. He turned to Olan and Kris. "Can you stay to help Yumi and Jeo? He'll no doubt have other things to bring with him as well."

"Can do!" Olan said with a salute.

Yumi was already issuing orders, and Tyrian, Cassie, and Kyle took their leave. Their next stop was to talk to the mayor, and since he currently worked out of the inn, they found themselves going to the fourth floor where he tried to keep out of the way of the travelers and tourists.

That the inn was four stories in height seemed impressive enough. It was the tallest building in the entire city, and the view from the top floor was spectacular. As they walked down the hall, Kyle studied the sparkling windows and said, "One wonders how they keep them clean."

A figure suddenly popped up on the other side of a window. He opened the bottom and leaned on the edge. "That'd be my job." When all three jumped in surprise, he winced. "Sorry about that. Aw, no worries," he added as they stared at him in shock, "My name is Amos. I'm a Flier! I'm not levitating." He grinned. "So, Lord Tyrian, you got windows you need cleaned?"

Tyrian walked closer to actually see the other male. He was indeed a Flier since there were large and elegant avian wings affixed to his back. His face seemed to be shaped more like a Human, but his bare feet were the familiar talon shape of his bloodline. He also didn't have hair; soft feathers covered his head and went around his neck like a collar. "You don't run the risk of being chased by Grimalkin, right?"

"Are we talking about the lovely Catherine?" Amos sighed gustily. "If only she would. Nah, Grimal don't chase Fliers. We've had some interesting histories together, but we're pretty peaceful to each other. The only cross-species feud I even know about is the Air Dragons and the plains Grimal of the Grasslands. Got me as to why, but they don't like each other at all."

"In that case, I have plenty of high windows for you to take care of," Tyrian assured him. "The top levels of the castle were getting a bit grungy from the outside since no one could figure out how to get there safely."

"Wings." Amos nodded sagely. "The only way to fly." He saluted with the scrub brush he carried. "I'll see you there, Lord Tyrian!" With a flutter of his wings, he flew off.

"He nearly gave me heart failure," Kyle complained. "There are no ledges around this place, so I couldn't figure out how he'd gotten there."

"Fliers are notorious for playing pranks like that on Humans," Cassie said ruefully. "I'm sure he'll catch many others unaware at Aon Castle too." She suddenly laughed. "Maybe we should warn Ewan."

Kyle grinned wickedly. "Now why would we do that, Cassie? It would serve him right!"

Tyrian just shook his head. After a meeting with the mayor—who was very happy to lend whatever help he could—Tyrian led the way back out of the inn. It was getting later in the day and he wanted to get back to the base to find out if they had learned anything about the barrier on Trinan and how it was triggered.

He started to turn back toward the road leading to the entrance where Francis was no doubt waiting with Jeo and the others, but his attention got caught by the sight of an armory shop. Something tugged at him insistently and he recognized the feeling immediately. He went over to the shop and stepped into the open doorway.

The woman inside the shop had been working over a forge, but when she sensed Tyrian's presence, she lowered her mallet and lifted her visor. She studied Tyrian for several moments and then smiled. "I'm Oruqui." The name belied her Elfish blood as strongly as her pointed ears and delicately coiled pink hair did. "I'll pack up my things."

To Cassie and Kyle's mutual fascination, it was that simple. Oruqui stuck the piece of plate she had been working on into a bucket of water and began to pack up tools. Tyrian stepped back onto the street and said, "I think that's everyone here." He saw the looks on their faces and smiled. "You're not used to it yet?"

"It's fascination more than surprise," Kyle decided. "I think of the hoops you've jumped through for some of us, then how easy it is for others. Mouse told me that there was a balance in all of life, but I don't think it sank in until now. Ah, well." He tucked his hands into his pockets. "Let's head back before Olan snipes Francis with an arrow. That'd be bad form, right?"

"Afraid so," Tyrian said dryly. "Keep that up and you'll turn into Ewan."

"Bite your tongue."

 

©Stacy J. Garrett. Do not reprint or redistribute without permission.

Chapter 41->