

# Dralin

## Dralin Trilogy, Book 1
## Ryallon Chronicles, Book 1

## John H. Carroll

4th Edition

Published by John H. Carroll at Smashwords

Copyright 2011, 2015 John H. Carroll

Cover Copyright 2011 John H. Carroll

Cover photography by Tracy Carroll

This book is dedicated to my mother who gave me a good childhood and always accepted me for who I was.

### The Chronicles of Ryallon

### In Reading Order

**Dralin Series** (Set in time before the Willden trilogy)

1. _Dralin_

2. _Ebudae_

3. _Pelya_

**The Wyvern Series** (Parallel to the Willden Trilogy, set in time after the Dralin Trilogy)

4. _Wyvern_

5. _Liquid_

6. _Cloudswept_

7. _Sidetracked_

**Willden Trilogy** (Written first)

8. _Rojuun_

9. _Anilyia_

10. _Kethril_

**The Crazed Series** (All previous series merge here)

11. _Liselle_

12. _Bounty_

13. _To be announced (Coming 2019)_

14. _To be announced (Coming 2020)_

15. _To be announced (Coming 2020)_

**Stand-alone Ryallon Novella** (Occurs before Cloudswept, book 3 of the Wyvern Series)

Rain Glade
Table of Contents

Map of Nulanea

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

About the Author

## Map of Nulanea

## Chapter 1

Year 1369, Fifth Age, Mid-autumn

Being the beginning of the Ryallon Series

"Hello, pretty little Miss. Would you like to see the sights of Dralin?" The hawkish guardsman flashed a leering grin and brushed a few flakes of lightly falling autumn snow from his hair. A polished chain shirt peeked out from underneath the collar of a standard-issue black and brown tunic, while a long sword waited in its sheath at his waist for the opportunity to commit malice.

Sheela stepped back, shoulders hunched. "No thank you, Sir." Everyone in Dralin was to be feared, including the City Guard from what she had been told. Just because she was a plain farmer's daughter didn't mean she was a fool.

Her stomach knotted in dread when the guardsman took a step forward and put a powerful hand on her shoulder. The smile he must have thought was charming came across as sinister.

"Come now, lass. My shift is nearly over and the sun is about to set. I'll take good care of you and keep you warm." He slid an arm around her shoulders.

She spun away off the sidewalk and into the roadway.

"Hey! Don't be like that!"

Sheela hopped to avoid a passing wagon clattering by. Its wheels splashed muddy water over the threadbare dress she had run away from home in. It was hard to tell that it had once been warm yellow with sturdy threads. A year of hard work in the fields and weeks of walking dirt roads had left a drab, torn garment barely hanging onto her bony frame.

The guard grabbed her arm and waist. "Careful. Those wagon drivers won't hesitate to run you over." He hauled her back onto the sidewalk.

She spun away and yanked her arm out of his grip. The highway was too crowded to run away. She wasn't ready to go into the city yet, so she moved a few steps away and stood with as much resolve as she could muster.

He held up his hands and bared his teeth in a snarl. "Whatever. Learn about the city on your own. We'll find your body in a gutter after you're thrown out of a brothel." He spit on the sidewalk in front of her.

With a stomp of her bare foot, Sheela held back tears that threatened to rush forth. After everything she had been through, harsh words wouldn't drive her to despair.

The guard turned in disgust and traipsed back to the guardhouse.

Sheela held her chin up and stared at people, mounted riders, carts and wagon trains passing by on the highway into Dralin. A cacophony of sound and odor assaulted her senses. The colossal city before her was daunting. Goosebumps appeared on her arm when she thought about the horrifying stories she had heard of it.

Dralin was a city of wizards, criminals and chaos, renowned as the most dangerous city in the world of Ryallon. Murders in broad daylight were common. People went missing on a daily basis. And Sheela was the perfect victim for the predatory city.

It had been her hope to ask a guardsperson for a safe place to go. One looked as though he might be helpful, but the leering guard had intercepted her instead.

Sheela wiped snowflakes off her eyelashes and turned to leave. Heading away into the cold emptiness of unknown roads scared her too, but fear of going on was too great.

A deep voice sounded above the noise of traffic. "Are you all right, Miss?"

Sheela turned and looked up into the brilliant blue eyes of a tall young guardsman. His nose had been broken at some point and the tip aimed a little to the left. "I'm sorry if Tobe bothered you. He's good with a sword, but not so much with people."

An aura of calm security drew Sheela. He was the guard she had originally been heading to talk to before the one named Tobe had intercepted her. Still, in Dralin it wasn't safe to trust anyone too easily. "I'm hoping . . ." Sheela's voice cracked with nervousness, ". . . hoping to find someplace safe, but I have no money." She had survived the trip to Dralin by sleeping in haystacks and by stealing a little food wherever she could, a fact that shamed her.

The guardsman let out a long breath, his cheeks puffing. He ran fingers through wavy black hair that fell to his shoulders in what seemed to be a fashion with all the guards.

She studied his face. Black stubble covered a strong jaw and chin. His skin was browned from being in the sun, but wasn't dark.

He spoke in warm tones that seemed to shield her from the cold air. "Dralin is a bad place not to have any money . . ." He chuckled. "It's a bad place even if you do have money."

A small laugh escaped Sheela's cracked lip, but her future was too uncertain for true mirth and her expression became serious once more. "I'm a good worker and very quiet. I don't need much." She wrung her hands. "I know the city is dangerous. I only want a chance."

He looked at her thoughtfully for a moment before nodding. "Alright. I'm off duty in a few minutes. I know of an innkeeper who has an opening and he owes me a favor."

"Thank you oh so much." Sheela got the sense the guardsman was making a large concession.

"Name's Frath by the way." He held out a muscular hand.

She took the hand, which engulfed hers. "Mine's Sheela." Frath's grip was firm, but gentle, holding her hand safely rather than crushing it. His smile warmed her skin and made some of the fear go away. Sheela's heart raced in her chest. It was an unusual feeling because she normally found men intimidating.

"Sheela . . . I like that name." Frath pointed toward an empty bench on the far side of the guardhouse. "Sit over there until I'm finished, and then I'll take you to the inn." He joined the rest of the guards while she walked over and sat.

The bench was damp from the scattered snowflakes that melted as soon as they landed on anything. Sheela's dress was already wet and dirty anyway, so sitting on the bench didn't bother her. It felt good to get off her feet for a short time and she rubbed the cold ache out of them. Many of the travelers wore shoes and Sheela hoped that perhaps she might someday own a pair.

Sounds of the city surrounded her as she watched people passing in a mad rush to finish their tasks before nightfall. Wagon drivers yelled above the clopping of their horse's hooves while the humming drone of thousands of voices buzzed against the hairs of her neck.

Endless buildings obscured a ruddy sunset that lit the bottoms of patchy clouds on the western horizon. Rays of light burst through the smog and snow to cast a dirty orange radiance over everything. Exotic scents came from many of the wagons that had traveled from such places as Mayncal, Brindlyn, and the Iynath Empire. They mixed in with the odors of livestock, unwashed bodies, and smells Sheela couldn't begin to identify.

The assault on her senses was overwhelming, making her lightheaded. Taking deep breaths didn't help because each one brought something new. The odors, both pleasant and unpleasant, were so heavy that she could taste them on her tongue.

"Are you all right, Sheela?" Concern filled Frath's voice.

She looked up. He was much taller than the other guardsmen. His hand rested comfortably on the hilt of a long, sheathed sword. Judging from his broad chest and strong hands, he was likely a dangerous man despite his youthful face.

For some reason, Sheela trusted him more than she trusted any of the thousands of people she had passed along the highway and entering into the city. Perhaps because of that trust, she croaked out a hoarse whisper, "I'm scared . . . I'm _so_ scared." It was the first time she had shown weakness to anyone since running away. No matter how frightened she had been at any point, Sheela had held her chin up and kept a brave face.

Frath gripped her shoulder comfortingly. He didn't speak any words, conveying understanding and calm through his eyes instead.

Sheela smiled briefly and stood. "I'm ready. You won't get in trouble for helping me, will you?"

"No. Not at all." He put his arm out for her to hold onto. She gripped it with both hands as one would the railing of a ship in a storm. Frath surrendered the arm willingly as they began walking deeper into the city. "What do you know of Dralin?" he asked, slowing his pace to match her shorter steps.

"It's the most dangerous city in the world and everyone here dies a terrible death." If there was anything people agreed upon, that was it.

Frath barked a short laugh. "Yeah, there's some truth to that, but it's possible to survive." His expression became grave. "I don't know why you came here, but I've seen a lot of young ladies disappear when they arrive. It's worse if you don't have family or friends, and I'm guessing you don't have that here? . . ."

Sheela shook her head. Enormous three and four level inns lined the highway. Behind them were extensive yards where merchant trains could park their wagons and stable their horses. "Is one of these the inn you're taking me to?" She gestured to the nearest, which had a painting of a yellow wagon on a large wooden sign in front.

"No. It's closer to the middle of the city. It'll take about an hour to get there. You don't want to work at any of these. They're mean places, meant for travelers."

To emphasize his point, a group of men tumbled outside one of the doors in the middle of a scuffle.

Frath stopped for a moment to watch, keeping himself protectively between Sheela and the brawling men. "They're just a bunch of drunks fighting. As long as there're no weapons drawn, I don't need to worry about it."

"Why do people fight like that?" Sheela tilted her head in confusion. "I don't understand."

Frath shrugged. "I don't understand a lot of things either. There aren't any answers in Dralin. Your best choice is to head somewhere else. If you insist on staying then it's best to keep your head down, find a safe place to live and stay there." He took Sheela by the arms. "If you're willing to leave this forsaken city, I'll spend the night getting you to safety."

There _were_ no places safe for a young runaway woman. She had thought about escaping in a different direction, but no other city was as fascinating as Dralin with its wizard's towers, shifting streets and grand parks. Sheela lifted her chin and looked Frath in the eye. "I know that I'll likely die, end up a prostitute on the streets or maybe even become one of the Deformed, but I don't care."

Frath nodded and let her take his arm again as they continued walking. "You're not going to meet that fate if I have anything to say about it," he vowed quietly.

"Why are you helping me? Out of all the women who walk past you every day, why me?"

He didn't answer right away. "Well . . . I don't know. I saw you look at me before Tobe intercepted you. Then you stood up to him and held your chin high. There's a fire in you most don't have. I don't want to see it snuffed out by the evil in this city."

She squeezed his arm thankfully. "Everywhere I look, people are too busy to pay attention to me. The few that _have_ noticed me have a look in their eyes that's hungry like a carnivorous fairy." She held up her right arm so he could see the scar from where one had bitten her a few years earlier. Some of the muscles in it never healed properly and she still didn't have full use of the pinky in that hand.

"Oh, that's a nasty bite. I've only seen them in the Zoo District. Scary things, carnivorous fairies." Frath gripped her hands with his free one. "I'm glad we found each other. I'm taking you the Shining Shield Inn. The innkeeper, Albert, nearly got killed by thugs about a year ago and I was able to help him. He owes me a favor, but I didn't do it for that reason. I helped him because he was in trouble."

"I think it's wonderful. How many thugs were there?"

"How many? . . . There were ten, but Albert's tough and can hold his own in a fight even with only one arm. He used to be a knight, but lost his sword arm in battle before settling down to run the inn. When he was attacked, well . . . I didn't really do much." Frath blushed and turned away as he answered.

She got the feeling he was being modest. He was sacrificing a favor that could have benefited him. It occurred to her to wonder what he would want in return.

As if reading her mind, he answered the unspoken question. "The only thing I ask is that you do a good job for Albert. Other than that, I don't expect anything, all right?"

She nodded. "I'm a good worker and I'll work really hard." The nodding made her a little dizzy and she leaned on his arm.

"You look pale . . . When's the last time you ate?" He clasped her chin and ran a thumb over her cheek.

Sheela lowered her gaze, not wanting him to see how desperately she wanted food. In the last two days, all she had was a half-chewed apple and wilted leaves of lettuce.

Frath lifted her chin. "You're lucky to be alive right now. If you want to survive, you have to take care of yourself."

He took her down a side street to the right. There was still a lot of traffic, but nothing like the highway, which was becoming more crowded the further they went into the city. After passing a couple more streets, he turned left into a noisy, open marketplace.

"This is the East Bazaar. You can find just about anything here." Frath shouted above the drone of voices as he shifted his arm to around her shoulders, drawing her close. "Don't ever come here alone because it's also a popular place for criminals. If anyone pulls on you, hang on to me. It's easy for a woman to disappear even when in the company of a guardsman."

The warning sent a chill up Sheela's spine as she clung to him, trying to avoid the crush of bodies moving around them. The growing darkness made people seem more threatening. A lamplighter used a wick at the tip of a long pole to light oil lanterns on tall posts, but the glow did little to illuminate the throngs below. Meanwhile, merchants were setting out lit candles and hanging lanterns so customers could see their wares better. There was no sign of business slowing even with the coming night.

Frath shoved through the crowd easier than most. A few people turned to protest, but stopped when they saw how tall he was and that he wore a guard's uniform. Sheela felt tugging on her arm twice, but she held onto Frath for dear life and he kept her secure. She could feel his chain shirt underneath the tunic, but wished she could feel him instead.

"Let me have two draddlies," Frath said to a food vendor in a wooden shack. Sheela watched as the man put meat and cheese between two pieces of bread slathered with some sort of sauce. Frath put his mouth next to her ear. "These are wonderful. It's meat, cheese and bread all together. They're popular in the country of Eddland to the north of here and have been spreading all over the world."

"That'll be four coppers," the vendor told Frath, who removed his arm from Sheela's shoulders in order to grab a pouch hidden in his tunic. Four coppers was a lot of money to Sheela who had never had any coins in her life. Frath took the coppers out and handed them to the vendor.

Someone grabbed Sheela's arms, snatching her away into the crowd. As she tried to scream, a hand clamped over her mouth. With desperation, she caught Frath's belt, but the hands pulling her were too strong and she couldn't hold on. Terror filled Sheela's heart and eyes as she watched Frath turn in what seemed to be slow motion.

His arm shot forward, grabbed the hand over her mouth and yanked. The motion pulled her and her attacker forward. Frath sidestepped, pulled the arm down, around, and up behind the man's back.

Sheela spun as Frath broke the man's shoulder with a sickening crunch.

The hooded kidnapper screamed in agony.

Frath punched him in the back of the head with a fierce blow.

The scream stopped abruptly and the man crumpled to the ground.

The immediate area became silent as shocked bystanders created an open circle around them. Frath turned in a circle, staring them all down. The circle grew larger as many of the people prudently chose to leave. Sheela stared at the hard face of her protector and the bared teeth that looked as though they could rend flesh. Instead of frightening her, it made her feel protected as she rushed desperately into the safety of his arms.

Frath grunted and led her back to the food vendor.

Sheela listened to the rumbling growl in Frath's chest and shivered.

The portly vendor handed over the draddlies and added an order of baked chips made from cornmeal. "For you, Guardsman. May the gods protect your path . . . not that they need to with the way you fight." He chuckled nervously.

Frath responded with a steely glare as he took the draddlies and handed one to Sheela.

Sheela took it and huddled under his arm. She attempted a smile at the vendor, but failed.

A few minutes later, Frath guided her to a bench in a small park. Brick paths meandered through leaf strewn grassy areas. The trees were resplendent with autumn colors still falling to the ground. More lanterns on tall poles provided light for anyone out for a stroll at night. The last of the daylight was disappearing in the west and the snow had stopped. Two ponds had ducks that would soon be flying further south for the winter.

"The parks of Dralin have almost no crime," Frath told her as they sat.

Sheela moved in as close as possible without actually sitting on his lap. The feelings in her mind and body were unfamiliar. What she did know was that it was nice to be close to the handsome guardsman. His voice was smooth and seemed to caress her skin, which was another sensation she didn't understand.

"You're not eating . . ."

She jumped at the words and took a fast bite. The burst of flavor in her mouth overwhelmed her. It had been so long since she had eaten anything substantial that she hardly knew how to handle it. In a moment, she was chewing as rapidly as possible, trying to finish in case it might escape.

Frath talked between bites of his own draddly. "I'm sorry about what happened in the bazaar. Slavers and kidnappers have been getting bolder lately and more people have been disappearing than usual. I can't believe one would be so stupid as to try to steal you from my protection though."

Sheela studied his handsome face, noticing unease in the set of his jaw. A thin scar ran from chin to cheek and she resisted an urge to run her fingers along it. "Are we safe here?"

"The City Guard patrols all the parks," he told her, pointing at a unit of six guards walking between the ponds. "But even the various criminal guilds help protect the parks. They're safe havens for almost everyone."

"Almost?" Sheela asked around a mouthful of food. She held a hand underneath her chin to prevent any crumbs from escaping.

"The Deformed aren't allowed in the parks. They try to sleep here, but their taint would corrupt the parks too." Frath popped one of the chips in his mouth. They were nearly gone between the two of them.

"What exactly are the Deformed? From what I've heard, magic corrupts them or something?"

"Something like that. What most people don't realize is that magic leaves residue after it's cast. There are more wizards in Dralin than anywhere else in the world. There are also potion makers, priests and just about anything else to do with magic." He frowned, his thick eyebrows lowering over sad eyes. "The residue gathers in streets and sewers. The Deformed are generally homeless people who sleep in polluted alleys. The magical waste corrupts their bodies and minds, twisting them into deformed versions of people. They're dangerous and nobody knows what to do with them."

"Why don't they clean up the magical residue?" Sheela's draddly was finished and she took the last chip when Frath offered it to her.

"Because the High Council that runs the city doesn't care about the welfare of the people. Dralin is also the richest and most powerful city in the world and they buy off or kill anyone who complains too loudly." The set of his jaw showed anger at the careless disregard for the safety of the citizens he was sworn to protect.

Sheela put a comforting hand on his thigh, enjoying the feel of his leg through his trousers. "It seems foolish. I heard that this is one of the only cities in the world without a wall surrounding it. Is that because it's so powerful?

Frath nodded. "That and it would be useless because the city keeps growing. By the time they finished a wall, more houses would be built outside of it. At this point, it would be impossible to defend any wall that surrounded the city anyway."

"Oh . . . why?" Sheela asked. Her only education had been about taking care of chores on a farm. The concept of defending a city seemed awesome to her.

"It would take all of the soldiers in Altordan's army to man it. Even then, a concentrated attack in any direction would be too hard to defend against."

Frath sounded as if he knew what he was talking about so she just nodded in agreement.

He saw circles of exhaustion under her vulnerable eyes. "Let's get you to the inn." Frath took her hand and together they left the park.

A little less than an hour later, they were in a much quieter part of the city where the buildings were larger and older. Lanterns adorned many of the buildings in addition to the streetlights. Sheela looked in awe at the stone buildings with their tiled roofs and green lawns, wondering how many coins it would take to buy one of them.

"This part of the city is hundreds of years old," Frath said. "A lot of wealthy merchants and some of the old noble families reside here. There's not a lot of crime and the buildings are beautiful to look at. I like coming here." He gestured to one on the left that had small cherub statues underneath the eaves. The windows had glass in them, unlike most houses that had window openings covered with leather, furs or wooden shutters.

"I've never seen anything like it." Sheela gawked at the ornate etching in one thick wooden door. "It's more magnificent than I imagined." An armed guard sitting at the bottom of a stone railing nodded to Frath, acknowledging the presence of a city guardsman. Sheela had noticed that many of the buildings in this part of the city had guards.

"Here we are." Frath pointed to a large, four-level building just past the next street. The front of it took up the entire block and a tall stone wall extended the length of the side street. The inns along the highway had been more massive, but nowhere near as elegant. Next to the main walkway to the entrance was a large stone sign with a picture of a shining shield and letters Sheela didn't understand because she had never learned to read.

Frath led her up the stone steps to a landing with four marble columns. Two sharply uniformed guards appeared very capable to Sheela's uneducated eye. At the door was a finely dressed man in colorful red leggings that matched the color of the guards' tabards. He also wore a lacy white shirt and a long red jacket.

The butler took in Sheela's poor dress and dirty appearance with disdain.

Frath said, "I'd like to speak to Albert, please. He'll see me."

The man failed to hide a sneer of distaste, but he led them inside.

The butler had them wait in a corner just inside the door while Albert finished talking to a customer. Sheela looked around the common room in amazement. It was clean and warm, with wooden walls painted mellow green. Tapestries of magnificent battle scenes covered most of the walls.

The Shining Shield Inn catered to knights visiting Dralin as well as other nobles. A few of the men were dressed in their armor, all polished and well cared for. Others wore elegant clothing unlike anything Sheela had ever seen or even imagined. Most wore fine swords on their belts. Sitting with the men were squires and servants that helped the inn staff to take care of the knights. Noble ladies were at many of the tables, drinking wine and holding dignified conversations.

Albert, a burly one-armed man built like a tree, came over to them. "Hello, Frath. It's good to see you." Upon seeing Sheela, Albert frowned in disapproval. "Why have you brought this vagabond into my establishment?"

"Hello, Albert. This is Sheela and she just arrived in Dralin. I heard you need a new girl to clean rooms and help out in the kitchen." Frath kept a hand on Sheela's back to provide moral support. "I see a lot of people pass by every day and their faces all blur together. I'd like to help a lot of them, but there's not much a simple guard like me can do."

"You're not a simple guard, Frath. You're a good man with the heart of a knight." Albert put his lone hand on Frath's arm in a gesture of respect. He looked Sheela up and down. "She's small and terribly skinny, but I can see spirit in the way she stands straight and looks me in the eye. We'll have to get her decent clothes." He motioned for a pretty, blonde woman, who had just finished delivering food to a table, to come over. "Tonya, this is Sheela. Find something for her to wear, get her some food and put her in the room in corner of the basement. She's small enough to fit in it."

Frath released a barely perceptible sigh of relief. "Thank you, Albert. May I come to visit her on occasion?" His arm moved back over her shoulders as though he suddenly didn't want to let go.

Albert raised an eyebrow, but nodded without saying anything. One of the customers called and he left to take care of him, giving Frath one more clap on the arm.

With an encouraging smile, Tonya held out a hand and wiggled her fingers for Sheela to go with her.

Frath smiled encouragingly and gave Sheela a giant hug, which she returned fiercely.

As Tonya led her to the basement stairs in the back of the common room, she looked over her shoulder. Frath was watching her with a smile on his face. She smiled back happily as she walked down the steps.

## Chapter 2

The next two weeks passed quickly. Sheela truly was a hard worker and did an excellent job. Albert didn't manage the staff directly, having managers in charge of different aspects of the inn to do that for him. His wife, Purla, efficiently ran the kitchen and oversaw the hotel staff, tolerating no foolishness.

The food served to Sheela and the other servants was basic, but well made. It was the best she had eaten in her life and there was always enough for everyone. At first she made a couple of mistakes in doing her job, but Purla and some of the others taught her how to do things correctly, for which she was grateful.

Frath came to visit three times in those two weeks, but she was always too busy to spend more than a few minutes with him. On the first visit, they spent time just holding hands and gazing into each other's eyes. The next two times they held each other tightly as though the world might rip them away from each other. Frath would always ask if she was all right and she would happily tell him she was doing wonderfully, which pleased and relieved him all at once.

Purla had finally given her time to spend with Frath on his day off. Sheela waited for him on a small ironbound wooden bench in an expansive garden behind the inn. Brick-paved paths meandered around numerous fruit trees and well-manicured flowerbeds. It was a nice place where she spent what little free time she had. Albert allowed servants to use the garden as long as they didn't bother the guests and gave up seats when asked. The weather had been nice the last few days and everything was dry. The sun was warm enough to keep away the chill of a light morning breeze that rustled through the remaining multicolored leaves in an attempt to shake them off the trees. The aroma of flowers drifted underneath her nose and she inhaled deeply while brushing honey-brown hair out of her eyes each time a gust mussed it.

Purla had given her two copper pieces for her work. Normally, she would make seven copper pieces a week, a decent wage that included room and board. However, most of that had gone toward purchasing three dresses, a pair of shoes and basic personal supplies. Sheela stared at the coppers in her hand, not sure what to spend them on or even how to use money.

"Congratulations on your first payday," Frath said softly from behind.

A yip escaped her throat and her hand jerked in surprise, dropping the coins. "Oh!" She scurried to pick them up.

Frath bent over to grab one and handed it to her as they both stood straight. "I'm sorry I startled you. His deep voice wrapped around her, making her feel safe and foolishly happy.

"It's all right." Looking back at the coins, she said, "I'm not sure what to do with them. I've never had money before."

"Keep them in your purse," he told her, pointing at the small leather pouch on her belt. "Then put it between your breasts, otherwise a cutpurse will easily take it from you." Upon seeing Sheela blush at the mention of her breasts, Frath apologized. "I'm not doing well today, am I? You're so innocent and this city makes me rough. I don't deserve you."

Sheela threw her arms around his waist in desperation. "Don't say that!" For all she had remained strong throughout everything in her life, he was the only person who had ever shown her compassion. It had been possible to hold her chin up when she didn't have someone who cared. Now that she had tasted that sensation, there was no way she could survive its loss.

He gripped her tightly and kissed the top of her head. Her hair was clean from the twice-weekly baths she was required to take and she liked how soft it could be. The feel of him wrapped around her and the warmth of his breath comforted her. He breathed deeply. "You smell of raspberries. I could breathe your scent all day and be content."

Sheela laughed as she separated from him a little, putting her hands on his chest. "Tonya put raspberry oil in my bath this morning after I got in. She said it would make me smell nice for our date today." Blood drained from her face. "That was what Tonya called it . . ."

Frath tipped her head up by putting a finger under her chin. He did it every time he wanted to make sure she heard his words.

Sheela was certain he liked looking into her eyes as much as she liked looking into his. At the same time, she wondered if he knew how much she willingly surrendered to him every time he did.

"It would please me greatly if you would do me the honor of accompanying me on a date this fine day," he requested formally.

She curtseyed as she had seen some of the ladies do for their knights. It wasn't as elegant, but she thought she did a decent job. "I would love to go on a date with you, my brave champion."

When Frath slid his hand behind her head and kissed her firmly, she froze. A thousand feelings burst into her mind and through her body all at once. Many were unpleasant and brought terror to the forefront of her thoughts.

Frath pulled back and studied her for a moment. His face paled at the sight of her shock. "I'm so sorry, Sheela. I should have asked first."

Sheela didn't know what to say so she burst into tears and seized his waist again, clinging to him for dear life. He held her and they stood there for a few minutes until she could think again. He had a handkerchief for her to wipe her eyes and nose when she took a step back.

"I'm sorry. Please don't leave me."

He took her arms and knelt so he could look up at her. "I won't leave you. You have nothing to be sorry for. I was too bold."

She shook her head fiercely. "No. You weren't. I liked the kiss and want to try again . . . sometime. I like you . . . I love you." Her gut clenched as she said the last, hoping he wouldn't think her the fool.

"I love you too, Sheela. I have since that first day you arrived. It seems foolish to fall in love so fast, but it's how I feel."

They embraced again, both desperate to cling to love and hope in a city filled with despair.

Purla walked up and cleared her throat. "Are you two actually going anywhere today or are you just going to stand there trying to see who can squeeze hardest?"

They jumped and looked guiltily at the woman who was taking freshly washed and folded sheets back to the inn. Purla was the sort of person who worked just as hard as her staff.

Sheela curtsied. "I'm sorry, Purla. We'll go right away."

The matronly woman laughed lightly. A life of smiling was adding pleasant wrinkles on her face. Life and vigor filled her despite the grey taking over her hair. The innkeeper's wife truly cared for the women who worked for her, a thing that had surprised Sheela, especially in such a dark city. "I'm just teasing. You two can stand there like trees if you wish, but it's a beautiful day and you should enjoy yourselves." With that, she briskly went back to her task.

Sheela held out the pouch still in her hand. "Will you keep this for me?"

"Of course." Frath put it in an inside pocket of his tunic. Even on a day off, he wore the uniform of the City Guard, sturdy black pants sewn with brown thread and a brown tunic with black seams and buttons. His wavy black hair matched the clothes, but the blue of his eyes stood out, making for a striking effect.

As they walked toward the back gate she asked, "Do you ever wear anything other than your uniform?"

He shook his head. "No. Regulations require guards to wear the uniform at all times. Luckily, we're supplied four, plus the chain shirt. There's a dress uniform for formal events. Pants and tunics are washed for us, but we have to care for our own armor and swords."

The guard at the gate let them through and they walked into a small alley between the inn grounds and the stable area that took up another two blocks. Many of the knights had fine horses and Albert only employed the best stable hands.

Frath continued explaining as they turned onto a side street. "It's a high crime to kill a member of the City Guard. When it happens, every member of the Guard is charged with finding the offender and bringing him to justice." He tugged on his tunic. "Wearing these colors keeps me safe. Only the most insane fool would dare to attack me. It should help keep you safe, too, when you're with me. I reported the incident where someone tried to grab you at the bazaar two weeks ago and it upset my sergeant so much he said a few swear words even _I_ didn't understand." Frath chuckled and shook his head.

Sheela had been trying to forget that, but had woken up with nightmares a couple of times, a fact she didn't mention to him. "Thank you for saving me that night . . . for everything you've done."

"You're welcome." A gigantic smile lit his face. "I can't stop thinking about you, honestly, and I'm so glad you came to Dralin. I'd been feeling down about things and now I'm walking on a cloud." Frath did a little skip which shocked a passerby and caused Sheela to laugh.

Workers and servants filled the streets, going about their business. A few merchants and nobles shoved through the crowd in addition to many young entrepreneurs and business people eagerly looking to advance their position in life. Frath led Sheela at a leisurely pace, matching his steps to hers. He was nearly a foot taller; she liked his height because it made her feel safe. She held onto his arm, alternately smiling at him and then looking around at the people and buildings. "What are we going to do?"

"I was going to take you to Carnival to see some of the shows. They have jugglers, musicians, actors and all sorts of disreputable characters," he told her with a wink. "I think you'll like it and it's not all that dangerous since the City Guard patrols it heavily. It's the only year-round carnival in the world and people from everywhere are attracted to it, so it wouldn't do to have it overrun with crime like the rest of the city." Frath shook his head at the last part and sighed heavily as though it was a great weight on his shoulders.

"The crime in the city bothers you; is that why you joined the Guard?"

"Yeah. I saw a lot of things while growing up here and didn't like any of it. It would have been easy for me to fall into a life of crime, real easy. I even got into trouble as a kid, but I was taken into the Guard's Program for Criminal Youth, which gives children who get in trouble with the law a taste of what the City Guard is like."

"What trouble did you get into?"

Frath stopped suddenly, surprised by the question. They were on the sidewalk near a park where birds sang cheerfully and squirrels scampered after each other. When she stood watching him, he dodged her eyes and glanced at his feet instead. "I . . ."

"You don't have to tell me," Sheela reassured him quickly. "It's none of my business."

"Yes, I do." Frath looked her in the eyes. "I told you, I'm in love with you. You said the same to me. It's important you know."

"All right." Sheela shivered, afraid of what he had to say.

Hair blew across her face and Frath brushed it aside. "I killed a man when I was twelve." The words came from his mouth as though weighted with lead.

Sheela squeezed his arm supportively in spite of the cold shock that flowed through her body.

"I lived in an orphanage with a lot of other kids and the man was a city official. He . . . hurt . . . a girl there, one of my friends . . ."

Sheela gave his arm an even tighter squeeze. "Go on."

"I stabbed him with a rusty sword some of the other orphans and I had hidden away. He died quickly. I was taken to court and the judge gave me the option of entering the Guard's program or going to jail where I most likely would have died." He ran fingers through his hair. "I entered the program and loved it. Not only that, I did well and was invited to advance into further training. I stayed when I realized I could make a difference, even a small one."

"You've made a difference in my life. I didn't know what it was like to have someone protect me or tell me nice things."

"Sheela, I . . . I murdered a man. If you want nothing to do with me, I wouldn't blame you . . ."

He expected condemnation. She lifted a tender hand to the side of his cheek. "I have no right to judge you. It sounds to me as though you tried to help a friend, but I wasn't there. I know the man you are _now_ , at least I know how you've treated me." She moved closer to him, requiring the feel of the arms he wrapped around her. "I believe you're a good man: compassionate, warm and you care for people. Those are good qualities in my eyes."

He pulled her tighter and kissed her again for an instant before remembering her previous reaction.

Sheela didn't return the kiss but didn't pull away, only looking at him vulnerably.

He kissed her forehead gently before offering his arm again. She took it willingly and they walked in silence awhile.

The old stately manors gave way to a mixture of stone and wooden buildings that didn't match at all. It was as though different architects had a contest to see who could be the most unique.

The people were just as varied as the buildings. There was the occasional merchant, peasant, worker or older person sitting on steps or talking to each out of upper level windows. Other people bustled about and Sheela had no idea who they might be or what business they might have. Frath waved a hand at the eclectic mix. "This is the Mosh District. It was named after a wizard who saved the city from a horde of ravenous defbats centuries ago."

"That sounds terrible. One of those took our cow a few years ago." Sheela shuddered. "I don't understand how they fly with wings like webs and such an oversized head. The sickly brown color of their skin made me sick. I was terrified when I saw it."

"I've never seen one myself. They don't come into the city. That one time was unusual." Frath guided her around a couple of rough men who watched him warily. "Anyway, a lot of odd people live in the Mosh District. Many of the performers from Carnival have homes here and there's always a party somewhere."

"It sounds like a lot of fun." Sheela listened to the murmur of people talking and the occasional shouts and laughter of children playing. There was so much noise in the city as opposed to the oppressive silence of the countryside where she grew up. At times, it had seemed like even the birds weren't thrilled about blessing the farm with their songs. Sheela didn't see the look of worry Frath gave her when her smile turned down at the memories.

She shook off the gloom and took a deep breath. In the district where the Shining Shield Inn was, men and ladies wore perfumes, the gutters were kept mostly clean, and smells were mostly gentle. In the Mosh District, odors became stronger, people wore twice as much perfume instead of taking baths and the streets weren't as clean. The people were cheerful and friendly though. A few even tipped their hats or nodded in greeting. Frath would always nod back seriously while Sheela smiled and even waved a little bit. It felt good to smile, but odd at the same time. She worried someone might catch her doing it and tell her she was being insolent.

Noise grew louder when they neared Carnival while the smell of a myriad of food wafted under their noses, drawing them forward. One moment they were walking between buildings and the next, brightly colored tents and banners ruffled in the light breeze.

A garishly dressed performer walked by them on his hands while juggling three multicolored balls with his feet. Sheela turned and gawked at him as he traveled into the Mosh District they had just come from. He somersaulted to his feet and caught all three balls before walking away. She turned to Frath with a wide grin on her face. "Did you see that?" He was watching her reaction joyfully, causing her to blush in embarrassment.

"There are all sorts of performers like that who perform tricks for a copper or two," he explained.

"Oh, should I give him a copper?" She looked back for the figure that had disappeared in a crowd.

"No. Don't you dare spend your coin. Keep it for something you really want. Most performers know who can afford a coin or two and often enjoy performing more for those who don't have a lot."

"All right." Sheela was glad she didn't have to give away the coins.

They passed more performers who did their acts on small wooden stages placed at random intervals. Whenever Sheela found one that was particularly fascinating, they would stop so she could watch. Frath seemed to be enjoying himself as much as she was.

Vendors sold all sorts of wares in canvas booths. Sweet treats and specialty foods were common items for sale. Frath bought her a sticky bun and a vegetable shish kabob, both of which she thoroughly enjoyed. Many hawkers sold jewelry, perfumes and incense or outlandish clothing. They shouted about their wares from in front of their tents unless they already had customers. Frath steered her away from the some of the more aggressive salespeople who tried to grab her arm to convince her to try a nice skin cream or to get her ears pierced.

They came to a small theatre dug into the ground in a half bowl shape with forty rows of gradually descending, curved benches. "Here we are. It's crowded, but I think I see some seats." He pointed to the right hand side of the bowl and led her in that direction.

A couple of men glared at Frath when he wanted to sit about halfway down into the theatre. He took the hint and moved on. At Sheela's questioning look he shrugged. "Not everyone likes the Guard. I'm not going to spend our date creating conflict. I think there's a better seat anyway." He pointed at a clear space in the tenth row that was closer to the middle.

The people sitting on the bench moved their legs so they could get through and a moment later, the two of them were sitting in excellent seats with a clear view of the stage. A brightly dressed woman with multiple piercings and tattoos, who sat on Sheela's left, nodded politely and went back to talking to her friends.

Frath positioned his sword so it was comfortably at his waist, but he could still get to it. Not thinking, Sheela reached out and touched a small design on the crossbar. The steel felt cold against her fingers and light rippled through the design. She jerked her finger back, looking guiltily at Frath.

The expression on his face was unreadable. He reached down and touched the design, causing the light to ripple again. "It's the crest of the City Guard, a hawk holding a sword in one claw and a wand in the other. All swords carried by the Guard have a touch of magic. Dralin has more wizards and magical items than anywhere in the world, so it's a necessity."

"It sounds so dangerous." She wanted to touch it again, but realized it would be inappropriate. "I think you must be very dangerous, too, to be in the Guard, no?"

"Yes, I'm . . . _very_ dangerous." He lowered his eyes to the ground beneath his feet. Then he looked up. "I promise I'm not dangerous to you. I'll protect you with my life."

Sheela returned the gaze intently. "I know. I'm not afraid of you. In fact, you make me feel safer than I've ever felt in my life."

The audience hushed as a foppish actor with an enormous hat and booming voice announced the start of the show. "Ladies, gentleman, women of ill repute and rogues from dark alleys. We welcome you all to the Gilded Lilly Theatre!"

"May I put my arm around you?" Frath whispered in her ear. Sheela nodded and snuggled close to him. The feel of his thigh and armored side sent a thrill through her. She idly noticed that his leg was more than twice as thick as hers before paying attention to the actor again.

"Today we have a most wonderful show for you. Originally we were going to perform a terrible show, but decided against it at the last moment!" His words drew laughter from the crowd and Sheela joined in as well. Frath's rumbling chuckle fell pleasantly on her ears and she could feel it through his chest too.

Leaning down to her, he said. "Some of the humor is bawdy. I didn't think of that before . . ."

"It's fine," she assured him, although she didn't have any idea how she would react to it. The thought of watching something bawdy sent a thrill through her veins.

Sheela blushed numerous times throughout the show and laughed loudly even more often. A couple of times, Frath told her they could go if she was uncomfortable, but she just told him to hush so she could listen. A little over an hour later, the show was done and Sheela had a large grin on her face while her cheeks ached from laughter and were heated from blushing.

They spent the rest of the day strolling around Carnival, watching various performers and snacking on treats Frath bought for her. Sheela was thankful she didn't eat a lot so he wouldn't spend too much money, not knowing how much he could afford. As the sun lowered to the tops of the buildings in the west, Frath suggested they head back, not wanting to have her out at night when Carnival became more dangerous along with the rest of the city.

Before they reached the Mosh District, Frath drew her into one of the stalls selling jewelry. It wasn't expensive, but not cheap costume jewelry either. "How much for the silver feather chain?" he asked the skinny vendor, pointing at a sturdy but feminine chain with a small feather dipped in silver.

"That's a bargain at eight silver pieces," the man replied. He was so skinny Sheela thought he might turn into a skeleton if he didn't eat soon. She gasped at the mention of the price, thinking how amazed she was at having two simple coppers, each worth only a tenth of a silver piece.

"Oh," Frath replied with the enthusiasm gone from his voice. He looked guiltily at Sheela, and then back at the necklace.

Both shock and joy jolted her heart as she realized he wanted to buy it for her, followed by panic that he might actually do so. "Frath, no . . ." she told him, putting a hand on his chest. "You've given me the most wonderful day of my life. If you wasted that much money on me, the day would be ruined by guilt."

"Here now, you're a pretty girl and it's not a waste!" the vendor exclaimed in concern at the thought of losing a sale. His voice rose an octave. "I'll lower the price to six silver, a bargain, but just for you!"

Sheela ignored him. "No, Frath. Please. I am so happy just to be with you."

"Five silver, that's my final offer!" the vendor bargained desperately.

"You made the day worth living." Frath ran his thumb along her cheek. "Someday I'll buy you jewelry worthy of your beautiful neck." He offered his arm to Sheela again and they continued on their way as the vendor followed them out of the stall, insisting they take the necklace for four silver.

***

They went through the gate into the garden, back to the spot where they had started that morning. Frath held her hands and looked into her eyes, his own deep with emotion.

"I'm scared . . . but you can kiss me now . . ." Sheela whispered.

Frath didn't move right away, causing her to wonder if he would or not. She wasn't sure which she hoped for more. Then he put his right hand on her cheek and his left around her waist. When his lips lightly touched hers, lightning shot through every nerve in her body.

It was a short kiss that seemed to last an eternity at the same time. When it ended, he placed his forehead against hers.

Once again, Sheela froze during the kiss, but this time she had been ready and enjoyed it. Wanting to experience more, she tilted her head up to him.

He responded by kissing lightly again. This time she returned the kiss tentatively and liked it even more. She reached her arm up around his neck.

After another, they sat on a nearby bench and talked about the day at Carnival. One of the servants came out and lit scattered lanterns in the garden as daylight faded the rest of the way. The two of them continued to talk, interspersing conversation with the occasional kiss. Sheela became more and more comfortable with it.

After Purla walked by the third time and coughed in their direction, they stood reluctantly. "Can I visit you again?" Frath asked hopefully.

"Yes, I get every sixth day off like today." Sheela bounced on her toes in thrilled anticipation. "And you can visit for a few minutes any other time. Purla says you're a good man else she wouldn't allow it."

"Then I'll be back next third day and maybe a few times before then for a kiss . . . If that's not too bold."

She shook her head vigorously. "I like kissing now." To prove her point, she gave him another.

He walked down the path to the gate, turning and looking back a few times with a foolish grin on his face.

"Be careful!" she called out, suddenly nervous about him going out into the treacherous city alone at night.

Purla put her arm around Sheela's shoulders

Sheela jumped before laughing nervously.

"He'll be fine. I'm guessing the two of you had a good time today?" The matronly woman smiled.

Sheela's only response was to nod and grin like a fool.

"I thought as much. Will he be visiting again next week?"

"Yes, on the sixth day. Can I have it off again?"

"Of course. You let me know if his day off changes and we'll see what we can do." Purla led her back to the inn. "You get some rest now if you can. I don't want you making mistakes because you're all doe-eyed." She winked.

"Yes, Purla." Sheela picked up her favorite cat, Smokey, who was looking for someone to let him through the door. Before going inside, Sheela took one last look over her shoulder, still worried about Frath's safety.

## Chapter 3

Small snowflakes drifted through the crisp morning air, leaving a dusting of powder covering the ground. Winter was knocking, paying no heed to the few remaining faded leaves that clung stubbornly to branches. The dim glow of sunrise peeked through a break in the cloud cover.

Two weeks had passed since Frath had taken Sheela to Carnival. He smiled happily at the memory of that day in addition to the three evenings he had been able to make it back for a few more kisses before Purla would chase him off. He truly couldn't stop thinking about Sheela and had even taken extra lumps in drills due to lack of focus. Sheela made him happy and Frath had never been truly happy before.

He knocked on the back gate to the garden. The guard let him in and gave him a friendly smack on the shoulder. Then Frath eagerly went to the small area where Sheela waited for him. She ran into his embrace.

"What are we doing today?" The excitement of adventure made her brown eyes sparkle. He loved how much life and hope filled them.

Frath ran fingers through her soft hair. "Well, that depends." He inhaled the raspberry scent emanating from the strands.

Sheela leaned into the hand. "Oh? . . ."

"There are three places I want to take you." Gravity weighed his voice. "But two of them are dangerous even with me protecting you."

She looked up at him trustingly. "Yes."

Frath studied her for a moment, his eyes soaking in every detail of her beautiful face and petite nose. He briefly wondered why someone so wonderful as her would like him. "You don't want to know the details?"

"As long as I get to be with you, I don't care." A thoughtful look crossed her face, and she grinned. "Actually, I like the idea of doing something dangerous. I feel the blood racing through my veins already."

He debated a moment. "Things could go badly and we could die or be hurt terribly. I'll defend you with my very life . . . and by that, I mean I may actually lose my life. If that happens, bad things will happen to you, too . . ." He left the words hanging in the air.

Sheela nodded slowly. "I would rather be in danger with you than safe without you."

Frath held her close, never wanting to let go. He had thought long and hard about the places they were going. The first had a specific type of danger, but they should be safe as long as they didn't do anything stupid. The second place was safe, but the third was a deadly, murky place people weren't supposed to go. He had a need to take her so perhaps she would understand his past, even if it meant she wouldn't love him anymore. "The first place we're going to is Wraith Park near the center of the city. Have you heard of it?"

Sheela's eyes widened. "Only a bit. It's supposed to be the source of all magic in the world? . . ."

Frath held his arm out for her.

She took it and they walked to the gate while he explained.

"It's not the source of all magic, but the lake in the middle has a great deal of power and creates unusual effects." They nodded to the guard as he held the gate open.

"That's what you mean by it being dangerous. I heard people get turned into ghosts or something if they drink from it." Sheela's face scrunched up as she tried to remember the tales.

"Actually, that part is true." Frath guided her onto a street that headed westward toward the center of the city. "The lake has a path along it with a wall that's magically warded to keep anyone out. There are sitting areas everywhere, but it's not wise to go there often. The magic warps everything nearby, which is part of the attraction and the danger."

She furrowed her brow, revealing a single wrinkle in the smooth skin. "Is that where the Deformed come from?"

He liked watching the different expressions that crossed her pretty features. "No. People warped by the forces of Wraith Lake are different. They're called Ghost-Touched." He guided her to the other side of the street they were on to avoid heavier crowds moving about their day's work. "Not too many get that way. Special members of the guard watch for that and keep it from happening, even if it means taking the people out of the city to a monastery."

Sheela gave a little shiver and moved closer, which pleased him to no end. The snow still fell lightly and rested atop her hair like a halo. He liked snow when it wasn't blowing, or black from soot in the air. The sky had been mostly clean the past couple of weeks though.

"So it's dangerous, but we should be all right if we don't drink the water or stay too long?"

"Right." Frath pointed to the street ahead where towers of various heights started to appear above the rooftops. "We're about to enter the Tower District. Everything here is crazy so don't let go of me."

"I wouldn't dream of it," she replied shyly. Looking ahead, she noticed the air was hazy, as though a fog was creeping in. "I know the Tower District is where most of the wizards live, but do the streets really move?"

"There are a few beliefs about that, but only the most powerful wizards and the Grand Assembly know for certain."

Much like Carnival had been a sudden change, entering the Tower District was an abrupt experience. It felt like the entire world shifted to the left just a tiny bit. "The streets are always in different locations, making it hard to find anything. The wizards like it that way and cast numerous illusions to add to the effect."

"Will we get lost?"

"No. Every guard's uniform has runes sewn in to protect against illusion and basic magics. In addition, we spend a year training in the Tower District, learning how to navigate our way through it."

He led her back across the street, avoiding a red robed man juggling yellow balls of lightning. One of the balls dropped, sending little bolts running along the cracks of the cobbled street. A new one materialized to replace it. The man's eyes glowed green and he laughed like a bird whistles.

"What's wrong with him?" Sheela turned her head to watch as they passed.

"I don't know, nor do I care at the moment. It's my day off." Frath winked at her. "Even if I were on duty, I wouldn't want to know."

She looked back at the mad-eyed wizard and decided she didn't want to know either. Frath turned down a street heading south and became quiet for a few minutes while watching people around them for any sign of danger. There were a lot of wizards on the streets in addition to a few common workers and other people of various professions.

The snow gave every indication it was going to spend the day with them, but Frath didn't mind too much. He liked snow better than the unbearably hot summer days when the city seemed to melt. While walking, he carefully scanned for pollution. An extraordinary amount of magic was wielded in Dralin, but nowhere more than the Tower District. They were on a main street kept clean unlike many of the smaller streets in the district with their puddles of corrupted magic.

Every tower was different. All were at least three levels high while the tops of many disappeared into the sky. "How do the towers stay up? They're so tall it looks like they could tip over any minute, especially the ones that are leaning." Sheela pointed at an especially precarious one that tilted over the street. She covered her head instinctively as they walked under it.

"Some of it is illusion, some is extraordinary craftsmanship and the rest is magical enhancements. Most of these buildings have been here for centuries. Each wizard that moves in finds it necessary to add more and the only way is to go up." He pointed to a tower that disappeared into the low clouds above them. Snow fell gently upon his face. They stopped a moment and stared at the white flakes drifting down between the looming towers.

Sheela giggled as they landed on her long eyelashes. She hugged him happily and they continued.

Frath told her more details of the district. "Wraith Lake, Dralin Academy, and the Estate of the Grand Assembly surround and hide the City Center. Around all of it in a giant circle is the Tower District. It's as close as wizards can get to the City Center unless they're in the Academy or work for the Assembly."

"What is the City Center? I haven't heard of it."

"I don't know. No one really does except members of the Assembly and some of the heads of the academy. It's one of the most closely guarded secrets in the world. Look out!" He wrapped her in his arms.

A misshapen figure in a robe lurched out of an alley in front of them. It staggered across the street to the alley on the other side.

Sheela gasped in fear.

People on the street backed away from it in dread.

The figure had once been a man, probably a wizard judging from the tattered robe it wore. The left side of its face looked like melted wax and the eye was missing. The right eye had a crazed look. Sickly green light emanated dimly from the mouth and nose.

"That's one of the Deformed." Frath spoke in low tones against her ear. "Stay away from them. If they bite you, or if their blood gets into your eyes, ears, mouth or any open cut, you could catch the infection. Once a person is infected, they start craving the raw pollution. I've seen Deformed on their hands and knees eating it out of gutters."

Sheela buried her face into his chest and sobbed.

Frath placed a hand on the back of her head and held her to him. "I'm sorry. It wasn't my intention to frighten you."

She wiped her eyes. "I just didn't realize it would be as bad as everyone said. Looking at that man made me sick and I hated feeling like that."

"Don't be ashamed. Deformed are hard to look at even for seasoned guardsmen. We're not allowed to do anything about them by order of the High Council. I don't like killing people, but sometimes I wish we could put them out of their misery."

Sheela stared at the alley the Deformed had entered, her face ashen.

"If you don't want to go on, I'll understand . . ." Frath mentally kicked himself for bringing her into the city.

"I _do_ want to go on. Just . . . stay close?"

"Yes, of course." He moved her past the alley at a rapid clip and went back to the previous conversation. "Anyway, nobody really knows how big the Tower District is for certain or how many wizards live here."

"Does anyone know how many Deformed there are?" Sheela wouldn't be distracted.

"No. Occasionally, someone orders a census done. A few have ordered a census of all the people in Dralin, but it's impossible to count everyone."

"Why?" Sheela looking fearfully down another alley.

It was empty. The snow had lessened to a few light flakes and the streets they were traveling had quite a bit of foot traffic. Occasionally, a carriage would go by or a peddler with a handcart full of exotic goods to sell to some crazy wizard.

"Well, the wizards don't like to be counted, many of the commoners are transient, a lot of the people are homeless and it's hard to pin them down, but worst of all there's a lot of crime in the city and rogues don't like government officials counting them." Frath winked. "The last few officials who suggested a census be taken disappeared mysteriously and the City Guard has been discouraged from looking for them."

Sheela's eyes widened in surprise. "That's terrible."

Frath hadn't really thought about it before. "Well . . . yeah, I suppose it is. Maybe this was a bad idea. I didn't really think about . . ."

"No!" Sheela stopped him with a hand on his chest. "This is a wonderful idea. I want to see more of the city and everything you're telling me is fascinating!" She closed her eyes and did a little spin. "I've always dreamed of being in the big dangerous city and now I'm here." She put both hands on his chest. "And the best part is you, Frath. I feel so safe when you put your arm around me. You know so much about the city. Listening to everything you tell me and seeing everything you show me is wonderful." Sheela became serious. "Thank you for taking me out. Thank you for being my friend and . . . just thank you for everything." Once more, she wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her cheek against his chest.

Frath ran his fingers through her hair and kissed the top of her head, closing his eyes to savor the sensation of having her close. "I love you," he told her earnestly.

"I love you too, so very much." She looked up into his eyes again. They kissed, ignoring the disapproving looks of people passing by.

A moment later, they were walking again. Frath took up the conversation once more. "So you have the City Center in the middle of Dralin. You have Wraith Lake, Dralin Academy, and the Grand Assembly Estate around that. Both the Academy and the Grand Assembly Estate are larger than most royal castles or palaces. In a wide circle around that is the Tower District. Beyond that are the older districts like the Noble District where the Shining Shield Inn is. The Mosh District and Carnival District used to be much different, but have changed into their current forms. There are three other old districts around it too, for a total of six. Beyond that are more than I can easily name, all spreading out in every direction."

"Dralin is the biggest city in the world, isn't it?"

"Well . . . No one's really certain. It might be. Oimryi, the capital of Mayncal may be the same size or larger. Some say there are larger cities on other continents across the oceans, but I don't know if it's true." He gestured to where the towers stopped and an open park took over. "Wraith Park is just ahead."

Once again, the transition between districts was abrupt. One moment, there were buildings on either side. The next there were well-maintained grassy areas cut by meandering paths.

Sheela stuttered to a halt. It was easy to understand why. Wraith Lake had powerful magic that disrupted everything around it.

The grass was pink instead of green, not a pleasant pink, but the sort that shocks the eyes and makes the stomach turn. The leaves on the trees were odd colors as well. Even more bizarre were the shapes of the trees. No two were alike and all were twisted in different ways. One on their left was as tall as the wizard's towers nearby, but its branches grew downward. Another was low with branches a hundred feet in every direction, defying gravity by not touching the ground. There was no rhyme or reason to any of it.

"The flowers are glowing." Sheela pointed at a row of luminescent blue blossoms lining the path. "Is it safe to touch them?"

"It's safe. Don't eat anything that grows here though. You'll lose your mind."

Sheela went to the flowers, squatted next to them and ran fingers carefully along the petals of one. Frath squatted next to her and ran his hand gently up and down her back. Rather than look at the blossoms, he stared at the shape of her spine through her burgundy dress. He couldn't believe his fortune at finding someone so wonderful.

When Frath had first seen her coming into the city, Sheela's thinness had alarmed him. At the time, he could see bones pushing against her skin through the tattered dress she had worn. Smudges of dirt had covered her delicate features and knotted her hair. In the short time Sheela had lived and worked at the Shining Shield Inn, good food had softened the edges of her bones and added a healthy color to her smooth skin.

He moved his hand to her side and enjoyed the feel of her against his palm and fingers as he ran it up and down to her hip.

Frath realized Sheela had frozen.

"I'm sorry." He pulled his hand away and stood.

Sheela stood with him. The look on her face was unreadable. "There's nothing to be sorry for. I like it when . . . when you touch . . ." She brushed hair back over her ear and held her lower lip between her teeth. "How far away is the lake?" She looked up the street.

Frath didn't answer right away because he was too busy staring at the line of her jaw. When she looked back at him, he shook his head to clear it. "Umm . . . how far? It's about fifteen minutes away. This is one of the main streets to it, used for heavier traffic. I thought we might walk along smaller paths awhile." He gestured at one that rounded the low tree.

"I'd like that." Sheela's eyes sparkled with mystery.

Frath took a deep breath and tentatively put his arm around her shoulder again, not certain if it was wanted.

Sheela put hers back around his waist and let him guide her to the path.

They strolled in silence, observing flowers, trees and multihued grasses along the sides of the paths. One of the trees was translucent allowing them to see through its trunk and leaves. The effect was surreal, causing them to rub their eyes. Frath knew they would get headaches if they stared too long.

Statues of once famous people decorated the park. The Lake warped them too, although it took much longer than it did for the plants. Only two statues never deformed. Both were of individuals who had dedicated their lives to the welfare of humanity. It was said they had been pure of heart, while every other statue had been twisted to reveal the corrupt hearts of those they had been dedicated to. After a while, only abstract sculptures and statues dotted the multihued grasses.

"It's just so . . . _weird_. Nothing is as it should be. It's making me a little sick." She took the opportunity to bury her face into his chest again.

Frath closed his eyes and soaked up the closeness. "The lake is just over there. Let's go take a look at it and then we'll leave."

She nodded and moved to his side again. They increased their pace along the path.

One thing Frath had always noticed when was that there wasn't a single animal of any kind, not even insects. Any attempts by government officials to introduce animals either resulted in the animals getting out as quickly as possible or dying within a few days. Frath could relate to how they felt about it. The park was unnatural and there was something about it that made him want to run away a little more each time he visited. Patrolling Wraith Park was the least favorite duty within the City Guard, even more so than violent neighborhoods or the perilous sewers.

When they reached the low wall that prevented anyone from getting too close to the lake, Sheela squeezed him tight. "I don't like it at all."

Wisps of white vapor drifted from the glassy surface of the motionless lake. It was large, at least a mile across and two miles to either side. He could barely make out the wall on the other side that protected against anyone using a looking glass to see the City Center. The edge of the water was about a thousand feet away from the wall where they stood and its shore consisted of shiny black rocks. Frath had been told that the lake was ice cold, yet snowflakes evaporated before reaching its surface.

"Something is wrong here . . . everything is wrong here, Frath. Can we leave? Please?"

He pulled her in tight and led her away from the lake. Looking back at the shadowy waters, he shivered just a little.

Frath didn't take her the way they had come, although he considered taking her back to the inn and just sitting in the garden with her for the rest of the day. "Sheela . . . maybe we shouldn't go on. Coming here was a bad idea and . . ."

She cut him off again. "No. Coming here was a wonderful idea. I've wanted to see the lake and I'm glad you're here to hold me." She gazed at him earnestly as they walked. "I can handle anything when your arm is around me. I want to do everything you had planned no matter how dangerous or . . . weird." She finished with nervous laughter, which Frath echoed.

They entered the Tower District heading south. Along the way, they saw two more of the Deformed, but each was at a distance. Sheela buried her face into Frath's side each time as he guided her away from them. Before long, they left the district and entered another with grand estates and well-dressed people.

"This is the Merchant District, which is southwest of the Noble District." Frath moved his arm in an arc. "Many officials of the treasury live here, a number of wizards and others, but mostly it's filled with the richest and most powerful merchants in Dralin. You'll discover a lot of people frowning at us." He pointed at a gaggle of opulently dressed women wearing judgmental sneers as an accessory. They had three bodyguards who quietly acknowledged Frath with nods. "It's the rule that people here have to look down on anyone who has less money than them." Bitterness tainted his voice as they moved to the street to walk around the judgmental women.

Sheela looked up at him, not knowing if she should laugh.

"It's frustrating to be looked down upon. The City Guard spends a great deal of time and effort keeping their houses safe."

"Aren't there a lot of merchants in the Noble District too?" Sheela asked.

Frath nodded. "Yeah. At one point, Altordan had a king and nobles and the capital was in a different city. One of the kings decided that the Conclave of Wizards in Dralin had become too powerful, so he sent the military to destroy them. That king and anyone loyal to him died quickly." Frath moved her back onto the sidewalk out of the way of a carriage. "The Conclave of Wizards took over the military and created the High Council to run the city and the Grand Assembly to run the kingdom. The nobles were allowed to continue owning land and hold power over that land, but only if they were loyal to the Assembly. Now it's just not all that popular or impressive to be a noble in Altordan, so merchants and wizards have taken over much of the Noble District."

"You said the High Council runs the city and the Grand Assembly runs the kingdom. I was under the impression that the High Council was more powerful than the Grand Assembly," Sheela said in confusion.

"It is." Frath stroked her back. He realized she had only worn a dress without a jacket or cloak and was a bit chilled. "Do you have anything warm to cover yourself with?"

She shook her head. "No, but it's all right. I'm used to cold winters and this dress is warm."

"Hmm . . ." Frath frowned. "We'll have to take care of that." Sheela's cheeks flushed and she looked down in shame, making him feel guilty. The day wasn't going anything like he had planned. He wanted very much for her to be happy. "Dralin is more important and more powerful than the rest of Altordan," Frath told her, going back to the original subject in the hopes of settling her mind.

It worked. The redness left her cheeks and she perked back up in interest. "How interesting. I love the way you tell me about everything." Her eyes shined with delight.

"I'm having fun talking about it," Frath replied happily. "Most people don't care anything about the city, but in the Guard we have to learn a lot of history and details. It helps us do our jobs better."

"I think you do your job wonderfully."

"Well . . . thank you. I work hard." Frath knew her compliment was because she liked him.

"Did I say something wrong?"

"I just . . ." He stopped and took a deep breath. "I don't always think I do a good job. There are too many people who suffer. I was able to get you a safe place to live and work, but so many girls and young men have passed by and come to terrible fates." A tight feeling wrenched his gut.

"Frath, what's wrong?"

He shook his head, but she gripped his arm tightly and put a hand on his cheek. Frath closed his eyes. "Last week a young woman came through wearing a bright yellow dress. She was with her parents, rustic farmers, and smiling brightly at the sights of the city." He paused for a moment to battle the tightness in his throat. "This week I was moved to patrol in a part of the city I will never take you to. We found her broken body in an alley, dead and . . ."

Frath stared upward at the flakes falling from the sky, trying to lose himself in the grey of the clouds. Sheela slid her hand to the side of his neck, wrapped the other around him and pressed herself tightly to him. She said nothing, only lending the strength of her slight body to him.

Holding onto Sheela was the best feeling in the world, but at the same time, terror clenched his heart when he thought something like that could happen to her. Very few guardsmen had relationships in Dralin for very good reason. It was impossible to keep a clear head when everyone you cared about was always in danger. A part of him wished he had never met Sheela so he wouldn't have to care, but he needed her now and had already fallen in love. That knowledge terrified him.

"Her parents were found dead last night, murdered for their few belongings and stuffed in a barrel in some warehouse. They had been killed not long after coming into town." Frath clenched his teeth. "It hurts so much to know what happened to that young woman and to think the same could have happened to . . ." He just couldn't say it out loud.

Sheela squeezed him with all her might. He held her tightly in return and buried his face in her hair. The young woman's death had bothered him more than he had admitted to his unit. There were people he could talk to about things that bothered him, but he couldn't bring himself to go to them. Being a City Guardsman in Dralin was hard physically, emotionally and spiritually. Every member was encouraged to visit priests or councilors whose job it was to talk to or just to listen to members of the Guard.

"I keep imagining if that had been you and it's killing me inside, Sheela."

She didn't answer with words for which he was thankful. The fact that she was there, safe with him for the moment had to be enough. Frath ran his hands up and down her back, wishing they could stay like that forever.

"Are you two going to stand there all day or you going to get a room?" a woman asked merrily.

They jumped in surprise, having forgotten there was a world around them. The sights, sounds and smells of the city came rushing back.

A female house guard leaned on a waist-high wall of a modest estate. "I didn't mean to startle you, but you were blocking traffic." A smirk cracked her face, showing a gold tooth that replaced a missing one. There were a couple of small scars on her cheeks and Frath could tell from her easy manner she would be tough in a fight, not as good as him, but not to be trifled with either.

Frath felt his cheeks warm in embarrassment. "No problem." City Guards were supposed to be tough, not lovey-dovey. With a wave, he led Sheela away, ignoring the kissing sounds the woman made at their backs.

Sheela blushed bright red.

## Chapter 4

They were silent until reaching a large estate with a high, wrought-iron fence. Tall, dense bushes grew along the inside, preventing anyone from seeing past. They walked up to the gate and Frath pushed a glowing purple button alongside it. There were two large evergreen trees to either side of the gate. A squirrel scurried to the end of a branch near the button and asked in a high-pitched voice, "Yeah, watcha want?"

Sheela gasped in alarm and hid behind Frath, peeking around from his side.

"Frath Jornin and company to see Lady Pallon."

The fact that a squirrel was talking didn't seem to bother him at all.

"Oh yeah, the lady is expecting you." The squirrel chattered at the gate, which opened in response.

"Thank you." Frath led Sheela up the path.

Sheela stared over her shoulder at the squirrel until it scampered into the tree.

The yard wasn't as well cared for as others, though it wasn't a complete mess. Knee-high grass and iron poles with unlit lanterns lined stone pavers that made up the winding main path. The huge manor was three stories high and extended two hundred feet in either direction. Ivy climbed the front of the building and the stone columns that held up a balcony extending the length of the building.

Scattered around in small garden areas were numerous rosebushes, their buds closed in the cold air. A murky pond with lilies and cattails loomed to the right of the path. Sheela got the distinct impression it was grumpy about the snow that was falling. Long weeping willows bordered it and grew in other areas of the yard. Sheela had the sudden urge to explore.

"It's spooky and exciting all at the same time." Sheela stared in awe. They walked up the wide steps to a large wooden door carved with intricate designs of roses inlayed with red and green resins.

"Lady Pallon is a friend of mine I visit whenever I'm able. I told her about you and she insisted I bring you by." Frath lifted the large rose-faced knocker and banged it down a few times, creating a booming sound within.

The door opened with a loud creak that shuddered through the air. Peering out at them was an elderly woman wearing a light blue dress with excessive ruffles and white lace. Wrinkles created by decades of smiling lined her face. She stood tall and straight despite her age. Dark pink eyes, common in Dralin and much of the world, held vast intelligence and wisdom. She looked into a person rather than at them.

Sheela ducked behind Frath, staring from around his arm in awe at the charismatic woman.

"Frath, how wonderful of you to visit." Lady Pallon's voice sounded like a spoon ringing against crystal. "I see you brought your friend, Sheela isn't it? Well come here child and show me a proper curtsy."

Purla had taught Sheela how to curtsy because so many nobles visited the inn. She came out from behind Frath and did her absolute best.

"Well, that's very nice. You need to hold your elbows out a bit more, but it'll do. Come in, come in, have some lunch and tell me all about yourself." She held the door open and gracefully gestured for them to enter.

Frath put his arm out for Sheela and they walked through.

Lady Pallon took the lead, walking gracefully. "Come into the parlor. Lunch is being made as we speak.

Sheela gaped at the entry hall in awe. The floor was russet-brown and beige marble. Balconies overlooked the entry from each wing and a grand staircase with a landing halfway up split to both sides.

Lady Pallon led them into an opening into the parlor. Paintings lined the walls of the sophisticated room with its expensive furniture and decorations. A small fire flickered in the fireplace, making the room warm and cozy. While the obvious wealth and affluence of the lady and her estate were intimidating, there was a manner about her that made Frath feel comfortable and he sensed Sheela relaxing as well.

"Here we are. Sit, sit by the fire and get warm." Lady Pallon indicated a long couch with thick green cushions. "Where is your cloak, child?" A disapproving frown crossed Lady Pallon's lips.

"I haven't got one yet, Milady." Sheela sat tentatively as though afraid she would get in trouble for sitting in the presence of nobility. Frath sat next to her.

Instead of replying to Sheela, Lady Pallon chastised Frath. "And you didn't see fit to provide her with one?"

His only reaction was to blush in shame.

The lady clucked in disapproval. "We shall just have to remedy that." She walked out of the room, all the while shaking her head and mumbling under her breath about foolish youngsters.

"Are we in trouble?" Sheela shifted closer to Frath.

Frath took his sword off and set it on a nearby table so he could sit back. "Not at all. Lady Pallon is a wonderful woman who wants us to be safe and warm, that's all." As he put his arm around her shoulders again, she leaned into him and rested both hands on his thigh. The touch sent a thrill through him. He slid the hand on her shoulders down her side to her hip, ready to move it if she protested. Her only response was to lean harder against him and run one of her hands slowly up and down his thigh.

Neither said a word while they sat there concentrating on each other's touch.

"It's nice to see young people in love."

They jumped and separated an inch.

"No, no. You two lovebirds get as close as you like." She set a folded, dark-green cloak on the arm of the couch next to Sheela.

Sheela reached over and ran a hand along the smooth fabric. "Milady, it's too fine."

"Nonsense. It's an old thing that was my daughter's and hasn't been used in years." Lady Pallon waved off the protest as she sat on an elegant, cushioned chair. "You'll take it, wear it and I'll hear no more chirping about it otherwise."

"How _is_ your daughter, Milady?" Frath asked gently, knowing it was a sensitive subject.

She clasped her hands in her lap. "That girl . . ." Lady Pallon shook her head. Combs held her white hair tight, keeping it from moving with the motion. "Melody is such a mess right now. I swear I don't know what I'm going to do with her." Tears welled up in her eyes and one trickled down a cheek. She turned her head to the side, trying to hold them in.

Frath leaned forward in concern. "What's happened now? Is there anything I can do?"

"No, there's nothing any of us can do. She won't see me anymore. Now she's gone and gotten pregnant, but doesn't know who the father is." The dignified lady wiped her eyes carefully with a handkerchief she pulled out of a little purse in her lap. "She's still doing those drugs though and I'm afraid she's going to hurt herself and the baby."

"I can talk to her." Frath wanted very much to help, though he knew there was most likely nothing he could do.

"I'm sorry, Frath, but she wouldn't give you the time of day. With you being in the City Guard, things could go very badly for you and her and I just . . ." She looked toward the fire again to hide more tears that threatened. Frath reached over and held her hand.

A red-haired servant in a sturdy dress and apron appeared in the entrance. "Lunch is ready, Milady."

"Thank you, Mary." Lady Pallon patted Frath's hand in thanks and they all rose to follow the servant into a dining room. Frath retrieved his sword.

The savory aroma reached them even before they entered. Marvelous dishes of food waited for their pleasure at one end of a large table. Lady Pallon sat at the head while Frath took Sheela to a seat on the left side. Upon seeing Frath's place setting was on the opposite side, Lady Pallon winked at the servant. "Mary, our guests would like to sit together. They _are_ in love after all."

Mary smiled in quick understanding. "Oh yes, Milady. I'll correct that right away." She hurriedly moved the place setting so the blushing couple could be next to each other.

"Have you told your darling how you saved me, Frath?" Lady Pallon plucked a grape from her plate while Mary filled their glasses with wine.

Sheela looked at the wine nervously.

Frath shook his head and picked at his food. "It's really not that big a deal."

"Of course it is. You saved my life in an amazing act of bravery for one so young as you were at that time." Lady Pallon dismissed his modesty with a wave of her hand. She turned to Sheela who was tentatively sipping the wine. "He was only fourteen at the time and was in a City Guard program that helps criminal youth. Melody and I were foolishly walking without an escort after dark near the Orphan District where Frath lived. He wasn't supposed to be out alone, especially not at night."

Frath focused on his food so he wouldn't have to look Sheela in the eye.

"A group of disreputable individuals quickly surrounded Melody and I. There were six of them armed with wicked looking swords." Lady Pallon cut the lamb chops on her plate.

Sheela watched carefully and tried to do the same.

"No dear, like this." Lady Pallon demonstrated the proper way to hold the fork and knife. "I've given up trying to get Frath to eat like a proper young man should."

Frath blushed and slowed down when he realized he had been shoving food in his mouth as quickly as possible, the normal way of eating in the guard.

"As I was saying, Melody and I were in mortal danger. Our bodyguard at the time had been sick and I thought we would be just fine going out on our own."

Sheela began eating as she listened in interest. Frath continued to look anywhere else.

"Young Frath saw us in trouble and threw a rock at the leader of the men, knocking him out with an _amazing_ shot to the head. Two of the others turned on him with their swords while three kept an eye on us."

Sheela looked at Frath with new admiration.

He shrugged while focusing intently on his plate.

"I was worried for the boy against the rough swordsmen, but to my surprise he immediately disarmed one man, retrieved the sword and killed both with it. The other three took him seriously at that point, but Frath never seemed to be where they expected. He tumbled and spun between the three of them and before we knew it, there were six bodies lying on the ground around us."

"Really?" Awe filled Sheela's expression. "I know he's strong and brave, but that's amazing."

Frath ignored them both and took another bite of his food.

"It was also disturbing. Have you seen a dead body before, child?"

Sheela paled, but didn't answer. Frath couldn't tell if she had or not.

Lady Pallon nodded. "It's a terrible sight and the young man was quite messy about the whole thing. He had blood all over his clothes and looked quite fierce. For a moment I was just as afraid of him as I had been of the villains." Her laughter was light and airy as she remembered the moment.

Frath wished he could forget it.

"I thanked him for rescuing us and asked what reward he would have. Do you know what he requested?" Lady Pallon leaned in toward Sheela.

Sheela shook her head. "I have no idea. Tell me, please."

"He only asked that we not tell the Guard." She sat back and took a bite of her food.

Sheela looked at Frath in puzzlement, but he just shrugged again.

Lady Pallon leaned forward again and put an elbow on the corner of the table in a very unladylike gesture. "He wasn't allowed to get into a fight on his own and he also wasn't supposed to be out after dark."

"If anyone had found out, I would have been kicked out of the program and sent to jail," Frath admitted quietly. "I just couldn't let those men . . ."

"And I am forever grateful, my friend." Lady Pallon flicked her fingers. "In any case, Melody and I brought him home to clean up and gave him a safe place to sleep. We haven't told anyone about the incident although I don't think he'd get in trouble for it anymore." She looked at Frath for verification.

He shook his head. "No. I made it through the program and I'm an official guardsman now. Every guard's past is completely forgiven once they take their final oath. That said, I still don't want to make a big deal out of it." Frath felt uncomfortable with everything that had happened that night. "The way you've treated me and given me a safe place to go to since then has meant everything to me, Milady."

"But of course! Not only did you save us that night, but I like you, Frath." She smiled blissfully. "You remind me of my husband, as I've told you before. You have the same ideals as he did, rest his soul. This is always a safe place for you and yours." Lady Pallon gestured to Sheela to include her in the statement.

"Thank you, Milady. This has become as close to a home as I've ever had," Frath told her sincerely. "If anything ever happens to me, would you look after Sheela for me?"

"No!" Sheela exclaimed.

"Of course, but nothing's going to happen to you. I insist," Lady Pallon said at the exact same time and stuck out her tongue.

"Frath, nothing's allowed to happen to you!" Sheela burst into tears. "I don't think I could live anymore if something happened to you."

He put his arms around her, feeling guilty for upsetting her.

Lady Pallon stared at him through narrowed eyes to let him know that she wasn't thrilled with him either at that moment.

After a minute, Sheela wiped her eyes and sat normally. She took a bite of her food in silence, refusing to look at him.

Frath sighed and finished his plate.

Mary came into the dining room. "Will you be having dessert, Milady?"

"We'll take it in the conservatory with tea, Mary." Lady Pallon stood as Mary departed for the kitchen. Sheela and Frath also stood and then followed her out of the room, into a hallway and toward the back of the house.

The conservatory was a large room made primarily out of greenish glass panels. Sheela looked around in awe. Even though Frath had been in the room before, he still felt overwhelmed by it. Glass was rare, owned by those who were well off. Only the wealthy built conservatories as large as Lady Pallon's. Plants were everywhere, many with beautiful flowers in contrast to winter moisture outside.

She led them to a sitting area at the far end of the room where they could look outside. There was another pond in the vast back yard in addition to more willows, rosebushes and other large trees. Frath knew there were other buildings, of which only one was visible from where they sat. He also knew a couple of them led underground to some of the secret areas of the city, but had never shared that information with anyone.

"So tell us about you, dear." Lady Pallon sat in a wrought iron chair with a plush cushion. There was a small wrought iron table in the middle with a glass top. Frath guided Sheela to a double seat across the table. He unhooked his sword and set it on a side table in order to sit comfortably.

Sheela paled and wrung her hands in her lap.

Frath held her a little tighter.

"I can see how upset you are, child." Lady Pallon gave an encouraging smile. "Sometimes talking helps. You're with friends."

Frath leaned in to look Sheela in the eyes.

She returned the look reluctantly and he saw tears welling there.

"I love you and there's nothing you can tell me that will stop my love."

The tears broke through and she buried her face in his chest again. After a moment, she tugged on the chain shirt peaking under his collar.. "Do you ever take that thing off?"

"Only when I'm in the barracks. Outside of them, I'm required to wear it at all times."

"It's uncomfortable to rest my head against." When neither he nor Lady Pallon responded, Sheela sighed deeply. "I ran away from home."

"I remember you telling me that. What happened?" Frath asked encouragingly.

"I . . . I . . ." Her jaw clenched and she gripped his hand tightly.

"Start from the beginning if you can," Lady Pallon suggested. "Where were you raised?"

Sheela nodded. "I was raised on a small farm a few week's walk to the southeast of here. I never went anywhere until the day my mother lost the farm." She took a deep breath to strengthen her resolve. "My father left my mother when I was five. There were three of us daughters. Both sons died in childbirth. He didn't want daughters and life was hard on the farm, so he just left. My mother struggled to care for us, spending most of her time in the fields and the rest working on household chores. At night she would collapse, exhausted."

Mary brought tea and pastries made with apples. Sheela poked at the pastry with her fork while talking. "My younger sister died when she was only a few years old. My older sister thought it was her fault and killed herself a year later while my mother was out in the fields." Sheela's voice gradually became hollow. She set the fork down and put her hands back in her lap.

Lady Pallon smiled supportively. "Go on, you're doing wonderfully. Tell us what happened, it will help heal your heart."

"My mother spent the next few years in her bed while I did just enough to care for us. The tax collectors took everything we had before kicking us out of our house." Sheela stopped, swallowing and wringing her hands faster.

They waited for her to gather the fortitude to continue.

"My mother and I walked for days, sleeping in fields when we thought the farmers wouldn't notice. Then we were caught. The man lived alone and offered us his home if my mother . . ." she trailed off, staring blankly outside.

"A mother does what she has to in order to take care of her child," Lady Pallon said in understanding.

Sheela shook her head slowly. "She just shrugged and went with him. It wasn't to take care of me, she had stopped doing that long before. He took us into his house and she just lay down in the bed. He didn't even sleep with her, going out to work the fields instead." Sheela took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I made the food and took care of things inside. When we ate that evening, he stared at me . . ."

Frath felt anger rising in his chest. He understood why she didn't want to kiss him originally and why she had frozen. Then he felt his cheeks burn in shame at how forward he had been in his advances. Sheela pushed in closer to him for strength, causing him to set aside his own musings in the realization that she needed him right then.

"That night, I bolted the door to my room. He knocked quite a few times throughout the night. I hid in the corner, terrified he would break it down." She took another deep breath, her dessert forgotten. None of them wanted anything else to eat at that moment. "The next day, I got up after he left for the fields. I took care of my mother, but she just continued to lie in bed. The clothes she had worn before were just as they were. The man hadn't touched her."

"Do you know the name of the man?" Lady Pallon asked.

Sheela shook her head. "No. He never said, nor did he ask ours. That afternoon, I was collecting eggs from the chicken coop when he suddenly appeared behind me. I dropped the eggs when he put his hands on my arms. He was so quiet and I was so busy trying to think of what to do that I didn't hear him."

Frath felt his vision growing red and his heart beating against his chest as though it was going to leap out and hunt the man down on its own.

Lady Pallon's voice cut through his fury. "Frath. Not now."

He saw her warning look and took a deep breath to calm his anger. Sheela looked at him worriedly.

When Sheela knew he was listening again, she continued. "I pulled away from his hands and ran out of the coop toward the barn. It was closer than the house and I didn't know what else to do. He followed me in and cornered me. I was so terrified. A part of me wanted to fight or continue to run away, but I couldn't seem to move as he walked toward me."

"That is perfectly understandable, dear," Lady Pallon reassured her. "You're very brave for telling us this. Go on."

Frath wasn't certain he wanted to hear more. The image of a rough, brutal man with evil eyes stalking his love like a hunched over wolf was the only image in his mind and it was taking all his willpower not to give into fury and hunt the man down.

"He took my arms again and pushed me into a pile of hay in the corner of the barn. I remember he smelled so bad." Sheela inhaled deeply, no longer crying. "He lay on top of me and forced kisses on me and I remember he tasted as bad as he smelled. I began to struggle, but he was strong. He hit me in the face twice. I think it was to get me to stop struggling, but it just made me mad."

Frath held her hands as gently as he could manage, setting his own feelings aside with extraordinary effort because he knew she just needed him to listen at that point.

Lady Pallon came over, squeezing next to her on the other side of the seat to lend even more support.

Sheela briefly smiled in gratitude. "I went still, desperately trying to think of what to do. He stood up to take off his clothes. I knew I had to escape then. When he knelt down over me again, I brought my leg up and drove my foot into that thing between his legs. I think men have those. It's different than girls." She looked questioningly at them and they both nodded silently.

Frath felt his blush go from anger to embarrassment.

"He yelled in pain, so I think it hurt a lot," Sheela said.

Frath nodded a little more briskly.

"I got up, but he caught my dress and tore it. I reached back and scratched him in the face and he yelled again. I tried running, but he knocked me down. I kicked him and got up. When he did too, I picked up a spade next to me and hit him in the face with it twice."

She stopped speaking. They sat there silently for a moment until Lady Pallon handed her a cup of tea.

Sheela took a drink, held the cup and saucer in her lap and continued in a lower voice. "He curled up in a ball and started crying. I think he was in pain. The spade fell out of my hands. I couldn't seem to hold it anymore. It was like all my strength fell to the ground in a puddle with it. I was so scared."

Frath felt her trembling. He wanted to hold her and never let go, but chose to sit silently so she would be able to finish. Lady Pallon took the shaking cup of tea out of her hands and rubbed her back encouragingly. "Go on, dear."

"I ran. I ran out the barn door and toward the road." Sheela frowned while remembering the events. "I ran down the road and didn't stop. The sky was completely clear and there was no one around. Everything was silent except for the buzzing of insects. It was like I was all alone in a different world."

Sheela retrieved the tea and took another sip. Her expression was far away as though she were alone in that other world once more. "I just walked and walked. At night, I would sleep in haystacks or anywhere else I could find where I thought no one would see me. I stole food wherever I could, but never tasted it. I thought about my mother once . . ." She took another sip of tea. "I wonder . . ."

The tears broke in a great flood, ripping through all the pain, sorrow and suffering the young woman had experienced. The cup spilled to the floor and was quickly picked up by Lady Pallon. Frath pulled Sheela into his lap and clutched her as heaving sobs wracked her body.

Lady Pallon sat quietly next to them, softly running her fingers through Sheela's hair. In a little while, the tears lessened. Then a new round of sobbing began. Finally, she fell into an exhausted sleep.

Frath held her the entire time, rocking slowly back and forth.

***

Sheela woke a few hours later still in Frath's arms. He woke up as soon as she did. Lady Pallon wasn't around, so they stood and stretched out the kinks. Snow was still falling outside, which didn't surprise Frath. When it snowed in Dralin, it tended to do so steadily for days. He felt Sheela duck under his arm, lifting it around her shoulders. She looked up at him questioningly and he smiled at her as he drew her in close.

"Ahh, you're awake," Lady Pallon said from behind. "I know it probably seems like you just ate, but you slept for hours and it's dinner time. Come eat what you will." She held her arms out to them and they accepted the warm hug she gave.

The meal was hot and delicious, tickling the nose with delight as well as satisfying the tongue. Sheela smiled easily and seemed lighter after having shared her burden. Her eyes shimmered with cheerfulness whenever she looked at Frath.

Frath enjoyed the light conversation about what the weather would be like that winter and the details that Lady Fallon shared with Sheela about the roses and trees in the yard. He didn't participate much because he was reconsidering his other plan for the day, especially since it would soon be night.

## Chapter 5

Lady Pallon saw them to the door. "It will be dark soon, Frath. You should get her home."

"I will, Milady. Thank you for having us today."

"Yes, thank you so very much, Lady Pallon," Sheela agreed. "It was great to meet you."

"But of course. You are both welcome back any time." Lady Pallon stood at the door for a moment while they walked down the path to the gate. Then she disappeared inside.

Sheela wrapped her new cloak around her shoulders and ran her hands up and down it happily. "Thank you for taking me there. She's so wonderful."

"I really wanted you to meet her. There are only a few people I consider true friends and she's one. You can go there if you ever get in trouble or need anyone."

"Nothing's allowed to happen to you." Sheela's eyes flashed anger at his earlier statements.

"I know," he replied simply, not willing to get into an argument he wouldn't win.

She narrowed her eyes, looking for any sign to chastise him more.

He didn't give her one.

The squirrel came to the end of the branch and opened the gate without need for explanation. As they walked through and the squirrel scampered up the branch, Sheela asked eagerly, "So what is the last place you're taking me to?"

"Back to the inn."

A few people moved along the street, but it wasn't as busy as it had been earlier. Sheela stopped and folded her arms stubbornly. "I don't want to go back. I want to stay with you and do the other dangerous thing." When Frath didn't respond, she put her hands on his. "Please let me stay with you tonight. I'll go back first thing in the morning in time for work."

Frath looked down the street both ways, trying to decide what to do. The truth was that he still wanted to take her even though he knew it was a terrible idea. The pleading look in her eyes destroyed all sense and resistance. "Can you move quietly?"

"I think so. The slippers Purla gave me don't make much noise."

"Promise you'll stay with me at all times. If I tell you to get behind me, do so. If I tell you to fall to the ground, do so. If I tell you to kneel, do so. If I tell you to run, do so. Every command I give you will be for your safety and you must obey it instantly, without question. Is that clear?" Frath knew his voice was hard and firm, but she had to understand.

Her eyes were wide. "Yes, it's clear."

"Promise you will do what I say, no matter how scared you might be or even if you don't understand it."

She nodded solemnly. "I promise."

Frath looked around again. No one was paying them any attention. Instead of taking her back toward the Noble District where the inn and wisdom were, he led her toward the southwest and foolishness. For a little while, they strolled along streets bordered by estates of different sizes. Sheela was quiet with anticipation of the adventure she was certain they were going on, while Frath spent a great deal of time looking around for any signs of trouble.

The estates gave way to smaller houses. Those gave way to ragged buildings including various businesses: a grocer, furniture store and a market for spirits of high quality, or so the sign suggested. Others seemed to fascinate Sheela. She kept looking back and forth to either side of the street and down side streets. Frath didn't care about any of that, instead keeping his eyes on the alleyways and rooftops. He spotted a couple of rogues who stared at him, but they made no move to interfere with his business.

Being a guardsman gave him a certain amount of protection. The entire City Guard would do everything in its power to find anyone who would murder a member. At the same time, many of the criminal elements of Dralin were just as dangerous and to openly declare war on them would be foolish for the Guard.

As a result, members of the Guard were required to act with dignity and diplomacy. It was a rule that they not insert themselves into danger unnecessarily. Walking with a pretty woman in some of the darker districts of Dralin was unnecessary danger. It was into one of those districts that Frath was leading her.

The Merchant and Church Districts were the southernmost districts of the Ancient Six around the Tower District. The Orphan District bordered the bottom of both. The change wasn't as drastic as moving from the Tower District to any other district, but it was noticeable.

"Did we enter a different district?" Sheela gazed nervously at the large, dark buildings surrounded by high walls.

Frath realized he hadn't told her anything. "Yeah. This is the Orphan District. It's where I grew up."

Her eyes widened. "It looks dangerous . . . and dirty."

Bits of trash floated along top of water in the gutters. The streets were still warm enough that the snow melted and ran into the sewers, but even that wasn't enough to clean the streets.

"Most of the buildings have walls around the yards and those that don't have iron bars on windows and doors." She pointed at a meager clothing store.

Frath tried to imagine what it would be like to someone who hadn't grown up among the shabby streets and orphanages that looked more like high security prisons than places to raise children. There was a prevailing sense of sadness that always lingered in the air, as though the city itself realized what tragedies had befallen these children.

And it truly was tragedy. Thousands of children in the orphanages had lost their parents, whether to disease, abandonment or violent deaths in the streets. A sub-council of the High Council ran the orphanages. The truth was that most of those council members were corrupt, lower-ranking officials that, for a price, let profit-making merchants put their own employees in to manage the orphanages as cheaply as possible. They shuffled children between orphanages to keep things murky. Frath had lived in eighteen different ones throughout his childhood.

Some of the more troubled kids lived in high security orphanages with barbed wire atop the walls. Those kids became hard and crafty to stay alive, adding to the criminal elements of the city in most cases. Frath had lived in one of those for a year before he killed a man. After that, they moved him to a special orphanage run in coordination with the City Guard.

"Frath . . . Are we safe?" Sheela pushed close against his side as they walked.

He jerked out of his reverie and looked around, mentally kicking himself for not being alert. There was a group of seven rough, young men on a street corner and they were sizing up Frath and Sheela. He sized them up in return as they walked through the intersection on the other side. "Yes, they're not a match for me and they know it."

Sheela looked at him, back at the group, then at him again with admiration in her eyes.

Frath had made the statement as a fact, not as a boast. The group was tough enough, but they had no real weapons or training. They would fight dirty, but the City Guard was trained to fight dirtier when the situation required it.

The young men went in a different direction, throwing a few last glances over their shoulders. Sheela looked back at them, staring in curiosity.

"You don't want to stare at people in Dralin."

She jerked guiltily and looked back at him.

"There are a lot of interesting people, but if you stare at them, they take it as a challenge or think you're watching them to turn them in for something. Just avoid anything but minimal eye contact and you'll stay a lot safer."

Sheela frowned in thought and looked back over her shoulder one last time. Then she nodded. "All right. I'll keep that in mind." The agreement only lasted a minute before she stared into an alley they passed. A group of shadowy figures hunched over another on the ground. "Frath, should we do something?"

"I can't. I'm not allowed to be here alone and it could be a trap. I'll be kicked out of the guard if I interfere."

They walked past the alley and its mysterious figures. Frath glanced back a couple of times to make sure no one would follow them. He didn't like walking by, but had learned early on that he wouldn't be able to save everyone. That knowledge ate at him a little bit each time though. Sheela kept looking behind them. What bothered Frath the most was that she repeatedly glanced at him with disappointment on her face.

A few people traveled on the streets with their heads down, trying to get to their destination safely. The clouds obscured the setting sun, bringing night along a little sooner. A lamplighter accompanied by a swordsman to keep him safe was lighting lanterns. Kids who weren't locked away in their orphanages for the night lurked through shadows rather than playing in the streets. Frath remembered the days when he used to lurk. He never joined any of the gangs, finding ways to be alone instead. He still preferred to be alone most days, although he liked being with Sheela even more.

The street ended at a towering wall lined by neglected buildings, some of which were houses whereas others were seedy shops open at night rather than the day. Frath led her south into a poorly lit, narrow alley between some of the more ragged buildings. When Sheela plastered herself to his side, he knew she was re-thinking the wisdom of going on a dangerous adventure with him. At that point, it would be more dangerous to go back than to go forward though, so he continued.

Sheela gave a little squeak when a rat bigger than her head ran across the ground in front of them. A few others prowled along the edge of buildings, much as the orphans had done in the streets past. Puddles of grimy water combined with strewn trash to make the walk unpleasant while pungent odors of food too rotten for vagrants attacked the nose.

"Coin for food?" a voice croaked from underneath some blankets, eliciting another squeak from Sheela.

Frath looked at the milky eyes of a blind beggar huddled in a corner and moved on quickly. Once again, Sheela stared. There didn't seem to be anything he could say to stop her from doing so.

There was no snow in the alley due to the fact that upper levels of the buildings were so close together above them. Melt water dripped down through openings and Frath did his best to shield Sheela from it. The tunnel he was looking for was on the right. Iron bars had once kept people out, but they were rusted and half-fallen, giving them room to pass.

Sheela resisted for a second before reluctantly going into the darkness. An instant later, only dim reflections of light shone from unknown sources. The echo of their footsteps splashing in unavoidable puddles was the only sound. Moss and mold was strong in the nostrils, indicating that few people walked through.

It didn't take long for them to reach another alley. It didn't have so much trash, but it was darker and gloomier as though the buildings were holding up a great burden that was too much to bear.

Frath turned south again, walking as quietly as possible. The soles of his boots were thick to protect against rough terrain and debris, but at the same time they were made to bend and land softly, muffling his steps. Sheela walked quieter, startling at every little sound or skitter of rat feet.

The alley let out onto a street, but the darkness didn't go away as much as one might have expected. The sun had set and only the red moon, Piohray, was out that night. The effect was that it made the clouds glow a dim pink color, casting a surreal illumination over the foreboding streets.

"Why aren't the lanterns lit?" Sheela asked in a harsh whisper that seemed to roll clumsily along the cobble in front of them.

"Lamplighters don't come to the Forlorn District. People foolish enough to enter it tend to disappear."

Sheela stopped to glare at him in disbelief. "Then why are we here?" she whispered.

"Because you said you wanted to stay with me tonight and do the other dangerous thing. This is the other dangerous thing," Frath pointed out matter-of-factly. "We're almost there."

"Where?"

"You'll see when we get there." Frath tugged her along.

She continued to glare, but followed. "What are those shapes?" She pointed at a group of hunched shadows down a side street.

"I honestly don't know. It's best not to investigate."

"Are they people?" she asked with panic rising in her voice. "I don't see people. Where are all the people?"

"People don't come here. We're in the Forlorn District," Frath said much more casually than the situation probably called for. He had been coming here since childhood and actually liked the place, even though he had never seen another living person in it. "A few centuries ago, the High Council had it walled off to keep people out because it's so haunted that even a consortium of priests couldn't exorcise the ghosts and whatever else is here."

Alarm raised her voice an octave. "So we're not supposed to be here?"

"Nope."

"Is that a ghost?" She pointed fearfully at a pair of glowing human figures staring at them from a window even though they didn't have eyes to stare with.

"No, it's two ghosts. They'll probably leave us alone. Ghosts aren't that dangerous anyways. There are other things a lot worse."

"Probably? . . . Worse? . . ." Sheela had a death grip on his arm by that point and he was pretty sure that if anything came at her, she would probably crawl up his back and over his head to get away.

"Here's our destination."

It was an ancient two-story church with a tall steeple at one end. Dark stones made up the walls and it had a red, iron shingled, A-frame roof that was rusting. Past rains falling on the roof had left red trails down the stone, making it appear as though the church was bleeding.

Crows stared at them from the eaves and the low stone wall surrounding it. Frath led Sheela past a rusted iron gate lying ineffectively on the ground nearby. The sparse grass was brown and covered with a dusting of snow, while the skeletons of trees looked as though they had never had leaves.

"This doesn't look like a pleasant place."

"Well . . . yes and no. It's a safe place for me though. I found it when I was very young. I ran away from some guys who were going to kill me."

They reached the arched double doors, grey with black carvings of crows surrounded by curving rose stems. The petals on the roses were purple as were the eyes of the crows. It was the only color on them, but Frath had never figured out what material it was. He opened the left door easily. Neither door ever made a sound, which had always fascinated him.

"I went through that tunnel back there. The guys weren't brave enough to follow me into the district. It scared me too, but I knew I would die if I went back, so I tried to find another way out."

Inside were twenty rows of dark stone pews to either side. A pure-black stone statue of a hooded woman kneeling on a dais was at the end of the aisle. When they entered, the statue looked up with glowing purple eyes that radiated vast power throughout the church.

Sheela gasped, wrapped her legs around Frath's waist and grabbed his shoulder in an attempt to scale his height.

Frath felt the statue gaze into his soul before it went back to its praying position.

"Fraaaathhhh!" Sheela wailed in terror.

"It's all right. We're welcome here," he reassured her.

It didn't do much good. Her feet hit the ground, but she buried her face in his chest and trembled from fright.

"This is the Church of Distra, Goddess of Sorrow. I like her a lot and she tolerates me."

Sheela looked up at him, brow furrowed in bewilderment. "Goddess of Sorrow? I've never heard of her."

"Most people haven't. She doesn't like for people to know about her." Frath thought about it for a moment. He looked down at Sheela. "Don't tell anyone about her, actually. She's letting you in, but it'll upset her if you go around telling people."

"Oh . . ." Sheela let go of him. She stepped forward down the aisle a little bit, folded her arms and stared at the statue for a moment.

The statue didn't react.

Frath stood there quietly, waiting to see how Sheela would respond.

She walked up the aisle a little ways, looking around at the tall arched windows along the wall. Multiple pieces of red and purple glass were set in iron framework within each window. "Frath, is there someone here?"

"No. There's never anyone here. Why do you ask?" Frath looked around carefully to see if anyone else might have shown up.

"The candles are lit." She pointed at iron candleholders lined along the wall and at tables with stepped shelves to either side of the statue. They all had candles with violet flames that flickered dimly, making the shadows dance slowly.

"No. Those are always lit. Distra's divine power keeps them aflame." He walked up to her, put his left hand on the small of her back and his right hand on her shoulder. Frath wanted to be close to her, but mentally vowed he would immediately back away if anything made her uncomfortable.

She leaned back into his hands, showing no discomfort at all. "I'm curious why you like Distra instead of another god."

"I've seen a lot of bad things in my life. They make me sad to the point where my entire body hurts. When I'm here, that hurt feels good." Frath ran his right hand slowly down her arm to the elbow.

She turned unhurriedly and put her own hands on his waist. "It feels good to hurt?"

"You say it differently than I mean, but yeah. When I went through that tunnel the first time and found this district, strange things happened." He ran both hands up her arms to her shoulders. It pleased him a lot when she moved hers up and down his sides even with the chain shirt muffling the sensation. "Things started appearing on the streets. They were hunched over like those things we saw outside." Using his right hand, Frath caressed her cheek and neck, drawing a soft sigh of pleasure from her. "Then I saw a couple of Deformed down another street. Ghosts didn't just stand behind the windows, they floated through the sky. Even with all that, I wasn't willing to go back. I ran until I found this church."

"How old were you?" Sheela pulled at his shirt and sighed in frustration at the chainmail underneath.

"I was eight. Let's go upstairs." He took her hand and led her around the raised dais. Along the back wall were a few rooms and a door that led to a spiral staircase with purple-flamed candles in brackets on its walls. They went up that to a corridor on the second level above the church. From there he took her to the end of the passage where there was a silver door with gold etching. It was the only bright thing in the entire building. As far as he knew, it was made entirely of silver and gold. The etching was similar to the entry to the church, with a crow and rose stems.

When he was a child, it had been locked. Then one day after he had been coming for a few years, it suddenly opened for him. Now he had access to every room in the church, including the basement with its secrets.

"What is this room?" Sheela stared at a dark tapestry that took up the whole wall to the left. It was a crow and roses motif like nearly everything else about the church. More iron candleholders were lit, two against each wall of the big room.

"I don't know. It was a sleeping quarters of some sort. There's a hole in the roof over there." He pointed at the far corner to the right. "But other than that, it's still in good shape. I have blankets and pillows over on this side." He pointed behind them at the opposite corner near the wall the door was on.

"How often do you come here?" Sheela walked over to the hole in the ceiling.

"Ohh . . . I don't know. Until I met you, I came nearly every day I had off. Before that, I used to come here whenever I could get out of the orphanage." Frath moved behind her and put a hand on the small of her back again. "Distra lets me practice my swordwork in one of the empty rooms down the hall. Once I learned how to fight, I spent as much time as possible there."

The clouds suddenly parted, letting the full light of Piohray through. It was said that Piohray's light had an intoxicating effect that aroused passion within lovers.

"Are we going to spend the night here?" Sheela asked throatily. The moonlight gave her skin a beguiling pink cast he wanted to caress.

He turned her to face him. The look in her eyes was completely wanton, the moonlight having amplified her natural desires

Frath knelt on one knee and pulled a ring out of his pocket. He had a habit of talking to the statue of Distra when something was on his mind and had told it about Sheela after their date the week before. When he was finished speaking, he had looked at the base of the statue where a small box had mysteriously appeared. The ring was inside.

"I know we just met, but I love you with every nerve of my body . . . and my heart too . . . and my soul . . . and mind . . . I love you with everything."

The proposal wasn't going as well as Frath had expected, but that wasn't going to deter him.

"I want to marry you . . . but I won't if you don't want to . . . I mean I won't force you to do anything . . . or marry me . . . or anything else if you don't want to."

He hoped he had just proposed, but thinking back, it had been confusing and he might not have.

Sheela just stood there staring at him.

Even though there were thousands of things Frath wanted to say, he decided to keep it simple. "Will you please marry me, Sheela?"

She stared at him for a moment longer before nodding.

"You will?" he asked just to be on the safe side.

"Yes. I'll marry you." She smiled.

"Oh . . . great!" That sounded lame even to his ears. "Thank you." That sounded lame too. He put the ring on her finger and studied the perfect fit for a moment. It was silver with golden etchings of crows and roses, much like the door. "I'll take you back to the inn if you want me to, but I'd like you to . . . spend the night with me here." He stood. "It's safe. Nobody bothers Distra."

Sheela's silence was unnerving him.

"Will you spend the night with me? . . ."

"Only if you take that metal shirt off." She poked him in the chest with a finger.

Frath quickly shucked the tunic, chain and thick undershirt that protected him from the metal links. They got stuck over his head for a moment, but he yanked them off.

Sheela ran her hands through the dark hair on his muscular chest and stomach. It sent tiny bolts of lightning through his body and he drew in ragged breaths to fight off the goosebumps that appeared. She leaned forward and touched her lips lightly to his chest.

He took a deep breath and ran his hands up her arms and shoulders. He could smell the faint raspberry scent lingering in her hair and inhaled deeply. Then he slid a hand down to the small of her back, which he was realizing was one of his favorite places to touch her, and the other into her hair. He tilted her head up to his and leaned over to kiss her. Her lips parted for him and he kissed deeply. A brief thought crossed his mind that he was surprised she didn't react negatively after what she had been through. It disappeared when she opened her mouth more and he pulled her even more tightly to him.

They finally broke the kiss and stood there gasping. At some point, the clouds had swallowed the moon again, but they still radiated with the pink glow, allowing the mystical power to flow. Frath dropped to his knees and ran both his hands down her body to the backs of her calves. He pulled her dress up to her thighs. Then he stood and lifted her so they were face to face.

Sheela gasped and wrapped her legs around him. Frath carried her over to the blankets, enjoying the feel of her breath on his face and the look of desire in her eyes. He set her back on her feet and undid the clasp of her cloak, letting it fall to the ground while she resumed running her hands up and down his chest. Frath then bent his knees again and grabbed her dress near the bottom. He gradually pulled it up, giving her time to protest if she became uncomfortable.

He studied every inch of her skin as it was exposed, wanting her more and more. Sheela raised her arms above her head to let him take the dress off completely. He slid his right hand behind her to its favorite resting place and pulled her close. They kissed again, savoring each other's taste and touch.

Frath lowered her gently to the blankets, resting her head on one of the softer pillows. "The first time hurts some. If you don't want to . . ."

"I want to. I want to very much." Her voice was deeper and thicker than he had imagined it could be. Frath removed his sword belt, stood up and removed his trousers as well. Her eyes widened when she saw him naked.

"I'm not willing to force you . . ."

Sheela reached her arms up and bit her lower lip in anticipation as he positioned himself. Even though he entered slowly, she cried out.

From that point on, Frath watched closely for signs of distress and listened carefully for the word no. She never uttered it and her expression quickly turned to pleasure as he moved back and forth above her. Wordless sounds of ecstasy came from their throats. Sheela's body bucked underneath his as they climaxed together in the perfect culmination of love, both crying out with abandon.

Eventually, he rolled onto his back and she rested her head on his chest while draping a leg and half her body over his. "That was so much more wonderful than I thought it would ever be. My mother always told me it would be nothing but pain for the rest of my life."

"I'm sorry your mother suffered like that."

"Thank you," she replied quietly.

They lay there for a bit and Frath stared at the ceiling. "Do you really want to marry me?"

"Yes." Sheela didn't say anything else, but kissed his shoulder. Then she kissed it again before moving up to his neck. Frath lay still while she kissed his chest and stomach. Before long, they were making love again.

The influence of Piohray's light was said to drive lovers to feats of stamina not possible at any other time. When they put their clothes back on the next morning, neither had slept a wink.

## Chapter 6

Sheela tucked the corner of the sheet tightly underneath the mattress. It had been a little more than eight months since Frath proposed to her and they were the happiest of her life. The fact that they hadn't been able to get married yet didn't make her any less happy that she would soon be having a baby. Purla had already agreed to let Sheela keep the child in a crib in the basement and was giving her a little extra free time to care for it. It helped that Sheela was such an excellent worker.

When Frath brought her home that morning so many months ago, both Purla and Albert yelled at him for being irresponsible. Throughout all of it, he remained silent with his arms folded. He hadn't been defiant, instead standing his ground, feeling fine with what had occurred. Their fury scared Sheela on one hand, but pleased her on the other because they were concerned for her well-being, a thing she had never experienced.

Purla and Albert stopped yelling at Frath after a few minutes, something about his stance and the expression on his face giving them pause. Then they listened while Frath explained. "Sheela and I are betrothed. We are deeply in love with each other and that means a lot in this horrible city. I'm going to marry her once I'm able to rent a nice enough place for us, which will be in about two or three years. I know I'm a young fool, but I don't care. I'm going to live my life as fiercely as I can and make the decisions _I_ think are right whether they are or not."

Albert finally relented. "All right, Frath. You're a good man, a bit of a fool in my opinion, but we like you and Sheela." He pointed at Sheela and narrowed his eyes. "I expect you to continue doing excellent, hard work. Just because I like you doesn't mean I'll tolerate a slacker."

"Yes, Master Albert." Sheela curtsied.

"I promise to treat Sheela with respect and keep her safe, Master Albert." Frath touched his fingers to his chest above his heart.

In an uncharacteristic display of affection, Albert gave Frath a brief hug, which included powerful smacks on each other's shoulders before stepping back. "You're a fine young man, Frath. You're also headstrong, but it was that very quality that saved my life, so I can't fault you for it." He gestured at Sheela. "It is I who has benefited by having such a lovely young woman working for me. Come by whenever you can."

After the conversation, Purla had taken Sheela back inside and let her sleep for the rest of that day. Since that time, Sheela had worked harder than anyone else. In addition, she always smiled and was polite to everyone, developing friendships with all the other servants at the inn.

A sharp pain in her side made her gasp and fall to a knee, snapping the memories away. Sheela concentrated on breathing as a hot tear rolled down her cheek. When the pain subsided enough, she stood and resumed making the bed.

Sheela had managed to hide the fact that the pregnancy wasn't going well. The pains had begun about the fifth month and progressively got worse. There was no way she was going to complain to anyone. Master Albert and Purla were doing her and Frath a huge favor by letting her continue to live there unmarried while she was pregnant. It would be a burden on them while she was caring for a newborn. The other women who worked there had agreed to chip in with watching the baby though and it looked like everything would work out all right.

Before they discovered she had become pregnant, Frath took her to Distra's church every week and they would spend the night together. He also took her to Lady Pallon's estate most of the days. Lady Pallon adored the two of them and they had an open invitation to show up at any time, day or night. That included a room for them to share. "I want you have a safe place to be together," she told them on more than one occasion.

They preferred the church even if it was a dangerous journey, but when the weather was bad, and then when the pregnancy had advanced enough that she wouldn't be able to escape danger easily, they took Lady Pallon up on her offer, spending that one night a week at her estate.

Frath took her to other parts of the city before the pregnancy developed too much to walk around comfortably. They went to Carnival a few times and he took her to a safer marketplace than the East Bazaar. He also took her to Wizard's Mall, where the most amazing shops of magical items anywhere in the world existed. It took an entire day just to visit a tenth of the shops and she insisted they go back other times. They also visited parks that weren't as extreme as Wraith Lake Park.

Sheela loved spending time with Frath no matter where they went. Her favorite places were the church and Lady Pallon's estate. Even though Distra's Church was in the Forlorn District, she felt safe there. They could also be completely alone in the large upstairs room and there was a great deal of freedom in that.

The room she was cleaning came back into focus when her side twinged. Drenched in sweat, she knelt beside the bed while clutching the sheet she had just tucked in. The sweat covered her cheeks and ran down her spine, tickling it uncomfortably. Dralin summers were miserably hot, just as the winters were miserably cold. Being pregnant made it worse.

Lady Pallon's estate was magically cool and Sheela wished she could visit there, but it wasn't her day off. Another pain shot through her side and up her back. Sheela cried out involuntarily before biting it off.

Closing her eyes, she concentrated on how nice it would be to sit in the cool parlor, or sit among the plants in the conservatory. Even better were the days she and Frath would explore the expansive grounds and all their hiding places. He had taken her into one building that had a secret trapdoor leading down to secret places under the city.

"Some say there's been a city in this location since humans were created by the Gods. Dralin is just the latest, even though it's over a thousand years old," Frath had told her as they slowly made their way down a dark tunnel with only a torch to light the way. "What is known for certain is that there's at least three ruined cities underneath Dralin with passages that run deep into the world. The only things that keep everything from caving in are a lot of stone braces set deep into the ground by some sort of genius craftsmen and a network of strong runes placed at key points."

He didn't take her very far, just to an ancient room he had found when younger. It hadn't been inhabited for centuries and had the cobwebs to prove it. The most extraordinary thing was the fact that the furniture was still intact. "See that etching," Frath had asked, pointing to a large, intricate design that took up one wall. "It's one of the runes that keep the city stable. They last for thousands of years and don't need maintenance. Don't touch it though. It'll activate an alarm that alerts a special arm of wizards under the control of the High Council. They'll investigate and we could be arrested. That rune has a preservation effect so powerful that it keeps things in the immediate vicinity from decaying. That's why everything in this room is so well preserved."

Actually, everything in the room looked ancient and shabby although it had been fine at one time. Still, it should have completely rotted. There were cushioned chairs, lounges and couches in the room along with once elegant tables, now cracking and dust covered. They enjoyed imagining that ancient city and played at having a cup of tea.

Back in present time, Sheela wiped more sweat off her forehead and looked at the crumpled sheet. She needed to smooth it out and finish making the bed, but the pain was getting worse. She cried out when another spasm wracked her body. Instead of being brave and strong like before, she let the tears come. It felt like something was wrong and Sheela was scared. "Frath," she called out weakly, wishing he would magically show up and make her better.

Everything with Frath seemed like an adventure. Sheela was having the time of her life and couldn't wait to get married. She looked at the ring he had given her. The golden roses and crows were beautiful. It meant so much to her and she knew it was magical somehow. Her eyes grew heavy and she rested her forehead against the mattress.

"Sheela!" Oh no, what's wrong?!" Yvelle, one of the other servants knelt down in front of her. "You're bleeding!" She put her hands on Sheela's cheeks and lifted her head up. When Yvelle pulled a hand back, they both looked at the blood on it. "Purla!" Yvelle yelled desperately toward the doorway. Sheela realized the blood was coming from her mouth and that she had been wondering what the taste was over the last few minutes. Now she knew and it made her queasy.

"What is it, Yvelle? Why are you yelli . . . Sheela!" Purla rushed into the room in alarm.

Sheela looked up at her with tears flowing down her cheeks. "It hurts, Purla. I want Frath."

***

Frath filed into the barracks with the rest of the squad after lunch.

Sergeant Gorman looked up from where he spoke to another man. Urgency in his gruff voice silenced activity. "Frath! There you are. You're needed right away."

Trib, bouncer at the Shining Shield Inn, followed Sergeant Gorman. The sergeant wouldn't have let the man into the barracks if it weren't important. Trib was a thick man with neatly trimmed beard and a shaven head. He was nearly tall as Frath.

Frath's heart skipped a beat. "Is Sheela all right?"

Trib's scarred face was grimmer than usual. "She was cleaning a room when Yvelle and Purla found her. They told me blood seeped from her mouth. I don't think that's good." He ran a meaty hand over a sheen of sweat glistening on his head. "She passed out in their arms. Purla wants you there right away. I'm not gonna lie, she's worried."

The burst of adrenaline that flooded Frath had no direction. There was no foe to face, only dread to make his hands shake and legs tremble.

Bobbell squeezed his arm in worried support.

Sergeant Gorman put a strong hand on his shoulder. "Come on, private. I'll go with you." He turned to a stout man with a corporal's insignia. "Corporal Willmas, you're in charge here. I'll expect no problems."

"Yes, Sergeant." The corporal banged his fist to chest.

Trib led the way at a brisk pace. Sergeant Gorman guided Frath forward.

They walked through the maze that was the Dralin City Guard District. Endless corridors, barracks, offices and training yards made up the vast eight-sided fortress. Thousands of the best male and female soldiers in the world lived there. Even such a force wasn't enough to keep Dralin, the capital city of Altordan, safe.

Trib got lost along the way. Gorman took the lead and they made it to the northwest gate. Their swords were loose in their scabbards as they exited. Gorman and Trib kept wary eyes out for danger, though there wasn't likely to be any so close to the fortress.

Most of the people on the street were workers going about their business. Personal bodyguards escorted anyone who had valuables or dressed well. It was rare to see children outside their homes, and then only if accompanied by adults.

Frath didn't pay attention to the endless buildings that obscured the midsummer sunlight breaking through the dissipating clouds. His gut twisted with worry. He looked to the sergeant for encouragement. "It's a little too soon for the birth, but not dangerously so from what I was told."

"That's more than I know. Never bothered to have children . . . at least none I know of." Sergeant Gorman chuckled and clapped Frath on the back. When Frath didn't respond, Gorman grunted. "We'll find out soon. Keep up hope, lad."

Half an hour later, they reached the Noble District. Frath noticed the manors with cherub statues underneath the eaves, ornate etchings in thick doors and armed guards on the manicured grounds. Frath had taken Sheela past those same manors that first day on their way to the Shining Shield Inn. A stab of fear shot through his chest. She was the only thing he had ever found to love. She had to be all right.

Upon reaching the inn, Trib used a key to unlock a wide gate set in the side street wall. From there, he led them along the receiving path and into a side door to the kitchen. They clattered down the stairs to the upper basement where many of the servants roomed. The lower basement was storage.

Trib pushed aside servants who strained to see into one of the rooms. "Frath is here. Make way."

Innmaster Albert Pensith was a former knight who lost his sword arm in battle and then later bought the inn with his wife. Frath had saved the man's life once and they had become true friends from that point on. He met Frath outside the door to Sheela's room, worry etched on his face. His normally meaty voice was thin with anxiety. "You need to go in there Frath, but she's not doing well. I've brought in a healer and the midwife. Don't worry about the expense. I'll take care of it."

A ragged, "Thank you," was all Frath got past his lips.

Albert stepped aside and let him through the door before yelling in frustration at the gathered crowd. "Why are you all standing here?! Get back to work. There're customers to take care of."

They traipsed upstairs under threat of his wrath.

Albert's wife Purla stood upon Frath's entrance. It was clear she'd been crying awhile and her face sagged with sorrow. "Oh, Frath, I'm so glad you're here. She's been asking for you."

He hurried to Sheela's side and knelt, worried more than ever.

Sheela's exhausted eyes were open, but glazed. Her face was red with exertion. Dried blood crusted the corner of her mouth. Blanket-covered legs were in position for delivery.

A blonde healer wearing a long blue robe held a cloth to the pregnant woman's forehead. She whispered words of healing that flowed on ethereal soundwaves throughout the room and beyond. Her grey eyes focused on the patient.

Frath took Sheela's hand. She was as fragile as the day they had met. Sweat plastered her honey hair to her face. "I'm here, my love."

At the touch, her doe-brown eyes cleared a bit and she noticed him. "Frath . . ."

"Everything's going to be all right," he reassured her despite the wrenching feeling in his gut that told him everything was _not_ going to be all right.

"It hurts. It hurts _so_ much." Pain laced her voice and her eyes glazed over again.

He looked at the healer in desperation. "Can't you ease it?"

The woman stopped the chanting, her eyes grim as she spoke. "I _am_ easing the pain, with everything I have." She turned her attention back to Sheela and resumed. Frath understood he was not to interrupt her again.

"Almost here," the midwife said. "Just another push." Concern etched her face.

Frath noticed the woman was sweating profusely even though it was cooler in the basement. Blood spotted her tan apron. When he realized that blood soaked the front of Sheela's dress, panic rose and his heart pounded.

"Frath . . ." Sheela raised her free hand to touch his cheek.

"Yes, my love?" A sob escaped his throat. He _must_ be strong for her sake.

The pain was gone from her face. "I love you, Frath. Thank you _so much_ for making me happy."

"I love you too!" Desperation took control of his voice. "I need you."

The light disappeared from Sheela's eyes. Her hand fell from his cheek.

Silence.

A baby's wail pierced the room.

"It's a girl." The midwife wrapped the infant in a blanket handed her by an assistant.

The healer stopped chanting and carefully closed Sheela's eyes. "She is gone from this life. May she know joy in her journey through the afterlife."

Purla burst into tears. "No!"

Sergeant Gorman put a strong hand on Frath's shoulder and squeezed. Compassion filled his words. "I'm sorry, Frath."

Frath could do nothing but stare at the face of the woman he loved. Until her, he had felt alone in this life. Sheela was the only one he had ever let in, the only person who had ever made him happy.

Realization she was truly gone crept up on him. He wanted to run away.

Frath reached out and touched her face, noticing the peaceful expression as though she were just asleep. Her skin felt warm, not cold like every other dead body he had touched. She _couldn't_ be gone.

"Frath . . ." Sergeant Gorman said.

Reality rushed in, hitting Frath with the immensity of his loss. It was as though a thousand swords pierced his skin at once.

A long keen ripped from his throat to shred the air.

Everyone the inn who heard stopped moving as hair stood on their necks.

Shadows paused for a moment of cherished sorrow.

Tears streamed down Frath's face as he stared at her beautiful face. He kissed Sheela's forehead. "I love you too." He knew, somehow, she would hear him. He removed her betrothal ring from her finger and hung it on a silver chain along with his own.

The midwife came to him with his daughter bundled in her arms. "Do you have a name for her?"

The babe looked into his eyes with gravity and wisdom as though she knew the seriousness of the moment.

Frath rose to his feet. He gazed back, silently letting her know that he would protect her with his entire being. It was a moment he would remember for the rest of his life. "Her name is Pelya," he said for all to hear.

Pelya blinked in approval.

Frath spoke with solemn sincerity. "I'll give this ring to you when you're older. Your mother would want you to have it."

"That's an unusual name." The midwife wiped her hands on a clean towel. "I don't believe I've heard it before."

"It's a name Sheela and I found on three different occasions. We like it and decided to use it." Frath put a pinkie into his daughter's tiny hand. She squeezed with an unexpectedly strong grip.

"What if it had been a boy?" Gorman looked over Frath's shoulder and waved at Pelya.

"Sheela knew it was going to be a girl. I don't know how, but we never considered a boy's name."

"Huh . . . interesting."

Yvelle, Sheela's roommate, cried out from the doorway, "No!" She ran away weeping at the sight of her dear friend's body.

The reaction brought back the reality of what had happened. Frath fell to his knees as though a struck by a mortal blow. He felt as though he would never breathe again. He managed to keep Pelya safe in his arms until the midwife snatched her.

Gorman helped Frath to his feet and led him out of the room

As they left, Purla sobbed and knelt next to Sheela. Sheela had become as a daughter to her and Albert. The loss was nearly as devastating to them.

Frath followed Gorman in a daze.

When he came to his senses, he was sitting on a bench in the garden, next to a birdbath and under the shade of thick trees. Birds sang merrily, not understanding that the moment required sorrow.

Gorman patted him on the back. "There you are. Your mind escaped to another realm for a while."

Frath inhaled sweet, sticky air. Flowers emitted a beautiful aroma that was cloying rather than pleasant. The drone of insects buzzed loud, distracting him from his thoughts. Frath wanted very much to go somewhere quiet where he could think.

Albert approached. "Frath, I need to speak to you. Do you have enough of your senses to listen to what I have to say?"

Frath thought about it for a moment before nodding. "Yes, Sergeant."

"Good. We've been friends for years, ever since that day you saved me from those thugs. I owe you a debt of gratitude. More importantly, you've been a true friend to me. I'd do just about anything for you." He took a deep breath and ran his hand through graying hair. "What I'm going to say may sound harsh, but I have no choice."

Frath expected a lecture on how terrible he was for getting Sheela pregnant and letting her die. Shame ran through his veins as he readied himself for condemnation.

"Purla and I can't raise your child, Frath. We're just not made to raise children, especially not in this cursed city." Albert spread his arms helplessly. "I was willing to make allowances for Sheela to care for the child, but the rest girls are already cooing over the baby and no one is getting any work done."

Frath nodded. He didn't know how to raise the baby alone, but he'd figure it out. The thought that Sheela wouldn't survive had never occurred to him.

"I'm going to pay for Sheela's services, so you don't need to worry about that. Do you have a place where you want her buried, or do you prefer cremation?"

Cold searing pain stabbed Frath's heart and his eyes widened at the words.

"Don't look at me like that!" Albert held his hand out in protest. Tears welled in his eyes and his voice broke. "I know you're suffering. We all are, but there are matters to take care of and _you're_ not in any position to do so."

Frath nodded, understanding his friend's position. Gorman's hand still gripped his shoulder. It helped him keep his mind. "Cremation. Bad things happen to bodies in this city."

"And the baby? . . ."

Frath lurched to his feet. "I will _never_ give her to an orphanage!"

Gorman put an arm on his chest while Albert took a step back. "Here now, I didn't say you should! I know your past, friend, and would never suggest that."

Frath buried his face in his hands and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I just . . . I don't know what I'm going to do, but . . . I'm going to raise her myself, for better or worse."

Albert put his hand on Frath's shoulder. "I know. You're a good man, one I'm proud to call friend."

Frath nodded and returned the gesture.

Albert squeezed and let go. "The midwife brought a wet nurse to feed the child so she should be fine for a little while. There's a pack with supplies gifted to Sheela. You'll find diapers and . . . whatever else babies need. I don't know. I try to stay away from children." He and Gorman chuckled briefly. They stopped when Frath didn't join in.

Frath looked at the pretty garden where he and Sheela had spent time holding hands and talking. Then he gazed up at the murky sky. That fit his mood better than the gardens. Frath turned to the inn with slumped shoulders.

Gorman and Albert exchanged worried glances before following.

Entering the kitchen, Frath was surprised when a waitress led him into the common room rather than the basement. Pelya was in the arms of a noblewoman who cooed at the baby. She wore a crimson dress accessorized by a silk hat with fresh flowers embroidered into it.

Albert said, "Here, what is this then? Why was the child brought to the common room?"

"Do not question me, Albert." The noblewoman arched a haughty eyebrow. "Sheela was pleasant to me and I wanted to see her child. It saddens me that the young woman is gone." She studied the two guardsmen before pointing at Frath. "Is this the father? The one who looks as if all the joy in the world has disappeared from his life?" She came over to Frath with the baby. "I heard love in Sheela's voice whenever she spoke of you." She placed Pelya in Frath's arms.

He nestled her as securely as possible.

Pelya's little eyes opened for a moment, recognized him, and then closed to go back to sleep.

The noblewoman rubbed Pelya's cheek with the back of a finger. "What will you do with her, young man?"

"I'm going to raise her." Frath held his head high.

"I am pleased to hear that. I believe you may just do a decent job of it." She smiled kindly. "There's something about the dedication in your eyes and the resolve in your spine that I like." She opened the small bag that was over her shoulder and took out a pouch. From it, she pulled a gold piece and a silver piece and tucked them into Pelya's blankets. "Care well for her."

"Th . . . thank you, Milady," Frath stammered gratefully. It was a lot of money to give.

The noblewoman curtseyed and went back to her seat.

As Frath turned to leave, a man wearing a blue shirt emblazoned with a golden sun stood and walked over. Dark blonde hair washed over his shoulders. His beard and mustache were thick, but neatly trimmed. Sky blue eyes were soft and compassionate as he placed a silver piece in the blanket. "May Reanna's light shine on you and bless you, child." He kissed Pelya's forehead. It was a great honor. There were few knights of the Sun Goddess, known as some of the most valiant in the world.

As he stepped back, another knight and his lady approached arm in arm. They each tucked a silver in the child's blankets and spoke a blessing. Frath couldn't keep tears from flowing down his cheeks as he stood while twelve other nobles deposited silver pieces in the blankets.

When the donations were finished, Sergeant Gorman led Frath through the front door.

Everyone watched in sorrow as the desolate man and his infant child entered the terrible city.

## Chapter 7

The last rays of the sun glowed sickly orange over the rooftops when they returned to the Guard District. A lamplighter walked around and used a wick at the tip of a long pole to light oil lanterns on tall posts. The walk to the fortress and through its halls was silent. Neither man had a desire to talk even if they had known what to say.

The barracks were spotless when they got back. Corporal Willmas had not wanted to risk Gorman's wrath. Rows of fifteen wrought-iron bunks with simple mattresses atop thin wooden box frames lined each side of the center aisle. The walls and floor were stone. Small mats at the side of each bunk were a small measure of comfort for the feet. Twenty-four men and women split into four units of six, plus Sergeant Gorman and two corporals, made up the squad.

Gorman led Frath to his bunk and had him sit on the footlocker. Pelya continued to sleep peacefully in Frath's arms. She was fragile, but he enjoyed holding her. He just wished Sheela were alive to hold her too. The thought drove another chill dagger through his heart. Frath had never realized pain could be so cold. He didn't hear Gorman quietly tell the others that Sheela had died, nor did he see the sympathetic reactions and even tears from a few for his loss.

"What are you going to do with it, private?" Gorman asked.

He looked up to see compassion in the sergeant's face. Frath had never seen this side of him. Sergeant Gorman was one of the toughest and most respected men in the City Guard. Frath admired him. The sergeant having gone with him to the inn was unexpected. Even more so was bringing him back to the barracks with the baby. "It?"

"It. The baby." He pointed at the bundle. "You said you're going to keep it, but what are you doing with it?"

"I . . . I don't know. I know I can't stay here . . ." Frath exhaled, expelling sorrow with the breath. "Maybe I can find a job where they'll let me care for her."

"What about Lady Pallon?" A female private named Bava looked at the baby over Frath's shoulder. Her personality was as fiery as her red hair. She had been in the same unit as Frath for over a year.

Frath shook his head. "Lady Pallon's daughter left a newborn baby on the doorstep a month ago and then disappeared. Lady Pallon is raising the babe, but she's furious at being in that situation. There's no way I can take Pelya to her."

Bobbell, a short and thin-faced with blonde hair and a trimmed goatee leaned forward. He spoke in a tinny voice. "Pelya. That's an odd name." He and Frath had grown up in the cruel orphanages of Dralin. He was also a better thief and pickpocket than most people they arrested.

"Sheela and I like it."

Bobbell shrugged, not willing to upset his friend.

Sergeant Gorman paced. The squad waited on his decision. After a moment, he stopped to scan the members of the squad. It appeared as though he was about to issue an order, but he went back to pacing instead.

The squad exchanged glances of surprise.

The sergeant stopped in front of Frath and folded his arms. "What if you could raise the child in the barracks? Would you stay?"

Jaws dropped.

Frath opened his mouth to speak. He closed it when words failed to come. His face twisted in the opposite direction of his nose. "Huh?"

Gorman kicked the corner of the bunk, needing to let out steam. He folded his hands behind his back and his forehead creased in thought. The man who made officers shake in their boots when he yelled was unsure of himself. "I'm not willing to lose you, Frath. You have a lot of potential and . . . it's more than that." He shook his head. "You protect people that can't protect themselves. It's a quality that not everyone has and the Guard needs more like you."

Frath filled with pride at the high praise. The pride deflated when he looked down at the child in his arms and remembered the circumstances of the day. Every time he thought about Sheela, the pain felt new and raw.

"I see how much your heart hurts, Frath, and I'm sorry." Gorman took a deep breath. His cheeks puffed as he exhaled. "Keep the babe here with you. We'll move you to the room in the back where she won't disturb the others too much if she cries. Innmaster Pensith told me we could come get the crib Sheela had in her room."

The squad exchanged looks of amazement. Raise a child in the barracks?

Frath frowned. "What about everyone else?" He gestured at the other members of the squad. "It doesn't seem fair to ask them to put up with a child."

"You'd _better_ stay!" Bava's alto voice filled the barracks.

To a person, they yelled words of agreement and began making plans as to how they could help raise the child.

"I'm not great with kids, but I'll do whatever I can to help, Frath," Bobbell said.

Others chimed in. A few scribbled a schedule of who would watch Pelya when Frath couldn't. Frath observed the reactions and felt tears flow down his face again. His shoulders shook and it took all his fortitude not to disturb Pelya.

Bava took the babe from his arms. "I promise to protect her with my life." Tears flowed down her cheeks too.

Pelya opened her eyes and decided the red headed woman was all right before yawning and falling right back asleep.

"We'll feed her goat's milk. Even with the extra coin, you can't afford a wet nurse. Getting one to move in here to care for the baby would be impossible." Gorman ran fingers through his short-cropped brown hair. The sergeant was one of the few who never went with the popular shoulder-length style, claiming long hair was for sissies. He stopped and leaned over Frath. "You're serious about raising her?" His chocolate eyes pierced Frath's, looking straight to his soul.

"Yes, Sergeant. She's my daughter and I'm going to raise her." Conviction ruled Frath's words.

Gorman stepped back and nodded. "Then it's settled. Pelya is a member of our squad."

A cheer burst from the squad. It ended abruptly when the baby cried. Her sleep had been disturbed and she was angry about it.

Bava asked no one in particular, "How soon can we get that goat's milk?"

The sergeant barked out an order for one unit to run to get some. He sent others to get the crib and anything else that might be at the inn.

Frath dug through the supplies in the bag for a pacifier he and Sheela had bought at the market. The loss of her iced his veins again.

When he brought the pacifier to Pelya, she took it and quieted. Her eyes expressed displeasure at being silenced.

Bava chuckled. "Oh my. She's going to be a spitfire, she is. You . . . _we_ have our hands full."

Corporal Willmas held a finger in the air. "Sergeant . . ."

"Yeah, Corporal?"

"What about Captain Duuth? There's no way he'll allow a child in the barracks. He relishes every opportunity to crush our spirit." The corporal's words immediately dampened the mood in the room.

Gorman grinned slyly. A cunning gleam lit his eyes. "Oh yes he will." He said to Frath, "Bava looks to have the babe well in hand. You come with me, Private. We're going to go have a talk with our weasel of a captain."

***

Soon thereafter, Sergeant Gorman and Frath entered the Captain's offices. Gorman headed straight to the door past a desk where the Captain's adjutant sat.

The adjutant jumped to his feet and held up an outstretched finger to protest. "Ahh, what is your busi . . ."

Frath followed the sergeant through the door and slammed it shut behind him.

Captain Duuth was a slavering weasel of a man, if one were to put it nicely. His penchant for kissing the behinds of powerful people within the High Council that ran the city had earned him his rank. Some people said he did so literally.

His squads often made arrests that were questionable or politically motivated. Duuth would order units not to patrol certain areas at certain times and even give a squad the day off if it suited ulterior motives. It was a testament to men like Gorman and others that they accomplished their duty and protected the city despite their captain.

When Gorman burst through the door, Captain Duuth jumped from his chair in surprise. With a guilty look on his face, the captain stuffed papers into a drawer.

Candles along the wall and a single lantern on the desk provided the only light. A large fireplace to the right had been unlit for a few months. There were crossed swords on the wall behind the desk and a window on the wall to the left. Tall bookcases filled with tomes of policy and law loomed over the occupant. Other than that, the stone walls were bare as was the floor. Frath was surprised that an officer wouldn't have carpets to keep his feet warm and comfortable.

The adjutant burst through the door and stumbled into Frath's back. Frath was a rock of a young man and barely budged. The adjutant slithered past to reach Captain Duuth's desk. Consternation hunched in his shoulders and caused his voice to stutter. "I . . . They just . . . I couldn't . . ."

Captain Duuth lifted his nose. His disagreeable voice had a nasal tone that caused his untrimmed nostril hairs to shudder. "That will be all, Adjutant." He sent the junior officer away with a wave of contempt. "Well, what is it, Sergeant?" the captain asked Gorman. "Why are you barging into my office like some hulking barbarian?" He flicked his gaze in Frath's direction. Upon seeing the private's rank and youth, he ignored Frath entirely.

Duuth's scraggly eyebrows rose, pushing his balding brown hair even farther back on his head. "Civilized people set appointments you know . . . then again _you_ wouldn't know because you're not civilized!" He looked as though he was telling the best joke in the world, jabbing his finger at the sergeant and leaning forward. "You've been hit in the head with a sword too often!" A horrible nasal laugh burst from the captain.

The sound made the hairs on Frath's neck stand. It was a good thing Duuth thought himself funny, because his audience didn't. Frath decided the chinless weasel's laugh sounded a bit strained, so perhaps the captain was only stroking his own ego.

Sergeant Gorman spun on his heel, marched to the door and yanked it open.

The adjutant had been listening through the key hole. He whirled his arms and lurched forward two steps before landing in a heap on the floor.

"Get back to work, you diseased worm!" Gorman picked him up by the scruff of the neck, threw the man out of the office and slammed the door.

Gorman then strode to the desk, placed his burly hands on the lacquered top and spoke with a growl. "We have a dire situation, Captain."

The rodent-faced officer cowered in his chair and wiped his perspiring brow with a stained, lacy handkerchief. "Uh . . . oh? We do?"

Gorman stabbed a finger in Frath's direction. "Private Frath Jornin is one of our best men and has boundless potential. The problem is that we're about to lose him and we _don't_ want that."

It was the highest praise Frath had ever heard his sergeant give. Embarrassment flushed red in his face.

Captain Duuth leaned forward and squinted at Frath. "I haven't heard of him. Why are we going to lose him?" His dull green eyes glinted with the smallest amount of curiosity.

The Sergeant slammed a fist on the desk, causing the captain to jump. "Because Frath is raising a child by himself. The only way he can stay in the Guard is if he raises her in the barracks." Gorman straightened and gave a sharp nod. "We all know that's against policy of course."

"Well of course it's against policy! What a silly idea, raising a baby in the barracks. What a stupid thought." The terrible whine of a laugh emanated from the captain's bent nose again.

Frath cringed at the sound. He wondered what his sergeant was trying to accomplish.

Gorman scratched his stubbled chin. "Exactly what policy is it that says children can't be raised in the barracks, Captain?"

The horrible laugh ceased. Captain Duuth rubbed the side of his oblong cheek as though smacked in the face. "Ehh? What do you mean, 'what policy'?"

The sergeant leaned one hand on the desk. "Well . . . there _must_ be a policy against raising children in the barracks of course." He gestured at thick books about law and policy on the bookshelves. "You're responsible for teaching law and policy. You know every single policy in the Guard. You've even written a few. I was just wondering exactly which policy forbids raising kids in the barracks."

Captain Duuth stared dumfounded at Gorman. Then his features pinched.

Frath had never seen someone's face pinch before. He stared in fascination.

Sergeant Gorman happened to be Duuth's best student. He knew every policy of the Guard almost as well as Duuth. Because of his intelligence combined with fighting ability, Gorman was expected to become an officer in a few years and advance high in rank.

Duuth's eyes squinted in suspicion. "What are you getting at, Sergeant?" His eyes widened. "Oh no. No. Ohhh no!" He threw his arms in the air. "You can't be serious?! There's no policy against it because no one has ever been stupid enough to raise a child in the barracks." He stared back and forth between Gorman and Frath.

Both men looked grimly back at their captain.

"You really _are_ serious! You _want_ to raise a child in the barracks?! I've never heard of such a thing." Duuth pulled open a drawer and grabbed a piece of parchment. "I'll just go ahead and write that policy right now."

Sergeant Gorman's hand smacked down on the paper.

Duuth jerked back and knocked over the inkwell he reached for.

"No . . . You will _not_ write that policy," Gorman warned.

Duuth gulped loudly, his protruding Adam's apple bouncing up and down.

Gorman leaned over him. "You _will_ allow this man to raise his child in the barracks. You will _not_ throw a fuss about it and everything _will_ be done quietly." Gorman straightened. "We won't ask your official approval or for you to sign anything. The only thing we _will_ ask of you is to turn a blind eye . . . just like I've been turning a blind eye to the fact that you're having an affair with Assembly Member Beautilla's lovely daughter and taking her to seedy clubs within the Orange Sash District." Gorman winked at the captain. "There's not exactly a policy against that either, is there?"

Captain Duuth's face went white. It didn't have far to go to reach that color, having been rather chalky to begin with. "You can't know about . . . You can't tell! . . . Get out!" he shouted, standing and waving an arm furiously. His bony hands shook. "You get out of my office right now! Keep the brat in the barracks for all I care. _Get out_!" His eyes narrowed to thin slits.

"Just get out," Duuth said in a harsh whisper as the two guardsmen walked through the door.

***

Sheela's funeral was held the next day at Lady Pallon's estate. Lady Pallon was another person Frath had rescued from danger and become friends with. Frath and Sheela had spent many hours at her estate on the occasions when they could get away from work.

Lady Pallon wore black with excessive ruffles and white lace. A black hat with flowers from her conservatory covered her wrinkle-lined face. She stood tall and straight despite her age. Dark pink eyes, common in Dralin and much of the world, held vast intelligence and wisdom. Today, they held sorrow as she gripped Frath's arm for comfort.

Sergeant Gorman and Private Bava came with Frath and Pelya. It was a small service that included some of Sheela's friends from the inn.

Frath had chosen a back corner of the large estate to spread the ashes. Old willows swayed near a fountain with a small statue of a woman pouring water in the center. The fountain didn't work and the woman's jug was empty of water. Remnants of paint spotted the bleached stonework. Dried grass surrounded the fountain. It was a lonely place that matched the loneliness in Frath's heart.

The Knight of Reanna arrived with Albert, who brought the ashes. Upon realizing Frath had not invited a priest, the knight delivered the blessings of the Sun Goddess upon the ashes and the ground they were spread over. When he was done, the sun smiled on the memories Sheela had blessed them with.

Frath realized later that day that he hadn't learned the knight's name.

## Chapter 8

"Pelya is the most wonderful baby I've ever seen," Private Malwy told Frath as they stood in the barracks outside of the room where Pelya slept. Malwy was short, stocky and had a jolly manner that made people smile. His green eyes lit whenever he came around the baby. He was always one of the first in line to take care of her. At the moment, his arms were crossed and his brow furrowed. "I only wish you were behaving as well as her."

Sheela's death was a week ago that day. Malwy had just put Pelya to bed and was standing in front of Frath along with Bobbell and another private named Herman.

Frath glared at them, annoyed that they had cornered him.

"You can glare at us all you like, Frath," Herman said in irritation. Average height with brown hair and eyes, he was unremarkable in most ways, which made him dangerous because his opponents tended to dismiss or underestimate him. Added to that, he fought dirty. "You're not eating, you're hardly sleeping, you have bags under your eyes and you're angry all the time. You take good care of Pelya, but not yourself."

Gorman came up behind the men. "What's going on here?"

"It's Frath, Sergeant." Bobbell gestured with disgust. "He's acting like a petulant child. I know he's still mourning, but at some point, he's going to have to figure out how to rejoin the squad. We've all been helping with the baby, so he can't use that as an excuse."

Gorman folded his arms and studied Frath for a moment.

Frath stared back sullenly. Anger ate away at him from the inside out. Taking care of Pelya was the only thing he wanted to do, but he found himself resenting the child for causing her mother's death. It was a dangerous feeling that frightened him to no end.

"You have one day to get your head on straight, Private." Gorman issued the command in a tone that brooked no disobedience. "Take this day off and go wherever it is you always disappear to. I expect you to come back here first thing in the morning with a healthy appetite and a positive attitude."

Frath looked at him incredulously. He then glared at each of the privates. They didn't budge a bit.

Herman jabbed a finger in front of Frath's face. "It's for your own good. You have things to figure out and not a lot of time to do it, so I suggest you get started."

"What about Pelya?" Frath demanded.

"You know she's fine here. We'll take good care of her," Malwy stated firmly. "We're her family too."

Frath knew it was true. Everyone in the squad loved Pelya. Something about her made them all fall in love. She cried only when she needed something like a bottle or a diaper change. Her tiny grip was strong and she loved to gnaw on people's fingers. She inherited black hair from her father and it looked like her eyes would remain just as brilliantly blue. Luckily, she received her mother's pretty nose and face.

" _Go_ , Private," Gorman ordered.

Frath looked back toward his room where Pelya slept. Then he left the barracks.

***

Frath stood in front of the Shining Shield Inn. He didn't remember walking there or why he had come. Sheela wasn't there anymore.

Albert came down the steps from the inn, probably alerted by the doorman. "Hello, Frath. Are you all right?"

"I . . . yes . . . I don't know," Frath stammered.

Albert's smile was sad with concern. "Frath, you look gaunt. Come inside and eat something." He guided Frath up the stairs into the inn. Albert led him to the kitchen and had him sit at a table out of the way of the busy cooks. "A plate of food here," he ordered, snapping fingers in the direction of a serving girl.

Purla came into the kitchen and immediately joined them "What is it? Is Pelya all right?"

"Hello Purla." Frath tried a smile, but failed. "Yes, she's wonderful."

She put her hands on her hips. "Are _you_ all right?"

"Of course he's not." Albert rolled his eyes. "He looks miserable. Obviously he's still grieving."

Purla nodded in agreement. "Yes, you're right." She put a hand on Frath's while the serving girl set a plate of cheese, meat and fruits down in front of him. "Grief is only useful for a day or two. After a week, it damages you and can send you into the gutter. You know better than most that's a terrible place to find people." She patted his hand and sat down next to him. "Eat," she commanded, pointing at the food.

His mouth already watered from the aroma. It had been a while since he had eaten more than a few bites, but suddenly his stomach made its emptiness known. Frath dug into the meal with fervor, making amends to his belly.

"There now, that's what I like to see," Albert said with a nod. "My wife is correct in what she told you. Life will be terrible at times, I know that for certain." He held up the stump where his arm had once been. "I tried drinking myself to death when this happened. Purla set me straight and now it's time to get yourself straight. You're young yet and there's a lot of life ahead of you." He pushed up from the table with his other arm. "I have business to take care of. Eat until you're full."

Purla wordlessly patted Frath on the shoulder before heading back to her own work.

When he finished the plate, Purla made certain another was put in front of him with even more variety. It felt good to eat something decent again and he realized that he _had_ neglected his health.

Frath stretched his arms and legs, feeling the weakness from not eating or exercising. The next time he went to the practice grounds, he would have to be careful to warm up and not get foolishly beat down.

Albert looked in on him. "How are you? Did the food help?"

"Yes. Thank you, friend." Frath stood and put a hand on the innkeeper's solid shoulder. "Thank you for everything you've done for me. Let me know if there's anything I can do for you in return."

"You saved my life." Albert returned the gesture. "And you've been a good friend to me. Come by any time you need to talk or just need a good meal."

"And bring that child by now and then. Everyone wants to see her," Purla added, coming up behind Albert. She gave Frath a warm hug.

"I will," he said as they parted. "I'll have to get her away from everyone in the squad first though."

"How is that going? Are they really going to let you raise her there?" Albert asked.

"They are, but I can't give you the details. We're not making a big deal about it."

"Of course." Albert smacked Frath on the shoulder. "Back to work for me. Take care of yourself and that baby."

"I will."

Purla gave him another hug. "Go on your way now and clear your head. Come to the kitchen whenever you need a meal."

"Thank you, Purla." He exited the kitchen's delivery door to the side street and said hello to the guard there, a huge scar-faced man named Damen who had a wooden leg and wielded a wicked double-bladed scythe. The weapon and the man were so intimidating that no one ever messed with him. Frath knew Damen had an amazing sense of humor and was friendly though. Sheela had really liked him and always brought him treats she snuck from the kitchen.

As he turned down the street and looked up at the afternoon sun, Frath felt the agony of loss again. His jaw clenched as he tried to control it. How he was supposed to continue was beyond him. Once he was out of sight of the inn, he leaned against a wall and tried to decide what to do next.

The thought of going to Carnival and watching merriment brought anguish to his mind, so did the thought of going to the market and not having anyone to buy for. Frath decided to go to Lady Pallon's Estate to talk to her and to visit Sheela's ashes. He took a southwesterly course.

After a while, he entered the Merchant District. A few minutes later, He reached a massive estate with a high, wrought-iron fence. Dense bushes grew inside, preventing anyone from seeing what lay within. Two evergreen trees bordered elegant front gates adorned with scrollwork. Frath pushed a glowing purple button next to the left gate.

A squirrel scurried to the end of a branch near the button and asked in a high-pitched voice, "Watcha want?"

Frath wondered how long the squirrel could live considering it had looked the same the first time he visited. Of course it was a talking squirrel, so normal rules probably didn't apply. "Frath Jornin to see Lady Pallon."

"Oh it's you." The squirrel chattered at the gate, which opened in response.

"Thanks." Frath made his way up the path and the steps to the door where he banged the knocker.

After a moment, the door opened with its normal loud creak.

Lady Pallon wore a cream-colored dress with pearled beads sewn throughout the top. As always, she wore a flower-adorned hat to match. "Come with me, Frath. You need to see this."

Frath closed the front door behind him. He followed her through the house to the grounds behind and the place they had spread Sheela's ashes.

His heart skipped a beat when he saw the transformation. The fountain was working again. The statue's clothing was yellow with gold lacework. Her hair was black and she leaned over, pouring water from the jug that had become blue. The water within glistened with the radiance of the sun.

Rosebushes with dark-violet blossoms unlike any Frath had seen before now grew wild and the grass was green and fresh.

Lady Pallon had difficulty forming the words. "Frath . . . The Knight of Reanna's blessing may have been responsible for the fountain and grass, but the roses . . ."

"That's . . . unusual." Frath knew how they got there, but he would never tell.

"My estate is famous for its roses, but I've never seen this breed or that color before. They have triple the number of thorns too." She crossed her arms. "They seem to be getting along well enough with the fountain . . . That sounds odd."

"They're pretty. Do you really think this is all because of Sheela?"

"Yes, I do. There was something special about that frail waif of a girl."

Frath put a knee on the edge of the fountain and ran fingers through the crystal water. It tingled around his fingers as though filled with Sheela's love.

Lady Pallon dusted off her dress, although there wasn't a speck on it. "Now, what about you? You look terrible, even more miserable than you did before you met her. You have got to be the gloomiest young man I've ever met." She slapped his upper arm with the back of her hand, ignoring the fact that his chain shirt absorbed the blow.

"I'm . . . I _am_ more miserable. I don't know how to deal with how much my heart hurts. I know I need to get on with life, but . . ."

"No you don't." Lady Pallon spun on a toe and headed to the conservatory. "Let's have tea."

Frath frowned in puzzlement. "I don't?"

Inside, they reached a sitting area surrounded by flower boxes where they could gaze through clear windows to the yard. Lady Pallon sat in a wrought-iron chair with a plush cushion. She fingered a doily on a glass-topped table.

Frath stared at the vacant double seat he and Sheela normally sat. He unhooked his sword and set it on a side table, then sat in different cushioned chair.

Next to the table was a white wicker crib with a sleeping baby in it. A nanny curtseyed to Lady Pallon who told her to get tea.

"It's nice when Ebudae is asleep instead of crying about a tooth, a bottle or a silly diaper," Lady Fallon declared with a dramatic sigh. "I didn't enjoy raising Melody, her mother, and I'm certainly too old to raise a baby."

Lady Pallon was furious at her daughter for leaving Ebudae on the doorstep and then disappearing. She paid two nannies to do most of the raising, but insisted on visibly suffering every now and then.

"I'd take her and raise her with Pelya, but I don't think they'd let me."

"No, no. Of course not." She dismissed the thought with a flick of her fingers. "Don't be silly. I'm just happy you didn't dump _your_ daughter off on me too." She rested her chin on the backs of her hands to wait for his response.

Frath knew her feelings on raising children. The casual disregard for another life made him angry though.

Lady Pallon raised an eyebrow. "My, my. Such a fierce look. Whatever is it for?"

"I have never asked you to raise Pelya, _never_. And I certainly wouldn't _dump_ her off on you." Frath was livid. "You invited me and Sheela into your home. We only came because you assured us we wouldn't be a burden. If my friendship is unwanted because I now have a child, I'll leave."

"My, my. You _are_ in a foul mood." Lady Pallon was completely unfazed. "Of course I want you around. You saved my life and Melody's too all those years ago. Since then, you became my best friend and still are, even if you _do_ have a child." She leaned forward and winked. "I've decided not to hold that against you."

Frath stared at her a moment before laughing. It only lasted a second, but that was enough to defuse the anger. "What did you mean when you say I don't have to get on with my life?"

"I mean you can lie down and die if you wish." She flipped a hand. "You don't _have_ to get on with your life. Many people don't."

He rolled his eyes, stood and looked into the crib. Ebudae had brown hair a little thinner than Pelya's. Her eyes were pink like her mother and grandmother. They were closed at the moment, but Frath knew there was just as much attitude in them as in Pelya's. Both girls were going to be spitfires.

Lady Pallon took a sip of tea. "When they grow older, I'd like them to become playmates, if you're willing."

"I'd like that too although I have a feeling they'll get into all sorts of trouble."

"Of course they will. At least they'll do it together. It's much better than getting into trouble alone."

"Yeah. Good point." Turning back to her, he said, "I have someplace to go. Thank you again for showing me the fountain and roses. I'll stop by now and then. When the girls are older they can get into all kinds of trouble and then get each other out of it."

"Take care of you, Frath," she told him as they hugged. "You're my favorite person and I worry about you."

"I will." He headed through the manor and through the gate that opened automatically.

The squirrel watched him turn down the street heading toward darker sections of town.

Frath trudged through the streets to the Orphan District, following the same path the night he had taken Sheela the night he introduced her to Distra's church.

Before he knew it, he was back in the Forlorn District. Upon reaching the church, he walked through the barren yard to arched doors. When Frath entered, the statue looked up with glowing purple eyes that radiated divine power. Frath felt the statue gaze into his soul before it went back to its praying position.

He took a few steps up the aisle and stopped with clenched fists, much like the child who had curled up at her feet all those years ago. The purple roses growing over Sheela's ashes were Distra's. Of that, he was certain.

He pulled Sheela's ring out from underneath his shirt where it hung on a chain. Distra had given it to him to present to Sheela as a symbol of love. What Frath didn't understand was why the goddess had given him the ring and then let them be happy, only to take Sheela away from him.

Frath growled and marched down the aisle. Upon reaching the statue, he debated what to say. The words didn't come. He paced back and forth, pounding his fists into his thighs. Tears of frustration welled up. From deep in his gut and chest, an angry roar burst from his throat. He screamed wordlessly toward the ceiling.

Finally, he stopped and faced the statue. "Why, Distra? Why did you take her from me? Why couldn't you let her live?"

Distra didn't answer.

"Why?!" Frath screamed. "Why couldn't she live?!"

Still no answer.

He fell to his knees and sobbed. Agony of loss ripped open his chest and burned his heart. He couldn't sleep at night because whenever he closed his eyes, he remembered the feel of her.

"You gave me the ring to give to her." Frath shoved the ring petulantly toward her cowled head. "I thought you liked her. I thought she would live a life of happiness after her childhood of despair." He hung his head again. His shoulders slumped in defeat. "Why Distra? Why couldn't she be happy?"

Her voice moved through the church like a whisper on the breeze. There was an edge to it like a blooded blade. "She knew more happiness in her time with you than most experience in their lives."

Frath looked up at Distra's piercing, violet eyes. Everything else faded.

"She wasn't fated to be happy. Had she not met _you_ , her remaining life would have been short and filled with terror." Distra's voice hammered the inside of his skull. It hurt and felt good all at the same time. Blood trickled from his nose and ears.

" _You_ saved her. You gave her a level of joy few in this world ever know." The purple eyes flared. "I do not _like_ joy. It is _not_ my friend, Frath Jornin. However, I like you and I like her, therefore I tolerated joy in my church. I even caused flowers to grow next to that accursed fountain of the Sun Goddess because of it."

Frath took a deep, shuddering breath as the force of his goddess shoved him skidding backward on his knees. It was uncommon for a deity to speak directly to a person. Most mortals could not endure the contact.

Distra's voice grew to a roar that rattled the windows and sent the crows outside flying. "She was not able to survive in this world, in this lifetime. You gave her happiness and received a daughter in return. Be miserable if you wish, _but do not whine and wail at me!_ " The last words blasted him across the church to slam into the doors.

As he crumpled to the ground, Frath saw her eyes fade into the darkness of her cowl. His consciousness faded with them.

## Chapter 9

The sound of someone groaning came from nearby.

Frath's head rang like an anvil. He focused his mind. It was a mistake.

The miserable groaning came from _his_ throat. Every fiber of his body hurt and his own odor assaulted his senses.

The first clear thought he formulated was that it was dangerous to be in a weakened state. His training kicked in at that point and he began a mental checklist drilled into all members of the guard. He took a slow, deep breath. It was ragged and his throat hurt, but he could breathe. His mouth was dry, scummy and cracked.

Next, he listened carefully for any sounds. There was nothing except for heavy silence.

He sniffed the air for anything dangerous like smoke or the acrid stench of polluted magic. All he smelled was his own urine and feces, which let him know he had been unconscious deeply enough to lose control of his bodily functions.

Finally, he focused on his bones, muscles and skin to determine damage. It was an excruciating experience, but despite the pain, he was whole.

Frath was mostly certain he was alive.

He concentrated on the last thing he remembered before losing consciousness. The memory of Distra's purple eyes filled his skull. Stabbing pain shot through his head. Everything over the last weeks came flooding back: the words of Distra, the promise that Pelya and Ebudae would become playmates, the meal at the Shining Shield Inn, the birth of his daughter, and the death of his betrothed. The stabbing pains in his skull were joined by those in his heart.

His body refused to cooperate when he attempted to stand. Focusing his willpower, he forced his arms underneath him. Frath pushed to his hands and knees with a mighty yell. He stayed there for a few moments, trembling from the effort.

It took effort to open his crusty eyes. Frath wondered how long he had been unconscious. As if on cue, his stomach squeezed in hunger to inform him that it had been much too long. He looked around and saw movement in the dim candlelight.

Alarm seized him. After moments, he realized the movement was shadows dancing sadly wherever light cast them. Frath blinked his eyes a few times and managed to bring up one of his arms to wipe some of the crust away.

Expecting to see normal shadows, he looked around again. The scene didn't change. Shadows danced throughout the church. Frath watched the mournful movements. They weren't human shadows, but they exuded grief nonetheless.

He took an outstretched hand that was offered. With the assistance, Frath gained his feet. Realization hit him that his own shadow offered the hand. A flickering candle caused it to jump away. It leapt back against the doors before it waved at him with an insincere motion.

Frath smacked himself in the face, startling the shadow. It was the only thing he could think of to make his sanity come back. All it did was make his head hurt worse.

It was more than Frath could take. He made a run for it, only to bump into the door when his hand didn't open it fast enough. He barely managed to stay on his feet while he refocused.

His shadow opened the door for him.

Goosebumps danced on his skin, but Frath had a personal policy to be polite when the situation called for it. "Thank you," he croaked.

The shadow bowed and let him walk through the door before following and closing it behind them.

The ground in front of Frath shifted back and forth, swaying like one of those ships he had only ever heard about. It was early morning judging by the glow to his left. The entrance was on the south side of the church, so he knew left was east. Frath concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other, staggering to the gate and into the dark street.

Piohray and Siahray, the two moons of Ryallon, were both partially full in the early dawn sky. When the red light of Piohray mixed with the bluish-green light of Siahray, it made the world glow lavender in most places. In Dralin, it just looked dirty.

The moons and rising sun made it bright enough to cast shadows everywhere. He had hoped things would become normal once outside, but even these shadows swayed sadly. They didn't move nearly as much as the shadows cast by the flickering candles though.

_Why are they sad? Does Distra have something to do with it?_ Thinking about it made his head ache, so he focused on where he was going instead.

Nightmarish figures shuffled along a side street. They noticed him.

Normally he would jog away, but his legs told him that wasn't an option at that particular moment and he would have to think of something else.

Frath stopped and put a hand on the hilt of his sword. His arm was in the same camp as the legs.

His eyes confronted the danger alone.

To his surprise, shadows rose up in front of the figures, forming a barrier.

The creatures stumbled into each other, afraid to touch Frath's guardians. With great effort, they turned and shuffled away.

The shadows flowed back to their proper spots.

Frath shook his head in disbelief. His stomach gurgled in complaint as if to say the motion was a bad idea. He took a few deep breaths before lurching toward the tunnel out of the district.

All his bones and muscles ached badly. Being thrown through the air to slam against a door was the least of what was causing the distress. The effects from having the goddess take hold of his mind made his eyes hurt and his skin feel warped.

He didn't know how long he had been unconscious, but Frath had the impression more than a day had passed. He hoped Pelya was all right and that the sergeant hadn't turned her over to an orphanage. Frath would die if his daughter had to suffer a childhood anything like his.

***

Shortly after he reached the streets of the Orphan District, a group of young men followed him. Frath did his best to ignore them since he wasn't in any condition to fight. He knew he couldn't withstand another beating and hoped they would just let him be.

It wasn't his lucky morning.

One of the young men smacked a club in his palm and moved in front of Frath. "Well, what do we have here? It looks like a City Guardsman out by himself in the Orphan District. Perhaps he's looking for a little girl to molest."

One behind Frath spoke up. "Or perhaps a little boy?"

They laughed at their cleverness while Frath concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other.

"It looks like the little girl messed him up good!" another voice taunted, eliciting more laughter.

"Look at his eyes. Maybe he found a puddle of magical pollution to suck on," yet another mocked.

The mocking changed to concern. Another boy said, "Maybe we shouldn't get too close. He doesn't _look_ like one of the deformed . . ."

Frath grew worried. He didn't _think_ he had run afoul of pollution.

The club flew out of the first young man's hand. Laughter ceased as everyone watched it clatter along the cobble. "What? Hey?"

Something knocked him down.

The others fell suddenly, scattering in all directions as though pulled backward. Whenever one would try to get up with yells of surprise and panic, he was knocked back down. They crawled away as fast as they could until finally able to get to their feet and run.

Frath thought it must have looked extremely odd to anyone watching to see a guardsman limping along in the middle of a street while a bunch of thugs kept falling down around him with no apparent cause. What the inexperienced thugs hadn't seen were the shadows that pulled on their legs and arms, keeping them away from Frath.

His shadow patted him on the back and gestured with an arm that he was free to continue.

_Either Distra is protecting me with shadows or I've gone mad_. Frath couldn't think about that right then. It took all his concentration to put one foot in front of the other. Each step was white-hot agony, his chest burned with each ragged breath and he could barely stand his own foul stench.

He left the Orphan District heading toward the Guard District. Between were two housing districts and the South Highway. More people were appearing on the streets. Everyone who saw him moved as far away as possible before rushing off. A few individuals stepped out of their houses only to step right back inside as he passed by.

Frath picked up speed and walked with a little less stiffness. He knew he would collapse at some point, but didn't care, only wanting to get to the barracks and Pelya before anything else happened. It was frustrating that so many people were seeing him in such a terrible condition. Frath hated showing weakness.

It felt like an eternity until he saw the wall of the Guard District. He wasn't able to yell or speak to get the attention of the guards. Only a feeble croak managed to escape from his throat. He trudged toward the gates.

A woman's voice rang out through the morning air from atop the wall. "Guard in distress!"

It was as though an anthill had been poked. Guards rushed out with weapons drawn. Nearby civilians put their hands up in the air while they looked for the disturbance.

The first few guards ran past Frath in order to defend him from danger and to provide a protective barrier. The next two were strong men who put Frath's arms around their shoulders and then locked wrists underneath his knees to lift him. They ran ahead as fast as possible, flanked by other guards.

The first priority when rescuing a guard in distress was to get him to safety before anything else. Guards were drilled in rescue procedures until they were completely prepared to handle any situation. Then they were drilled even more. Frath was safely within the walls less than a minute after being spotted.

A female lieutenant came out of an office responsible for overseeing the traffic in and out of the gate. "He's injured. Take him to the healing hall immediately."

"It's Frath Jornin, the missing guard," a man said from the side.

"What's wrong with his eyes?" another said.

The men carried him too far away for Frath to hear the answer. The comment about his eyes terrified him. Frath needed his eyesight. He closed his eyes.

They snapped open when water splashed over his naked body. "Aghh!" he croaked in protest. He must have passed out, because he had been stripped and was being scrubbed by numerous hands.

A man spoke, "Be careful with him. We have to find any injuries. They may have become septic."

Frath found the smooth voice calming. His eyelids slid down again as he relaxed. More water splashed over Frath's head and fingers ran through his hair. He shivered even though the water was warm.

Frath opened his eyes.

A robed healer in front of him scrubbed his face. The man had blonde hair and beard and he was studying Frath closely. "What the?! . . . Something's wrong with his eyes."

Fear constricted Frath's throat. He blinked a couple times to help focus. His sight was still cloudy on the edges.

"What is it, Irmin?" A healer with grey hair arrived and took Frath's chin. "Interesting. I've never seen that before." His was the smooth voice Frath had found reassuring.

A man behind Frath said, "I see bruises, but no other injuries, Master Verbo."

"I don't think his injuries are physical, in spite of the blood that was on his chest. Dry him off, get him in a gown and take him to a bed." Master Verbo put his face near Frath's. "Do you need food and drink?"

Frath croaked, "Yes."

"Irmin, get him water, juices, and simple food."

A towel covered Frath's head as someone dried him. Other towels worked the rest of his body. The motion hurt his skin and muscles.

They pushed his arms through the sleeves of a gown. Frath concentrated on breathing rather than the pain. He managed not to moan too terribly at the treatment.

Healers guided him to a bed where they propped him up with pillows. Irmin sat next to him and instantly put a spoonful of warm soup into his mouth.

Frath swallowed it down the best he could. When he spilled some over his chin, a young acolyte wiped the dribble away.

Sergeant Gorman's voice boomed through the healing hall. "Where is he?"

Irmin handed the soup off to the acolyte and moved to intercept. "You will keep your voice down."

Frath figured Irmin to be second in command to Master Verbo, who had disappeared. The acolyte gave Frath another spoonful of soup.

Gorman scowled at the healer.

Irmin placed his palm on the sergeant's chest. "You have no authority in Healer Hall."

The sergeant backed down. "I apologize, Healer Irmin. Is he all right?"

"No. He's in terrible shape even though there's no visible injury beyond bruising. Come see."

Frath didn't like the implication of the statement. He asked the question that was weighing on his mind before anyone else spoke. "Pelya?" His voice worked a little better that time.

"She's fine, Private. Bava and Herman are taking good care of her at the moment," Sergeant Gorman put his hands on his hips. Then he blinked and took a step back. "What in the world happened to your eyes?"

Frath wanted to know the same thing. He couldn't answer because another helping of soup was shoved into his mouth.

Irmin spoke instead. "We don't know, but it doesn't look good. I believe Master Verbo is trying to find out."

Gorman leaned forward until his face was near Frath's. He turned his head a little to get a closer look. "Will he be able to continue his duties with his eyes like that?"

"I don't know. I'm not sure what other side effects might be involved." Irmin also leaned forward.

"What's wrong with my eyes?!" The words rasped like sandpaper running up Frath's throat. He clutched his neck with both hands.

"Don't speak," Irmin ordered. "You need to rest your voice."

The sergeant took a deep breath and exhaled in a great puff. "Your eyes are glowing purple. It's weird. Can you see?" He waved a hand in front of Frath's face.

Frath nodded, unwilling to draw Irmin's ire by talking.

Master Verbo appeared leading a grey-haired woman. "Priestess Calla, this is the man I told you about. Before I try any healing methods, I want to make certain there's nothing supernatural about it. I think magic may have been cast against him."

Priestess Calla sat next on the bed next to Frath. She was physically frail just like most priests and priestesses who spent their time fasting and praying to their various gods.

Frath didn't like priests and priestesses but didn't deny their holy powers.

Priestess Calla looked past his eyes into his soul. Her eyes were just as grey as her hair. The power in them was undeniable as she peered into the corners of his mind.

In other circumstances, Frath would have fought the intrusion.

In his mind, a door slammed shut and forcefully shoved the priestess out. Calla gasped and jerked her head back.

Frath clenched the bedsheets. S _omeone else_ had closed his mind.

The priestess gripped his head between her hands. He felt her push into his soul again.

Whatever had shut the door pushed back.

Calla shuddered.

Frath saw into _her_ soul. He didn't understand what he perceived, but the experience awed him.

The priestess pried herself away with a low wail. She stood and swayed.

Master Verbo caught her. Alarm tinged his voice. "Priestess Calla, are you all right?"

She leaned on him. "Yes, yes. I'm fine." She patted the man's arm.

"What happened?" Healer Irmin asked.

Gorman hovered over Frath. "Will he be all right?"

"All right?" Calla snorted. "Will he be all right? . . ." Her jaw jutted forward as though accusing Frath of wrongdoing. "You'll have to ask whatever god or goddess touched him."

The room fell silent.

Frath shrank into his bed underneath their collective gaze. He had no desire to enlighten them as to the experience in the church. That was good, because he felt his jaw lock. He knew he would never be able to tell anyone.

Healer Irmin spoke in awe. "God-Touched? I've heard of it, but never seen it myself."

Priestess Calla turned away from Frath. She refused to look at him from that point on. "That's because most people die when it happens. The few who do live go mad."

Gorman hung his head. "Then he's mad."

"No, he's not. I was able to see that much before being shut out." Priestess Calla rubbed her temples. She looked her age.

"Really?" Gorman perked up. "That's great. Can you do anything to fix his eyes?"

The priestess glared at the sergeant.

He took a step back.

"I can't lay a hand on him. It would kill me to do so. No priest can undo the work of a god." She took a deep breath and rubbed her temples again. "I might have died had I not detached myself from his mind."

Sergeant Gorman looked to the priestess for answers, then Master Verbo, and then Healer Irmin.

The most he got was a shrug from Irmin.

He turned to Frath. "Well? Which god touched you? Help me out here."

Frath's jaw froze shut. Distra's control over him was terrifying.

At that thought, the presence in his mind retreated. It left behind locks on the details of the church.

"I can't tell you," he croaked. His hand went to his throat at the pain of speaking.

"Have you given the patient liquids?" Master Verbo demanded of Healer Irmin.

The healer reddened in embarrassment.

Acolytes tried to give Frath soup and juice at the same time.

He took the drink first to quench the fiery soreness in his throat. It helped some. He couldn't talk because soup followed it.

Healer Irmin turned to the sergeant and pushed him away, or at least he tried to. Gorman was a rock of a man and didn't budge unless he chose to. The healer glared. "You can talk to him after he's had some nourishment. He might be able to answer questions without sounding like a demented frog then. Now go away. I'll send someone for you."

Gorman crossed his arms and set his jaw.

Master Verbo stepped forward. "Shall I report to Captain Duuth that you are interfering with the ability of a healer to care for a patient?" His voice was hard with the very real threat.

Sergeant Gorman relented immediately. "You'll let me know right away?"

Healer Irmin softened a bit. "Yes. I'll send someone as soon as he's feeling better and can talk."

Gorman patted Frath's leg through the blanket. "Pelya's just fine. You get better and come back as soon as possible." As he left the hall, the sergeant looked back over his shoulder.

## Chapter 10

A few days later, Frath was back in the barracks with his squad. They greeted him with cheers and claps on the back, but also with some hesitation. No one would look into his eyes for long.

He couldn't blame them. Frath had looked in a mirror. They were dark purple in color, though they no longer glowed. The irises glistened like amethyst gems around the pupils and the whites had a lavender tint to them, much like the combined light of the two moons.

He learned that he had been unconscious for three nights before waking up and staggering back to the barracks. The healers had given him nourishment and healed his body as much as they could. Even then, it had taken some time to recover enough to speak. His voice was still hoarse.

It was the middle of the night after returning from Healer Hall. He sat on his footlocker feeding Pelya. Everyone was asleep in his or her bunks. The door to his private room was open. All he heard were the snores of a few loud sleepers.

Pelya stared into his eyes. Frath got the distinct impression that Distra stared back at the baby.

A shadow wiggled along the wall, amusing itself in the light cast by the lone lantern. Frath remembered paying attention to shadows when he was a child, but they had faded from his mind as he grew. Since the incident at the church, he noticed them all the time. They moved, they danced, and they wiggled. Mostly they were sad.

He wondered why the shadows were sad. Were they sad only in Dralin, which was a city filled with pain and suffering? Perhaps shadows in other cities were happy and danced for joy. Perhaps it was because Distra was sad.

The thought of the goddess brought his memory back to the incident at the church. He knew she would never let his mind go now. Distra wasn't there all the time, but she peeked in whenever she wanted to. Frath didn't know if that fact should upset him.

He didn't like churches or priests. Many had tried to convert him when he was in the orphanages. He still had whip scars on his back from some of the beatings received when refusing to pray or worship.

The lonely church in the Forlorn District was the only place he had ever felt safe. Judging by his current condition, Distra had accepted him as a follower whether that was his intention or not.

Frath sighed. It wouldn't be fair to ask for a lifetime of comfort and solace, only to reject the one who gave it. Perhaps the goddess needed a friend too. Frath decided to give his heart and soul to Distra. Considering she already possessed his mind, it seemed the sensible thing to do.

The church wasn't a good place to raise Pelya though. He worried about her fate. The world was a terrible place to raise a child. Dralin was worst of all.

"Frath?" Bava appeared in the doorway. She wore the basic cotton leggings and shirt that were standard night issue for both men and women in the Guard. They were cool and comfortable. "I didn't hear her cry."

"She didn't. I was awake. She made noises at me, so I changed her diaper. I'm feeding her now." He attempted a smile. His lips managed to turn up a tiny bit.

Bava pushed her hair back over her ears as she sat next to him. Her leg touched his. She leaned over and waved hi to Pelya.

The child stared at her solemnly as she tended to do.

Frath felt Bava's hand on his back and the other on his thigh.

Her eyes were soft and inviting as they turned to him. "Would you like company to ease the stress?"

It wouldn't be the first time they had lain together, but it would be the first since Frath had met Sheela. The City Guard had a liberal policy of letting guardspeople share each other's beds as long as it was never forced. Life in the Guard was hard and the chances of death were high. Casual relations were encouraged to help keep everyone relaxed and morale high. They were also liberal about same-sex relationships.

Bava slid her hand a little higher up his thigh. "I know the hearing tomorrow has you on edge, Frath. Some relief might do you good."

He chewed on his lower lip and frowned in thought.

Bava took her hands away and moved to face him with her left leg folded up so she could rest her chin on the knee. "They won't kick you out of the guard. Sarge will see to that."

He shook his head and spoke quietly so as not to disturb Pelya who was falling back to sleep. "He's done far too much for me already. At this point, I owe him a debt I'll never be able to repay. Now he's going to stick his neck out for me even more?"

"That's his decision to make. Sarge does what he wants and he has his reasons." Her voice was mellow and soothing when she wasn't screaming at a foe. It was one of the reasons he liked talking to her about troubling things.

"But why is he doing so much for me?" Frath gazed into her dusky green eyes. The dim light of the lantern combined with the late hour gave them a smoky quality. Natural desire increased the effect.

"Sarge sees something in you. We all do."

"I'm not special," Frath protested. "I'm just trying to survive like everyone else. I'm in the guard because I want to make the world safer, even if that seems like a lost cause."

"Well maybe that's part of what makes you special." Bava stood and took Pelya from his arms. "You truly care about people and it shows." She rested the baby on her shoulder and patted her back.

Frath rinsed the bottle using clean water out of a pitcher. "There are others that care. I know _you_ do, Sarge does and most of the squad does. There are others." Frath wiped the bottle off and set it down.

"Yes, but you look after the rest of us." Bava smiled at the oversized burp Pelya let out. "You protect Sarge's back. Don't think he hasn't noticed."

It was true that Frath had gone out of his way to protect the sergeant. He had turned away swords aimed at Gorman's back in a few battles. In addition, he had stood up for the man when others would cast insults or disparaging remarks.

Bava put Pelya in the crib and caressed her thin black hair. "You go out of your way to defend every member of your squad and we all know it. That's why you're so popular among the rest of us."

Frath blushed at the compliment. The squad was the only family he had ever known. He would die for them.

"You're well read on law and a quick thinker in battle." She came over and put her arms on his shoulders. She was tall but had to look up at him. "You're also extremely handsome . . . even with purple eyes." Bava smirked.

A grin tugged at the corner of Frath's mouth. "I don't think Sarge keeps me around for that reason."

"No, but I do." She tiptoed to kiss him.

Frath returned the kiss with hesitant lips. He put his hands on her waist, trying to decide how it felt.

The kiss lasted a few moments. She smiled at him. "I'm not trying to replace her and I'm not asking for commitment, just warmth and relief for _both_ of us." Bava studied his face for a moment before kissing him again. He returned it, though not with the love he had felt for Sheela. He would never kiss a woman like that again.

***

People filled the hearing chamber. Master Verbo and Healer Irmin were there as was Frath's entire squad. Others in the city guard had heard of the God-Touched Private. Those with enough influence had manipulated their way in.

One individual was noticeably absent. Frath leaned toward Sergeant Gorman. "Where is Captain Duuth?"

"I convinced him not to be here." Gorman winked.

A committee of three sat behind a raised desk. The Commander of Internal Justice sat in the center seat. Greying hair framed his strong face. A scholar of Internal Justice sat to his left and a wizard of the High Council's Office on his right. Together they made the more important decisions of law and order within the City Guard.

"Why are there so many people here?" the commander demanded.

A lanky bailiff with long hair stepped toward the desk. "Everyone is fascinated with the case because the private is God-Touched. It looks like every member of his squad was given the day off too."

"We don't need this many people. It's distracting. Everyone not important to the matter is to leave." The commander banged his gavel against its sound block.

Members of the audience stood and shouted in protest. Frath folded his arms and huddled in his chair. _He_ would be more than willing to leave.

The commander pounded the gavel. It was ineffective until the head broke with a loud crack and went flying through the air. The bailiff snatched it out of the air, dusted it off and set it back on the desk.

"That was my favorite gavel, a gift from my wife!" The commander placed his fists on the desk and leaned forward. His face reddened in anger. "Anyone not necessary to the matter at hand is to leave immediately before I have you all arrested!"

People shoved each other on their way out regardless of rank.

Gorman dismissed all the squad except Bava, who he kept to provide moral support for Frath. The squad members left in an orderly fashion after everyone else had exited.

Remaining were the healers, a couple of priests and wizards, a few assorted members of the Guard who might act as professional advisors, the bailiff, a recorder of minutes, and legal students there to study. The latter looked nervous about not having left.

The commander motioned that the students were fine where they were. He looked at papers in front of him. "The matter at hand is the issue of whether or not to allow Private Frath Jornin to remain in the Dralin City Guard due to the fact that he has been God-Touched."

Frath was surprised the commander said nothing about a child being in the barracks. He decided to keep it to himself. There was no sense in complicating things.

The commander flipped through his documents a moment longer while the other two stared at Frath. They paid particular attention to his eyes. "First of all, how do we know he's God-Touched?" the commander asked. He had an authoritative voice that dominated the room even when he wasn't screaming in anger.

Priestess Calla stood. "I attest to the fact that Private Frath Jornin is God-Touched. In examining him shortly after he arrived at Healing Hall, I discovered it to be true. It is not quite as noticeable now that his eyes are no longer glowing, but it is so." She sat.

"Hmm." The commander glanced at the other two members of the committee.

They nodded in acceptance of the testimony.

"Very well. He's God-Touched. Why doesn't somebody just fix that?"

Priestess Calla rolled her eyes.

An even older priestess on the other side of the room stood. She was the Head Priestess of the City Guard and worshipped a completely different god than Calla. "Only a god or goddess can cure the young man. I wouldn't waste your time following that direction, Commander."

He didn't bother to look at the others before accepting the information. "Very well. So he's going to stay God-Touched. Why would that make him unable to perform his duties?"

Nobody responded. The committee waited for an answer.

Master Verbo stood. "Every other person I've ever seen who was God-Touched lost their minds and ability to function."

The council wizard frowned. "Being God-Touched is extraordinarily rare," he said in a high-pitched formal voice. "Precisely how many others have you seen?"

"Oh . . . well . . . one." The last word came out as a mumble. He held a finger in the air. "But I've heard of others."

The wizard scoffed. "Of course."

It drew a narrow look of irritation from Master Verbo.

The scholar cleared his throat. "You had Frath Jornin in your healing hall. In your opinion, has he lost his mind or ability to function?"

"Well . . ." Master Verbo looked at Frath for a moment and then back at the committee. "I honestly have no idea. He seems fine other than some weakness from being unconscious for three days. He also doesn't seem to be able to talk about what happened."

Priestess Calla stood and interrupted. "Whatever god or goddess touched him put a geas that prevents him from speaking of it. Nothing less than a divine being would be able to remove it."

"Where is his commanding officer?" the wizard asked.

Sergeant Gorman stood. "Captain Duuth is in a meeting at the Estate of the Grand Assembly, Sir. I'm Private Jornin's squad sergeant."

An expression of distaste crossed the commander's face. "Duuth? Just as well he's not here."

The others nodded in agreement.

"Well, Sergeant, do you think he's able to perform his duties properly?" the commander asked.

"Yes Sir."

The commander grunted. "That's all you have to say? Yes Sir? Would you like to clarify, Sergeant?"

"He is physically able to perform his duties. He's been recovering this week so he could use a day or two on the practice field, but I'll be making sure that happens. His mind is strong even after whatever happened to him. There's no slurring to his speech and he remembers everything I've asked him. His vision is fine even though his eyes turned purple."

"I'm curious as to what color they were before," the wizard said.

"They were blue, Sir."

The wizard nodded as though it meant something.

Frath figured it was just because the man wanted to look wise.

The commander addressed Frath. "Private Jornin, do you feel, without reservation, that you are able to do your duties?"

There was doubt in his mind, but Frath wasn't about to jeopardize his chances of staying in the Guard. "Yes Sir. I am able to do my duties."

"I thought you'd say as much." The commander sat back in his chair and puffed hair out of his eyes. "I need a haircut."

"Doesn't your wife cut it?" the wizard asked.

"She traveled to the country to visit a cousin I couldn't care less about."

The high priestess of the guard stood. "The condition of your hair and family are quite fascinating subjects, Commander, but I have work to do. If you don't mind."

The commander waved his hand in acknowledgment. "Of course." He pointed at one of the Guard's experts. "Captain Unermin, I want you to test him in the training yard. Determine if he's physically and mentally capable to handle combat and . . . whatever else he needs to be able to do."

A man nearly as tall as Frath stood and smacked his fist to his chest. Unermin was one of the best swordspeople in the Guard. He was also excellent in every form of fighting and lighting fast too. Frath wouldn't have to defeat him, just show that he would be able to handle himself mentally and physically.

"This way, Private," Captain Unermin ordered.

Frath jumped to his feet. They walked through a short hall before exiting into an open practice area. The sun beat down on them with the full force of summer behind it. Humidity mixed with smog and clogged their lungs. Sweat wasted no time trickling down their backs and faces.

A lieutenant ran ahead and grabbed bronze practice swords from a covered rack along the wall. Chips and scratches marred the weathered blades. He came back and tossed one to each man.

Frath reached out and snatched his by the unsharpened blade.

Unermin leapt, caught his by the hilt and swung it at Frath's neck.

As Frath rolled to the side, the captain's blade whistled an inch above his head. It was an excellent test of his reflexes, but Frath really wished he had been given time to warm up. It wasn't as if Unermin needed an advantage.

Frath rolled into a defensive position, getting a firm, double-handed grip on his hilt. To his surprise, the captain's shadow moved before the captain. Frath used the advanced warning to counter a thrust.

Their swords met. The ring of metal echoed off the walls of the yard. Frath leveraged his hilt toward the captain's face. He was surprised when his fists made contact with Unermin's nose.

The blow jerked the captain to the side and sent him sprawling.

Frath stepped back, disengaging from combat.

Captain Unermin rolled to his feet, coming up ready.

The lieutenant stepped between them. "Hold!"

Frath stepped back and put the tip of the practice sword between his feet. It was an indication he would press no further.

Unermin threw his sword to the ground and hollered a few choice words.

Master Verbo and Healer Irmin rushed up to stop the blood gushing down the front of the officer's tunic.

The audience stared at Frath in stunned silence. More than a few jaws hung open.

It didn't take long for the healers to fix the nose and rush back to their seats. Frath wished they had been around the few times _his_ nose had been busted.

His heart wasn't into sparring. When the captain bent over to pick up his sword, Frath decided his heart would have to deal. He took a defensive posture while the captain twirled his sword and circled. A couple of brief cheers came from the audience before being cut off by a glare from the captain.

The captain's shadow silently warned that the captain was going to attack without relenting. Frath didn't know how he understood the mysterious message, but he did. When the attack came, the shadow did everything the captain did, but an instant sooner.

Even with the forewarnings, it took everything Frath had to keep up with the man. Two weeks of no exercise had taken a toll on his body.

Captain Unermin knew moves Frath had never seen. The shadow's forewarnings weren't enough. The captain's sword hit his leg, then arm, shoulder, and leg again. Each blow landed harder.

Frath struggled to fight off the blows. His strength drained. Every move became defensive.

The lieutenant intervened. "Disengage!"

Frath stumbled back and dropped his sword. His chest heaved with each panting breath.

Captain Unermin raised his sword as if to deliver another blow, but only for a second. He stepped back and threw it to the ground in disgust.

They stood there staring at each other. Frath couldn't catch his breath. He was certain he had failed the test miserably.

The Commander came forward. His eyebrows furrowed with concern. "Captain Unermin, I see that you're upset. Did the private fail the test?"

The captain spat. "Fail?" His face was red with anger and exertion. "Commander, if you let this man out of the Guard, you're a _fool_!"

The commander's eyebrows rose.

"I haven't been caught by surprise in years, let alone hit in the face. I used nearly every trick I knew." He thrust his finger at Frath. "It was as if he knew what was going to happen next. If he wasn't out of shape, he might have kept up with me longer."

"Interesting." The commander turned to the other members of the committee. "It appears being God-Touched will _not_ interfere with his duties. It also seems as though we would be . . ." He turned back to Unermin. "What was the word you called us, Captain?"

Unermin had the good grace to blush.

". . . Fools? Yes, that was it. We would be _fools_ if we let Private Jornin out of the Guard."

The wizard placed both hands over his heart in a dramatic gesture. "Well, I certainly wouldn't want to be labeled a fool. I say we keep him in the guard."

The scholar smirked. "I concur."

"So be it." The commander's voice boomed through the yard. "Frath Jornin is cleared for duty. This hearing is over."

Sergeant Gorman threw a fist in the air. "Yeah!" He rushed over to smack Frath on the back in congratulations. Bava followed right behind. Frath took the abuse as they led him away.

Captain Unermin watched him all the way out of the practice yard.

## Chapter 11

Year 1377, Fifth Age

Corporal Frath Jornin's amethyst eyes sparkled in the sunlight. He and Weaponmaster Gilron Coodmur leaned against an equipment rack in a corner of the training yard. Recruits drilled while tough instructors corrected them with loud voices. The clatter of wood and metal swords filled the air while the odor of leather-covered bodies sweating in the morning sun filled the nostrils.

Pelya was now seven-years old. Her wavy black hair was pulled in a ponytail and her face was twisted in concentration. Small pieces of wood armor covered her chest, back and shins. She performed the same drills as the recruits, only with better precision than most.

The grizzled weaponmaster used the girl as a positive example whenever one of the other trainees was being particularly dense. He enjoyed having Pelya around and was protective of her. Perhaps it was because she was the one person he didn't have to boss around; perhaps it was because of her precocious smile.

Few people could match Commander Coodmur's skill with a sword. He knew how to use every other weapon ever made and had a knack with improvised weapons. His training yard had tables, chairs, bottles, wagon wheels and just about everything else imaginable. He taught how to fight with and against the objects.

The commander's hair was mostly grey and there were numerous hard-earned battle scars all over his sunbaked body and face. He had been in wars and seen the worst humanity had to offer. At times, he would begin talking about a battle and then a look would pass across his hazel eyes before he took a deep breath and changed the subject.

A few years earlier, he transferred Sergeant Gorman's squad to his training division. Gorman was now a master sergeant. Frath was a corporal in a different squad working with new recruits out in the city most days.

"You know, when I first heard that a baby had been brought into the barracks, I was furious," he told Frath in a voice that sounded like rocks tumbling through a river. "Then I saw the little thing. She looked at me with those lively blue eyes and I knew there was something about her. She's growing up to be quite the little warrior."

Frath grunted. "I don't know how to feel about it. I'm terrified every time I think about what could happen to her in this forsaken city." What he didn't say was that he had frequent nightmares about it. He tried distancing himself from the fear to no avail. Pelya was the only thing he loved in the world. He had contemplated how to end his own life if anything happened to her.

The commander put a hand of reassurance on his shoulder. "You're doing a fine job, Corporal. Every person in the Guard is her aunt or uncle now. They would die for her." He looked up at the pure blue sky, clean from spring rains the night before. "A few people have thought to complain about the girl. I've made it a point to speak with them about the matter. I listened to their concerns, of course, but then I set them straight as to how things are going to be." He winked.

"Umm . . . Thank you, Sir." Frath didn't know how to respond. Mostly he was grateful for having such a well-respected man on his side.

"Not at all. Pelya is a delight. I'm pretty sure everyone in the guard showed up for her birthday yesterday. You're taking her to Lady Pallon's today aren't you?"

"Yeah, she wants Pelya to meet Ebudae so they can get into trouble together."

Gilron guffawed. "That sounds about right. The old lady is an odd duck from everything I've heard about her. Her granddaughter is said to have inherited that oddness."

"Lady Pallon has been a good friend to me." Frath was defensive about criticism of his friend. "She's not great with children, which is why I haven't taken Pelya before."

The commander patted his back. "I meant no offense. I like odd people. I'm _your_ friend after all, aren't I?" He winked again.

"Yes Sir . . . I mean if . . . I'm just a corporal, Sir," Frath stammered, overwhelmed by the officer's words.

"Nonsense. You're my friend. Don't abuse it, but I'm here if you need me for anything." He nodded at Pelya. "I'll kill or die for your daughter, both if need be."

Frath could only nod. There were a lot of people who felt that way, but the commander wasn't just anybody.

"Pelya!" Gilron shouted. "Your father's here. Time to go."

"Aww." Her shoulders slumped, but then she straightened and held her wooden sword upright in salute. "Yes Sir!" She ran to replace her practice sword and armor in the locker made just for her.

She ran back to Frath and jumped into his arms at full hug. "Daddy!"

He laughed and squeezed her tight. It was the best feeling in the world.

Pelya wore a bright shirt that matched her sapphire eyes. Her leggings were sturdy, brown and plain. She wore new black boots and a silver necklace with a hawk, the Guard's icon. All were birthday gifts from the day before.

Gilron patted Frath on the shoulder again. "Have a good day, you two."

"Thank you, Sir."

"I love you, Uncle Gilron." Pelya attacked the commander with a hug.

"I love you too, little one. Be good for your father now." He tousled her hair.

"I will!" She took Frath's hand. "I'm ready, Daddy."

"All right, let's go."

They strolled out of the practice yard, down numerous halls and finally through the gate into the city beyond.

The journey was made in silence most of the way. Frath spent his time searching every face and hiding spot for danger. Pelya spent her time looking at all the people and sites with curiosity.

In the Merchant District, well-dressed men held their noses high as they went about their business. Women followed by personal guards gathered in safe clusters to gossip in the beautiful day. Pelya stared at a couple of girls in frilly dresses who had stuck their tongues out at her.

"I don't have to wear dresses or anything, do I, Daddy?" Pelya scrunched her face in disgust.

"It'd be nice to see you in a dress every now and then."

Pelya looked up at him in wide-eyed horror.

He chuckled and held up his hand in surrender. "All right, all right. I won't insist. I'm just saying . . ."

Pelya chewed on her lower lip and glanced at another girl wearing a dress. That one looked sad. "I'll think about it, Daddy, but not so many frills and I don't really want to."

Frath tried to restrain a grin with moderate success. "I'll keep that in mind."

His amusement went away a moment later. A group of well-dressed women turned their backs on him. "That's the girl being raised in the barracks of the City Guard, the poor child," one of the women whispered loudly.

Frath didn't think they meant him to hear the words, but his hearing had sharpened since the incident with Distra.

"Disgraceful, subjecting the poor child to that," another said with a disapproving glance over her shoulder.

"Imagine her being allowed to play with swords and having to listen to all of that vulgar language the guards use," a third said.

The first nodded. "The little girl will probably become a terrible person. It's too bad she didn't die with her mother."

They all turned and looked at Frath and Pelya in disgust.

Frath's hand balled into a fist. It took all his willpower not to yell at the women. They knew nothing of him. They knew nothing of how well everyone treated Pelya. Her life was much better than that of most children in Dralin. It was better than her mother's had been.

"What's wrong, Daddy? A minute ago, you looked angry. Now you look sad. I think you're crying."

Frath wiped away the renegade tear that had snuck its way down his cheek. Sheela's death still hurt. He forced a smile. "I'm all right. I was just remembering . . ."

"Mommy?" she asked with amazing intuitiveness. "Do you think she would like me?"

The question pulled hard on Frath's heart. He stopped and squatted down to eye level. "Your mother would love you and be so proud of you." He tried to keep the tears that were welling from flowing over. "You are an amazing person, Pelya. I wish _so much_ that she was here to see you."

"I miss her." Tears flowed from Pelya's eyes in response. "I wish she didn't die."

Frath picked her up and carried her the rest of the way, not wanting to let her go.

He finally set her down at the gate. When the squirrel came down the branch and asked, "Yeah, watcha want?" Pelya gasped and hid behind her father. It was the same reaction her mother had had the first time meeting the squirrel.

"Frath and Pelya Jornin to see Lady Pallon."

"Oh yeah, the lady is expecting you." The squirrel chattered at the gate, which opened in response.

As Frath led Pelya up the path, the gate closed.

Pelya looked over her shoulder. "That squirrel was neat." She then tried to look at everything in the yard: the pond, the willows and the rosebushes that were blooming in the spring air. Her head turned back and forth like it was on a swivel. "I like it here! There are lots of places to explore."

"Yes. There are also a lot of places to get into trouble. I expect you to stay out of them." He knew she wouldn't, but had to say it anyway.

Lady Pallon opened the door before he had a chance to knock. "There you are. You're late." She looked Pelya up and down. "Well, show me a curtsy then."

Pelya frowned, but did as told.

"Well, that's very nice except for the fact that you're not wearing a dress. Do you own a dress, child? Or is your father raising you to be a barbarian?"

Frath sighed.

Pelya narrowed her eyes. "I own two dresses. They were gifts. Daddy is raising me the best he can. I'll thank you not to speak ill of him."

Lady Pallon raised an eyebrow and examined the girl. "Well, well. You have your father's fire and loyalty in you." She stepped aside and motioned for them to enter. "Come in. Ebudae is eagerly awaiting you. You won't be able to notice her excitement though. She's the gloomiest little girl you'd ever want to meet."

Frath was even more grateful he hadn't left Pelya in her care. He liked Lady Pallon, but the woman's attitude toward children was appalling. They followed her out to the conservatory.

"We have tea and cake for everyone." She gestured grandly at a table that had been set with a lace tablecloth, fine dishes, silverware and teacups, in addition to plates for the cake that was sitting in the middle. "Ebudae, do say hello to our guests."

A brown-haired girl with pink eyes sat with her arms folded. She wore a frilly pink dress with white ruffles. "Hello." It was clear she wasn't thrilled with company, her dress, or . . . anything really.

"Hello," Pelya replied.

Frath had met Ebudae a few times. He was used to the melancholy attitude and liked the young lady. "Hello, Ebudae. It's good to see you again." She needed at least one smiling face since Lady Pallon never took her out of the estate.

"Pelya dear, why don't you sit in the chair next to Ebudae," Lady Pallon suggested. "Mary, give them each a slice of cake and cup of tea." She then sat down in the chair Frath held for her while Mary served everyone. "How are you, my friend?"

"I'm well." He took a seat next to her. "I like my position training recruits, my sergeant is a good man, I respect Commander Coodmur more than anyone I've ever met, and Pelya is doing well."

"That's wonderful. Gorman is your sergeant's name, right?" She took a sip of her tea.

Pelya and Ebudae sipped theirs while staring at each other suspiciously.

Frath shook his head. "Master Sergeant Gorman works directly with the commander. Sergeant Yengin is my current squad sergeant. She's quick with a sword and with a smile. It's been fun."

"You have to come more often, my friend," Lady Pallon insisted. "Four or five times a year simply isn't enough."

"I will." Frath took a large mouthful of the delicious cake and watched the two girls for a minute. Neither was talking, nor did they look as though they had any desire to do so.

Lady Pallon discussed boring details about the way wizards were running the city. Frath relaxed in the comfortable atmosphere. He inhaled the aroma of flowers while sipping the excellent tea.

After everyone finished their cake, Frath asked, "Pelya, would you like to see where your mother's ashes were scattered?"

Pelya had recently asked about her mother's death and the funeral. Frath hadn't known the proper way to answer, so he had just told her the truth about everything. When he was done, she nodded and gave him a hug before going back to playing.

She didn't answer right away.

Frath noticed Ebudae sit up straight, waiting for the answer.

Finally, Pelya nodded. "Yes, Daddy. I'd like that very much."

He held Lady Pallon's chair again while she stood. The girls followed the adults into the backyard. Glancing over his shoulder, Frath noticed Pelya studying the few buildings in the yard as well as all the secret areas the willows hid with their long fronds. In addition to the ponds, various old statues lent the backyard a creepy feel.

The fountain and rosebushes were just the same as when Frath had visited after the ceremony. Water sparkled in the sunlight and the roses were dark purple. They bloomed all year in spite of the weather. He would come there sometimes and sit on the edge of the fountain for hours just thinking of Sheela.

Pelya stood next to a rosebush and sniffed. "The flowers are beautiful, like mother's ring, only purple instead of gold." They had an aroma a bit sharper and earthier than most.

Frath enjoyed the scent where others might not.

Ebudae came up next to her. "They also have three times as many thorns as normal roses. They're extremely sharp." She tapped a finger against one of the thorns. Then she held it up so Pelya could see the blood running down her finger. The fact that she hadn't flinched or reacted to the pain worried Frath.

Pelya looked at the blood for a second then reached out and tapped one of the thorns too. "Ow." She examined the blood on her finger.

"Pelya!" Frath reached his hand out too late to do anything.

Ebudae stuck her finger in her mouth and sucked on the blood while watching her new friend.

Pelya looked at her, looked at her finger, and then back at her before shrugging and sticking her own finger in her mouth.

Frath closed his eyes and rubbed his temples.

Lady Pallon put a hand on his shoulder. "See, I told you they'd be perfect for each other."

## Chapter 12

Year 1381, Fifth Age

"By the Gods, man, how could you let an eleven-year-old girl beat you so easily?" Commander Gilron Coodmur stood over a stunned recruit. He was doing inspections on new recruits that late spring morning and had come over to see how the lanky girl was doing. Other recruits in their practice leathers gathered around to listen.

The young man sat on his behind in the hard dirt. He was a cocky sort who thought he was better than anyone else. A groan gave evidence that he had been disabused of that notion.

Pelya shook her head as she stood over the man with one hand on her hip and a look of disdain on her face. The flat blade of the wooden sword rested on her right shoulder. She was helping Sergeant Bava test men and women before they began basic training. Bava had matched the young man against Pelya to teach him a lesson in humility.

Commander Coodmur studied her for a moment. "Why are you staring at him in such a manner, lass?"

The question startled Pelya. She stood straight, resting the tip of the sword on the ground. Commander Coodmur was someone she respected and loved. The thought that he might be upset with her sent a jolt of panic rushing over her nerves. "He did terribly, Sir. His form was bad and his balance nonexistent. He was overconfident. It's almost as though he's never held a sword before." She flung her ponytail off her shoulder.

"That's probably because he _hasn't_ held a sword before." Mirth danced in the commander's eyes as he chuckled.

She hadn't considered that.

"Few people are raised with a sword in their hands like you. Fewer still have your talent and . . . _intensity,_ shall we say?" His chuckling grew into a rumbling laugh.

A few other recruits joined in half-heartedly, unsure if it was the proper response.

Pelya reddened in embarrassment but considered his words seriously. The thought that anyone would grow up without learning how to use a sword was foreign to her. Swords had been a vital part of her life since she could remember.

The commander helped the man back to his feet. "Clean yourself up lad. Remember this lesson. If you underestimate your opponent, you'll find yourself in the same position or worse."

"Yes sir." He shrank back into the crowd of recruits, having lost his arrogance for the moment.

Gilron squeezed Pelya's shoulder. "You need to pay attention too. Rather than treating your opponent with contempt, try to understand them."

"Has he truly never used a sword before?"

"I don't believe he has." The commander squatted and rested his elbows on his knees. "You have an amazing amount of talent, but you're naïve about the world, lass. Most of these recruits arrive without experience."

"I don't know how they expect to survive. They're at such a disadvantage not knowing anything."

The commander stood tall. His voice assumed its familiar air of command. "Everyone's path in life is different. You and your father hate it when people say that you are disadvantaged for being raised in the Guard. Why would you judge someone else's abilities in a similar manner?" His tone changed to disappointment. "You are an amazing person, but still a child. I'll not have you looking down your nose on anyone. Is that clear, Pelya?"

She lowered her head. Her face grew hot with mortification and shame. "Yes Sir."

"Keep your head up."

Pelya snapped her chin up. Her jaw was set in an attempt to control her emotions.

Gilron put his hand back on her shoulder. "You're only eleven. Even at such a young age, you're better at combat than many adults. You still have a lot left to learn about life though." He folded his arms and stared at her for a minute.

She looked up at him, wondering what was going through his mind. "I'm sorry I judged him. I didn't mean to, Sir."

"No, no. It's alright. He was being an oaf." Gilron waved a dismissive hand, much to the embarrassment of the recruit. The weaponmaster wrapped his arm around Pelya's shoulders. "You need a little less combat training and a little more life experience. Come with me." He took the sword gently from her and tossed it to one of the recruits who immediately fumbled and dropped it. "The rest of you get back to work!"

The frightened trainees scurried in all directions, not knowing what to do.

Gilron led Pelya toward the barracks where she lived with her father and his squad. It was a different barracks than when she was a baby. He didn't say anything right on the way. Guardspeople stepped aside and saluted the commander. They said hi or gave a little wave to Pelya.

She smiled weakly in return. She had a sick feeling in her stomach from worrying about what he was going to say to her.

A few minutes later, they reached the squad's quarters. Pelya had her own small room in the back. For a child, Pelya was well off. Her aunts and uncles, as she liked to call nearly everyone in the City Guard, kept giving her little gifts even when it wasn't her birthday. They also gave her the occasional copper or even a silver piece now and then so she could get a treat or something nice for herself. With thousands of aunts and uncles, it translated into quite a bit of money over time. She tried to refuse, but everyone still kept slipping her coins.

Pelya was one of the few people in the guard who had a room with a lock. She unlocked the door and invited the commander in. A few coppers had been shoved under the door. She kicked them aside.

Gilron noticed the motion. "How much money do you have?"

She shrugged and did a quick count of the coins on the floor. "With those, I have sixty eight gold, nine silver and four copper. Most of it's in a bank."

The commander's jaw dropped. "I don't have that much money," he whispered in awe.

Pelya shrugged. "I get money every day. I've told everyone they don't need to do that, but they keep giving me coins anyway. It's usually coppers, but there are so many of them that they add up. I practice math by adding them in my head."

"You said you have it in the bank. Is it under your father's name?" Gilron sat on one of the two chairs by the small table in the room and gestured for her to sit in the other. There was also a bed, nightstand, water basin and a sturdy chest of drawers in the room. A carpet given to her by Lady Pallon covered most of the floor and she even had two paintings and a small tapestry on the walls.

"When I was eight, daddy showed me all the money that had been given to me. I decided to put it someplace safe. I talked to a lot of my aunts and uncles before choosing to deposit it in the Cloudswept Bank. There were lot of options, but I think that's the most secure. They give me interest for keeping my money safe there too." She cleaned up in the water bowl and wondered when Uncle Gilron would get to the point. "Daddy says he makes enough to support us. The Guard takes care of most basic expenses anyway."

"I see." For a minute, he just stared at her.

It made Pelya uncomfortable. The commander had the ability to stare into a person's soul and take their measure. He rarely did it to her though. She decided to stare back.

He chuckled. "You're not at all intimidated by me. You weren't as a baby and you're still not." He sighed and drummed his fingers on the table. "You're my favorite person ever, Pelya. I don't like anyone as much as I like you. Thank you for being in my life."

"Thank you, Uncle. You're one of my favorite people too." She smiled, realizing that he was speaking to her on a personal level, not as an officer.

"From now on, you're only allowed to practice for one hour per day. That's it. In fact, you don't have to do even that hour if you don't want to."

Pelya's heart sank into her stomach. "I don't want to do anything else. I like being in the Guard." Her voice broke and she trembled. Being kicked out of the Guard was her worst nightmare. It sounded to her as though the weaponmaster was doing exactly that.

He took her hand and patted it gently. "This is not a punishment. You need to learn a little bit more about the world outside."

"But I'm not allowed outside the Guard District!" she wailed. "I don't want to go into the city. It's evil and everyone wants to kill everyone else and it's terrible." Sobs broke from her chest. Pelya almost never cried, but she was young and this was the worst news she had ever had.

"What's going on, Commander?" Herman, one of her favorite uncles, entered. She liked him because he always had a quick joke and smile ready for her.

Pelya rushed to him. Her life was ending. She wasn't allowed in the Guard anymore. She was sure that was what was happening. All her life Pelya had known that she would be a member of the Dralin City Guard. "I have to leave!" she wailed at Herman.

"Leave?!" Herman held Pelya protectively and bared his teeth at the weaponmaster. "What has she done? Tell me!"

Five more squad members rushed in and demanded to know what was going on. Their voices tumbled over each other.

"NO!" Gilron yelled. "I didn't tell her she had to leave. She misunderstood." It took a moment for things to calm down. He was unable to stop one of the squad from rushing out to find Frath. Gilron leaned back in the chair and crossed his legs out in front of him to wait until Frath got there.

Pelya stopped crying after a few minutes. She sat down and took the handkerchief one of the guards handed her to blow her nose. The sniffles didn't go away though.

A few minutes later, Frath came running in.

Behind him was his unit of trainees. They gathered outside the doorway.

"Who says Pelya has to leave?!" Frath Demanded. "Over my dead body!" He saw Gilron. "Commander! What's going on?"

Pelya jumped up and latched onto his waist. He put an arm around her shoulders protectively.

"Relax, Corporal. I did _not_ say she had to leave." Gilron gave a weary wave of his hand.

"That's good, because she's not!"

The others crammed in the room supported Frath loudly.

Hope coursed through Pelya's veins.

Commander Coodmur jumped up from his chair. "At attention!" It sounded like an avalanche of rocks falling down a mountain.

To an individual they snapped to attention and slammed fists to their hearts in salute, even Pelya.

"Are you listening?" he asked testily, hands on hips.

"Yes Sir!" they yelled in unison.

"Good. First of all, Pelya does not have to leave. Nobody has to leave. Is that clear?"

Their voices rang out in unison. "Yes Sir!"

"Good." He folded his arms.

Pelya didn't like it when the weaponmaster was mad at her. It took all her effort not to sniffle.

Gilron ground his teeth side to side for a moment. "I told Pelya that she needs to learn about life outside of the Guard. Right now, all she knows _is_ the City Guard. She has no empathy, compassion or even a basic understanding of anything else."

Frath broke attention and gripped Pelya's shoulders in relief.

"I told the lass that she's allowed to exercise for an hour per day. She may also continue her studies, but that needs to be kept reasonable too, perhaps two hours a day or so. After that, she needs to do something else." Gilron folded his arms. "Perhaps she can find someone to play with. She is a child after all."

"I am not!" Pelya knew, technically, that she was. She wasn't willing to admit it though.

The weaponmaster chuckled. "Yes, you are." He squatted so they were eye level. "You're more mature, well read, stronger, and wiser than many adults, but you're still a child and you need to get a better understanding of . . . things."

Pelya didn't have a clue what he was talking about. She jutted her stubborn chin and glared at him. The second his expression firmed, Pelya knew it was a battle she wasn't going to win.

"Frath, you need to find something for the girl to do. She can't go into the city alone, but with all the aunts and uncles she seems to have," Gilron waggled his fingers at the others packed shoulder to shoulder in the small room, "perhaps someone can take her out for a day here and there."

Pelya looked up over her shoulder at her father. He couldn't possibly want her to go into the city. He was the one who kept telling her how evil and dangerous it was.

Frath squeezed her shoulders and nodded. "For today, I'll take her to Lady Pallon's. After that, we'll figure out some sort of schedule."

Pelya briefly considered throwing a tantrum, but they never worked. It wasn't going to keep her from pouting though. She hung her head.

"Can we let me out now?" Gilron asked.

Frath's unit scattered out of the weaponmaster's way. Frath shooed the rest out after the commander. They left reluctantly, saying goodbye to Pelya and patting her shoulders in sympathy.

When they were gone, Frath closed the door on his trainees and sat on the chair the weaponmaster had vacated. Pelya instantly climbed into his lap and curled up. They sat there quietly for a few minutes before he patted her on the back. "Let's take you to Lady Pallon's for the rest of the day. We'll go with my unit. They're not so incompetent that they'll get us killed." He winked.

She winked back half-heartedly.

He left the room and shut the door behind him so Pelya could change.

Blue was her favorite color, so she put on the silk tunic with silver embroidery her father had bought for her on her last birthday. Then she matched that with black leggings that also had silver embroidery. She liked the look of silver much more than gold. Her dress boots and silver-buckled belt were high-quality leather. She kept a longknife in a sheath at her side. No one would let her carry a sword, so it was the next best thing. Most people didn't realize how dangerous she could be with it.

When she came out of the room, Frath took one look at her and crossed his arms. A disapproving frown marred his features.

Pelya stopped and looked down. Everything was in place. It wasn't a dress like Lady Pallon preferred, but it was a good outfit. "What's wrong, Daddy?"

He looked at the waiting trainees and then back at Pelya. "Come into your room with me. I want to talk to you about something before we go."

Pelya was developing a powerful distaste for adults talking to her. She followed and sat down as he shut the door.

Frath sat down across the table from her. He looked her in the eyes with his brilliantly faceted purple ones, took a deep breath and asked, "Have you killed anyone yet?"

The words were like ice down her spine. "No, Father. I haven't. I promise."

"Has anyone spoken to you about it? What it feels like?"

She didn't like the questions at all. "No. Nobody's spoken to me about it. Why are you asking me all this, Daddy? I don't understand." Pelya lifted her knees to her chest and hugged them.

"I'm asking because you're wearing such a dangerous knife at your side." He pointed at it.

She ran fingers over the leather wrapped hilt and perfectly balanced crossbar.

"You know how to use it. You've trained in fighting." He took another deep breath. "Have you considered that the time may come when you have to use it? Perhaps not now, perhaps not until you're older, but the time may come."

Pelya had drilled with practice swords and studied about how to kill people. It never occurred to her to consider it as anything but part of the duty of a guardsperson. She scrunched up her face and thought about it for a moment while Frath watched her. Try as she would, Pelya couldn't think of why it would be a problem. She shrugged.

"Listen carefully." Frath made sure he had her full attention. "If you are attacked or find a need to defend yourself, you already know to take your weapon and how to use it, yes?"

Pelya nodded.

Shadows danced in her father's eyes. There was darkness and despair in the dance. "What you don't know is what it _feels_ like when your knife slides through a person's skin and wedges into a bone. You don't know what it feels like when hot blood that tastes like salty iron hits you in the face and leaks through your lips to your tongue. You don't know what it feels like when the person looks at you in confusion as they gasp for breath that isn't there anymore and blood gurgles out the side of their mouth. You don't know what it's like when they fall to the ground and the life visibly fades from their eyes, which become dull and empty. You don't know what it feels like to stand over them and _know_ that they died because you just killed them."

Helpless tears streamed down Pelya's cheeks. Her face twisted in fear and confusion. She squeezed her legs as tight as she could. Pelya didn't know why everyone suddenly wanted her to be miserable, but she felt worse than she had in her entire life.

Frath moved next to her chair and took one of her hands. "I'm saying this to you because the reality is much worse. It looks like you're going to be a member of the Guard when you grow up, even though you don't have to be. In the Guard, there comes a time for most where they end up in a situation where it's kill or be killed. It feels bad to kill someone. Probably not as bad as _being_ killed, but bad nonetheless." He gave a half-hearted chuckle.

Pelya wasn't amused. She didn't want to kill anyone or use a weapon anymore. Undoing the silver buckle on her belt, she yanked off the knife with its sheath and threw it on the ground.

Frath picked it up. "Here now. That's not what I'm trying to accomplish."

"I don't want to kill anyone. I don't want to use a sword anymore! I'll be a child and do whatever you want. Please stop being mad at me. I'm sorry! Please stop being mad!"

"Oh no! I'm not mad at you!" Frath pulled her from her chair and placed into his lap with one big sweeping movement.

Even though she was eleven, her father could easily pick her up at any time. It made her feel safe most of the time.

"I'm not mad at you. No one's mad at you. Shh, shh." He rocked her back and forth in the chair.

Pelya held on as tight as possible and cried. The day had started out so nice. Now it was a nightmare. She didn't know what else to do.

He stopped rocking a little while later. He reached over to pick the knife up and offer it to her.

She pulled away. All Pelya wanted was to hide in a corner where no one would yell at her anymore.

Frath set the knife on the table and stood up.

Instead of standing on her own two feet, she held onto his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist. Even though he was mad at her, her father was the safest place in the world. He shifted her into a comfortable position on his hip and carried her out of the room.

Everyone was sitting on or standing around the bunks. Pelya hid her face in her father's chest so they wouldn't see that she had been crying.

Frath ordered, "My unit with me." He tapped her leg. "You're getting a little big to carry all the way. Chin up and walk next to me."

She got down and held onto his left hand. His right hand remained free so he could access his sword if need be. She didn't keep her chin up. Pelya wasn't going to look at anything but the ground.

Frath let her mope in silence the entire way.

It felt like an eternity before they reached the estate of Lady Pallon. Pelya hated going there. Lady Pallon didn't like children. Ebudae never spoke. Usually, Pelya would practice her footwork and exercises while Ebudae sat quietly at a table, engaging in staring contests with her dolls. Pelya was pretty sure the girl actually won a few of those contests.

The trainee unit stayed at the gate while Frath walked her up to the door. Lady Pallon's personal servant Mary answered it. She had them sit on a bench to the side of the entry.

A minute later, Lady Pallon approached. "My dearest Frath, I wasn't expecting you. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I was hoping Pelya could play with Ebudae until my shift is done tonight."

She studied the two of them for a moment. "What happened? Something is definitely wrong."

"Commander Coodmur, the weaponmaster, decided that Pelya needs to spend time away from the Guard in order to experience other aspects of life. Different members of the Guard will take her out to do things each day, but I was hoping she could stay here just for today."

"Hmm . . . Interesting." Lady Pallon rubbed her chin in thought. "Leave her here for a week."

Pelya looked up in horror.

Frath said, "Huh?"

"Ebudae has been especially weird lately. It seems your daughter is being that way too. It's not surprising I suppose. Little girls are always odd." She harrumphed. "I think a week away from the barracks would be wonderful for her. The girls can deal with each other's weirdness, which would give us adults a break."

Frath turned to Pelya with a thoughtful expression.

She shook her head desperately, praying he wouldn't agree.

He did. "I think it might be good for both of them although I disagree with your reasoning," he told Lady Pallon as he stood.

Pelya jumped to her feet and gripped his hand with all her might. "Daddy, no! I'm sorry! Please don't leave me here! I'm sorry for _everything_!"

He got to one knee and hugged her.

She threw her arms around his neck and locked them so he couldn't get away. "No Daddy!"

"I love you more than life itself," he whispered in her ear. "There are secret places below the buildings in the gardens. Go exploring, but not too deep. There are deadly things you must stay away from. Use good sense." Frath pried Pelya's arms from his neck and stood.

She pleaded with her eyes, which were streaming with tears again.

He kissed the top of her head. "I love you and I'll be back next week." He tried to pry her hands from his arm, which she had latched onto. He dragged her the entire way to the door before she let go.

She stared at the door, lost in despair as it closed behind him. Her only hope was that her father would come back and tell her it was all a cruel prank.

"Ebudae is in her room."

Lady Pallon's voice came from directly behind her, causing her to jump and turn. She pushed back against the door.

"Go get into trouble or something, child." Lady Pallon shooed her off. "Go on. Run off."

Pelya disliked Lady Pallon with all her heart. She treated Ebudae terribly and Pelya not much better. She looked down on them as inconveniences to be hidden away and not seen. Pelya dashed toward the stairs as fast as possible.

It was by far the worst day in the history of all days.

## Chapter 13

Ebudae's grand suite was on the third level of the west wing. It consisted of three bedrooms, a bathroom, an office, a library and a locked room Ebudae never showed Pelya.

Frath had once told Pelya that Lady Pallon was angry with her daughter for dumping the child off on her. The lady wanted Ebudae to grow wild as revenge.

Pelya didn't bother knocking. She went inside, slammed the door and ran to the window seat where she could see the backyard. Her mother's fountain and rosebushes were in the distance. The roses were blooming. She considered going to sit at the fountain, but didn't want to risk running into Lady Pallon or anyone else. There was no way she was going to let anyone ruin her day further.

Tears flowed again. She looked around in panic that Ebudae might observe her weakness. There was a good chance she was in her secret room, which was fine with Pelya. Looking back through the windows at the top of the fountain, she wished her mother hadn't died and could come hold her. The tears turned into heaving sobs that racked her body as she curled up into a ball.

Ebudae came in shortly after Pelya's anguish had lessened. Shock registered in her pearlescent pink eyes. For a good minute, she studied the miserable warrior girl. Realizing she had something in her hands that she didn't want anyone to see, Ebudae snuck back to her secret room and placed it inside the door. She came back out and approached the window seat.

Pelya jerked in surprise when Ebudae sat down in front of her. The girl wore a fancy black and white dress decorated with lace. Ebudae sewed her own dresses out of anything but pink. She also wore a black hat with purple roses in it.

The use of the roses out of the garden was a habit that bothered Pelya deeply, but she didn't say anything out of sympathy for the girl having to live with Lady Pallon. The lack of color in her dress made Ebudae's pink eyes stick out all that much more.

Tears flowed down Pelya's cheeks again. She looked helplessly at the girl who didn't like her.

Ebudae's eyes widened at the sight and then they flooded with sympathy.

Pelya felt her bottom lip quiver. She couldn't stop it.

Ebudae held out a hand and wiggled her fingers.

Pelya took it.

The girl led her into her bedroom and climbed onto the enormous bed, dragging Pelya along. She sat up against some pillows at the headboard and then patted her lap.

Pelya stared at her, unprepared for the gesture of kindness.

Ebudae patted her lap again.

Pelya cautiously put her head down in it and curled up. When Ebudae pulled the ponytail out of Pelya's hair and ran fingers through her locks, Pelya burst into tears again and lay there shaking.

She finally fell asleep in exhaustion.

***

Pelya didn't open her eyes right away. Someone was running fingers through her hair. It felt as though she were lying on a pillow instead of a lap. A warm blanket covered her.

"You don't have your longknife." Ebudae's voice was tranquil and low. On the rare occasion she did speak, it reminded Pelya of a silk blanket.

She cracked opened her eyes. Her head now rested on a pillow.

Ebudae was reading a book and wore a purple nightgown.

"How did you know I was awake?"

"I know when people are awake or asleep. It's a special ability I have." She made it sound mysterious. Ebudae put the book down on her lap then rested both hands on it.

Pelya sat up next to her. A soft black blanket kept her warm. Siahray, the larger of Ryallon's two moons cast blue-green moonlight through the open window. A fresh breeze brought the rustle of leaves and the smell of roses with it. Magically enhanced yellow-green candles gave the room an eerie cast. "What time is it?"

"It's midnight, my favorite time. The energy of the moons flows strong, mysterious things happen, and dangerous creatures roam the streets." Ebudae grinned excitedly, something Pelya had never seen before.

Pelya didn't know how to respond.

The grin went away. "There's bread, cheese and cold cuts of meat on the platter. Fruit and juice are next to it." She went back to reading her book.

Pelya watched her read.

Ebudae looked up with a frown. "What?"

"Thank you."

Ebudae stared at her, flicked her eyes each way and then turned her hand aside, perplexed. "For what?"

Pelya looked around for the answer and didn't find it. "Umm . . . I don't know."

"All right . . . You're welcome?" she replied in confusion.

"I had a bad day. You were the only person who was nice to me . . . and it felt good when you ran your fingers through my hair. I bet my mother would have done that." She felt melancholy, an emotion she wasn't used to.

"My mother wouldn't have. She abandoned me to live with my old bat of a grandmother," Ebudae said, just as melancholy.

"I'm sorry. Your mother and grandmother nibble rotten plum tarts. You deserve better."

Ebudae smiled just a little before it disappeared. "I don't think I like you..."

Pelya looked down. "I know. I'm sorry."

"I might like you. I don't know anymore." Ebudae twisted her lips. "I'm thinking about it."

"I don't have any friends, you know," Pelya said suddenly. "Everyone in the guard is an adult. I call them aunts and uncles, but they're not really friends."

"I don't have any friends either." Ebudae set her book aside and faced Pelya with her legs crossed. "Nobody likes grandmother and all the other kids think I'm weird."

Pelya sat cross-legged with her knees touching Ebudae's. "Everyone thinks I'm weird too. Adults say I should have died with my mother. They didn't know I heard them, but we're trained in the guard to listen and pick things out."

"You like the guard a lot, don't you." An expression of distaste crossed Ebudae's features.

She shrugged. "It's my life, or it _was_." Her chest tightened and she felt like she could cry again. She shook it off.

"Your knife is gone. Why did they take it away? You never go anywhere without it."

"Daddy asked if I ever killed anyone," Pelya whispered.

Ebudae leaned forward. "Have you?"

Pelya shook her head. "No. But Daddy told me what it would be like to kill someone. It scared me. I don't want to do it, ever."

Ebudae stared at her intently. "So?"

"So? What do you mean, so?"

"So what's it like to kill someone? What did he say?"

Pelya stared at her, appalled that she would ask.

Ebudae's eyes held genuine curiosity.

Pelya repeated everything her father had said about how killing someone felt. The words had stuck in her mind.

There was exhilaration on Ebudae's face when Pelya was finished. "That's really neat. Thank you for telling me."

"You're welcome. I never really thought about it before. I don't know that it's neat though." The odd girl's fascination disturbed Pelya.

Ebudae became mysterious again. "I want to tell you a secret, but I'm afraid you'll arrest me or tell the Guard on me."

Pelya thought about it. "I live in the Guard, but I'm not part of it. That was made clear today." It still hurt a lot.

"I know. When I went down to get the food, Grandmother told me you're staying for a week. But the Guard is your life. You think that everybody has to obey the law all the time."

She shrugged. "Well . . . yeah." It didn't seem all that complicated to her.

"Right. Then I can't tell you. You should eat something, at least that's what grandmother said." She pointed at the tray of food. Then she sat back against the pillows and went back to reading.

The tray Pelya picked up and set on the bed in front of her was made of etched silver. She pulled the cloth off and put together slices of bread, cheese and cold cuts. She took a bite and chewed while she thought about whether or not she wanted to know the secret if it was something illegal. While she considered, she looked around the room.

The old, sturdy furniture in the room was dark polished wood of high quality. The bed had four posts and a canopy with pearl colored curtains that were open. Old paintings of flowery fields and mountains were on two of the walls while a third had a large tapestry of the city as it was a few centuries ago. The fourth wall had the bed and two windows on either side.

Pelya really _didn't_ have any friends now that she thought about it. Everyone she knew was in the Guard and always obeyed the law. From what she had been told, everyone else in Dralin always broke the law. Weaponmaster Coodmur and her father wanted her to experience life outside the Guard. Pelya concluded that this must be the life she was supposed to experience.

She turned to Ebudae. "All right. I promise I'll keep your secret."

Ebudae put her book down and narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "Hmm . . . I did something _really_ illegal."

Pelya chewed on her lower lip for a moment. That would be a hard secret to keep. Finally, she decided she didn't care. Pelya suddenly liked Ebudae. The girl was mysterious and moody. Right now that was exactly the kind of friend she needed. "I promise I'll keep your secret, even knowing that it's really illegal."

They sat cross-legged with knees touching again.

"Blood swear," Ebudae demanded.

Pelya knew that blood swearing was only done in the direst of circumstances. It must be a bigger secret than she imagined. The thought excited her. She had never had a chance to blood swear to anything, so she nodded eagerly.

Ebudae scrambled over to her nightstand and pulled a slender silver knife out of a drawer. Beautiful scrollwork ran along the blade and crossbar. Precious gems decorated the tip of the hilt and ends of the crossbars. She took Pelya's arm and pulled up the sleeve. "It'll only hurt a little bit."

Pelya nodded and watched as the blade touched her skin.

"Promise that you'll keep my secret."

"I promise to keep your secret."

Ebudae cut as Pelya spoke. They both stared at the small line of blood that appeared on the arm. Ebudae wiped the blood with her finger and sucked it off.

The macabre gesture unnerved Pelya.

Ebudae looked her in the eye. "I killed a man."

Pelya's heart skipped a beat. She gulped.

A little more blood seeped through the cut. Ebudae wiped it with her finger and brought it to her lips again. "Grandmother took me for tea to some crusty old lady's house in the Noble District. They made me play with a snobby girl who didn't like me. The girl made me sit with her grandfather so she could sneak away and get food to stuff in her fat face."

Pelya wondered what she had gotten herself into. She leaned forward, fascinated by the tale.

"The old leatherbag started talking about some war that happened an eternity ago. It bored me right away." Ebudae also leaned forward until her nose almost touched Pelya's. "I like magic," she whispered ominously. "I have books of magic with lots of spells that are really dangerous. One of those is a spell that stops the lungs from working." She sat back. "Do you know what lungs are?"

Pelya nodded, her eyes wide. "They take in air. If you stab someone there, they gurgle blood and die if not healed soon. I read about it in one of the books in the library. I don't think I was supposed to though." This secret was turning out to be a lot bigger than she had ever imagined.

"One book has a spell to stop lungs. I keep a pouch with me . . ." She reached into the nightstand drawer to pull out the pouch and open it. There were vials and smaller pouches inside. "These are ingredients for spells. The spell I used needed two that I had with me. It also required some gestures and an incantation."

"Did you really? . . ." Pelya was afraid of what the answer would be.

"He _wouldn't_ stop talking." Desperation for Pelya to understand entered Ebudae's voice. "He was so old and feeble he didn't even know what he was saying. The old leatherbag hadn't walked in forever and he smelled really bad. He would have died soon anyway."

Pelya just stared at her with wide eyes.

"You promised. You blood swore . . ." Ebudae pointed at the cut.

"I'm not going to tell," Pelya reassured her weakly.

"It only took a minute to cast the spell. I had already practiced the gestures and incantations. You have to do that with magic, you know. Everything has to be perfect, so you have to practice everything over and over."

"I've heard that. I'm hoping to learn a little bit, but I'm not allowed yet." Pelya frowned. "Kids aren't supposed to do magic. Our bodies aren't strong enough to handle the energies."

Ebudae grinned. "I know, but there are potions and . . . other things that can help. I found a lot of stuff that I don't think I'm supposed to have. I have as much fun doing magic as you do with your sword drills."

That was something Pelya could relate to. Technically, little girls weren't supposed to play with swords either. Looking at it that way, Pelya decided not to judge Ebudae for her use of magic. She nodded for her to go on.

"I have a perfect memory, not just with my mind, but with my hands and tongue, so I'm really good with memorizing everything for spells." Ebudae spoke matter-of-factly. "I cast the spell exactly right. The old leatherbag's lungs stopped right then."

"Wow," was all Pelya could say. A horrified fascination washed over her.

"He didn't die right away. He stopped talking and turned to me. I think he realized he was dying."

"Oh no. What did you do?"

"I just watched him. His eyes got big like a bug and his face turned red. Then the light disappeared from his eyes, just like your daddy said. It was mesmerizing."

"I don't think I could have watched. I would have tried to save him."

"But you're a good person. I think I'm evil."

Pelya straightened "No you're not."

Ebudae shrugged in dismissal. "When he left his body, his eyes didn't close. They glazed over and stared at me." Ebudae had a macabre grin on her face, clearly enjoying the tale. "I stared back."

"For how long?"

"At least ten minutes. But then the horrid little girl came in and screamed."

"What happened then?" Pelya had to know everything by that point, no matter how disturbing the story was.

Ebudae sighed. "Adults came running. The little girl accused me of killing the old leatherbags. Her mother agreed. She even called me a freak! Can you believe that?"

"No!" Internally, Pelya nodded.

"Grandmother took me home and never asked about it. I'm pretty sure she believes I did it too. They can't prove anything though because it's an untraceable spell. I do know that we're never invited back there again."

"That's a bit drastic," Pelya said in defense of her new best friend. "Especially since they can't prove that you killed the old leatherbags. They have to be able to prove it."

"I know, right? Besides, he was better off dead, otherwise I wouldn't have done it."

"Excellent point." Pelya didn't know what else to say, so she sat there quietly.

Ebudae reached forward and gave her a big hug. "Thank you for listening to me. I haven't told anyone."

Pelya hugged back fiercely. "You're welcome. It's the best secret ever and I'll never tell anyone." She wouldn't either. It was important that she be trustworthy. She also had no idea who she would tell or how she would even relay such an odd saga.

"I have nightgowns. One of them is big enough for you." Ebudae got up and went to a chest of drawers.

Even though Pelya was a few months younger, she was four inches taller.

Ebudae pulled out a dark blue nightgown and brought it over. "You look good in blue, it goes with your eyes."

Pelya changed and folded her clothes onto a chair. It felt strange to wear a silky nightgown instead of the cotton nightshirt and leggings of the guard.

"Do you want to sleep here tonight?" Ebudae asked hopefully.

Pelya bit her lip, afraid to say anything, and burst into tears of gratitude. She settled for a nod. It would be much better than sleeping alone in one of the other cavernous rooms.

The girls climbed in bed and held onto each other, safe from the cruel world outside the covers.

## Chapter 14

Pelya woke with the sunrise. It took her a disoriented moment to remember the events of the previous day. At one point during the night, she had woken from a nightmare of dead eyes surrounding her. She'd been so tired that she fell right back into slumber though.

Ebudae was fast asleep next to her. Pelya normally got up to do exercises and drills, but that wasn't allowed anymore. Ebudae shifted in her sleep and mumbled wordlessly. Pelya reached over and ran fingers through the girl's messy brown hair for a minute. Then she closed her eyes and went back to sleep.

They didn't wake up until noon. As they were getting dressed, Ebudae said, "This is early for me. I usually stay up all night and get up in the afternoon. Grandmother likes it because she goes to bed and wakes up early. It means she doesn't have to deal with me often."

"Do we get to eat?" Pelya asked hopefully.

"You like to eat, I've noticed. It's probably why you're so tall and strong. Maybe taking a break from all that drilling will be good for you."

Pelya stuck her tongue out eliciting the first giggle she had ever heard from the little wizardess.

"Come on. Tina will take care of us." Ebudae had chosen a cream-colored dress a few shades lighter than her brown hair. It was edged with black lace that matched black stockings and shoes.

"Why do you hate pink so much when your eyes are pink?"

"Oh, I love my eyes," Ebudae said as they went down the stairs. "But I like them to stand out. Plus all little girls wear pink. I hate doing what everyone else does. Do you know what my favorite color is?"

"Black."

"Yes, exactly. I love black. It's the color of spooky things and it looks good on me. I like silver, white and green too, but black is my favorite."

"Mine's blue, but I like black and brown too."

"Blue is the color of your eyes. Black and brown are the colors of the City Guard, so that's understandable." Ebudae led Pelya into the kitchen.

Tina, Ebudae's personal assistant, was a nice young lady with a dreadful stutter and an eyepatch. The eye had been lost in a terrible childhood event no one would tell Pelya about. Lady Pallon hired her because it would make Ebudae's life more difficult. The stuttering was bad enough that the girl would have to wait for minutes whenever Tina delivered a message from her grandmother. That would make her late for whatever her grandmother needed her for. In addition, the eyepatch was a bit unnerving because Lady Pallon had ordered one with a painted eyeball on it and insisted the woman wear it. Tina was a poor woman who had no other avenues of work so did what she had to.

"Pelya and I would like lunch in the dining room, Tina."

The woman brushed back her dull blonde hair and nodded. Tina avoided speaking whenever possible, much to the relief of the girls.

They walked into the long, empty dining room and sat down next to each other at the mammoth table. "Grandmother almost never uses this. She always eats in the conservatory."

"I've noticed that," Pelya said. "What do you want to do after we eat?"

"Are you going to do your drills like normal?" Ebudae's face looked ready for disappointment if the answer was yes.

"I'm only allowed to do them for an hour a day and I really don't feel like it right now. Can we do something else?"

Ebudae's face brightened. "Yes, definitely. There are all sorts of things we can do. Umm . . . I have some ideas, but is there anything that interests you?"

Pelya didn't answer right away because Tina came in with bowls of thick stew and bread to sop it up. There was a plate of blackberry pie for each of them. Whatever Lady Pallon's faults might be, she always had the best food to serve, even to the children.

When Tina was gone, Pelya leaned over and whispered, "Daddy said there are secret places below the buildings in the gardens. He said I should go exploring, but not too deep."

Ebudae nodded and grinned without saying a word. They both shoveled the food into their mouths as fast as possible, not bothering to notice how delightful it all tasted. When done, they left their dishes for Tina to clean up and then headed upstairs for supplies.

Pelya followed her to the locked room. Ebudae put her back against the door and spread out her arms. "We're friends now, right? If I let you in, you'll never tell anyone what's inside."

"I promise." Pelya placed her right palm over her heart.

It was good enough. Ebudae opened the door and motioned her in. Before closing and locking it behind them, she glanced back to make certain no one watched. "I need to get some things." She stopped and looked at Pelya's belt. "I have another longknife you can use in case we get into trouble."

Pelya chewed her bottom lip. She didn't want to kill anyone, but dying would be worse. Moreover, she missed the weight of it at her side and was constantly putting her hand where the missing knife would be.

At her nod, Ebudae went to a drawer and pulled out a steel knife. It was a little longer and heavier than what Pelya was used to, but well made with a steel-wrapped hilt and etchings on the blade. Its quality was as excellent as the knife she had left at the barracks.

"Here, take these too. I'll get you a pouch." Ebudae placed three small multifaceted balls into Pelya's hands.

Pelya gasped when she saw the magical runes etched into each facet.

"The blue one will act as an emergency light if my lanterns go out. The runes glow brightly in the dark, which is helpful." Ebudae put them in a pouch one by one as she explained what they did. "The dark-green one will make smoke that gives you time to run away from something. The light-green one will show you secret things. Each runeball only works once. Keywords activate them. Listen carefully and repeat after me. If you mess it up, you could die."

Pelya nodded as everything was explained. She set the pouch on a table nearby while they practiced saying the keywords exactly right. She knew about runeballs from her studies.

"Do you feel confident in your ability to use them?" Ebudae asked. "If you have even a little doubt, things are going to go badly."

Pelya stood straight and looked her in the eyes. "I have complete confidence. I'll use them wisely and correctly." Ebudae reacted by giving her a big hug, which Pelya returned fiercely. In the space of a day, they had become best of friends and confidantes.

The large room they were in had magical items scattered carelessly on tables, stands, chairs and walls. There were a few tables that had vials, tubes, magical focuses and various items Pelya couldn't begin to describe. In addition were bookshelves with over a hundred books, a luxury few could afford. They were kept more neatly than anything else, showing an added amount of respect.

Ebudae noticed her looking. "I found those in the secret places. The ones in my normal library aren't as interesting. You can read them anytime you like. There's a lot of stuff you won't find in the Guard library."

While Pelya studied the room, Ebudae changed into a long purple dress with slits on the side of the legs. Underneath, she wore tight leggings and dark boots that were quiet when she stepped. Over all of that was a wizard's cloak. Pelya had seen and read about them, but never heard of a child wearing one.

Upon seeing Pelya staring at her, Ebudae said, "The cloak and the dress have runes sewn into them that protect me against magical and physical danger. I have a small pack here for exploring." She pointed at a waterproofed leather backpack. "There's extra food, stuff for making fire, a couple of magical light wands, some first aid kits and a couple of vials with healing salve."

"Healing salve? That's expensive."

"Grandmother expects me to get into trouble. It's the one thing I have to explain when I want more, so don't get injured." She winked and grinned.

Pelya grinned back. Excitement raced through her veins. She gladly took the pack when Ebudae looked at her hopefully.

They went through an entry into another room. A large circle of runes drawn in silvery liquid took up a corner. Unlit, rune-inscribed candles surrounded it. Other rune circles covered walls around the room, though they were in mundane colors. Three worktables had items Pelya couldn't identify. One had tubes, bottles and vials with colored liquids.

"Did you do all of this?" Pelya asked in a hoarse whisper, afraid to disturb anything with her voice.

"Yes." Ebudae pushed a series of stones in the wall. A section of wall slid into the floor. When it stopped, Ebudae moved into the hallway beyond. "I'm not allowed to go anywhere, so I spend most of my time working in the lab. I think this manor was built over some sort of wizard's academy. Every once in a while I go down to find more stuff. I don't think grandmother knows that though, so shh." She put a finger in front of her lips and winked again.

Pelya grinned in excitement and followed her into the secret passage just before the door began to rise.

The hallway was just big enough for a person to walk through if they weren't too tall. A magical lantern sat in a niche. Ebudae lit it with a word and a gesture, showing off her magical ability. When she did, a breeze rustled her hair and robes. The yellow-green flame lit cast an eerie light down the passage. Ebudae motioned for her to follow.

After a brief walk, they came to a surprisingly wide spiral staircase. Ebudae wasted no time going down.

Pelya's heart beat rapidly in her chest and she couldn't stop grinning. Hidden buildings under the city, a wizardess for a friend, magical places and danger all wrapped up in spooky passages illuminated only by a flickering magical lantern. Missing her drills no longer mattered. She was going on an adventure.

Halls branched off the staircase as they passed the second floor, main floor, basement and a level below that Pelya hadn't known existed. Even after that, the staircase continued downward.

They finally reached a large chamber. Ebudae spoke a word of power and flicked her wrist at a lantern sitting on a table in the corner. The breeze ruffled her hair again. Another yellow-green flame appeared within, helping to illuminate the room. "This is my staging area."

Supplies filled shelves and tables. At least twenty lanterns were in one corner. Sealed sacks and barrels gave no clue to what was contained inside. Various artifacts lay atop and underneath two of the tables. "That's where I keep things I find that I haven't examined enough or that I'm not sure I'm going to keep."

"Wow!" Pelya's voice was loud in the chamber, causing her to cover her mouth with both hands.

Ebudae stared at her incredulously.

"I'm sorry," Pelya said in a loud whisper. "This is amazing. I thought the secret entrances were in the buildings outside. I didn't know they were under the manor."

"Some are in those buildings, but they're not in good condition. There's more danger and less treasure that way." Ebudae made gestures in front of runes on either side of the door. Light shimmered momentarily in the doorway. "Wards I placed to keep bad things out. Come here." She pulled her knife out of its sheath and with it motioned Pelya to come over.

Pelya moved with suspicion. When Ebudae took her left hand and pushed the sleeve up, Pelya pulled it back.

Ebudae took the arm in a grasp that betrayed hidden strength. She made a slow cut not far from where she had cut the night before.

Pelya set her jaw in irritation. She watched the wizardess dab her blood in the center of each rune, saying a word and gesturing each time. A breeze ruffled Ebudae's hair with each casting but didn't touch Pelya.

"There. Now you can go through even if the ward is activated."

"You could have told me that _before_ cutting me." Pelya put her hands on her hips. She narrowed her eyes when Ebudae took her arm again. They widened when the wizardess wiped the rest of the blood and sucked it off a finger. "You're really creepy."

"I like being creepy. It keeps normal people away." Ebudae raised an eyebrow. "Are you normal people?"

Pelya shook her head. "Nope. I'm not normal at all. Shall we go find some danger and magic?"

"Yes." They took hands and walked through the entry. After Ebudae reactivated the wards, they continued. The dusty hall was wide enough for them to walk side by side. The air was musty and the only sound was that of their footsteps. Threads of tapestries that hadn't withstood the test of time lined the walls. Between them were the remnants of rusty torch brackets. Footprints and drag marks from Ebudae's treasure collecting covered the floor.

Pelya peered into shadowed chambers as they walked. Soon, they reached a large sloping chamber. The lantern barely illuminated a high ceiling. Six marbled columns lined a stepped aisle. One was fallen across the aisle, unable to handle centuries of neglect. Balconies above had crumbled to the bottom level. Looking up, she saw another balcony. Holes and cracks in gave it a hazardous appearance. She quickened her pace until out from under it.

"This used to be an auditorium. You can see the wide seating sections to either side even though there aren't any seats there anymore. The front section would have had a wooden stage with a false bottom for props and people to disappear into." Ebudae pointed to a large open space. "If we really are in a wizard's academy, this might have been used as a lecture hall." She walked down the steps, around the fallen column and sidestepped debris on her way to where the stage would have been.

Pelya ran her fingers along the column when passing it. A bit of stone and dirt crumbled from the ceiling to their left. It would have been a beautiful place in its prime, but was now a sad vestige of its former self. She looked at the ceiling and imagined the city above. They had traveled far enough that the manor wouldn't be above them anymore. "Why doesn't the city collapse on us?"

"A system of enormous columns holds the city up. Potent runes inscribed on them create a web underneath Dralin that keeps everything from collapsing." She waved her arms around the room and did a little spin. "This should have crashed down centuries ago. There are even older cities beneath that should have collapsed too."

"Older? More cities?" Pelya knew a lot about Dralin from books and stories but she had never heard of that.

"Yeah. I read about it in books and from asking grandmother. She didn't know much though."

"Do you think she knows we're down here?"

"Probably." Ebudae went to the right upon reaching a cross aisle that curved around the stage area. There were large openings on either side, but the one on the left looked like it had a lot of debris in it. "That way is a mess and not worth exploring. This way," she pointed in the direction they were going, "is definitely worth exploring."

They entered another hallway much like the first. A barely perceptible breeze brushed against their skin. A rat scurried out of their way into a hole in the stone, but they paid no attention to it.

"People have been living on this spot for as long as humanity has existed in the world. I read in a book out of the library here that Dralin is one of the seven channels of magic in the world."

"Channels?" Pelya asked.

"It's in one of my older books. It might be in others, but I can't read all of them." She walked around debris from a fallen section of wall. "There are channels of magic in the world. In the middle of Dralin is City Center. What that no one ever talks about is that City Center is one of those channels."

"I've heard of City Center, but daddy said no one knows what it is."

"Magic is raw in the channel. A vast wall surrounds it to keep it from warping the city. Even then, Wraith Lake and Park are affected."

Pelya had read histories of Dralin, but none of the books had the information Ebudae was sharing with her. "I've never been to see them. I know Wraith Lake, Dralin Academy, and the Estate of the Grand Assembly surround and hide the City Center. Around those is the Tower District. It's as close as wizards can get to the City Center unless they're in the Academy, High Council, or Grand Assembly."

"Yes, but the Tower District is close enough for all those crazy wizards in their odd towers to tap into more magic than they can control."

"That's why some of them become the Deformed." Pelya didn't like the stories she had read about them. "You must be careful not to become one, and never touch them. Their contagion is incurable."

"I'm too smart for that," Ebudae scoffed. As if to change the subject, she pointed down a side passage. "There're a couple of neat rooms that way, but we're going to keep going this way."

Pelya looked down that passage. It was thinner and murkier than the hallway they traveled.

"So people have built cities around the channel. Other people have conquered those cities and built over them." Ebudae paused and held up the lantern to illuminate the gloom ahead. Apparently, she didn't see anything dangerous because she resumed walking. "I don't quite understand how so many cities have been stacked on top of each other, but they have."

They passed a dark room to the right. Skittering sounds emanated from it along with the sound of dripping water. "What condition are the cities below in if this one is so bad?"

"Bad?" Ebudae stopped, tilted her head and held her arms to the side in disbelief. "This city is over a thousand years old. It's in _fantastic_ condition." She waved her hand at the ceiling. "All of this should be rubble." She resumed walking. "I don't know what the cities below are like, if the air is breathable, or if anything lives. It would probably be more dangerous than everyone in the City Guard put together."

Pelya doubted that, being defensive of her beloved City Guard, but she didn't doubt the danger. "We're not going down into those cities, are we?"

They came to an intersection and turned down the hall to the left. "Definitely not. Like I said, it's dangerous and there might not be any air." She turned into the first room on the right. "This is one of the labs where I've discovered a lot of neat things."

Pelya noticed that doors and furniture were two of the things that didn't fare so well. "You found a lot of books and other artifacts. How did they survive when the doors didn't?"

Ebudae ran fingers through her hair to get it out of her eyes while she opened a large chest along one wall. "Libraries and labs usually have preservation runes carved onto surfaces. It makes everything last longer."

"Is that what's on the walls in your secret rooms?"

"Some of them are preservation, but mostly they protect the rest of the house from being destroyed if I do something stupid." Ebudae pulled a thin sword out of the chest and brought it over. "I found this and thought of you. I haven't given it to you because . . . well, I didn't think I could trust you."

The sword was in a sheath with a chain belt. It would be the size of a short sword for an adult, but made a perfectly good longsword for her. Best of all, it was lightweight. Drawing it, she saw the blade was the width of two fingers at the crossbar. Its sharpened edges tapered gradually to the point. No nicks or scratches marred the surface. Pelya stepped back and hefted it. The braided hilt fit perfectly in her hand.

"It's magic, but I don't know how." Ebudae ran fingers along the flat of the blade. "I don't see runes in it anywhere, which means . . . I don't know what it means." She frowned at the metal that glistened in the dim lantern light. "It's in perfect condition though, and it's not cursed. I spent hours testing it."

"What metal is it?" The blade didn't look like steel, silver or any other metal Pelya had seen. It looked softer somehow.

"I don't know that either." She shrugged. "It's yours if you want it."

Pelya considered. "It's magical and made of mysterious metal. That would make it worth hundreds of gold pieces. I don't have that much."

Ebudae stomped her foot. "I _found_ it on the floor next to some bones and rusted armor. It's not mine. It's treasure and I'm sharing it with you. There are lots of other things I've found that are even more valuable."

"I don't know if I'll be allowed to keep it." Pelya stroked the metal. It was the most beautiful sword she had ever seen. She really did want it. "When I bring it back to the barracks, I'll have to check it in and tell them where I got it."

Ebudae put her hands on her hips. Her eyes flashed in challenge. "I guess you'll just have to leave it here for when we go adventuring, won't you?" The wizardess had an attitude greater than her years.

It was the perfect compromise. "Yes. We'll just have to keep it here for adventuring." Pelya sheathed the sword and wrapped the wizardess up in a big hug.

Ebudae squeezed. "Shall we go?" She grabbed a second lantern and lit it for Pelya to carry. Once again, a mysterious breeze only affected the wizardess.

Pelya wrapped the swordbelt around her waist and moving the longknife to her right side. "Yes. Let's."

## Chapter 15

Pelya was sure they had gone further than should be allowed, but that was fine with her. Ebudae had shown her quarters for sleeping, a large dining room, a kitchen, and what she believed to be classrooms.

They were currently in a library, the room Ebudae spent the most time occupying. Pelya ran fingers along old tomes on a bookshelf in the back corner. There had to be thousands of books and scrolls resting on ancient stone shelves reaching up to the high ceiling. She could speak and read in a few languages, but was only fluent in Altordanian, the language of the country Dralin was in, Common and a coastal language many people used. None of the writing was in languages she knew.

On their walk to the library, they had fought a spider as tall as Pelya's waist in one of the hallways, but it hadn't been much of a battle. Ebudae cast a small ice dagger that shot out from in front of her hands to kill it. Other than that, there were mostly rats and insects. As they went further, the critters became more numerous. Ebudae told her that they were nearing dangerous territory.

Pelya walked back to a well-preserved table where Ebudae had her lantern sitting and a few books open. The wizardess had been studying pictures in one long enough for Pelya to become bored. "Why are there more animals and insects the further we get?"

Ebudae yipped, startled out of her reading. "Don't scare me like that!"

"Sorry." Pelya chewed on a fingernail.

"It's fine, just don't scare me." Ebudae looked around as if remembering where they were. "What did you ask?"

"When we came down here there were only a few rats and insects, but the further we go, the more there are. Why?"

Ebudae blinked a few times. "One of the massive columns holding up Dralin is near the theatre. You can't see it, but it's there." She glanced at her book as though wanting to continue reading. Instead, she closed and leaned against the table with her arms folded. "There are runes on them that repel animals, monsters, and anyone who intends to tamper with them. The closer you get to a column, the safer you are."

"Who put them there?" Pelya went to the library's stone door. She wanted to do more exploring.

"I don't know. Probably wizards or something, but I have no idea how." Ebudae came up behind her with the lantern. "I'm sorry I spent so long reading. We can explore now if you want."

Pelya bit her lip in thought. She shrugged. "It's all right. Your books are important."

"Yes, but I've been here lots of times. Let's go someplace I haven't been." She went through the door and pulled out a large silver keyring she had discovered in early adventures. It had runes inscribed to preserve the keys.

Pelya followed and waited while the wizardess relocked the door and headed down the hallway.

"I haven't been much further than the library." Ebudae smiled over her shoulder. "I like books a lot. Most of my time over the last year has been spent there."

"I like books too, not as much as you, but I like them. It's a shame most people don't know how to read."

"I know, right? I think that's why I spend so much time trying to read _everything_. I'm scared something will happen to grandmother and I won't be able to have books anymore." There was real fear in her eyes.

"Your grandma's too nasty to die, as my Uncle Herman says." Pelya grinned. "He says mean people keep going until their faces turn into dusty prunes."

Ebudae giggled. "You're probably right." They came to an intersection. Pointing left then right, she said, "Those lead to other areas of the academy. I really _am_ certain that this is an ancient wizard's academy. Ahead are big double doors that open onto a street. There's a smaller door that I have the key to. I've only opened it once though." She looked at Pelya. "It was too scary to go out there by myself."

Pelya hugged her. "I think you're brave for coming down here at all, _especially_ by yourself." She stepped back. "We'll go down these other halls. I don't mind."

"You don't want to go out there?" Ebudae's shoulders slumped in disappointment.

"Well . . . I do, but you said you were afraid . . ."

"I was afraid of going out there _alone_." She put her hand on her hip with all the attitude of an adult. "I'm not alone anymore, am I?"

Excitement raced through Pelya's veins. "No. You're not. I _do_ want to go out there. Shall we?"

Ebudae's face brightened. "Yes, let's." They continued at a brisk pace.

A spider the size of their heads scurried up the wall toward the high ceiling. It didn't seem interested in bothering them.

Ebudae gave it a wary glance. "I do have three bottles of anti-venom in the pack if we get bitten, but it's another one I have to tell grandmother about, so don't get bitten."

"I won't." Not only did Pelya not want to tell Lady Pallon what they were doing, she didn't want to be bitten by _anything_.

The hall opened into a foyer with a high ceiling. The double doors Ebudae mentioned were three times taller than any others they had passed. The aged stone had faint remnants of carvings. Either one was too large and heavy for the girls to handle. To the left was a smaller door, likely for servants.

Ebudae skirted the broken bronze remains of a chandelier that had fallen ages ago. The smaller door was also made of stone. She searched through the keys to find the right one. "I have a jar of oil in my bag that I use liberally before I try to use any lock." The lock made a loud tumbling sound as she turned the key. The door didn't move when she pulled on it. "I use it on the hinges too, but there's only so much oil can do."

Pelya helped her pull. The door squeaked and grinded until there was enough room for them to go through. She curled her lip as the grinding sound crawled up her spine. "That noise will alert the most dangerous thing nearby."

Ebudae grimaced and nodded silently.

Pelya drew her new sword and stepped through. Ebudae followed and held the lantern up above Pelya's shoulder. It didn't cast its light far, but the surroundings had dim illumination that enabled them to see the shapes of buildings across the street.

They stood at the top of stairs that went down fifty steps in a gradually widening arc. A cool breeze blew from their left, a nice contrast to the stuffy academy. Pelya wondered where it came from.

"Is it clear?" Ebudae whispered.

Pelya jumped, on edge from the anticipation of danger. "I don't know," she replied softly over her shoulder. "Nothing's attacking me yet, which is good, but I can't see very far. I need to let my eyes adjust."

"I'm going to leave the door open for a minute so we can run back in." Ebudae's voice held a mix of anxiety and exhilaration.

"All right." Pelya stepped to the side to let her come forward.

Their eyes became accustomed to the dim light. From their vantage, they could see that the city extended into the distance. Two hundred feet above their heads was a ceiling, but they couldn't tell if it was manmade stone or natural rock. Scattered across it were little dots of colored lights that looked like stars. The lights also dotted the street and the walls of buildings.

"I think those are glowing Plants." Ebudae pointed at one growing through a crack about halfway down the steps.

Pelya crept toward it, watching for danger the whole time. She kept her sword in front of her and her wrist loose to spring into action when needed. The wizardess followed her.

She was correct about it being a plant, but it was unlike anything they had ever seen. Slow-moving, orange liquid ran through veins of its translucent leaves.

"I've never seen or heard of anything like it," Pelya said. "What kind of plant is it?"

"I don't know. Plants aren't very interesting, so I skim over them in the books unless it relates to spell ingredients. I'll try to find out more. They're pretty."

"They are. I wonder if all those lights are plants." Pelya stood and gestured at the myriad of glowing dots in the dark, cavernous space.

"I think they are. It's beautiful. I just wish there were more." Ebudae turned in a circle. "Let me close the door before we explore." She dashed back and closed it with effort. "Do you think I should lock it?"

Pelya moved halfway back up the steps to avoid being separated. "No. We don't want to have to find the key if we're in a hurry. I think that's more likely than something sneaking in."

Ebudae nodded and rejoined her.

They made their way down the broken and crumbling steps to the street. It had been cobbled at one time, but the cobble was loose and underlying dirt was exposed. Pelya wondered briefly how thick the dirt was if there were more cities underneath. She gulped at the mental image of everything caving in suddenly.

"What's wrong?" Worry tinted Ebudae's voice. "You're breathing heavily and don't look so good."

Pelya closed her eyes and steadied her breathing. She used a mental technique taught in the Guard to control panic. "I just thought about what would happen if everything crumbled."

The wizardess smacked her hard on the arm.

"Ow! What'd you do that for?"

"Because I hate those thoughts. This is scary enough without them. And keep your voice down."

They looked around to make certain nothing heard them. To their relief, nothing moved. With cautions steps, they crossed the wide avenue. A building directly across the way formed into a manor. Crumbling stone around a dirt yard had most likely been a low wall at one time. They stepped over, not knowing where the gate might have been.

Pelya thought she saw a movement in the distance to the right. She froze and looked at the shapes of buildings. Nothing revealed itself.

Ebudae grasped arm and whispered, "What do you see?"

"I thought I saw a flash of silver. It was probably just a plant. It feels like something's watching us though."

"Do you think we should go back?" she asked worriedly.

"No, I really want to see more. It was probably just my imagination." A small part of Pelya _did_ want to go back, but she wasn't about to say so.

They stepped through a rotted doorway into the manor. Pelya led the way, her sword held at the ready.

***

Swirling, liquid-silver eyes watched the girls enter the building. The children posed no threat to her, but the creature hated humans at the moment. She wanted them all dead. She was also famished and they would make a most delightful snack. A low rumble of hunger emitted from deep within her belly and rolled across the dark cavern. She hoped it wouldn't alert the girls.

For now, they were not important no matter how tasty they might be. The vexatious web of protection thwarted every effort to reach the city above. How the humans managed wards powerful and complicated enough to keep her out was a mystery. The nature of the protections prevented her from getting close to figure them out. She knew the wards tapped into the magical energy from the channel the humans of Dralin called City Center. The radiance of the channel made her teeth and claws itch.

Even more than hunger, exhaustion was crippling her. The accursed underground city and tunnels contained too many dangers for her to rest wherever she liked. However, the larger building the girls had exited looked promising.

She took a step from the dark doorway. Nothing noticed. She was a blur in the darkness as she sped across the street. Within the blink of an eye, she stood next to the academy door. Her hearing was supernatural and every word the girls uttered had reached them, especially the part about leaving the door unlocked. Locks were not her specialty.

She whispered a spell to prevent the noise of the door from spreading past the immediate area. She had used it often to prevent denizens of the ruined city from noticing her. The bleed of the channel warped the monsters here, making them more dangerous than she had expected.

With a last look for danger, she slithered inside and closed the door behind her. It was quiet. A spider slid down a silken thread, but scurried back upon sensing the intruder.

With another step, she moved in a blur to the intersection of halls. The need to complete her task was overwhelming and she desperately wanted to lash out and destroy everything in her way, but such actions would be futile.

The hall to the left had the most potential. She moved in a blur to the end of it. Stopping at the last intersection, she sensed a large room off a side passage. It would be a perfect place for her to rest awhile.

Rodents scurried for cover at her presence. A hollow land squid trembled in a corner. It was too slow to escape. With any other creature, the squid would have stabbed with its paralyzing tentacles. It would take its time to drain the prey's mind of energy, leaving them stupid and helpless.

It wasn't the most pleasant meal she had ever tasted, but the squid extinguished the worst of her hunger. It took only a moment to shove the last tentacle down her gullet.

Another blur and she was at the entrance to the large room. It had probably been a ballroom at one time, but she didn't realize that or even care. She could sleep there in her natural form even though she would take up the entire room.

Little effort was required to put wards up to alert her if anyone came. Then she transformed, curled up and went to sleep.

Perhaps the little girls would come explore the room so she could have a tasty bedtime dessert.

***

The manor was in terrible shape. Parts of the wall had fallen and there were holes in the ceiling where they could look up to the room above. The girls stepped carefully around debris to make their way to a staircase. It was like an ancient, rundown version of Lady Pallon's manor.

A low rumbling sound rolled through the air, seeming to come from everywhere.

They froze. Hair on the back of their necks stood straight and the temperature of their blood lowered a few degrees. Nothing moved for a minute, including them. When their hair finally relaxed a little bit, they both let out deep sighs of relief.

"What was that?" Pelya asked in dread.

"I don't want to know. Should we run or hide?"

They both stared straight ahead, fearful that if they looked for the source of the sound, they might find it.

"Let's pretend we didn't hear anything," Pelya suggested in a shaky voice.

"That sounds like a good idea. I think it'll be safer in here for now. I don't think we're going to be able to go up those stairs so we should try a couple of rooms."

"Good plan."

The lantern showed that the staircase had indeed collapsed on both sides after the first landing, making it impossible to go to the upper levels. They walked through a doorway to the right only to find it empty.

"I'd guess this was the dining room," Ebudae said. "If so, then the next room would be the kitchen."

Her hunch proved to be right. Empty ovens and collapsed stoves the only reminder of once grand meals.

Pelya ran her fingers over the ridge of one of the ovens. "I wonder what it would have been like when new and clean. The people must have been fascinating."

"Yes, I've wondered what their lives were like."

Pelya's hand dropped. She mourned the loss of those people. "Why does everyone have to die? It would make much more sense if we could live forever."

Ebudae studied her, but made no other response.

Pelya shrugged it off. She went through a slanted doorway into another hallway.

The luminescent plants grew in crevices and on the ceiling. There were different types in addition to different colors. The leaves had a smooth texture and were chilly to the touch.

They reached a big room with an empty fireplace on the right wall and another entrance ahead. A rotten odor emanated from the room. The usual debris was in a few piles on the floor, especially near the walls.

"This might have been a room for entertaining," Ebudae said. "They could have put a bard on a stage along the wall and cleared the furniture for dancing." She spun around in a circle with arms in dance hold.

A shape rose from one of the piles of debris. Its milky eyes glistened in the light of the spinning lantern.

Pelya pulled her sword and dashed forward. "Danger!" She swung at the creature in one smooth motion.

Ebudae dropped to the ground and rolled out of the way.

Pelya's blade bit into speckled brown and green skin.

The monster howled, showing black teeth that glistened in the light. The howl stopped abruptly as Pelya's sword continued through its neck and all the way through the opposite shoulder and clawed forearm. Dark blood sprayed in a glistening diagonal pattern against the walls and floor behind the creature.

Pelya lost balance due to how little resistance the blade met. It was as though she were slicing through soft butter to put on her bread. She stutter-stepped and kept her feet.

Ebudae screamed behind her.

Pelya spun to see another monster lurch toward the wizardess. Its body consisted of five thin, mushy ovals squished together. It had looked like a pile of trash when curled up on the ground. Two pairs of knobby legs thrust it forward while four sets of clawed arms reached for its prey.

Ebudae fell on her back while reaching into a pouch for something. Terror etched her features.

Pelya rushed to her side and slashed upward into the creature as it loomed over the wizardess. Even after the previous strike, she expected the blade to lodge into the creature. Instead, the sword cut it in half. More blood sprayed in an arc, this time up toward the ceiling. Pelya noticed the astonishing details with a part of her mind that filed them away.

She used as much leverage as possible in the swing and followed with her shoulder in an attempt to knock the monster to the side. While Pelya was large for eleven, her size wasn't enough to budge the mottled creature much as it collapsed in death.

Ebudae recovered her senses and rolled toward Pelya.

The creature's lower body tumbled over where she had just been. The top half split to the side.

Ebudae came to her feet, threw something and said a keyword. A runeball flew threw the air and hit a third creature that was closing in on Pelya. Green flames burst over the monster's body. A putrid smell assaulted their noses and caused them to gag. The creature's howl crawled up their skin and gave them chills.

They dashed back into the hallway, glancing to see the creature thrashing in anguish. The green flames cast surreal shadows throughout the room and hallway. They ran back down the hall toward the kitchen.

From there, they bolted through the dining room and main hall. The girls rushed out of the front doorway before turning and looking back.

Ebudae held up the lantern. "You've got some of their blood on you. Is it burning or anything?"

The question alarmed Pelya. She inspected the splatters on her tunic. There was moisture on her face. She wiped some of the sticky blood off in a panic. Nothing burned. "No . . . do you think I'll be all right?"

"I think so." Ebudae wiped blood off Pelya's cheek and rubbed it between her fingers. "It doesn't seem poisonous or anything. Most creatures aren't, but there's always a few."

"What were they? You have blood on you too." Pelya wiped a few drops off Ebudae's face.

"I have no idea. I haven't seen them before. They were frightful though." She stuck out her tongue in disgust. "They smelled terrible too."

From their right came a snuffling sound.

They turned to see a shadowy shape low to the ground not far away. It slinked toward them, yellow eyes staring maliciously.

"I want to run now," Ebudae whispered in Pelya's ear.

They dashed for the steps of the academy. Pelya pulled ahead, but paced herself to Ebudae's speed once realizing the wizardess wasn't keeping up. The creature made high-pitched squeals as it chased. Pelya smelled its hot carrion breath. She swung the sword in a wild arc behind her. The magical blade cut through the snout without resistance, just as it had the other monsters. The beast screeched in pain and tumbled to a stop.

Other squeals sounded from the right and left as the girls ran up the stairs. The screams from the manor must have alerted the pack. Fortunately, they slowed after seeing their cohort hurt. Pelya turned just before the door to hold them at bay.

Ebudae reached the door and shoved it open with a screech of the hinges.

Pelya backed in and helped Ebudae force the door closed. Once Ebudae locked it, they both leaned their backs against it and slid to the ground.

One of the creatures scratched on the door. They jumped to their feet and made a mad dash for the library. Pelya stood guard while Ebudae unlocked and opened the library door. They went inside and relocked the door.

Satisfied that they were safe for the moment, they set their lanterns on the table and sat down against one of the bookshelves. Pelya took the backpack off and set it to the side. "I need to clean the sword before I sheath . . ." The blade was completely clean, not a drop of blood or guts on it.

"Magic weapons have all kinds of features," Ebudae said. "It looks like that one always stays clean and sharp."

"Sharp?" Pelya said incredulously. "I cut through those things and barely felt resistance. I'm not _that_ strong, you know." Pelya waved the sword in the air. "Even though I practice all the time, I'm only eleven. It takes a while for muscles to grow. Daddy would have cut through them with a wooden sword, but he's stronger than anybody."

"He's not stronger than anybody. There are men at Carnival with bulging muscles that can lift all sorts of things."

"Daddy is stronger than anybody because he knows how to use his strength better than all those muscle-headed dummies." Pelya glared at her friend, angry that she would disagree.

Ebudae was about to protest, but stopped at the look on Pelya's face. Then she sighed and looked at her hands in her lap. "I wish I had a daddy like you."

Pelya pulled her into a big hug. They held onto each other, giving support for the danger they had just escaped and for childhoods that, to them, were terribly tragic.

They gathered their things to go back to the manor. It would be nice to clean up and getting a hot meal. The rest of the journey back to the stairs and up to Ebudae's rooms was uneventful.

One of the wonderful luxuries the manor had was a water pump in the bathroom. Ebudae had a rune stone that heated the water. They were able to wash off the blood and dirt. Since Pelya hadn't brought any other clothes, Ebudae loaned her a dark blue dress that was a little short, but not too frilly. The warrior hated it at first, but after a while found it relaxing.

They went down to the ancient academy two more times that week, but never into the city. Ebudae taught Pelya new techniques about reading and writing in some of the old books. It opened new paths of knowledge to be explored. Pelya found it enjoyable and they spent quite a bit of time in the library.

When Frath finally arrived to take Pelya back to the barracks, both girls hugged fiercely and vowed to see each other whenever possible.

## Chapter 16

Not many people in the Dralin City Guard liked Bobbell. He was quieter than most and tended towards sullenness. Bobbell was one of those individuals destined to hold the rank of private all his life. He preferred it that way. He did the job well, but not enough that someone would notice him for a promotion.

None of that stopped Uncle Bobbell from being one of Pelya's favorite people. He was only five foot seven, a couple of inches taller than Pelya. His thin mustache and goatee were black like his oily hair.

Frath and Bobbell grew up together in Dralin's miserable orphanages. Throughout the years, they developed a strong friendship despite being different in about every way. Each committed crimes while in those orphanages. They were offered a choice of prison or entering the Guard's Program for Criminal Youths. They made it through the four-year program, during which time their friendship became an ironbound bond.

Bobbell belonged to the Arcane Division that handled law enforcement among wizards. It was by far the most dangerous job in the City Guard. Wizards of Dralin rarely obeyed laws. The fact that they tended to be powerful and crafty compounded that problem.

"What shall we do today, my little viper?" Bobbell's voice sounded like a tiny hammer tapping a sheet of metal.

It was early morning, two days after Pelya had come back to the barracks from Lady Pallon's estate. They sat on a bench outside a small café east of the Guard District. Pelya was on her third fruity pastry and Bobbell on his fifth.

"Why do you call me your little viper, Uncle Bobbell?" He had done so ever since she could remember.

"Because you're quick as a snake, just as deadly and nobody notices you until they're right on top of you." His grin rose a little higher on the right side of his face than the left. "You didn't answer the question. What do you want to do?"

Pelya leaned in and whispered, "I was hoping you'd teach me more about picking advanced locks."

"Hush. Let's do something else. You already know almost as much as me." He stuck his tongue out at her.

She returned the gesture. "Fine. I want to go to Wizard's Mall." Pelya knew he would never take her there. Wizard's Mall District contained shops with just about every type of magical item in existence. As with everything in Dralin, it was dangerous. The streets were crowded and curvy and there were endless alleyways, making it easy to get lost. In Dralin, people who got lost generally stayed that way.

Amazingly, Bobbell didn't say no. Instead, he stared into the distance. An unconscious tic in his cheek worked double time.

The sky was clear and the air was cool from overnight thunderstorms that had washed the streets clean. Birds sang in the branches of green trees that lined the street. The Blossom District was a large residential area with nice houses, quite a few parks and gardens, and a relatively low crime rate considering it was in Dralin. In any other city, the rate would be appalling.

Bobbell took a deep breath and exhaled. "You have to stay by my side the entire time. If you go off on your own, I'll bend you over my knee and paddle your butt no matter who your father is. Are we clear?"

"Yes, Uncle Bobbell. I know to stay with you at all times." Pelya gripped his hand. There was no way she would disobey. She couldn't believe he might actually take her.

"Unless I fall. Remember, the code of the Guard requires at least one person to report. If a unit is ambushed, one member must always report."

It was a Guard policy that someone must remain alive to report the death of comrades. They had to drill it into each and every member because most had a natural instinct to fight to the death.

"You're not going to fall, Uncle Bobbell. We don't have to go if it's that dangerous." Pelya squeezed his hand with both of hers. "I didn't really think you'd say yes."

"Nah. It'll be fine. You'll enjoy the Wizard's Mall. I saw something there last week I wanted to buy you. Come, my little viper." He stood. "We'll go through the Tower District and walk around some of the crazy streets along the way."

"You don't have to buy me anything! Everyone buys me things and I don't need anything else. Plus I have my own money." Guard members didn't make a lot, especially privates. She probably had more money in the bank than he had earned his entire life.

He considered her with a thoughtful frown. After a moment, he shrugged. "Fine. If you have a gold piece, you can buy it for yourself. Do you have any coins on you?"

"Yes. I made sure of that. They're safely tucked away." It was a relief that he would let her buy something for herself instead of wasting his money.

The Wizard's Mall was on the northwest side of the Tower District while the Guard and Blossom Districts were on the southeast side. The journey to get there would be dangerous even in the daylight.

Bobbell was one of the few people who held Pelya's hand with his right hand. He was left-handed and needed that one to be free should a fight occur. One thing that was constant was that everyone held Pelya's hand when she was with them. No one was willing to risk losing the most precious member of the Guard.

Pelya knew she was special, everyone told her so, but she didn't know why. Other kids had parents, brothers, sisters, grandparents and normal aunts and uncles. They lived in nice houses or run-down houses, depending on their parent's lot in life. They had normal lives and were quite happy with them for the most part.

Then there were the children that were orphans, or worked under slave-like conditions. They were miserable, but even they were ordinary in the sense that it was a common occurrence. Pelya, on the other hand, did not have a normal life. There was always someone looking after her. Literally hundreds of Guard members checked in on her in the course of a week even if it was just to say hi. Not only that, but they smiled when they saw her.

On the rare occasion she did something wrong, Frath would punish Pelya by grounding her to her room, but worse than that was the fact that everyone seemed to know about it. They would be disappointed in her and then they would all lecture her, which hurt more than any punishment. A number of people in the Guard didn't like her, but the majority kept those quiet. She didn't see them often.

At times, her life seemed miserable and she wanted the normal life with parents and a house, but she didn't feel that way often. Having so many people to hold her hand and teach her what they knew was wonderful.

A clear, powerful voice brought Pelya out of her reverie. "Hold, Guardsman. I would speak with you a moment."

The knight who spoke wore shining plate armor and sat atop a magnificent warhorse. His eyes were the same color as the sky above him. His face was strong and noble, but kind. Dark blonde hair fell to his shoulders and matched his neatly trimmed beard and mustache. The cape flowing down his back complemented an orange tabard with a golden sun embroidered on the chest.

Bobbell shielded Pelya with the right half of his body. "Hello, Sir Knight. What would you speak of?" He gave a slight bow with his free arm out to the side.

Pelya curtseyed as was proper.

"The child whose hand you hold, that would be the daughter of Frath Jornin, yes?" The knight's voice was as golden as the embroidered sun.

Bobbell didn't answer immediately, but had no reason to hide the fact. "It is, Sir Knight."

"She is well?"

"Yes, My Lord." Bobbell volunteered no other information.

"Her father is well?"

"Yes, My Lord."

The knight's gaze settled on Pelya.

She found herself trusting the man instantly, though she couldn't say why.

"I am pleased that you are well, Pelya Jornin. It is my hope that you will know peace in your life."

"Thank you, Sir Knight." She curtseyed again, wondering how he knew her.

"There will come a time when I will need your assistance, child."

Pelya stared at him incredulously. She wanted to respond, but had no idea what to say.

"It will not be for a while, so do not concern yourself. Reanna's blessings upon you and your father. May her light guide your way through the darkness." With those words, the knight turned up the street, followed by his squire and another man. They nodded at her and Bobbell as they rode past.

Uncle Bobbell stared after them until they disappeared into the crowded street. A few people passing by stared at the two of them curiously.

"Reanna is the Goddess of the Sun, right, Uncle?"

"Huh? Oh, yes. Goddess of the Sun, yes. There's a God of the Sun too that most people worship. I've never seen a follower of Reanna to be honest with you." Bobbell looked around before focusing on her again. "That was the most unusual encounter. How do you know him?"

Pelya shook her head. "I don't know him. What do you think he meant when he said that he's going to need my assistance?"

"I don't know. Knights tend to get hit in the head a lot. Maybe the Sun Goddess baked it in that helmet a little too long." He grinned and winked.

"No. I believe him, but I don't know why. Maybe daddy knows him. He asked if daddy was well." Something about the knight was familiar, but she couldn't say what. He also had an aura of good that stood out in the city of Dralin as a flame stands out in a pitch-black room.

They resumed walking. "You may be right. We'll ask him when we get back this evening."

After they had traveled awhile, Bobbell pointed to the street ahead where towers of varying heights jutted above the rooftops. "We're about to enter the Tower District. Everything here is crazy so don't let go of my hand."

"I won't. I've never been here." Pelya noticed the air becoming hazy as though a fog was creeping in. She stopped and tugged on his hand. "I don't have the runes to protect me against the illusions and help me find my way through here."

"I _do_ have them." He tugged on his guard tunic. "Not only did I go through the required year training in the district, I've spent years in the Arcane Division and an unhealthy amount of time in here."

"One of the things we need to be careful of is magical pollution, my little viper. The main streets are kept clean, but many of the smaller streets have puddles of corrupted magic. Touching it can make you ill, or even kill you."

Pelya moved closer to him and held on with both hands.

"Let's talk of more pleasant things, my little viper." Bobbell squeezed her hand. "We'll test your memory of pickpocketing. What do successful pickpockets look for?"

The trip zipped by while they discussed. Before long, they reached the Wizard's Mall.

Bobbell gestured grandly at the streets ahead. "Here we are: the most amazing place in the world. At Wizard's Mall, you can find everything from the tooth of a carnivorous fairy to the scale of a mighty dragon."

They were in a large plaza surrounded by tall buildings with conical tile roofs. A flowerbed circled the bronze statue of a renowned wizard in the center of the plaza. Six more flower gardens were around the edge. People relaxed on inviting benches.

"This is the nice part of Wizard's Mall." Bobbell guided her to a spot clear of bustling wizards, workers and assorted individuals out for a day's shopping, work or leisure. "You'll find high quality stores this close to the Tower District." He pointed to well-kept shops that were brightly painted and had placards announcing their wares. "A wand shop, potions, books, runeballs, artifacts and antiques, and a shop for the finest spell components and focuses a person could ever want all at prices that make even the richest wizards choke." He grinned at Pelya and got the laugh he was anticipating.

Then he became serious and leaned in. "Of course, you don't want to see these places even if they would let a pair like us in. You want to go into the shadowy, twisty streets with shops that sell dark magics and mysterious wares don't you, my little viper?"

Pelya nodded nervously, doing her best to contain her excitement.

Bobbell leaned in to her, his face grim. "You hold on to me and do everything I tell you to. Understood?"

Pelya nodded. The thought of being separated banished any consideration of disobedience even if she had been so inclined.

"Let's go then."

Pelya's head swiveled in every direction as they walked. Wizards, male and female, roamed the streets. Some were dressed with flashy robes that glistened in the sunlight. Others wore sinister robes and held their chins in contempt of inferior people. Yet others were disheveled and had stains on their old, sullied robes. Those had a tendency to mumble to themselves and run into things. People lived in the upper floors of shops. They gossiped about current events out of the upper windows over laundry lines strung from building to building.

"Why do all wizards wear robes, Uncle Bobbell?"

"Hmm? Not all do, just most." Bobbell was looking around at people and buildings as though searching for something. "A robe is one single piece of clothing with a large surface to embroider runes into. It makes for stronger magical storage and protection. If they were to separate it into tunics and leggings, it would cut the amount of power that could be imbued into the material."

Pelya thought of the magical sword Ebudae had given her. "Do you have to have runes to store power in something?"

Bobbell didn't answer right away. Then he looked at her thoughtfully. "I honestly don't know. I suppose so. Runes help to store, channel magic, and define what each effect is. I can't say that I've ever seen a magical item without them. Why do you ask?"

"I was just curious. I'm eleven. It's my job to ask a never-ending string of questions." She gave him her most innocent grin.

He laughed at that. "I suppose it is, my little viper, I suppose it is."

The further they traveled, the grimmer the streets became. Paint chipping from looming storefronts and worn placards showed the declining quality of buildings. The presence of powerful wizards gave way to furtive figures slinking from one shop to the next. The only thing that didn't change was the absent-minded wizards who talked to themselves. They were everywhere.

A crow perched on a second story ledge of one of the shops caught her attention. Pelya was certain it was staring at her.

A hooded woman came toward them from a dark corner. "Here now, what a pretty little girl."

"You'll die if you touch her, you old bat." Bobbell spoke in the most sinister, hissing voice Pelya had ever heard from him. His sword darted out of its sheath to the woman's neck.

The woman hissed. She scraped the air with a claw-like hand before slinking back into her corner.

They went past a few more stores before he stopped in a clear space. "This was a terrible idea." Bobbell sighed. "No member of the Guard is supposed to be in this district alone, and I'm _definitely_ not supposed to bring you here. What a stupid decision." He rubbed his brow while keeping an eye out for danger.

Pelya wanted to protest, but realized how much stress it was putting on him. She was getting a bad feeling about the area that went beyond the obvious danger. "Yes, Uncle Bobbell. I'm sorry."

He looked at her and smiled gently. "You're such a good child and a wonderful person. I love you, my little viper." He wrapped her up in a hug.

"I love you too, Uncle Bobbell. I'm sorry I suggested this. I don't want you to get into trouble."

"No. Don't you worry about that." He took her by the shoulders and looked her in the eyes. "You want adventure and excitement as every child should. Don't worry, I'll keep you safe." He looked around again. "The store I want to take you to is nearby. After that, I have one quick task to do. Then we'll head back and have a nice lunch in the park."

"I really, really don't want you to get into trouble, Uncle. We should go back now."

A crow cawed in agreement from atop the placard of a nearby shop. Pelya couldn't tell if it was the one from before.

Bobbell didn't notice it. "Nonsense. I'm known here. We'll be fine." He grinned and led her back into the street. The crow cawed in warning again. Pelya stared as they passed it. For an instant, she was certain its eyes flashed purple.

"Uncle Bobbell. Please let's go back. I have a really, really bad feeling." She pulled on his hand.

"The shop is right there." He pointed at a grimy stone building with two steps leading to an iron-braced wooden door. Its placard had a peeling picture of a hand with green fire coming from the palm. When he opened the door, a bell rang to alert the shopkeeper that there was a customer.

Inside was a space packed with shelves that held a myriad of tightly packed items. Many appeared to be magical, but it was hard to tell. A skeleton of a large bird hung from the ceiling next to a dozen representations of the moons, a favorite decoration of wizards. Everything was dusty and the light coming in from dirty windows was dim, which helped to hide flaws in the items.

"Bobbell, you little weasel, have you come for that special item or another tumble in bed?" a husky-voiced woman asked from behind the counter.

"Tibella, none of that now. I have my niece with me." Bobbell led Pelya through the narrow aisle to the counter. "I have the gold piece you're asking for the item."

"Your niece?" Tibella raised an eyebrow. She was short, but stout and busty with green eyes, dusky red hair and a pretty face. Pelya guessed her age to be in the late thirties, older than Bobbell. "I happen to know for a fact that you're an orphan." She narrowed her eyes at Pelya and put her hands on hips. "Bobbell, I know you like things a little kinky, but I never figured you were this depraved. I won't have anything to do with it." She spat angrily.

Pelya didn't really understanding the meaning, but got the feeling that it was bad.

Bobbell instantly disputed the claim. "That is _not_ what she is here for and don't ever suggest it! She's under the protection of the entire Guard and I'm caring for her today. _Nothing_ bad will happen to her as long as I'm alive." He jabbed a thumb into his chest.

Tibella looked back and forth between the two, finally relaxing when she realized he was sincere. "Sorry. There are a lot of people who would do that sort of thing." She brushed dust off the front of her robe. "You're not getting the picks for her, are you?"

"Yup. I didn't say I wasn't corrupting her." He grinned and winked.

Tibella laughed loudly and unlocked a cabinet along the wall behind the counter. She pulled out a tied leather packet and unraveled it onto the counter.

Pelya gasped when she saw the set of lockpicks and tools.

"Here it is." Tibella leaned on the counter. "They have good magic in them. They won't break and they'll get warm in the hand as a warning if there's a magical ward on a lock. They'll stay steady even in the shakiest hands too."

"Perfect." Bobbell checked them to make sure they were all there.

"It's illegal to have them, of course. If a member of the Guard catches you with them, you'll be in trouble." Tibella winked. They both burst into laughter at the joke.

Pelya stared at the picks, wanting them very much. Picking locks was her favorite activity after swordsmanship.

"I could easily get five gold pieces as you know. You did right by me though, so I'm letting them go for the gold piece I paid." Tibella had a look on her face as though she regretted the deal. "I have to get that much though."

Pelya reached into the pouch hidden under her tunic. She pulled out the larger of two shiny gold pieces she kept out of the bank. They were for in case she wanted to buy something especially nice. She laid the shiny coin on the counter and watched the shopkeeper snatch it faster than lightning. "Well, well. That's quite a pretty coin for someone so young." Tibella leered. "I wonder how she earned that."

Bobbell's sword was at Tibella's throat faster than she had snatched the coin. "Don't ever insult my niece again. She's the best person in the world."

Blood drained out of the shopkeeper's face. She trembled and nodded.

Pelya gulped. She knew Uncle Bobbell was a dangerous man, but had never seen him behave with such rapid violence. The world outside the Guard was an unpleasant place that she was losing her desire to explore.

The sword zipped back into its sheath. "Do you mind if I use the back exit?" Bobbell wrapped up the lockpicks tightly and handed them to Pelya. "I need to talk to someone."

Pelya tucked them securely into an inner pocket of her tunic. She had a secret place in her room where she would keep them.

Tibella nodded weakly and then looked at Pelya. "You don't want to take her into the alleys . . ."

"She's safe with me. Don't worry."

The shopkeeper looked back and forth at the two of them. Courage had left her, so she nodded again and led them into a back room even more cluttered than the shop. The door had ten locks keeping it secure. She undid them and stuck her head out before waving them through.

Locks clacked shut behind them as they studied the tight alley. Bobbell scanned both ways and up to the rooftops for any sign of danger. Finding none, he led her to the right. Their rapid pace was made without a sound. Pelya was learning the art of sneaking from other aunts and uncles in addition to Bobbell. It was a vital skill in a city of rogues.

"Uncle Bobbell, we should go back please," Pelya urged in a low voice. "I'm sorry I asked to come. I won't ever do it again."

"This will only take a few minutes. Then we'll go back."

"I have a _really_ bad feeling." Pelya tugged on his hand, to no avail. The blood in her veins had gone cold with dread by that point.

Menacing buildings loomed over them. Sunlight struggled to trickle through even though the sun was directly overhead. Bobbell lifted Pelya over a trickle of brackish green liquid coming from a drainpipe out of the back of one of the buildings. She recognized it as magical waste.

After a number of twists and turns, they finally stopped in front of a black, ironbound door. Bobbell knocked on it in a pattern of nine raps.

A metal plate slid back. The eye that peered through the slit frightened Pelya with its malice. The door opened. An iron-jawed thug with a spiked club stepped aside to let them through.

Pelya was terrified. Everything was wrong and she didn't want to go in. She gripped Bobbell's hand with both of hers and stayed as close as possible.

They walked down the hallway to the next door. A thug tougher than the first pushed it open for them.

If Pelya could have gone back and started the day over, she wouldn't have _ever_ suggested coming to Wizard's Mall. Perhaps she would have just stayed in bed.

Silver sconces, vivid tapestries and lush carpets were entirely out of place from the exterior of the building they had just entered. Five men sat or leaned around the edges of the room. Every single one of them looked dangerous. A man sat at a desk at the far end of the lavishly decorated room. Standing behind him was a red-haired wizardess wearing green robes threaded with golden runes. The men in the hallway came inside, closed the door to the room and stood in front of it to prevent escape.

Every nerve in Pelya's body screamed at her. Tears of fright welled in her eyes.

The man behind the desk spoke in tones as oily as his slicked blonde hair. "Private Bobbell, did you honestly think you could betray us and live, even if you _are_ a member of the vaunted City Guard?"

A man moved behind Bobbell.

Pelya whined in terror.

Bobbell looked down at Pelya. "You were right, my little viper. Always trust your instincts . . . ungh." His sentence ended in a grunt as a sword ran through his back and out his chest.

Blood flowed from his mouth. Sadness filled his eyes, not at his death, but at disappointing his favorite person in the world. "One member must always report."

The sword jerked out of his body.

Bobbell to fall to the ground.

Pelya screamed as she lost the desperate grip on his hand.

## Chapter 17

"Cu-caw!"

Frath looked up at the crow perched on a light post. He had the sense it was trying to communicate to him specifically.

Purple flashed in its eyes. It cawed at him again.

He looked at his trainees. They stood in pairs around the neighborhood, alert for danger. None of them noticed the odd crow.

"Cu-caw!" The crow flapped away to a nearby building. Its eyes flashed purple again.

"Distra?" Frath whispered.

The crow bobbed its head and hopped along the edge of the building impatiently.

"Squad! To me!" Frath blew his whistle.

They dashed to him in surprise, looking around for whatever danger he must have found.

"There is danger . . ." Frath looked to the crow. It hopped further along the building, ". . . to the north. We make all haste. Let's see how well you hustle!"

"Is this a drill, Corporal?"

"No." Frath didn't have any details to give them, so he gestured for them to follow. "In staggered running formation. Hands near your weapons and stay alert at all times."

The crow flew off. Frath followed, not knowing where he was headed. What he did know was that he had a sinking feeling of impending doom. He upped the pace.

***

The man behind the desk stood. "What a pretty little present Private Bobbell brought us."

A thug came toward Pelya and reached for her.

Something pushed Pelya to the side. The motion was enough for her to run to the door. Right before she reached it, the door whipped open on its own, knocking the two thugs in front of it to the ground.

Pelya sprinted down the hallway. The door to the alley also opened inexplicably. She ran so fast that she crashed into the wall on the other side of the alley, causing her to stumble.

She looked back only to see a glowing green web shooting at her. Pelya ducked and rolled to the left. The web stuck to her right arm and leg. Some of it tore when she yanked, but it was strongly tethered to the wall and ground.

Shadows darkened and ripped the strands from her.

Pelya screamed and scrambled backward.

Above her, a crow cawed. She looked up to see it perched on a brick jutting from one of the buildings. Its eyes flashed purple.

A man ran through the doorway and crashed into the wall, just as she had done. He became entangled in the residue of the web.

Pelya leapt up, barely evading his outstretched hand. She dashed away, her heart racing in fear. Looking over her shoulder, she saw the crow claw the man's head. It drew blood and screams of pain.

Pelya ran as fast as she could. She had done obstacle drills with the Guard. The alleyway she ran down was a gritty version of those. This time, she was truly running for her life.

Shouts echoed and footsteps pounded the cobblestones behind her. Ahead, the alley split into two. The crow flew over into the left one and cawed to her. Pelya followed.

The alley took a sharp turn. She pushed against a wall to keep her balance and kept going. When she saw green pollution in a puddle on the ground, she leapt over it, flying through the air. She landed on her stomach with a thud that knocked the air out of her and scraped up her hands. Pelya got to her feet and kept running, but her chest hurt from exertion and fear.

A dark corner ahead suddenly became inviting, so she rushed to it. One of the buildings in the alley was set deeper than those around it, creating a small space. There were garbage and debris along the edge, but she was able to back into the corner.

Pelya heard the men coming down the alley and realized they would see her. Panic gripped her, but just as she was about to bolt, she heard a whispering "shh" in her ear. Shadows caressed her arms and legs, causing her to relax involuntarily.

Three men came running at full bore. They had a perfect line of vision to see her, but the shadows continued stroking her skin. Pelya felt their cool touch even through her clothes. She calmed her breathing, letting her chest relax as the men ran past.

They didn't notice her.

A moment later, the shadows stopped caressing. They pushed her back into the alley.

The crow cawed from the left, so she ran in that direction. Pelya didn't know what to think about shadows and a crow guiding her, but it was much better than what would happen if the thugs who killed Bobbell found her.

The thought of her uncle sapped the strength from her bones and she stumbled to a halt. The image of the sword piercing her uncle flashed in her mind, as did the sight of blood flowing from his lips while he mouthed words she could no longer hear.

Pelya burst into tears and fell to her knees. Panic and dread ganged up to squeeze her heart tightly and prevent her from doing anything. Her throat constricted, making her wheeze as she tried to breathe.

Pain shot through her scalp as something yanked her hair. Pelya cried out. The alley came into focus again.

Flapping wings beat about her head. The crow yanked her hair again.

Pelya got to her feet and half-heartedly ran. A minute later, she saw another dark corner that looked inviting. Once she got there, her eyes were drawn to a wide ledge above that also looked inviting. She put a foot against the wall for leverage. As she did so, it was grabbed and supported. Shadows heaved her up. She caught the ledge. More shadows pulled on her arms.

Voices in the alley came back the way the men had run.

Pelya was pushed so she lay down on the ledge. It was slightly damp from the previous night's rain and more than a little dirty, but she stayed still. Footsteps pounded back down the alley and faded into the distance.

When they were gone, she stood up on the ledge. Something trickled down her scalp, over her left temple and cheek. Wiping it off, she saw it was blood from where the crow's talons had accidentally cut her. She looked up to the edge of the roof directly above and saw the crow.

It cawed apologetically.

"It's all right. Thank you for saving my life."

It cawed again before hopping higher on the roof. Pelya got the distinct impression it wanted her to follow. She stood beneath the ledge, which was just a little out of her reach. On a gut instinct, she lifted her left foot. Shadows grabbed it and pushed up. With a leap, she caught the edge and scrambled up.

Wooden shingles were at a steep angle, making her gulp at the thought of climbing over them. Gathering what courage she had left, Pelya followed the crow up to the peak of the building they were on. It was one of the shorter buildings around. Other rooftops surrounded it.

The crow flew to another peak was a little higher.

The other side of the roof was at a more gradual angle. Pelya made her way along it.

The next ledge was chest-high enabling her to pull herself up without assistance. Pelya paused to consider how odd it was that shadows were helping her.

The crow cawed again as if warning her not to think about it too hard.

Pelya traveled across that rooftop to another and another, each one a little higher.

Other crows arrived as she traveled over the wooden, slate, and metal roofs. They acted as a winged escort. Pelya's arms and legs grew rubbery from the physical and mental exertion. The horror of what had happened lurked in the back of her mind, threatening to burst through again.

All the crows but the original flew away. Pelya stopped and held the weathervane in the middle of the roof on which she stood.

It was then that she realized she had reached the highest point in the area. The roofs of Wizard's Mall were around her, looking like hills under the warm sun. Birds flew about in the distance and the murmur of voices from the streets below filled the air with a humming sound. Various aromas of incense and perfumes from the shops below mixed with garbage in the alleys to create a nauseating effect.

But the most extraordinary sight was the rise of the Tower District in the distance. She couldn't make out individual towers. Instead, they shimmered and meandered back and forth, weaving through each other in circular motion. Rainbow colors of green, blue, purple and red eddied around all of it, creating a foggy illusion that went high into the sky.

The crow cawed from the next roof. Pelya rubbed her eyes to clear them of the colors that hurt her head. Coming around to the other side of the next rooftop, she saw a window that would give the occupant a perfect view of the hypnotic sight. The crow was sitting on the top of the frame above it.

The window creaked open, startling her. She stared at the crow. "I really hope you're my friend."

It gave a sharp nod and cawed at her again.

Pelya shrugged and entered. The crow stayed outside.

***

Frath turned down another street in the tower district. He didn't know where the crow could be taking him. Occasionally, a shadow would encourage him on the way.

"Corporal, I need a break," one of the trainees gasped at him.

"Crime doesn't wait for its victims to be rescued. If we don't reach them in time, the only break _they_ get is their neck." He turned down an alley, wondering where in the world Distra's crow could be leading him.

"We're not supposed to be in the Tower District, Corporal," another trainee whined. "Are we lost?"

Frath had trained in the district, but he had no clue where they were. However, in spite of the odd circuit they had taken so far, they were making excellent time, and not once had they run across danger. "I know exactly where we are," he lied blatantly. "Keep quiet and reserve your breath for running."

They wasted some of that breath grumbling, but obediently followed.

***

There was no light inside. It took a minute for her eyes to adjust after being in the bright daylight. Pelya reached in her tunic for another pouch. It still had the three runeballs Ebudae had given her. She pulled out the one that created light and said the activation word. A soft blue glow mixed with the sunlight coming from the window. The room was empty except for some old furniture and the webs of spiders that had decided to fill the vacancy.

Pelya walked to stairs on the opposite side of the small room. The window creaked closed and latched itself, causing her to jump. Shadows were thick in that area and she figured they had taken care of it. "Thank you," she told them, wanting to be polite.

The stairs were steep and rickety, groaning with each step she took. The next level down was also empty except for decaying furniture. A few rats and cockroaches joined the spiders. Pelya descended to the next level of stairs underneath the one she had just come down. They were rickety as well, but not quite so bad. When it took five more flights to reach the bottom, she realized how high up she had traveled on the rooftops. It wasn't surprising that she was so exhausted and shaky.

Shadows cast by the blue light in her hand moved around a doorway to her left. She went through it into another room and across that to a door beyond. When she reached for the knob, the shadows pushed her hand aside.

Pelya pulled back and waited. She looked at the one couch that remained. Rats were using it as a dormitory. Moths had nearly finished off a tapestry that once hung from the far wall. The fireplace lay dormant. Everything reminded her of the ancient buildings underground.

The knob clicked and turned. When the door opened a crack, Pelya pulled it enough to see outside. She was on a street with a mixture of shops and houses. It was bright and people were walking back and forth about their business.

Then she saw a guard unit coming up the street, searching for something or someone. Pelya crushed the runeball and threw the ashes on the ground while running toward the unit. Ebudae said runeballs could become unstable if not destroyed when done.

One of the guards pointed at her. "Pelya!" Her name was Minda. She was always nice to Pelya.

The unit ran to Pelya and surrounded her protectively as she rushed into Minda's arms and bawled.

The unit leader tried to get her attention. "Pelya." He was an average man with brown hair and a shaggy goatee. "Pelya . . . _Pelya_!"

Pelya turned to him, her chest heaving with sobs.

"Who were you supposed to be with today? Why are you alone?"

"And why in the world are you in Wizard's Mall?" another asked disapprovingly.

"Unc . . . Uncle Bobbell . . . is dead," Pelya stuttered, snot running down her nose. She couldn't regain control now that she was safe among family.

"Where? Tell me now."

Pelya turned her head back and forth, looking for anything familiar.

Minda wiped Pelya's nose with a handkerchief she pulled from inside her tunic. The head turning made it difficult.

Finally, Pelya looked at the unit leader. "I don't know," she wailed.

The unit leader folded his arms in irritation. He blew a piercing whistle that hung on a chain around his neck. It would call any other units to his location. The squad sergeant and corporal would be with nearby units. He looked at Pelya, who was still sniffling and wiping at her red eyes. "I can see you've been through an ordeal, but we need to know about Private Bobbell and what happened to him, so I suggest you figure out how to keep it together long enough to explain everything you can remember."

"Y . . . yes, Sir." Pelya gulped deep breaths of air and let Minda clean up her face. A moment later, three sharp tweets came from behind them. The unit leader responded with two tweets. Two more units came from that direction, making up all but one unit of the squad.

The squad sergeant ran up. "What is it?" Pelya recognized her as Sergeant Rashel. There was a wizard with her too. The wizard's brown robes were slit up the sides of the legs to enable him to run easily. He wore black leggings underneath.

"Pelya Jornin rushed up to us alone." The unit leader pointed at the girl. "She was supposed to be with Private Bobbell, but said he died. I told her to get control of her emotions so she could report."

The sergeant looked surprised to see Pelya there. "So that's who it was. Deathwatch Wizards at headquarters sent an alert that someone nearby had died." He pointed at a bracelet on the wizard's wrist that throbbed red. "What in the _world_ was he doing in the Mall with Pelya?!"

"I don't know. Perhaps you should ask the girl." The unit leader was clearly irritated.

Minda, the sergeant and most of the other guards there glared at him. Pelya realized he was one of the people who didn't like her.

Sergeant Rashel squatted down in front of Pelya. "Can you lead us to Bobbell, Pelya?"

Pelya shook her head.

Rashel's eyes widened. She reached a hand to Pelya's temple and wiped the blood that was still trickling down.

"It looks like a scalp cut, Sergeant," Minda said. "I think she'll be all right, but she's shaking like a leaf."

Rashel nodded. "Pelya, I need you to tell me as much as possible so we can find Bobbell. Make it as quick and concise as you can."

Pelya collected her thoughts. It was difficult, but she was determined to do everything she could. "I asked him to bring me here thinking he'd say no, but he said yes instead." She wanted to cry from guilt at the admission. It was all her fault.

"He shouldn't have done that," Rashel said. "But no matter, continue."

"We came from the Tower District into a plaza with a statue of a wizard surrounded by flowers. There were a lot of expensive shops there."

"I know the place," Rashel said. Everyone else nodded as well. "Go on."

"We walked to a darker place and he took me into a shop. There was a hand on the placard with green flames coming from it. The paint was peeling." Pelya saw that they were all thoughtful. Apparently there was more than one shop like that. "The shopkeeper was a short woman named Tibella."

That did it. "Willam!" Rashel barked. "Carry Pelya. We move _now_!"

An immense, red-haired man with thick muscles picked up Pelya. He settled her on his hip. Her weight didn't slow him as they charged through the streets.

The squad's fourth unit had shown up with the squad corporal who ran ahead, blowing his whistle to clear a path. There was another wizard with him. All squads had two competent wizards who specialized in battle magic.

People parted to let them through. It was law to get out of the way of a Guard unit rushing through the streets. People made extra effort at the sight of an entire squad. Within a few minutes, they reached the shop.

Sergeant Rashel came to a skidding halt, as did the rest of the squad, a few huffing and puffing. "This is the place?" she asked.

Pelya nodded as Willam set her down. "Tibella let us through the back door to the alley. We turned right. I can trace our steps, but there are bad people . . ." It took all her willpower not to start crying again.

"It's our job to deal with bad people, Pelya." A malevolent grin crossed Rashel's face, mirrored by the rest of the squad.

Pelya was suddenly glad they were on her side.

One of the wizards cast a spell. Pelya felt a burst of strength that appeared to affect everyone in the squad.

"Let's go." The sergeant opened the door and led the way in.

Tibella stood behind the counter with eyes wide. When the sergeant demanded to be let out the alleyway door, she unlocked it immediately. Rashel led the way to the right and traveled far enough for the squad to join in the alley. It was too narrow for them to do much more than single file, a severe disadvantage for any fighting group. However, the Guard trained specifically for such situations. The boost of strength the wizard had cast would help them with that.

Pelya gasped as she felt her skin tingle.

Minda, who was directly in front of her while Willam was directly behind, reassured her. "A spell to protect all of us against certain forms of magic was just cast. You felt a tingling, right?"

Pelya nodded.

They came to an intersection. Word came back asking which way. Pelya closed her eyes and remembered the steps they had taken. "Left, right, right, go a couple hundred feet and there's a black iron-bound door with a plate to look out of."

Word was relayed up the line and everyone moved again.

A minute later, she heard shouts. Rashel's voice rang above the rest. "Halt! Lay down your weapons in the name of the Dralin City Guard!"

Willam drew his sword and then put Pelya on his left hip. She held on tightly while her protector stepped aside to let others through. Minda stood next to them with her sword drawn so Pelya was in between the two of them. It would be difficult for anyone to harm her.

The sound of clashing swords along with shouts of anger and pain echoed up the alley, but they didn't last long. After a moment, the train of Guard members passing by stopped. The last unit had gone in a different direction in the hopes of cutting off escape. Guard members were required to memorize every street and alley in the city. In training, they would start with the easy districts, but as they learned, they would be sent to more difficult ones. The Tower District was by far the hardest to learn. Wizard's Mall was one of the worst after that. Even with that knowledge, there were secret ways to get away underneath the city in the sewers and above the city on the rooftops.

***

"Almost there." Frath pulled on the arm of a trainee that threatened to collapse. The poor man's breathing sounded like a mangy dog trying to chew on a dead rat Frath had seen in an alley once. It was an unpleasant memory.

"Please, Corporal," another trainee begged. She couldn't get enough air to say more than that. "Hey! Who pushed me?"

"I felt something push me too," another said.

Frath didn't mention the shadows that were impatiently shoving the trainees along. "We're almost there." He prayed that he was telling the truth.

The crow cawed impatiently at him from a lamppost. People walking through the Wizards Mall gave his unit a wide berth because Frath had his sword out and a desperate look on his face.

He turned to the trainees. "I know you're limits are being tested, crew. Show me that you have the fortitude to face the challenges of the Dralin City Guard." He thrust his sword up in what he hoped was an inspirational gesture.

The trainees were too busy trying to breathe to be inspired.

"Just keep going." He turned up the street.

Shadows shoved the trainees who looked anxiously around and followed close to Frath for his protection.

***

The unit leader who didn't like Pelya came back to her, pushing past guardspeople. "The sergeant wants to see Pelya right away."

Minda and Willam bracketed Pelya to keep her secure. They passed a guard lying on the ground with a gash in his leg. He was gritting his teeth while his unit mate applied healing salve to it. They would take him to a healer once they got to one of the Guard's auxiliary barracks.

They were led to the black door. Three of the thugs were dead, their broken, bleeding bodies shoved against the wall in gruesome heaps that made Pelya sick to her stomach. Two more were on the ground down the alley with a few guards standing over them.

Willam set her down so she could walk on her own, still between him and Minda. They went down the hallway into the room. Bobbell wasn't there, but his blood soaked the carpet. She wanted to cry again, but resisted with all her might.

The unit leader opened a door on the side and headed down another hall. After turning down two more halls and going down a set of steps, they came to a room. Bobbell lay in peaceful repose on a table with his arms crossed over his chest and a blanket hiding his wound. Two grim faced Guards stood watch over him.

"Pelya," Sergeant Rashel said from the left. On the floor next to him were the blonde-haired man, the man who killed Bobbell, the wizard, and another one of the thugs; all dead from numerous wounds.

It was too much for Pelya. She threw up on the floor.

Minda wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her hair back. It took Pelya a minute to finish. Everyone else gave her plenty of room.

A man entered the room. "Sergeant Rashel, report."

Everyone snapped to attention and thumped fists to their chests.

"Yes, Captain." The sergeant gave the report of everything the squad had discovered.

Meanwhile, Pelya stood trembling and whimpering, while tears and snot ran down her face. It was too much for her and she didn't care about being brave or strong anymore.

Minda continued wiping the girl's face as best she could. She moved Pelya to the corner so everyone else could work.

Pelya saw that a guardsman had also been killed in the battle. It made everything worse, especially since he had given her a hug and a copper the day before. She buried her head in Minda's stomach and shut her eyes to block everything out.

"Why is Pelya still here?" the captain asked. "Is there a reason you're traumatizing her with the sight of all these bodies, Sergeant?"

"I wanted her to identify if these are the people who killed Private Bobbell."

"I see." Footsteps came over to her. "Pelya, I need you to focus just a minute then I'll let Private Minda take you back to your father." The captain squatted next to her.

Pelya looked through teary eyes at Captain Criffon, a man Pelya hadn't seen but a few times. She nodded and whimpered some more.

He took her by the arm and guided her to the bodies. "Did one of these people kill Private Bobbell?"

Pelya pointed at the man who had run the sword through her uncle. "H . . . he . . . did . . . sword." She pointed at the man's sword that was lying nearby.

"He killed Private Bobbell with that sword?"

"Y . . . yes."

"And was he the leader of this group?"

"N . . . no." It was hard to speak between gulps of air. Pelya pointed at the blonde man. "H . . . he . . . was l . . . leader."

"Did anyone say why Private Bobbell was killed?"

Pelya really wanted to leave, but the captain's grip on her arm was strong. Still pointing at the blonde man, she answered, "H . . . he said, 'Did you th . . think you could betray us and live'."

"Did he say anything else?"

Pelya shook her head. "N . . . no."

"Do you remember anything else that would help us, Pelya?"

"N . . . no." She just wanted to leave.

Captain Criffon rose. "Private Minda, see to Pelya. I'll have a unit escort you. Get the girl out of here before she becomes even more traumatized."

"I'd like to go with them, sir," Willam said.

"That's not necessary, Private."

"I'm going with Pelya, sir. Reprimand me later if you must." Willam picked Pelya up and held her tightly.

Captain Criffon sighed. "As you will, Private. There'll be no reprimand."

Willam and Minda took Pelya from the room. They found the front door and avoided the alley.

Frath came running up at that moment, followed by his trainees who gasped for breath. "Pelya!"

"Daddy!" She twisted in Willam's arms, reaching out for him. Willam passed her over. Pelya clung to Frath's neck and wrapped her legs around his waist.

"Oh Pelya, I sensed you were in danger and came as fast as I could! I'm sorry I wasn't fast enough." He ran fingers through her hair to find where the blood was coming from. "Who hurt you? I'll kill them."

One of the trainees collapsed to the ground, unable to do more than wheeze in desperation for air.

"The people who hurt her are dead," Minda reassured Frath.

"They killed Uncle Bobbell, Daddy! I told him we should go home. I sensed danger. I never should have asked to come."

"Bobbell? . . ." A wave of sorrow rippled across his face. He squeezed her to him. "I have you now, Pelya. You're safe." Another wave of sorrow passed. "Oh Bobbell . . . my friend."

Willam and Minda joined Frath once his trainees were able to breathe once again. The trip back to the Guard District took longer because they went by the safest route possible, which meant avoiding the Tower District and a few other more dangerous areas. His trainees had used all their stamina and had a hard time just walking. Twice, Willam had to help trainees work out cramps.

Along the way, Pelya told her father everything that had happened. When he cried at the loss of his friend, she felt that much more guilty at having asked to come to the Wizard's Mall.

Frath hushed her and comforted while carrying her as effortlessly as Willam had.

Some time later, she fell asleep in her father's arms, barely noticing when he tucked her into her bed.

He was there to hold her every time she woke up screaming from nightmares.

***

There were more questions the next day, but not many. Captain Criffon solved the case fast. He quietly told Pelya and Frath that Bobbell had been working undercover between two guilds that were smuggling illegal wizard artifacts. Through no fault of his own, he had been discovered. The person who had betrayed him was discovered the same night. In an unfortunate accident, he died before reaching prison.

Captain Criffon and others told Pelya that Bobbell died with honor in the line of duty and was to receive a funeral with full tribute for his service. Then they reassured her that she had done nothing wrong and that her obedience to Bobbell throughout the events and her warnings not to continue showed maturity and wisdom.

It didn't help much, but it helped a little. She spent the rest of that day in her father's arms, trying to come to terms with the vision of her Uncle Bobbell dying before her eyes.

## Chapter 18

Three days after Bobbell's death, Lieutenant Kally Nevala took Pelya out for the day. She was a strong woman with curly blonde hair that whipped about in the strong breeze. Her hazel eyes glittered in the sunlight and a scar ran along her chin from a battle that had gone badly the year before. The lieutenant was the daughter of a successful noble who had made certain Kally was well educated as a child. He reluctantly gave in when his daughter made the request to join the City Guard. A high education and wealthy parents would allow a person to enter any military group as an officer.

Pelya wore unadorned brown pants and tan tunic with her longknife at her side. It was only the second time she had been out, having gone the day before to Carnival with Bava and Herman. While there, she never smiled and only spoke when necessary.

It had been debated whether to let her go with just one guardsperson at a time, but Bobbell had specifically broken the rules as to where Pelya could be taken. Frath made it clear that anyone else who did something stupid with his daughter would die by his hand regardless of their position. It was a threat everyone took seriously.

Lieutenant Nevala was an extremely capable warrior and Frath trusted her. They had decided to go to a safe park in the Noble District where Pelya could feed ducks around a peaceful lake and sit quietly if that was all she wanted to do. Kally had a book to read and money for lunch and treats. It sounded like a nice day to Pelya who just wanted to sit and stare awhile. The lake would be perfect.

"I need to make a stop on the way, but it shouldn't take long," Kally told her in a pleasant voice that could split the air when giving orders.

Pelya stopped in her tracks, causing the lieutenant to jerk in surprise as they were holding hands. "Uncle Bobbell said he just needed to make a stop and that it wouldn't take long. That's when they killed him, Aunt Kally,"

The woman stared at Pelya for a long minute, not saying anything. She brushed hair back over her ear. Lieutenant Nevala was a pretty woman even with the scar and the ability to gut criminals. Occasionally a man would stare at her when walking past. Kally gave no notice of it most of the time. She resumed walking.

Pelya went along, not knowing if they were going to make the stop or just go to the park.

Pelya liked the Noble District. It was quieter than most. Even though there were guards at the doors of most estates and many of the nobles were a bit stuck up, it had a pleasant atmosphere. People were dignified and wore beautiful clothes. Everyone moved at a stately pace instead of the hurried velocity in other districts.

It was also where the Shining Shield Inn was. Frath took her there occasionally to have a nice meal in the garden with Albert and Purla. Most of the staff remembered her mother and were always happy to see Pelya. The memory of the place was painful to Frath, so they never stayed long.

A few blocks before reaching the park, Kally stopped in front of a large manor. Sitting on a low wall in front of manicured grounds, she took Pelya by the arms. "This is where I need to stop. You can see that it's not a dangerous place. The man I need to speak to is a minor lord. He knows my father and they have business dealings." She took a deep breath and puffed it out. "It's a personal matter that I can't take care of while on duty. If I could talk to him now, it would help me out a lot." She squeezed Pelya's arms gently and then let go. "That said, if you feel uncomfortable with this or have a bad feeling, we'll skip it and go straight to the park."

Pelya thought about it for a moment. The fact that they didn't _have_ to do it helped a lot. She looked at the estate and didn't get any bad feelings from it. There were no crows to issue warnings either. In truth, she was numb from the events of the other day. Finally, Pelya nodded. "I don't have any bad feelings about it, so I think we should do it. Thank you for asking me."

Kally wrapped her up in a hug and held her awhile. "Everything will get better a little bit each day," she reassured Pelya. "Give it time." She smiled and stood, holding her hand out for Pelya. Together they walked through the gate. The guard at the door announced their presence and a butler met them as they walked up the short steps.

"Lord Uylvich is expecting you," the man said in a monotone voice devoid of anything resembling emotion. He led them into a sitting room decorated with old furniture. Each piece might have been elegant at one time, but Pelya doubted it. None of it matched and all of it clashed with the tapestries and rugs. The lone window in the room had two small panes of broken glass covered with leather. Everything was mostly clean, but Pelya could tell that no one moved furniture or knickknacks to clean underneath. There was a dry dusty smell permeating the air and the only sound was a low whistling from wind blowing through a crack in one of the window's seams.

Kally gestured for Pelya to sit in a chair near the door while she went to the cold fireplace and stared into it blankly. Pelya did as told and remained quiet. She hoped they would leave soon.

The slick man who ambled in had thin black hair and a pencil-thin mustache. He looked to be in his late thirties. "Well, well. It is good to see you, Kally. Are you here for pleasure or business?" His voice rose and fell in glossy tones as he leered at the officer.

The way the man looked Aunt Kally up and down nauseated Pelya.

Lord Uylvich took Kally's hand and kissed it. "Every time I see you, you're even more beautiful."

"Hello Lord Uylvich. I'm here on business, specifically my father's contract. You know he needs it to stay in business." Kally's hand squeezed the hilt of her sword for reassurance. Her lips pursed tightly together, some of the blood had left her cheeks and her stance had gone from confident to insecure.

"Well, well . . . getting straight to the point, are we? Look how attractive you are." He moved forward and put a hand on the lieutenant's shoulder. "When you were a lass you showed a hint of beauty to come, but as a woman that beauty has been realized. You know you can call me by my name." The lord ran his hand down her arm until realizing she was wearing chainmail under the tunic. He moved to her neck and caressed it instead. "You _do_ know my name, don't you?"

Kally didn't pull away. "Enric." Her voice was shaky, something Pelya had never heard from her before.

"I like the way you say that. You have such a pretty voice." Lord Uylvich slid the hand behind her neck and massaged. Moving closely, he put his other hand on her waist. His face was just a few inches away from hers.

Pelya wondered why her aunt didn't pull away. It was making her uncomfortable, but she didn't know what to say or do.

His other hand slid down around to Kally's thigh and up underneath the long chain shirt to squeeze her bottom. "The contract is just business. Surely you understand that. It's not finalized, but another other offer was better."

Lieutenant Nevala's breath was labored. She seemed uncomfortable, but still made no move to push him away. "Lord . . . Enric . . . I don't . . ."

He responded by moving his hands to her sword belt, unbuckling it and letting it fall to the ground around her feet. His hands made their way back to their original positions. "I wanted to marry you, but you joined the guard instead. Marriage isn't an option now because of that, but it doesn't make me want you any less." His voice grew husky. Lord Uylvich pulled her against his body. He smashed his lips against hers.

Once again, the lieutenant didn't resist. Pelya watched in wide-eyed shock as the man squeezed and rubbed her aunt's neck. It stunned her even more when Kally opened her mouth to let the man kiss her deeply. The two continued for a moment before Kally finally pushed away.

"Here now, I thought you wanted your father to have that contract . . ." Enric pulled her back with the hand on her neck. He seemed to be using it to control Kally.

"I'm not alone." Kally put her hands against his chest. With a motion of her head, she indicated Pelya who had been staring in shock the entire time.

Lord Uylvich blinked in surprise at the girl who had been sitting so quietly. He frowned. "Go to the kitchen and help the cook, girl. Pretty Kally is going to spend time here negotiating her father's contract. She'll come to get you when we're done."

Pelya didn't move right away, worried that her Aunt Kally was in trouble. She knew adults kissed and even knew what sex was, but this wasn't how she had seen anyone act before. When the lord kissed Kally's neck, Kally looked at Pelya and nodded for her to go. Pelya ambled toward the doorway until Lord Uylvich pulled Kally's tunic, chain shirt and undershirt up, then Pelya dashed out.

Looking over her shoulder, the last thing she saw was Kally's bare back as the man lifted everything over the lieutenant's head and raised arms.

***

The sound of a man yelling at someone blasted through the kitchen doorway. Pelya decided to wait against the wall outside it before going in. She didn't like what her Aunt Kally was doing, but couldn't think of anything to help. She was beginning to hate spending the days with aunts and uncles.

The yelling came through clearly. "More food ruined by rats! You incompetent fool, I should turn you over to the City Guard for bringing me this feces infested rice! Take this bag and pick every insect and turd out of it before bringing it back to me."

Pelya decided not to eat the rice if they had to stay for lunch. She heard the sound of a person scurrying off and the cook muttering about rats. The aroma wafting from the doorway wasn't too bad. Roasting meat mixed with spiced pie to make her mouth water, but Pelya didn't want anything from the kitchen.

Not knowing what else to do, she went inside and found the cook. He was a portly man with a shaven head and multiple piercings on his ears, eyebrows, lips and nose. Pelya didn't like piercings, mostly because members of the Guard weren't allowed to have them. They could be pulled out by dirty fighters or used in ways to hurt the person wearing them. The cook wore a food stained apron over a clean, short-sleeved shirt and tan cotton leggings. Tattoos covered his exposed arms and others were on his neck, extending beneath his shirt. Tattoos and piercings were common with many adults in the city.

Pelya came up behind the cook who was slicing strips of meat. "Pardon me."

The man spun around, a bloody butcher knife in his hand.

To her credit, Pelya didn't flinch.

"Yeah, whaddya want? Actually, who are you and what are you doing in my kitchen?" His ruddy cheeks jiggled as he spoke.

"Lord Uylvich told me to come help you in the kitchen while he . . . has a meeting . . . with my aunt." She really didn't know any other way to describe it, nor did she want to try.

"Meeting, huh?" He looked her up and down, sizing her up.

Pelya was extremely happy he didn't have the same gaze Lord Uylvich had used on Aunt Kally.

"Say, do you know how to use that little sticker on your side?"

Pelya put her hand on the longknife on her belt. "Yes Sir,"

"Good! I got a problem with rats in the basement. They're eating my food supplies and destroying things. You go take care of them and I'll give you a few coppers spending money." He acted as though it was the most brilliant plan ever.

Pelya narrowed her eyes and put a hand on her hip. "Really?"

"Tell you what, if you get ten, I'll give you a silver piece."

"Really?"

He drew back in surprise. ". . . Yes, really. Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You _really_ want me to go kill rats in the basement?" Pelya raised an eyebrow. "It sounds like the first part of every bad adventure story ever told."

"Well this isn't an adventure story and you're just a little girl. I'm telling you to go kill some of those rats in the basement and I recommend you do so . . . unless you want me to go interrupt Lord Uylvich's meeting to tell him you're a disobedient little brat . . ." He left the threat hanging there.

That wasn't how she wanted to rescue Aunt Kally. Pelya had the distinct impression the lieutenant wouldn't appreciate the interruption. "I'll do it," she agreed reluctantly.

"Good girl." He pointed to a door. "The basement's through there. You'll find lanterns on a table. Light one to see your way. I'll give you a copper for each rat carcass you bring me."

She nodded and went to the door. It wasn't too dark below, so she went down the steps. There were a lot of boxes, barrels, sacks and crates scattered around the stone floor and on large shelves. Pelya lit a lantern and lifted it. There were already a few lanterns hanging from hooks on posts deep in the basement. They were all at low flame to conserve oil. A rat stared at her boldly from atop one of the crates.

"Hello, rat." Instead of drawing her longknife to kill it, she made her way through the stacked crates to discover how large the basement was. Pelya didn't mind rats. They were a natural part of the city and usually didn't bother humans as long as humans didn't bother them. It wasn't a popular sentiment, but she wasn't about to get their blood on her clothes. It wasn't worth coppers she didn't need.

The thought of blood made the image of it flowing from Bobbell's mouth flash across her mind. Pelya whimpered at the memory. It had woken her up screaming every night. Frath was always there for her and had taken to sleeping in a sleeping bag on the floor next to her bed.

She shook off the negative thoughts. The strong odor of moldy cheese tickled her nose. Pelya decided not to eat anything with cheese either.

The basement was bigger than it had appeared originally. There were rooms kept cold by runes inscribed into the walls and doorways. The entire space was a little chilly, which felt nice after the warm days they had been having. It still wasn't summer hot, which she was grateful for, but it was certainly getting close to that.

Another set of stairs led to a deeper level of basement. She looked back and listened for a moment to see if anyone else had come down. It was quiet with the exception of an occasional creak of the building or skittering of rats. One rat sat on a barrel, staring at her. She put a finger to her lips and whispered, "Shh." It turned and went about its business in silent agreement not to tell.

No light came from the stairwell below. Pelya held her lantern up as she went down. It occurred to her that she wasn't even remotely scared. A basement was tame compared to the ruins underneath Dralin or the alleys of the Wizard's Mall.

Grief squeezed her heart again, but she shook it off and looked around the sub-basement. The air was cooler and mustier than above. She saw furniture, old paintings, rolled up rugs and tapestries, various tools, dishes and housewares like candlesticks and baskets. It was a minor adventure and she was enjoying herself for the first time since exploring the academy with Ebudae.

Pelya saw a stone door with a lock on it set into the right side wall. She studied the area around it for a minute as Uncle Bobbell had taught her. She hoped it was locked so she could use the tools kept under her tunic.

Patience was the word he had always told her when teaching how to pick locks. Pelya rolled a half barrel near the door and set the lantern down on it so she could study the door. She checked the seams for unusual gaps or perhaps a hidden canister that might pop with gas if she opened it. She didn't know exactly what it would look like because Bobbell hadn't been able to arrange equipment that advanced. She was relying on his verbal descriptions.

After checking all of that, she looked back and listened to make certain no one else was coming down. Then she unrolled the picks onto the barrel and chose three that were the most useful. Pelya knelt in front of the lock. Bobbell had snuck her around to different doors and had her practice, but this was the first time she had ever attempted it by herself.

The lock looked similar to another she had learned on. Pelya carefully inserted two of the picks in to see if they became warm. When they didn't, she knew there weren't any magical wards on it. Pelya trusted Bobbell's judgment of their ability.

Before trying to pick it, she tested whether or not the door was even locked, a rule Bobbell had hammered into her head to make sure she would never look the fool. It was. She eagerly reinserted the first pick. Once it was set, she put in the second and third. With a little pressure, the lock clicked. It surprised her that she might have already succeeded, but when she tested the handle, it opened.

The room beyond was dark too. Pelya put the picks back and grabbed the lantern. She was disappointed to see more crates of household furnishings. Some of the items on shelves along the wall appeared to be tarnished silver, which would justify the locked door. Pelya wouldn't have stolen anything. She considered herself a member of the Guard sworn to uphold the law, but picking locks and sneaking around took skill and made her feel alive. They were also useful abilities to have when hunting down true thieves and criminals.

Pelya sat down on one of the crates in disappointment. She put the lockpicks back under her tunic and felt the pouch with her other two runeballs. One of them would find secret doors. Ebudae had told her that most of the manors in older districts like the Merchant and Noble Districts had secret passages. She picked out the light-green ball and rolled it around in her hand. Before doing anything, Pelya grabbed the lantern and went back to the upper basement to see if anyone had come down to check on her.

That level was clear. A moment later, she was back in the room. She said the keyword to activate the runeball, causing it to glow green. Pelya shined it around the room only to be disappointed when it didn't reveal anything. Not willing to give up, she took it out into the rest of the sub-basement to see if she could find something.

When the light revealed a space behind a stone wall in the back corner, she beamed gleefully. It took a moment of moving the runeball around the area to find the trigger, a stone she had to push near the low ceiling. She stood on a crate and pushed with all her might while still holding the runeball. It worked, but created a slight grinding noise.

Pelya froze in the hope that no one had heard. After a minute, she investigated the passage beyond, taking the lantern along for better light. It was much cleaner than she expected. There was little dust or cobwebs. The floor was swept, meaning that the passage was used. She worried that she might be caught. People didn't tend to be understanding about strangers in their secret passages. The standard excuse of looking for a chamber pot defied credibility.

She was undecided for a moment, but decided to explore to the left first. About two hundred feet away, there was a set of stairs going upward. Pelya didn't want to go up, so she turned in the other direction. The secret door to the sub-basement was still open. She found the passage-side trigger and closed it, hoping it would also let her back out. She kept the runeball activated. It would continue to work awhile and there might be other passages.

After another three hundred feet, there were stairs going down. Pelya stayed to the left-hand side and hoped there were no traps along the way. After sixty steps, they turned and went down the other direction. The switchback pattern continued three more times before coming to another hallway. She was deep enough to be in the ancient ruins.

Pelya made her way carefully through the damp passage. Patchy moss covered the walls and ceiling, but the floor was clear. She followed it for two hundred feet before coming to another door. It was metal, but plain. She tried the latch, expecting it to be locked, but the door opened easily.

What she saw on the other side of that door caused her eyes to go wide in amazement.

Instead of a dark, dusty room with treasure and hidden dangers, Pelya discovered a huge chamber filled with magical lanterns, bookshelves along one wall, a stone floor with thick magical runes painted on it, workbenches with items of wizardry much like Ebudae had in her labs and more runes painted on the walls.

Small, magical creatures chittered and called out from cages scattered throughout the room. On the far end, surrounded by eight orange, glowing orbs floating above pedestals, was a large cage. The thing that made Pelya gasp was the orange dragon lying in the middle of the cage, staring at her with liquid-silver eyes.

She had heard tales of dragons, but few people ever saw one. They were mysterious creatures that stayed away from human civilization. What she remembered hearing from Mieky, a bard friend of her father's at Carnival, was that dragons were the most powerful creatures in the world. He told her that entire armies had once fallen before them. He hadn't heard of dragons killing humans or vice versa anytime in over a millennium though and didn't know why. Mieky said little was known about them other than they were bigger than a large inn, very beautiful, could fly, and that it was an awful idea to upset one.

Pelya walked toward it after shutting the door behind her. It was stunning. Metallic orange scales covered the body from snout to tail, glimmering in the light of the orbs and lanterns. The wings were folded back and its head rested on its front claws. Pelya got the distinct impression that it was sad, though she couldn't figure out how she knew that.

Mieky had mentioned that dragons were bigger than most large inns, but this one was more the size of a wagon. Pelya wondered if he exaggerated the facts or if it was just a small dragon. She wasn't sure if it was safe to get close, but curiosity overwhelmed caution. "Hello, beautiful dragon . . . you are a dragon, aren't you?"

It lifted its head a tiny bit. A trembling wail emitted from its mouth before it settled back on its forepaws.

Pelya felt sympathy for the weak dragon. "You poor dear." She moved closer to the cage until reaching an intricately spoked circle of runes that surrounded it. The spokes led to the pedestals the orbs floated above. She studied them for a moment without understanding what they did. "You're trapped in there aren't you?"

It gave her the slightest miserable nod of its head.

She was surprised the creature understood her, but remembered Mieky saying that they were supposed to be much more intelligent than humans.

There was a large lock on the gate. Pelya decided to help it escape. It was probably a stupid idea, but she didn't care. The creature was far too beautiful to be locked away. The spokes of the runic circle were the same color orange as the orbs. They reached underneath the dragon. "Are they draining your power?" Pelya guessed.

The head rose further that time and a louder wail came forth.

"Shh, shh." Pelya gestured for it to calm down. "I don't want anyone to find me here; otherwise I won't be able to rescue you."

The dragon tilted its head in curiosity at the word rescue.

Pelya glanced back nervously to make sure no one had entered the room. "I don't know what I'm doing or if I'll succeed, but I'm going to try." She gestured to the circle of runes on the floor. "Is that some sort of magic that keeps anything from getting to you?"

It didn't respond right away. Its eyes swirled faster. Then it gave a slow nod.

Pelya got the impression there was more to the answer. Guessing what the dragon was trying to communicate was difficult. Setting down the lantern, but still keeping the runeball in her hand so it wouldn't deactivate, she pulled one of the picks out of her pouch and held it toward the circle. It didn't just become warm, it turned white hot and burned her fingers, causing her to drop it. "Ouch!" she yelled, ignoring her own advice to be quiet.

The dragon raised one of the long ridges that ran over his eyes in a most humanlike expression.

Pelya stuck the wounded finger in her mouth and glared at the creature.

Luckily, the pick only became hot when handled. She was able to retrieve it with the leather of the pouch and work it back into its opening. "I need to be able to pick the lock, but I have no idea how to get past anything magical."

It slumped in dejection.

Pelya sighed and looked around the room. The other creatures appeared to have their energy being drained as well, which suddenly made her furious. She wanted to save all of them, but couldn't without some sort of magical knowledge. Pelya wondered briefly if Aunt Kally knew about the room. She panicked at the thought that someone might have come into the basement to find her. She calmed her breathing and decided she didn't care.

"Let me see if I can figure something out," she told the dragon.

It didn't respond except to follow Pelya with its eyes while she explored. The room was huge room with multiple tables. Magical items of all sorts were on many of them along with tools and ingredients to make those items. Pelya couldn't help think that Ebudae would love the place.

The runeball exposed a massive secret door along the back wall. It occurred to Pelya that it was large enough to fit a dragon. She looked for a mechanism, but couldn't find it. For five minutes, she scanned the wall without discovering its secret. Some sort of room or wide hall was behind it, but the light only exposed fifteen feet beyond.

Foiled in her attempts, Pelya rapidly searched the rest of the walls and even the bookcases. No other door revealed itself. Then she looked around all the tables and shelves for a key, scroll or anything else to give her a clue about the dragon's cage or the entrance. It was to no avail. Well after an hour had passed, she sat down cross-legged just outside the circle in front of the dragon. Pelya put her chin on her fists and felt tears flow.

She was tired of crying and wiped them off furiously. "I'm sorry, beautiful dragon. I just don't know how to get you out of here." Pelya was miserable.

It didn't respond other than to continue staring at her dejectedly. Pelya tossed the runeball back and forth from hand to hand.

Aunt Kally was probably done with . . . ' _the_ _meeting_ ,' as Pelya considered it. She didn't want to think about the other stuff. "I'm supposed to be in the basement killing rats."

The dragon didn't respond.

"Someone's probably searching for me now. I don't care if I get in trouble. I just wish I could save you."

The dragon lifted its head up for the first time in a while.

Pelya watched as it inhaled.

With an enormous gust of wind and phlegm, it sneezed on her.

Pelya sat there in shock.

It lowered its head again.

Dragon snot covered her face and clothes, even oozing down her collar. She jumped to her feet. "Eww!" Pelya held her arms out in disgust. "I can't believe you just sneezed on me after I tried to help you."

It didn't even _look_ guilty.

She crushed the snot-covered runeball to destroy it. Pelya was about to throw the dust on the ground, but realized it would give someone a clue that she had been there. With a huff, she picked up the lantern, turned and stomped back to the door she had entered through. At the same time, she did her best to wipe off the extra-sticky snot with an arm.

As she ripped the door open and entered the secret passage, it occurred to her that she was doing a terrible job of sneaking around in a place that was owned by someone with powerful enough magic to capture a dragon. Her senses came back to her. Pelya set the lantern down and closed the door before picking.

Everything was quiet ahead. She made her way to the stairs and up, stopping at each landing to listen again. It was still clear when she reached the original hallway. As quick as she could, she headed to the secret door. At that point, Pelya realized she had crushed the runeball that allowed her to see the trigger to open it.

Pelya went to the steps. She did her best to count back to where she remembered the secret door being. She was pleased with herself when she got it right on the second try. The door opened in front of her and she slipped through. Much to her relief, there was no one in the sub-basement that she could see or hear. A rat noticed her, but seemed willing to keep the secret.

The secret door closed when she pushed the trigger on that side. It still made the grinding noise, but didn't seem to alert anyone. Pelya threw the dust of the runeball behind some crates where it wouldn't be seen. She wiped off the remaining powder on her pants.

There was no one in the upper level of the basement either. Pelya walked to the bottom of the stairs and stood there for a few minutes. Faint sounds of the kitchen seeped down the steps, but there was no indication of trouble or alarm.

Pelya walked around and peeked into some of the open crates and barrels. One barrel had some water in it. She used it to clean the dragon snot off as well as possible. She managed to find a box of moth-eaten shirts in another corner and used one to dry off after making sure nothing inhabited it.

Another box had some crackers in it so she grabbed a few, sat on another crate and munched. She had been down there for a couple of hours and no one had come to fetch her. It upset her that Kally was taking so long.

It was somewhat nice in the basement. The cool darkness matched the way she had been feeling lately.

A rat came nearby to inspect her crackers.

She held one out to it. "Here you are, friend. I don't mind sharing."

It sniffed the air with initial distrust, but finally decided Pelya was one of them. It snatched the cracker and moved a short distance away to eat.

For the next hour or so, Pelya debated the fate of the dragon, the decision Kally had made, the death of Bobbell, the academy below Lady Pallon's manor, her friendship with Ebudae and various other thoughts that came and went.

The decision by the weaponmaster that she learn about life outside of the guard had drastically changed Pelya's life in just a couple of short weeks. She shifted into a cross-legged position on the crate, crossed her arms on top of the bigger crate next to her and rested her chin. Pelya was already more mature, but also much more sad at the same time. She didn't need to experience suffering to know that life was hard. She believed everyone when they told her, but now she felt that pain on a personal level.

Her heart ached for the people that suffered. The disappointment in Bobbell's eyes when he realized he was going to die hurt her almost as much as losing him. Kally's shock when Lord Uylvich demanded sex for favors made Pelya feel sick to her stomach. Ebudae's neglect at the hands of her grandmother weakened her faith in humanity, if humanity deserved such a thing.

Pelya felt sad for her father suddenly. He had spent the last eleven years raising a child after losing his wife. Pelya saw unbearable sorrow in his eyes whenever he spoke of her mother and how happy they were together.

Guilt rubbed Pelya's heart raw that she had caused her mother's death. Pelya didn't know how her father forgave her for that. Her daddy always smiled at her and comforted her when she was down, but she didn't understand why he didn't show how much he must resent her.

Pelya cried silent tears.

The rats sat quietly, showing respect for their miserable friend.

She fell asleep that way.

In an odd measure of respect, the rats left her alone. Perhaps they realized that she had left them alone and were returning the gesture.

***

"Pelya? Are you down here?" Kally's voice along with the sound of her boot steps came down the stairs.

Pelya's head jerked up. She wiped the sleep from her eyes as she stood. When her muscles protested, Pelya groaned.

"There you are." Kally came toward her with a smile. She walked oddly and her hair was matted with sweat. At some point, she had tried to brush it, but it didn't turn out too well. "I see you fell asleep. I'm sorry it took so long."

Pelya ran to her and hugged tightly.

"Here now, what's this?"

"Are you all right, Aunt Kally?" Pelya looked up. "I've been so worried about you. Did he hurt you?" She slid her hand to the hilt of her longknife, ready to kill her first person for Aunt Kally's honor.

"Here now. There'll be none of that." Kally gently took Pelya's hand away from her weapon. "Lord Uylvich is a master with the sword and a match even for your precocious prowess."

Pelya frowned at the comment, but held onto her aunt's hand. "I don't like the idea of anyone treating you poorly. I may be young, but I know how evil this city is."

"It truly is." Kally kissed the top of her head. "Thank you for wanting to take care of me. Come now, let's go to turn in whatever rats you killed to the cook and then go to the park." She led Pelya to the stairs.

"I didn't kill any rats," Pelya admitted in embarrassment.

Kally stopped. "You didn't? You have plenty of skill for it I would think."

"I kind of like rats and they didn't bother me while I slept. Plus I didn't want to get blood on my outfit."

Kally laughed. "A wise decision." They went up the stairs and into the kitchen. The cook was berating someone new. Kally put a finger to her lips and they slipped out.

A minute later, they were heading toward the park. Pelya studied her aunt out the side of her vision while they walked. "Aunt Kally?"

"Yes, Pelya?"

"You look unhappy. I'm sorry he treated you badly."

"He didn't do anything I couldn't handle. I really am fine." Kally gave her a reassuring smile. "Come along. I'll buy you a nice sticky sweet treat that will hopefully stick your mouth shut."

They entered the park and made their way to a vendor selling said treats. Neither spoke much for the next couple of hours, being lost in their own thoughts. It was nice to sit awhile before walking around the large lake. They bought bread to feed the ducks and laughed when one tried to bite their feet.

After eating dinner, they headed back to the Guard District, still lost in their own thoughts. Pelya decided to ask her father if she could go to visit Ebudae for the next week. Part of her reasoning was that she didn't want to deal with any more aunts and uncles making side trips, but the biggest reason was that she wanted to ask Ebudae about dragons. Between the two of them, maybe they could sneak back into Lord Uylvich's manor and rescue the forlorn creature.

She asked her father that night. When he asked why, Pelya told him that she missed her friend and thought it would help her get back to normal. She didn't tell him that she also wanted to give him a break from her so that he wouldn't have to think about how Pelya's birth had killed her mother.

## Chapter 19

The sun blasted down, signaling that summer was happy to arrive. Pelya was thankful she would get to spend the week in Lady Pallon's cool manor. The walk was uneventful and the only conversation was when Frath asked four separate times if she was all right. "I'm fine, Daddy," she assured him each time.

Lady Pallon met them at the door and invited Frath to breakfast while Pelya went straight up to Ebudae's room. Since they weren't expected, she figured Ebudae would still be in bed. She ran up the stairs two at a time before slowing down and taking them one at a time to see what it would be like. After four steps, she concluded that it was boring, so continued at her normal breakneck speed.

At the door to Ebudae's sleeping chambers, Pelya entered quietly. As suspected, the young wizardess was engulfed under the covers of the enormous bed. Instead of waking her up, Pelya went to the drawer of nightgowns Ebudae had given her, put one on and slid into bed.

Ebudae woke up enough to recognize her presence and smiled happily. They held onto each other and both went back to sleep. Pelya was exhausted from lack of sleep since Bobbell's death. Ebudae's bed was comfortable, like sleeping on a cloud, and it was the first time she slept without a nightmare.

***

Frath came up to say goodbye after eating breakfast. He stood there for a few minutes watching them sleep. With a rare smile, he whispered, "I'm so grateful for you, my beautiful daughter. You are the only wonderful thing I have." Then he turned and went to work.

***

"What do you know about dragons?" Pelya asked when they were in Ebudae's secret room later that night. She was sitting on the one bench in the room after having cleared some magical items to the floor.

Ebudae was laying out ingredients for a new runeball. She loved making them. Over her shoulder, she replied, "Dragons? Not much. They're the most powerful, magical creatures in the world, extremely dangerous and they fly. Why?"

"I met one."

The wizardess froze. "What do you mean by 'you met one'?" She turned as though afraid to hear the answer.

"Promise not to tell." Pelya knew it wasn't necessary, but her confidence had been shaken in the last week.

Ebudae took out her knife and made a small nick in her arm. "I promise not to tell." She licked the blood from the cut.

"Eww. That's a really bad habit."

Ebudae shrugged and put the knife away. She put her hands on her hips, waiting for the answer.

Pelya grinned. "I think it was a baby dragon because it was only big as a cart. It was in a cage with magical orbs draining its energy."

Ebudae came over and sat next to Pelya. "You really did see a dragon?"

"Yes." Pelya turned toward her and pulled up her leg so their knees were touching. "Aunt Kally had to make a stop at Lord Uylvich's house in the Noble District. I think she had sex or something."

They both made faces of disgust.

"The cook told me to go down to the basement and kill rats. I don't have a problem with rats, so I explored instead, even going down to a sub-basement. Then I used that runeball for finding secret passages."

"Neat! You found one then?"

"Yeah! There was a hidden door that led to a passage. It was clean and had been swept, so I knew it had been used."

"Weren't you afraid of getting caught?"

"Yes, but I _had_ to know where it went. To the left were stairs going up, I think back to the manor. I went to the right and found steps going down. They went down six flights and to another passage."

"Aha! That's how they got the dragon into the city. They didn't," Ebudae exclaimed.

Pelya tilted her head and furrowed her brow in confusion.

Ebudae grinned. "Dragons can't get into Dralin. They can't even be brought into the city by someone else. When you first told me you saw one, I wondered how. But you went down far enough that you passed the wards underneath the city. It must have been smuggled below."

"Yes! I thought I went far enough down to be in the ruins. I didn't go outside though. There was another secret passage behind a wall in the room, easily wide enough for a dragon. I couldn't find a trigger to open it though."

"Maybe it has a magical trigger. Did you see runes on the entrance?"

"There were runes all over the walls and floor, a lot like here." Pelya gestured at the markings in the lab. "Some of them were on the secret entrance too."

"Then we just need to figure out which ones open it." Ebudae bounced in eagerness.

Pelya grinned. "Does that mean you're going to help me rescue the dragon?"

Ebudae's face fell. "I want to, but I don't think we can. I probably know more about magic than any other eleven-year-old in the world, but if someone can capture a dragon, then they're much more powerful than me."

"Yeah." Pelya's shoulders slumped. She chewed on a fingernail. "I searched the room for over an hour and couldn't figure out how to open the secret entrance, or how to get the dragon out of the cage. It's trapped. I was hoping you would have an idea."

"Stop it. That's a bad habit." Ebudae shoved Pelya's hand away from her mouth. "You were in there for over an hour?"

"Yeah. I know it was a bad idea, but I just _had_ to try to save the dragon." She stared at her fingernail. It needed more biting. "The other problem is that you can't leave the manor without your grandmother and I can't leave the Guard District without an escort, so I don't know how we would get back there. Even if we did, getting past everyone would be difficult, then there's the chance we might get caught." She exhaled in frustration.

"Then there's the fact that the dragon might kill us. They _are_ dangerous, you know."

Pelya lifted her chin. "It wouldn't hurt us. It understood what I said and wanted to be rescued." Her shoulders slumped. "It did sneeze on me though." That part still irritated her. Even a bath the night before hadn't completely gotten rid of the musky smell of the creature.

"It sneezed on you?" Ebudae snickered. "The stuff of legends!" She put a dramatic arm across her forehead.

Pelya swatted at her.

She dodged and got to her feet. "I think there were a couple of books about dragons in the academy library. Maybe we can figure out something."

"Let's go!" Pelya rushed over to the table where their supplies were.

Ebudae was right there with her. Within a few minutes, they were on their way down.

Pelya filled her in on the details about the adventure in the basement and the death of Uncle Bobbell. Ebudae hugged her fiercely when they reached the staging room. It helped Pelya to feel a little bit better.

When the wizardess lit a second lantern, Pelya asked, "Why does a breeze ruffle your hair every time you cast a spell, but I don't feel anything?"

Ebudae answered as though reciting a lesson learned from a book. "When an individual casts a spell, they collect energy around them. It creates a magical gust only the caster can feel. When releasing the energy, it blows past the user from behind the spell. The more it looks like the caster is being hit by wind, the stronger the spell will be."

"Oh, all right. I remember hearing some of my aunts and uncles talking about casting winds in battle."

Ebudae nodded. "It's a good way to tell when magic is being cast. If you see wind whipping the wizard's hair, get out of their way as fast as possible. Usually, if it's blowing them back, they're gathering energy. If it's blowing them forward, you're too late."

Everything was quiet except for the sound of their voices while they walked through the theatre and hallways. Ebudae pulled out her ring of keys when they reached the library.

A shrieking roar blasted through the hallway.

Both girls froze as the shockwave hit them. Their bones turned to rubber, the hair on the back of their necks stood straight and their feet planted to the ground.

Pelya desperately wanted to get away from whatever had made that sound. She couldn't move. She begged her muscles to respond. It was to no avail.

The sound faded to a low rumble before disappearing. Dust crumbled from cracks between the stones in the ceiling, falling on their hair and shoulders.

Ebudae whimpered.

With all her might, Pelya forced her body to move. She grabbed the wizardess's arm to pull her toward the library door.

Another supernatural roar ripped through the hall, weakening them further. They both dropped their lanterns.

It took all of Pelya's strength to keep going. Ebudae was crying. Pelya realized tears were streaming down her own face.

A flash up the hall caught her peripheral vison.

She tried to get the keys from Ebudae, but was too weak.

A blur streaked toward them. In an instant, taloned hands grabbed their necks from behind. The creature lifted them off their feet.

Both girls screamed in terror.

Pelya's remaining courage fled for its life, leaving her to face the danger alone. She couldn't breathe and her body shivered uncontrollably.

Whatever was holding them snarled. Its nose neared Pelya's cheek. It sniffed rapidly and flicked a long forked tongue over her face. Hot breath smelled of brimstone and rotted meat.

Ebudae's keys dropped to the floor in a clatter, startling the creature. The wizardess drew in a strained breath.

Pelya realized that spots were floating in her vision. She inhaled her own rasping breath. In a corner of her mind, she realized the hallway was glowing orange.

The creature sniffed her again. A low rumbling sound coming from its throat vibrated through their bones and knocked down more dust. "Where is my child?" it asked in a hissing voice that slithered up and down the hallway.

Conversation was the last thing Pelya had expected. When she tried to speak, all that came out was a strangled sob.

The creature turned them around so they faced it.

Pelya was shocked to see a muscular woman. The creature was _shaped_ like a woman, but there were distinct differences. Her wavy hair, falling down her back, was metallic orange. There was an orange tint to her skin, though the bubbles of orange lights that floated along the ceiling could have caused it. She wore silken black leggings and a short-sleeved orange shirt. Rows of frighteningly sharp teeth didn't seem to fit in her mouth.

What stuck out most to Pelya were the swirling silver eyes that matched the dragon she had seen the day before.

She hissed at Pelya. "Where is my child? I smell him on you."

Pelya wanted to tell the creature, but all that emitted from her throat was a strangled whining sound.

It looked back and forth between the two girls before realizing they were so terrified that they couldn't answer.

"Be calm." It set them on their feet.

Pelya's knees buckled as did Ebudae's.

The creature had to hold them up.

Unexpected relief washed through Pelya. Her bones strengthened, her knees found their strength, peace flooded her mind, and her breathing returned to normal.

Ebudae stood on her own too.

"Can you speak now?" the creature asked in a voice that was almost normal. It still had a hissing quality, but nowhere near as severe.

The girls nodded, but didn't say anything.

The peace Pelya felt didn't seem quite right. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she was still completely terrified.

Ebudae took her hand and held on for dear life.

The creature, or woman, or whatever it was, crossed its arms and studied them for a moment. She unfolded one arm to point a talon-tipped finger at Pelya's chest. "You have the smell of my child on you. Tell me where he is _now_." The command became more threatening with each word.

If she hadn't been under the false sense of calm, Pelya would have wet herself at that point. Instead, she answered as rapidly as possible in hopes the creature would go away. "If your child is a dragon, then I think he's in a secret lab underneath the manor of Lord Uylvich. I tried to rescue him, but couldn't." She prayed it would have mercy on them. At no point did Pelya think she and Ebudae could fight or escape the creature.

The creature rumbled in anger. As the sound grew louder, more dust fell.

The girls felt as though their bones shook from the inside out.

A howling shriek vibrated over the rumbling.

The girls covered their ears.

The creature balled its fists at its sides and keened toward the ceiling.

The sound shredded the magical sense of calm. When it ended, the girls were crying again.

A metallic tear slid down the creature's cheek from its rapidly swirling eyes. When it hit the ground, it turned into a silver dragonfly. The insect flitted around the hallway before flying away.

"I . . . I'm sorry I . . . I couldn't s . . . save him," Pelya stuttered fearfully. In spite of her terror, she felt sympathy for the anguished creature. "I . . . I really d . . . did try my best."

It looked at her. Then it looked at the door behind the girls. Thin, rust colored tendrils spread throughout the silver eyes for just a moment. "Let us go into the library." The tendrils disappeared. "I want you to tell me everything you saw. He is still alive, yes?"

"Yes. He was weak and sad though. I think they're draining his energy."

The information caused the creature scowl and rumble angrily again.

Pelya really wished it would stop. Judging by Ebudae's shaking hand, she did too.

"Open the library."

Ebudae reached down to pick the keys up. Her hands shook violently as she tried to find the right one.

Pelya helped to steady her. Between the two of them, they managed to get the door open.

The creature picked up the lanterns and followed them in. The orange bubble lights came down through the door before popping up to the ceiling of the library. They were different from the orbs around the child dragon's cage. Those had been milky and swirling. These were translucent and looked like they had little bolts of lightning dancing around inside.

Pelya and Ebudae walked around to the other side of the table while the creature studied the room. "A . . . are you really a dragon?" Ebudae asked in trembling voice.

It focused on her. "Yes. I am a dragon." It looked back and forth between the two of them. Gesturing with its hand, the dragon caused the door to shut.

The girls jumped.

"In my natural form, I am too big for these forsaken ruins underneath your accursed city." The dragon's voice was quieter, but still had an ominous hissing quality. "Human form is convenient for many things in these ruins. However, it does not fool the wards which keep dragons and others out of the city, else I would have destroyed the towers of those silly wizards in my search." It put its hands on the table.

The girls gasped when its talons pierced holes into the stone top.

"Now tell me everything you saw," it commanded Pelya.

She described the details of going into the basement and the secret passage. Then Pelya told what she remembered of the child dragon in its cage. After that, she described what she remembered of the room.

"I am pleased that you use words with truth in them, but there are many details missing." The creature drummed clawed fingers into the holes it had created.

Pelya wondered how it knew she was telling the truth.

It stopped drumming and moved around the table in a blur. "I need to know those details." The dragon in human form enclosed Pelya's head with clawed hands spoke words of magic. Her words sounded like multiple ghosts of voices dancing through the room.

Ebudae made no move to help her friend because it could have killed Pelya.

The warrior girl wouldn't have noticed either way. She felt her mind open and become colorful. There was no other way to describe it. Her memories were like rainbows she could slide on. She felt weightless.

"Now tell me _exactly_ what you saw."

Pelya stuck her hands into the pretty rainbows as though they were taffy. She heard herself talking, but hadn't a clue what she was saying.

After an unknown amount of time, the rainbows went away. Pelya became disoriented when the dragon released her head. She stumbled to her knees.

Ebudae caught her.

Everything felt like it was tipping to the left. Pelya couldn't get her balance. Then she threw up all over the floor.

## Chapter 20

"Pelya . . . Pelya! Wake up!" Ebudae's voice was far away.

Pelya couldn't pull herself free from castoff rainbows that had lost their color. They were grey mush that stuck to the walls of her mind.

"You need to wake up now, Pelya," Ebudae insisted.

The sound pulled Pelya out of the grey rainbows, but she still felt sticky. A groan bounced around in her skull. She was angry at whoever was making the noise.

"That's it. Come on. Wake up."

She opened her eyes and instantly regretted it. The room spun around in the dim orange light. Another groan sounded and she realized it was her own.

Ebudae put an arm around her back and lifted her into a sitting position.

Everything tilted to the left again. She felt the nausea threaten to remove whatever might be left in her stomach.

"Drink this. It'll help." Ebudae lifted a bottle to her lips.

Pelya turned her head and weakly fought off her friend.

The dragon snarled in irritation. "You can take it from your friend or I can hold your head with a claw and force it down your throat until you choke on it, child."

Pelya saw her standing nearby, still in human form with arms folded. She spun in the opposite direction of the room, making Pelya even sicker.

When the bottle was put to her lips again, Pelya drank it all. She knew the dragon would make good on her threat.

The effect was amazing. Pelya felt the cool syrup slide down her throat. As soon as it hit her stomach, the nausea stopped and energy flooded her veins. The best part was the fact that the puddle of monochrome rainbows at the bottom of her mind washed away.

Ebudae helped her to stand before putting the bottle on the table. She held Pelya's arm and examined her with concern. "Are you all right?"

Pelya tried to nod. She tilted in the process and decided to hold still instead. "Everything feels funny, but I think I'll be all right. What was that stuff?"

"A special healing potion Hezzena had me give to you." Ebudae jerked her head toward the menacing visitor.

"Hezzena?"

"It's not my true name, but it will do for your simple human minds." The dragon drummed talons on the table. "For the last few hours your little friend and I have been going over everything you told us. It is time for you to listen to the plan."

"Plan?" Pelya stared blankly.

Hezzena told Ebudae, "I worry that this one is not bright enough to perform her task."

"You stirred her mind like you were making butter in a churn!" Ebudae protested. "She's smarter than anyone I know and more decent too! You be nice to her!" The wizardess treaded forward and jammed a finger up into Hezzena's chest before remembering she was speaking to a dragon.

When another low rumbling growl shook the room, Ebudae jumped fearfully back to Pelya's side.

Pelya positioned herself so that she would be between her friend and the dragon. "The plan is to rescue your child, isn't it?" She hoped to deflect any violence.

The rumbling died down and Hezzena's expression softened. "You two protect each other in the face of death. I almost don't hate you as I hate every other human at this moment. Yes, child. You are going to save my son, Rizzith, as you may call him. I have devised a plan with the help of your crafty little friend there, but she'll kill herself with foolishness if you don't do your part."

Ebudae blushed and stared at her feet when Pelya looked at her questioningly. "What is she talking about?"

Hezzena answered the question instead. "Human children aren't capable of handling magic. Your bodies are developing. Magic can stunt that development, even deforming a child." Purple tendrils appeared in the dragon's eyes, much like the rust colored ones from earlier. "I see that small damages have been done to the juicy parts inside her bones and both her livers. If she continues, she'll die when she reaches maturity."

The danger to her friend horrified Pelya.

Ebudae had tears in her eyes as she desperately grabbed Pelya's arm. "Please don't make me stop. I love magic so much. I can't live without it."

"It will kill you if you continue." Hezzena flicked a taloned hand in irritation. "That is of no matter to me right now. You must rescue my child."

Pelya's temper flared. "And if we refuse?"

In the blink of an eye, she held both of their heads in claws. The tips pierced skin where they touched. " _Then you will die_!" Hezzena hissed. She snarled and released them. Her claws formed back into the taloned hands.

Pelya's stomach twisted at the feel of blood trickling from the small piercings in her head.

"If you do not accept this task, you will die. If you begin this task but do not finish, you will die. If you run away, you will die. I have means to see to it even if you're in the city where I can't reach you."

Pelya and Ebudae clung to each other.

Hezzena rumbled, shaking loose more dust. Then the dragon's expression changed, softening. "However, if you give me your word that you will attempt to rescue my son in good faith, I will not implement those means."

"If I could have, I would have saved Rizzith already," Pelya said. "If you had just asked me, I would have done so again gladly. I'll still do it because I think it's the right thing to do."

Hezzena stared at her for a moment before hanging her head. "I am ashamed by my behavior, child. My treatment of you is unacceptable, yet you still act with great honor. Please forgive me."

The sudden change in behavior surprised the girls. Pelya stared for a moment then ran and gave Hezzena a hug. Ebudae stared at them both, but rushed and joined the hug too.

The dragon looked at them in shock. She wrapped her arms tightly around their shoulders. "Thank you. Thank you for forgiving me and thank you for helping to rescue Rizzith."

"Of course. There's no way I would miss it!" Ebudae said enthusiastically as they separated. "I know we can do it now that you've told me everything."

Hezzena pointed a finger at Ebudae. "You are not to do anything I've forbidden you." The sharp tip circled warningly around the young wizardess's face. She moved it in front of Pelya. "I will tell you those things. If you don't prevent your friend from doing so, she will die from the casting."

Ebudae crossed her arms stubbornly.

"I'll make certain of it." Pelya glared at her friend.

Ebudae stuck her tongue out.

"Good." Hezzena paced. "The first problem we have is where to meet once you've rescued my son. The wards you described on the secret hallway will prevent me from coming in that way. They were made specifically to keep me, or any dragon whose help I might enlist, from sensing my son or coming through. However, it is the only way to get my son out since he cannot be brought up through the city. Once you get past the secret door, I need you to meet me."

"That sounds like a good plan, but I don't know how to get through the door," Pelya said.

"That's the easy part." Ebudae wiped a streak of blood off Pelya's temple where a talon had pierced. She licked the blood off her finger. "The problem is figuring out how to get to the ancient city from that room. Then we need to figure out how to alert Hezzena and get her there before monsters in the ruins eat us. She insists on personally rescuing Rizzith from the cage. That's one of the things I'm not allowed to do." She wiped some of her own blood off the back of her hair and slurped it off her finger.

Hezzena watched Ebudae's blood-licking in confusion. "I don't know where the passage will let out. I can protect you against everything, but only if I find you in time." She chose not to question the wizardess's odd habit.

Pelya rubbed her stomach. It hurt from throwing up and the potion wasn't settling well. Ebudae licking blood didn't help. "I can show you the general area."

They stared at her. "How can you do that?" Hezzena asked suspiciously.

"Part of training in the Dralin City Guard is knowing where all the sewers are. I like studying the maps. They're great for practicing all the memorization I'm going to have to do as I advance. If we can find one, I should be able to get you close to Lord Uylvich's estate." She smiled weakly. "I've been wanting to explore them anyway, but I'm not allowed in them."

"Aren't the sewers above the wards that protect the city?" Ebudae asked.

"I don't know for sure." Pelya held her arms out to the side for balance. She was becoming dizzy. "But there are a lot of levels. The lower ones should be below the wards. I don't have all of them memorized, but I really think I can get you close."

"Then we go now." Hezzena grabbed Pelya's wrist and pulled her to the door.

"Wait!" Ebudae protested. "The sewers are dangerous and we'll have to go through the ruined city to get to them, which is even more dangerous."

Hezzena stared at the wizardess, her face expressionless.

Ebudae considered her words for a moment. "Oh . . . wait . . . you're a dragon and probably more dangerous than anything else . . ."

Hezzena gave a single nod.

"All right. I'm ready," Ebudae said cheerfully.

The dragon rolled her liquid eyes, a neat trick, and led them to the door, still dragging Pelya by the arm. They exited the library, giving Ebudae a moment to re-lock the door. The girls left their lanterns inside, deciding to rely on Hezzena's light orbs.

After a few steps, Pelya turned toward the wall and threw up again. A single rainbow with feet on each end marched across her mind, crashed against the inside of her skull and turned into grey goop.

"Pelya!" Ebudae grabbed her when her knees turned to mush.

"You humans are so weak." Hezzena let go of Pelya's arm. "Especially when you're young. We don't have time for this. You have to save Rizzith!"

"She's not doing it on purpose!" Ebudae yelled at the dragon. "It's _your_ fault!"

Luckily, the dragon didn't rumble that time. It didn't stop her from tapping a foot in annoyance though.

Through the sparkly fog that was developing in her mind, Pelya got the impression the dragon was rapidly swishing its tail even though she was in human form.

Hezzena squatted, took Pelya's head in her hands and looked deeply, making Pelya even dizzier than before. "I'm not a White, but I should be able to fix it a little bit." The dragon reached into Pelya's mind and tried to put things right.

Pelya wailed pitifully as the creature crashed around inside her head like a mad bull.

"Stop it!" Ebudae beat on the powerful creature with both fists. "Stop it! You're hurting her!"

After a moment of making everything worse, Hezzena did stop. "I hate healing!" She growled.

Pelya sank to the ground against the wall. She could barely see anything but blurry outlines. Her mind felt wrong -- worse than the rainbows. Things were cracked and she couldn't move her arms or legs.

Ebudae knelt over her and took Pelya's face in her hands. They were much smaller and more pleasant than the dragon's had been. "Pelya!" She screamed over her shoulder at Hezzena, "By the Gods, what have you done, you beast?!"

Pelya tried to reassure her friend, but couldn't speak anymore. She realized she was probably going to die. It was very disappointing.

"Don't close your eyes, Pelya!" Ebudae used her thumbs to hold Pelya's lids open. "Stay with me." Turning back to Hezzena, she demanded, "She's dying! Fix it!"

Hezzena snarled at Ebudae and flashed her claws.

Ebudae wasn't daunted. "You did this! She tried to help you and you killed her!"

Pelya internally objected to that statement. She wasn't dead yet and wanted to say so. It occurred to her that she _would_ be dead in a moment, but that was beside the point.

A shadow on Pelya's left caressed her neck in comfort while one on her right ran its fingers through her hair. They let her know she would go somewhere safe when she died. It made her feel better about her fate.

"Move aside," Hezzena ordered. "I'll fix it."

Ebudae glared at her suspiciously.

"You don't have any other options, now _move_!"

Ebudae did so, but continued glaring.

Hezzena took her place kneeling over Pelya. She pulled a giant, shining white fang inscribed with golden runes from some unknown place. Then she gripped Pelya's jaw. "I'm doing this because I did make a mess of her head and she's going to die if I don't, but also because I need her to save my child."

Pelya was slipping away, feeling as though she was falling into whatever hole the rainbows had slid through.

A white-hot burst of pain tore through her chest. She jerked upright and screamed in agony.

Ebudae's horrified scream mingled with it as she watched Hezzena drive the fang into her friend's heart.

Instead of killing Pelya, the tooth healed her mind entirely. Pelya stood when Hezzena did. Everything felt perfect, or even better. Her mind was sharp and she could see every detail in the room better than before. Hearing, smell and taste were also heightened. In addition to that, she felt well rested, free of hunger and thirst, stronger than ever before, and completely healthy. "Wow!" she exclaimed. "What was that?" The tooth was gone and there was no injury.

"That was amazing!" Ebudae responded in awe. "I thought you were dead!"

Hezzena put taloned fingers under each of their chins. "That was a white dragon tooth. It dissolves into the blood and cures nearly anything. It is forbidden to tell anyone that under penalty of death." She looked pointedly at Pelya. "It is also one of the rarest and most valuable items of magic in the world. I'm fairly certain one has never been used on a human, let alone a child."

She turned in disgust and strode down the hallway, mumbling to herself. "It's my own fault for being careless. Everything is my fault. I've done everything wrong and it's _all_ my own fault. I deserve to die."

Ebudae and Pelya exchanged worried glances. They took each other's hands and hurried after.

After exiting the ancient academy, Ebudae re-locked the door.

Hezzena stomped down the steps with the girls close behind. They followed her while she continued mumbling about how she deserved to die, about disobedient children, how humans were the worst plague ever to be cast upon the world of Ryallon, how she had lost her most valuable treasure, and about little human girls that tried to die just because she tickled their mind a bit.

After a few minutes of walking through the dark streets with only glowing plants and six orange orbs casting an eerie light to see by, the girls were getting nervous. They were much farther into the depths than would be safe for them without a dragon escort. Neither had a clue whether or not Hezzena was leading them in the right direction. Neither was willing to disturb her angry mumbling.

A pack of yellow-eyed creatures like the ones that had chased the girls the week before appeared from a street to the left.

The girls got closer to Hezzena who seemed oblivious to the presence of the monsters.

One of the beasts let out a high-pitched squeal.

That drew the dragon's attention. She stopped and looked at the long, low-slung creatures. There were seven of the monsters.

Pelya still had the magical sword Ebudae had given her. The wizardess could do spells, but neither of them weren't emotionally capable of fighting at that moment. They held onto each other instead.

In a blur, Hezzena was in front of the first monster. She backhanded it, sending it hurtling it into the side of the nearest building a hundred feet away. Its bones shattered upon hitting the wall.

Neither girl had ever seen such a singular display of strength.

Hezzena shrieked in rage. She picked the next one up by the snout and used it to beat the ever-loving snot out of the third. Hezzena grabbed the fourth by the tail and slammed it back and forth against the ground a few times.

Everything happened so fast that the others hadn't had time to react. The fifth finally decided to try to escape.

Hezzena cast something from her hands that was both fire and electricity combined. The creature exploded, splattering in an arc away from the dragon.

Hezzena's hands distorted into dragon-sized claws that shredded the sixth one to tatters.

She lifted the last into the air and thrust it at violent speed to splatter into the dark ceiling far above. After a moment, it landed with a thud a distance away.

Hezzena's claws changed back into taloned hands. She stood there huffing in anger. Then she inhaled deeply. The roar that came forth was much vaster than the body it emitted from. It was a full dragon roar filled with rage and anguish. The underground world shook.

Pelya wondered if the city above could avoid hearing it.

A few minutes later, the last of the rumbling ended. Hezzena came back to them with shoulders slumped. There wasn't a drop of blood or goo on her from the creatures she had killed. "There's a sewer ahead." She pointing in the direction they were traveling. She resumed their journey with head down and a slower pace.

Pelya came up and took Hezzena's hand. When the dragon looked at her in surprise, Pelya smiled encouragingly. Ebudae took the other hand and smiled as well. It made all the difference in the world. Hezzena stood straighter, even giving them a toothy smile of her own.

***

The sewer was a forty-foot tall stone tunnel running through the ruins.

Pelya considered where they might be in relation to Pallon Manor. "I think this is one of the lower outlet tunnels that go all the way to flood plains in the south."

Hezzena tapped her chin in thought. "If we followed it, we could get out of the city that way?"

"I don't think this one goes out of the city, but it connects to others that do." Pelya pointed in the direction she thought would lead out. "Luckily, it hasn't rained much recently or it would be full and we'd die before getting anywhere. Even with that, it's dangerous and stinky." Pelya pointed to a shaft going upward. "There are thousands of those leading up to higher levels. They have ladders in them. Once again it's dangerous."

"You learned all that in books?" Ebudae asked, impressed by the knowledge.

"Yes. Learning the sewers is the single hardest part of the Guard's education after the Tower District, so I started early. Legally, only the Guard is allowed to enter the sewers, but criminals use the higher levels a lot." She looked at the tunnel. "I have no idea how to get into the lower levels."

"Interesting." Black-colored tendrils spread through Hezzena's eyes when she looked into the distance both ways. "Getting into the ruins below the city was difficult. Getting out the way I came in isn't an option. Let me look for a way to get into the tunnel." Rust-colored tendrils replaced the black for a moment, then purple before going back to normal. "There are iron access doors on top we can use. They're protected by runes that will be easy for me to bypass." She reached around their waists. "Hold onto me." They did so and she leaped to the top of the tunnel.

The girls gasped as their stomachs dropped to their toes. The leap was incredibly graceful and the landing on top was smooth. She set them down and headed to a nearby circular access door. Pelya looked at the iron plate set six feet from the left side of the tunnel. It had to be eight feet in diameter. The exterior of the tunnel was thirty feet wide and stretched as far as the eye could see.

"Why are the doors round instead of square?" Pelya asked. The few trapdoors she had seen were square and made of wood.

"Because circles hold magic better than squares," Ebudae said. "The round unbroken line is always more powerful than four lines with corners. These doors have wards on them, so it makes sense for them to be circular."

"Both of you shush." Hezzena gestured with her arms, moving them like snakes while making hissing sounds. A casting wind gusted her clothing and hair.

Wards appeared on the hatch. They lit up and moved. An instant later, the door opened upward.

"Wait here." Hezzena jumped into the hole, taking half the orange orbs with her while leaving the rest for them to see by.

The foreboding quiet was overwhelming without the dragon there. Ebudae wrapped her arms around Pelya who did the same. They stood there for a few minutes, terrified that something would come along while they waited. They let out little screams when Hezzena popped straight out of the hole and landed next to them.

"I don't like the smell down there, but there's a walkway and no obvious dangers. The water level isn't too high either." Hezzena wrapped her arms around their waists. They held on to her when she jumped back into the sewer. Pelya was proud of herself for not making a noise while Ebudae squeaked at the sensation of dropping. Once again, the landing was soft.

All of the orbs came with them that time and spread out in both directions. Pelya pointed to their left. "The Noble District should be in that direction. I'll know for certain when I see the markings that should be on the walls."

Hezzena nodded and took their hands. The wide walkway was fifteen feet below the ceiling on the left side. They did their best to ignore the stink that permeated the air. It was bad enough to make the girls' eyes water. Their dragon friend didn't seem affected in the least. To the right, a few feet below the walkway, murky sewer water flowed past on its way down to the southern plains. Dripping condensation on walls and ceilings trickled back to the sewage.

"When it rains a lot, the water level will be above our heads. If it's not raining much, the level goes down and becomes extra stinky sludge along the bottom." Pelya pointed at a metal engraving set into the wall where a shaft descended from above. It was a series of numbers and letters that specified where they were. "That's the marking. It says we're in the Market District on the eighth level of sewers, which is the bottom level."

"Is this the way to leave the city?" Hezzena asked.

"No. There'll be side tunnels that lead south. Right now, we're going east, which is the way we want."

They walked for quite a ways, passing numerous shafts and side passages. There were walkways over side tunnels that intersected, but a couple were broken. Hezzena jumped them over those.

It took half an hour to reach the area where Lord Uylvich's manor would be.

Pelya chewed on a fingernail while staring at a marking. "The openings to the street will be on upper levels, but this is as close as this tunnel will get, I think."

Hezzena stepped away to stand below another of the circular access doors. She performed her incantation, causing the wards on it to glow. When the hatch opened, she came back, picked the girls up and leapt through the opening.

Pelya enjoyed the sensation and wished she could jump like that.

The orange orbs followed through to illuminate the immediate area. They were in a different section of the ruined city. The ceiling was slightly lower and there were more of the glowing plants. Dripping sounds filled the air and the smell of mold irritated their nostrils.

"What are those plants?" Ebudae asked Hezzena, pointing at the glowing leaves of one growing on top of the tunnel.

"They grow in the dark places of the world," she explained absentmindedly while going to the right of the sewer to scan the area after scanning the left. "If you go lower into the world, they grow everywhere. Animals and insects with transparent skin and luminescent blood fill the tunnels and caverns. There are also creatures as dangerous as anything above ground . . . except dragons of course." Hezzena turned to Pelya. "Where do you think we might find the secret passage?"

Pelya had been considering that very question. "I'm trying my best to remember. There were a lot of turns, but I think it'll be ahead another thousand feet or so and then to the right." Pelya looked at the dragon apologetically. "It's a lot different down here than it is up there, so I'm guessing a lot, but I'm doing the best I can."

Hezzena came over and patted Pelya's head. "I know, child. I'm very proud of you. I'll be more proud when we find the passage and you rescue my son." She strode the thousand feet along the top of the tunnel.

The girls hurried after, not willing to be left behind in the dark.

Hezzena stopped, holding up a hand. "Hold still and be quiet." Black tendrils ran through her eyes.

The girls didn't make a sound while their new friend searched the plant-dotted darkness to the right.

"There's something there," she said in low tones.

The girls stared into the darkness, but couldn't see anything. Hezzena picked them up again and leapt to the ground in that direction before setting them down gently. "Follow me, but not too closely in case I have to fight."

Once again, they did as she told them.

More crumbling buildings lined the long-forgotten street. Pelya had a desire to explore them, but not so much that she was willing to leave Hezzena's protection.

Two magically lit blue lanterns hung from a large set of double doors set into the side of a building on the right. Hezzena stopped short and sniffed the air. What might have looked perfectly normal in a dragon looked odd with her being in human form. She crouched low over the ground and let out another of her rumbling growls. "I can't smell him. He must have been carried in something that hides his presence." Hezzena distractedly clawed the ground in front of her, digging furrows into the broken cobbles. Her voice had become the hissing sound that echoed off the walls.

Pelya and Ebudae clung to each other again.

"Is this the exit?" she asked Pelya.

"I think so." Pelya took a step closer. Ebudae shuffled along, refusing to let go. "Everything about it seems right, the height of it, the location, and the look of the runes."

"Yes, I think so too." Hezzena straightened and turned to them. "We'll go back to the library and finish the details. Then I will come back here and wait for you to bypass the runes in order to let me in so I may rescue my son." Without waiting for a response, she picked them up and carried them back to the academy.

## Chapter 21

"We need to get some rest before we try to do this," Ebudae protested.

Hezzena had gone over every detail with both girls for three hours in the library and was insisting they leave immediately to begin the rescue.

"No!" Hezzena slammed her fist on the table. A chunk of the stone corner that had survived a millennium of ruin fell off. Cracks spread throughout the top.

The girls hugged each other desperately.

Hezzena ran talons through her hair to regain her calm. "My son is dying. They will drain his life and use his body for ingredients. Every moment counts." She paced. "You must save him _immediately_ no matter how tired you may be. You have the plan and you'll succeed. The necklaces I loaned you will help with stealth."

Pelya touched the silver-linked necklace. It held a circular pendant charm centered by three onyx stones. The girls could each use theirs to go invisible for a short while. They were powerful enough to hide sound and smell too. Hezzena made it clear that the necklaces were only on loan, being an important part of her treasure. She had already used the most valuable piece she owned to save Pelya's life.

"We know what to do." Pelya was a little tired, but not bad since the healing tooth had fully restored all of her health and energy. "We'll meet you at the doorway as soon as possible."

Ebudae sighed, but agreed reluctantly.

"Go then!" Hezzena moved around behind them in a blur, put the lanterns in their hands and pushed them toward the door. "Go on. Save my son. Don't let him die!"

The girls stumbled out of the library. Not wanting to be pushed anymore, they ran up the hallway.

Pelya looked back to see Hezzena in the glow of the orbs. She stared after the girls with her swirling eyes.

They turned the corner and headed back along the halls, through the theater and up the stairs until they reached Ebudae's secret room and flopped to the ground in exhaustion.

Their breathing settled few minutes later. Ebudae lay on her back and asked, "What do you want to do?"

Pelya turned to her side. "What do you mean?"

"Are we really going to save the dragon?" Ebudae also turned to her side. "If we're caught, they'll kill us even if we are children."

"That makes it that much more fun and exciting," Pelya answered with a grin. She sobered. "You don't have to go."

Ebudae jumped to her feet and pointed a finger at the young warrior. "Don't you ever say anything like that to me again. We do this and every other adventure together even if we die!" She folded her arms and lifted her chin. "Besides, you can't do it without me."

She was right and Pelya knew it. She surprised the wizardess by wrapping her in a fierce embrace. They hugged for a few minutes before breaking. "Shall we go?"

Ebudae groaned and rubbed her eyes. "I really think we need sleep, but Rizzith could die, so I say we go." She dashed between tables, shelves and drawers to gather magical items. "Grab that pouch on the wall by my workbench," she told Pelya pointing at the bench where she did most of her experiments. "It has runeballs that cancel out wards. There're only four and I don't know if they're strong enough, but they'll make it easier if they work."

Pelya grabbed it and a few other things Ebudae directed her to. They gathered the items in two backpacks, the heaviest of which Pelya took. Most of it had been planned in the library, but the wizardess grabbed a few extra things she thought would be useful. Pelya kept the magical sword at her waist instead of leaving it. They both wore black cloaks that would help disguise their age, though not their size.

They went back into the secret passages with lanterns held in front of them. This time, they turned the other direction toward the manor proper. Steps down took them underneath the main hall. A hundred feet later, it turned toward the backyard.

"This goes to the rear wall," Ebudae said. "There's a secret door to the alley there."

They exchanged worried glances. Alleys were never good news for children even in a relatively safe neighborhood. It didn't stop them from continuing though. They were soon at steps that went up into the wall. There was a small chamber where Ebudae pushed a button that opened a peephole. It was big enough to see through, but not big enough to figure out if anyone was in the alley. The girls stood quietly for a moment to listen. When they didn't hear anything, Ebudae pulled another trigger that caused part of the wall to come into the chamber and slide to the left. Thankfully, it did so quietly.

Pelya went out first with sword in hand, all the while desperately hoping she wouldn't have to use it.

There was no one around, much to their relief. Ebudae closed the secret entrance while Pelya put away her sword. Then they turned and headed to the Noble District. The morning sun was up and people were moving about by that time. The girls held hands to keep from being separated. Neither had ever been in the city without an adult before. It was both frightening and exhilarating.

Crowded streets made it easier to go unnoticed. Nobody tried to grab them, nobody asked what they were doing and nobody noticed the two little girls going to rescue a dragon. By the time they reached the estate of Lord Uylvich they were smiling at their boldness.

They walked beside the high side wall around to the back. Workers stood talking next to the rear entrance. The girls went to the front and walked casually past the front gate. The guard saw them and frowned so they continued walking. Both side walls were tall with few footholds, too many witnesses and spikes on top, so they wouldn't be an option.

The girls nodded at each other and walked back to the front corner. They paused for a moment, waiting until they were certain nobody was looking at them. Then they activated the invisibility pendants at the same time.

Finding each other's hands, they climbed over the low front wall. The girls were able to sneak through the grounds to the side kitchen entrance, moving carefully even though their sounds were hidden as well. There was a guard sitting next to the side gate, but he was sleepy and didn't notice the kitchen door open and close.

Two younger men washed dishes and cleaned silverware while a woman worked on pastries. The cook was calmly doing prep work for lunch, a much different disposition than he had on Pelya's previous visit.

The girls snuck quietly toward the door. Pelya opened it and gave Ebudae a little shove to go through. "Why is the basement door open?" one of the dishwashers asked.

Pelya dashed through and closed it behind her.

The cook's muffled voice came through. "It's those stupid rats! That worthless girl didn't kill a single one the other day and now they're bold as can be."

She thought for sure someone would follow them down, but the girls made it to the bottom of the steps without the door opening. Pelya took one of the lanterns and led Ebudae to the back. She didn't light it right away. Instead, they hid behind some crates, waiting to see what would happen.

After a few minutes, everything remained silent. Ebudae lit the lantern with words of magic Pelya couldn't hear. Then she fumbled around to grab the warrior's invisible hand.

They went down the stairs to the sub-basement. Had anyone been watching, they would have seen a single lantern floating through the air and surely would have run away thinking a ghost was coming.

Pelya guided her to the secret passage. Ebudae had two more of the runeballs, but they didn't want to use them right away in case they were needed later. Fortunately, the young warrior had a memory that was becoming finely honed and was able to find the opening mechanism.

They went through the entrance when it opened and then closed it behind them. After listening for a moment, they rushed down the passage to the stairs. They reached the door to the lab without incident. Like before, it was unlocked. Pelya thought Lord Uylvich foolish for being overconfident just because a secret passage hid the lab.

Unlike before, there was someone in the room.

He was a tall, fit man wearing rune-embroidered green robes. He didn't blame the mysteriously opening door on rats like the cook had. His tenor voice growled in warning when he spoke. "Who's there? I see your lantern, now show yourself or die." He moved away from his workbench, hands ready to cast a spell.

Ebudae let go of Pelya and dropped the lantern to cast her own spell. A brief moment later, air warped in a bolt toward the wizard.

Before hitting him, it dissipated. Gold thread on the wizard's robe flared briefly, indicating it had protected him against the spell.

Pelya pushed Ebudae to the side as the wizard circled his hands in front of his chest while speaking words of magic. She dashed in the opposite direction.

The wizard's hair blew back as the casting wind began. Energy gathered in an icy cloud in front of the him.

The casting wind switched direction and slammed into his back. Shards of ice flew from the cloud to pierce the door, wall and ground where the girls had been standing.

They ran around behind him while he watched the shards melt.

Pelya realized that she had drawn her sword at some point. She leapt forward and stabbed him in the back of the thigh. Golden runes on the robe flared as the sword bypassed them and slid deep into the leg.

The wizard let out a blood-curdling scream of pain.

It was the first time Pelya had ever drawn blood on anyone and it scared her. To make matters worse, it had been a weak thrust with bad aim. She pulled the sword out, causing hot blood to spurt from the open wound all over her.

The wizard clutched the wound and fell to his knees in agony.

Pelya realized the runes in that area had burned away in failed protection. Had she stabbed with a lesser weapon, the result would have been much different.

The blood that sprayed the girls remained visible. It would be easy to target them from that point on. Both deactivated the necklaces at the same time.

Ebudae had a runeball in her hand. She said the activation word as she threw. It hit the wizard on the side of the face with amazing aim and exploded in a cloud of dark blue dust.

When the wizard gasped for breath, the dust disappeared into his mouth. He collapsed.

Pelya's sword shook in her trembling hand. "Did you kill him?"

"No." Ebudae jumped in excitement. "That was a sleeping mist stored in the runeball. He should be unconscious for an hour or so." She pointed at the blood-soaked cut. "Although he'll be dead from that wound before he awakes."

Pelya gulped. "We should bandage it."

"No! We have to save Rizzith." Ebudae pointed at the dragon who watched them in curiosity from the cage. "I can't believe we get to see a real dragon. He's beautiful."

Pelya glanced at Rizzith, but was more concerned about the wizard. Tears welled in her eyes. "I haven't killed anyone, Ebudae. I don't want to."

The wizardess stared at her in concern.

Pelya put her pack on the ground and retrieved the healing kit. She grabbed a bandage and wrapped the leg with it as tightly as possible. Blood immediately soaked it. She hadn't cut the artery, but it was still a deep and serious wound.

Ebudae pulled on Pelya's shoulder. "You bandaged it, now let's rescue Rizzith."

Pelya followed, still staring at the injured wizard.

Rizzith lifted head, but swayed in exhaustion.

"I can do this." Ebudae stood at the edge of the rune circle. She wiggled her fingers in anticipation.

"No! It would kill you."

Back in the library, Hezzena had talked aloud in the wizardess's presence about how to deactivate the circle of runes around the cage so they could release him. Then she had talked about how to reverse the energy in the globes to bring Rizzith back to health.

Ebudae understood everything that was said and told Hezzena that she would deactivate the runes.

The dragon woman had instantly forbidden it. Children should never perform magic. Only after puberty should it be considered and it was best to wait until adulthood. The energies could stunt growth or even deform a person. Ebudae was in severe danger just with the magic she had already performed in her short life.

Even with that knowledge, the wizardess stood there with her fingers twitching. Ebudae had told Pelya in the past that the power was like a drug she wanted more of each day.

"Let's take care of the secret door." Pelya pulled her friend in that direction.

Ebudae reluctantly followed, still staring at the dragon cage and orbs.

Ebudae set down her pack. She dug through it to grab a set of eight medallions Hezzena had given them. Then she set the medallions on the floor in an outward arc from the edges of the secret door.

Pelya carefully pulled out a special runeball Hezzena had also given them. It was larger than any she had seen before, filling up her hand. She readied it along with her courage while the wizardess activated the medallions.

The normal way to open a secret door protected by magical triggers was to know the activation words and gestures for it. However, the runes had been made specifically to work against Hezzena. Even after listening to Pelya's description of everything, understanding eluded the dragon. So she chose the solution the girls were implementing.

Ebudae activated the medallions. Hundreds of orange lacework lines emitted from them and connected to each other. They shimmered upward to the ceiling in an arc around the entrance, creating a barrier of magical force. Ebudae had to continue chanting a series of magical words in order to keep it activated. Her voice had an otherworldly quality to it while a casting wind buffeted her hair and robe.

Hezzena told them that things could pass from their side of the force field, but nothing could get through from the other side. The medallions had to be placed exactly right and the words spoken correctly. It was an enormous risk to leave it to a child wizard.

Pelya threw the runeball through the glowing lines.

After the runeball passed through the lines and just before it hit the wall, Pelya yelled the activation word. The timing was another thing that had to be just right. It was foolish to leave that to a child as well, but the dragon was desperate and had no other options.

White light flashed as the runeball detonated. The building shook with an enormous blast.

Hezzena had told them what would happen, but it was still a shock. The lacework barrier protected the girls from the worst of the flash and sound as well as the explosion. It also channeled all of the force into the secret door.

Not only was it blown open, but half the wall on either side and stones from the ceiling collapsed in the rubble. The force shook the ground and knocked the girls onto their backs. The orange barrier disappeared once Ebudae's concentration was broken.

Everything had worked exactly as planned except the part where the two girls were dazed. They crawled to their hands and knees and tried to regain their senses. Pelya glanced at Rizzith in his cage. The orbs and circular runes around it were still intact, too powerful to be disturbed by the secondary force of the explosion.

She saw the wizard move and heard his groan through the ringing in her ears. The barrier had absorbed most of the sound and flash, but not all of it. Coupled with crashing stone, it had hurt their ears and created spots in their vision.

Ebudae scrambled to recover the medallions. She cried out in pain when stone from the ceiling fell and hit her in the shoulder.

Pelya rushed over to her. "Can you move it?"

Ebudae's moved her shoulder and groaned in pain, but it wasn't broken. Her robe was covered in dust.

Pelya helped her to stand. "The wizard is waking up. We need to hurry."

They snatched up the rest of the medallions before scrambling over the rubble. Stone dust clogged their noses. They looked up to make sure nothing else would fall on them from the gashed ceiling.

Behind them, the wizard was gingerly moving, but hadn't gotten up yet.

The passage ended in large double doors a few hundred feet up the passage, bordered by magical lanterns exactly like the ones in the ruins. Hezzena should be waiting for them on the other side.

Pelya noticed Ebudae panting. She grabbed the wizardess's face and saw dark circles under her eyes. "Ebudae, what happened?"

"Very tired. It was _so_ hard keeping the medallions activated." Exhaustion dripped from her voice.

"You just relax. I'll open the doors," Pelya told her. When the wizardess nodded, Pelya grabbed the picks under her tunic. She pulled one out and held it in front of her. When it glowed hot, Pelya wanted to cry. "It's trapped."

"Use this." Ebudae handed her one of the small runeballs that would deactivate wards. Once it was in Pelya's palm, the wizardess told her the keyword and advised her to throw it from a distance. They took a few steps back and glanced down the hallway to make certain no one was coming.

Pelya threw it and yelled the activation word. The ball flashed along with eight previously invisible runes drawn in a circle on the doors. Three of the runes disappeared with crackling sounds. The others remained, flickering dimly.

Ebudae placed another Pelya's hand. "Activate it the same way."

Pelya did the exact same thing. The remaining runes vanished with more crackling. She rushed forward to open the door.

It was locked.

With a deep calming breath, Pelya pulled out her lockpicks again. Her hands were shaking, but she wasn't going to let that stop her. Uncle Bobbell had told her to always push ahead no matter how tired or frightened she might be. It helped that the picks were magically enhanced to be steady.

It took more than a minute. She had to switch out lockpicks twice to figure out the right combination.

Ebudae leaned against the wall while Pelya worked.

When the lock clicked open, they exchanged happy smiles. The smiles faded when they heard voices behind them.

"They went down the passage!" the wizard yelled to someone. His voice was slurred from the sleep mist.

Pelya hurriedly put the picks away while Ebudae pulled one of the doors open.

Instead of being in the ancient ruins, they were in a room filled with crates and tables. It looked like a storage area and secondary workspace. Across from them was another set of doors.

Ebudae pointed while Pelya pulled the current door shut. "Those are the doors to the ruins. They look _exactly_ the same."

They ran toward them, but Ebudae held out a hand just before they reached the doors. She handed another of the small runeballs to Pelya who took it and threw while yelling the activation word. More wards flashed and crackled and she immediately threw the last runeball that Ebudae handed her to finish them off.

Once again, the doors were locked. Pelya pulled out the picks that had opened the last one. The lock looked the same and she prayed they would work.

The tumblers inside clicked just as the doors behind them opened.

"There they are! Kill them!"

Pelya looked back and saw the limping wizard and two others coming into the room. One was a female wizard preparing to cast a spell while the third had a wicked sword in his hand.

The girls frantically opened the doors, each pulling one back.

Relief flooded their hearts when they saw Hezzena in the entrance. She was crouched with taloned hands in front of her, teeth bared and furiously swirling eyes staring straight ahead at the attackers.

What happened next was so fast that Pelya barely had time to digest it all.

In one blurred leap, Hezzena reached the enemy. She thrust both hands into the chest of the woman casting the spell, killing her instantly. The energy of the thwarted spell exploded into wisps of green fire that burned the woman's skin and threw her back.

Hezzena shook off the concussion of the explosion. She pulled out flesh and flung it in the faces of the men.

Pelya heard herself scream in horror. She knew about death, but was really beginning to hate the concept. It was messy, violent and painful to those who experienced it. What she didn't notice was Ebudae watching everything with her head tilted in fascination.

The warrior hit Hezzena in the shoulder with the sword, causing runes in her vest to flare. It clanged off the dragon woman's magical shirt and hard skin without making a cut.

A rumbling growl emitted from Hezzena, shaking the room as she turned to face him.

The warrior dropped his weapon and took a step back, fear conquering his eyes.

Hezzena grabbed his throat with her left hand and his head with the right. She squeezed warrior's head like an overripe melon. Blood, brains and bones splattered. Then she ripped the head from his body and threw it against the nearest wall where it splattered violently.

Pelya fell to her hands and knees to empty the scarce remaining contents of her stomach onto the floor.

The wizard tried to limp away but Hezzena's talons raked down his back. When he fell, she stood on his legs and slashed furiously into his body over and over, digging into it like a dog burying a bone.

Pelya turned and covered her eyes, sobbing in dread.

Hezzena was back suddenly. She took their shoulders with bloodied hands and pulled them close. Putting her face next to theirs, the dragon woman whispered, "Shh. I'm not supposed to kill humans, but you're never going to tell anyone, are you?" Her voice was sinister and her eyes spun with insanity.

They both shook their heads vigorously. Pelya felt urine running down her leg as she wet herself. She couldn't handle any more. The only thing she wanted was to go home to hide in bed for the rest of her life.

Hezzena let them go. "Where is Rizzith?"

Ebudae rushed to the other set of doors to lead Hezzena past the bodies into the corridor.

Pelya considered not following. Looking into the dark ruins behind, she decided that sticking with them was the best choice. Plus, she didn't want to leave Ebudae alone.

It was extremely uncomfortable to walk with her pants wet, but she ignored it the best she could. Between that, walking through sewers, having thrown up, and sweating from exertion, she smelled terrible.

Pelya caught up with them as Hezzena positioned herself in front of the cage and began casting. Ebudae scrutinized every detail while Rizzith cried out piteously to his mother.

Pelya waited by the rubble of the formerly secret door and watched.

The incantations were vastly more powerful than anything Ebudae had done. Hezzena gestured fluidly like a dancing reptile while the casting wind gusted back and forth around only her. Layers of magical words slithered throughout the room, echoing off the walls. The circular runes glowed brightly as energy from the orbs switched direction.

Rizzith perked up as his energy flowed back into him.

In took a few minutes for the orbs to become dark. They all shattered at the same time and fell to the ground in shards. The stands they floated above crumbled as well.

The rune underneath the cage circled. Hezzena's gestures became exaggerated turning motions as she spun the rune faster and faster.

It burst in slow motion. A million minute sparks tinkled into nothingness.

Hezzena jumped forward, grabbed two bars and ripped them apart. The scream of protesting iron filled the room, causing the girls to cover their ears.

Rizzith leapt forward. He placed his foreclaws on his mother's shoulders while licking her face with forked tongue. It looked extremely odd considering Hezzena was still in human form.

"You must transform into a human, my beautiful son. I am too large to fit in my natural form."

Rizzith concentrated for a moment. He popped into the form of a six-year-old boy. The transformation was instantaneous and surprising. However, his teeth were overly large, causing his mouth to stretch grotesquely.

"Smaller teeth, dear," Hezzena told him.

He made the adjustment. He still had the same dragon-like features as his mother, but at least it didn't frighten the girls.

Pelya was exhausted. She could tell that Ebudae was more so.

Hezzena picked up her son and the packs the girls had left in that room. "Show me the way through the sewers to the southern plains." She handed them the packs.

"But we're tired," Ebudae whined. "I just want to sleep."

"That's what happens when you play with magic, you silly little fool. Besides, you can't go back that way. I hear people coming from beyond the door. We must escape and I'm not finished with the two of you. Now move your tailless behinds." She pointed past the rubble toward the passage to the ruins.

The girls stared at her in shock, but chose to obey.

## Chapter 22

Once in the ruins, Hezzena led them away a short distance and set down Rizzith. Then she turned and cast another spell. Magical wind whipped her hair back as she molded orange energy in front of her. Pelya thought she was going to cast it forward, but instead, Hezzena inhaled deeply and breathed into it. It acted like a spark for the dragon's breath. Orange flames ripped forth toward the entrance. The fire created a raging inferno over the stone and doors, melting them into liquid.

The girls covered their faces from the blazing heat. There was no way anyone would be able to follow them.

When Hezzena finished, she led them back to the tunnel, their way brightened by the supernatural orange fire behind them. First, she picked up Rizzith and tossed him casually to the top.

The girls gasped in alarm. However, he landed easily on his feet and waited for the rest of them with a toothy grin on his face.

Hezzena picked up the girls and jumped. She carried them to the hole and jumped back down into the sewer. After setting them down, she held out her arms for Rizzith who jumped into them happily. Hezzena used magic to close the access door and re-activate the runes on it. At Ebudae's questioning look, she explained. "That will make it much harder for anyone to track us should they be inclined to do so."

They walked back down the tunnel a ways until coming to different tunnel that turned south. "Is this the tunnel that leads to the plains?" she asked Pelya.

"No. It's past where we go back to the academy. It will be twice as wide as this one. You'll know it when you see it."

"Then you lead." Hezzena gestured for her to go.

Ebudae took a step back. "Aren't you going to take us back to the academy?"

"No." Hezzena hissed. "You are guiding us to the plains. I will not risk being stuck under this forsaken city."

Ebudae sobbed. Exhaustion, excitement and fear had taken their toll on both girls.

Pelya wrapped an arm around the wizardess's shoulder and led her forward. Secretly she was afraid that Hezzena might kill or eat them once free.

Pelya noticed when they passed the exit to the academy, but didn't disturb her glassy-eyed friend with the information. A short while later, they reached the larger tunnel leading out of the city. She pointed. "This is it. It travels for twenty miles or so before exiting out to the plains. The further you get the wider and deeper it becomes in order to handle all the sewage. There's supposed to be a gate at the end to keep larger creatures from getting in, but I'm certain you can get through it."

"I'm not so confident," Hezzena disagreed. "Lead on."

Pelya grumbled. "Ebudae is tired. We can't go on." Tears welled in her eyes again. She was weary of crying.

Hezzena gestured and spoke more magical incantations.

Pelya felt a burst of energy and Ebudae perked up.

"That will last for a few hours. I was able to grab a snack before you opened the door. The creatures in the dark aren't very tasty, but it will tide me over. We all feel wonderful now. Let's go."

"You're going to get free and then eat us or kill us." Pelya planted her feet stubbornly.

A low rumble emitted from the dragon woman. "I am _not_ going to eat or kill you. It is forbidden to kill humans. I was only able to do so back there in order to save my child. Moreover, I would not kill someone who did me such a favor as the two of you have done. I am good by nature."

She could have fooled Pelya. "Then how are we going to get home? We can't come back through these sewers and to the academy. We would never survive." She folded her arms. "Going into the city above ground is even _more_ dangerous for us!"

Ebudae hid behind Pelya's shoulder, not willing to enter the disagreement.

"You will be fine!" Hezzena snapped. "I will see to it, you impudent little girl. If all human children are as disobedient and obstinate as you, then humans should eat their young. Now march!" She pointed a finger at the tunnel.

Pelya considered herself to be fairly brave, but standing up to Hezzena was too much at that point. She turned and marched while holding Ebudae's hand.

The smell grew steadily worse as they traveled. Even with the boosting spell, the girls lost energy. The trudged slower with each step.

Hezzena became frustrated. She put Rizzith on her back and had him wrap his arms around her shoulders. Then she put the girls on each hip and had them hold on tight. When everyone settled, Hezzena ran.

They held on tighter as the surroundings whipped by. The speed with which the dragon moved was faster than fifty horses combined.

To Pelya, it felt like they were flying. She grinned in pleasure. She saw that Ebudae's eyes were wide and there was a grin just as large on her face. The wizardess saw her looking and they smiled in excitement.

Hezzena was sure-footed even at blurred speeds. It shocked the girls when she went to running along the wall in order to pass obstacles such as broken walkways or large pieces of debris that had the sewer water clogged up over the path. Something about her abilities made it so they felt like gravity was always pulling them toward Hezzena's feet even when she was sideways. After an hour, they had traveled the entire twenty miles to the gated end. When she finally set them all down, Hezzena was breathing heavily. The dragon woman took a few steps forward to the gate.

Pelya spoke up. "The books didn't say anything about wards on it. I know the outlets are a few hundred feet wide and hundreds of feet deep. They become rivers that drain into marshlands. From there, the water eventually flows to the ocean beyond." She moved ahead of the dragon woman and pointed beyond the thick iron bars where the murky river glistened with oily residue. It spread out to become a wide, creeping morass of acrid gunk. The only reason they could handle the smell was because they had become somewhat used to it after being in the sewers for so long. It was still overwhelming and they all wanted to get out.

Pelya saw the purple tendrils in Hezzena's eyes. The dragon woman frowned. "There are no wards on this, although runes have been inscribed into the metal bars to keep them strong. This door is locked." She motioned toward an iron woven door in the larger gate. It allowed workers to access the walkway that continued for a ways along the river of sewage outside.

"I can get that." Pelya pulled out her picks. She was excited to be able to use them again so soon. After examining the lock carefully, she chose the picks she thought best. When they didn't work right away, she was disappointed.

The others waited patiently in spite of the smell that was becoming as tiresome as it was putrid. Pelya had to try four different combinations of tools before the lock finally opened with a satisfying click.

"Well done, child. It took you a while, but you kept your patience. Persistence is a valuable quality to have and one most humans lack." Hezzena squeezed her shoulder and smiled toothily.

They walked out of the sewer and Pelya re-locked the door from the other side. Any good member of the Guard would do so, but more important, her father would.

"Let us find some place away from this wretched morass." Hezzena led them along the stone walkway. It didn't take long to reach stairs leading up to a ridge two hundred feet above the river. When they reached the last step, they could see the city in the distance to the north.

A lightly used dirt road came from the city and continued southward. There were no buildings for a long way in any direction, which made sense considering the stench. Trees dotted the grassy lands here and there.

"We'll go to that grove of trees." Hezzena pointed at a small wooded area far enough away to get fresh air.

The afternoon sun was high in the sky, beating down with heat that caused the overworked girls to wilt even worse than before. Hezzena didn't pick them up, so they trudged ever slower.

It seemed an eternity until they reached the woods. Pelya and Ebudae collapsed in the shade of a tree at the edge. They barely managed to take off their packs.

Hezzena stood a few feet away and stared at them, Rizzith at her side.

Pelya ignored the dragon woman while trying to catch her breath. By that point, she just wanted to lie down and sleep. It wasn't even important if they made it home first.

One moment, Hezzena was in the form of a human woman, the next she was in her true form. Rizzith transformed along with her.

The girls stared slack-jawed at the enormous dragon looming over them. Comparing her size to Lady Pallon's manor would be a disservice. Hezzena's eyes alone were as round as the girls were tall, still made of the swirling liquid-silver.

Brilliant orange scales layered over massive muscles along the length of her body. There were five thin spikes along her spine and two on the tail. Her teeth were sharp in perfect rows throughout her long snout. Hezzena stretched her leathery wings far to the sides in a manner that reminded Pelya of how she stretched as tall as she could every morning. The long tail curled around Rizzith in a maternally protective gesture.

She looked at the two girls sitting under the tree with their mouths open. "Take your tunic off and lay on your stomach, Pelya child. Take your dress off and do the same, Ebudae child."

Instead of obeying, the girls clutched other and stared wide-eyed.

Hezzena snorted. "Do not be foolish. There is no impropriety. Now do as you're told."

Neither had the energy nor intention to do so.

The disobedience upset the dragon. Pelya watched as Hezzena lifted a claw and made intricate designs. Words of power hissed through the air.

The girls found themselves frozen. With a few more gestures, Ebudae's dress flew off, leaving her in just leggings. The pendant of invisibility also came off. Hezzena took possession of it. Then the wizardess was rolled onto her stomach.

Pelya wanted to help, but couldn't move.

She watched as the dragon pinned Ebudae with the left claw and touched her spine just below the neck with a talon of the right claw. The talon glowed orange.

Ebudae whimpered as the dragon's talon slid down the length of her spine.

It was just the beginning.

Hezzena made intricate designs along the base of Ebudae's back from hip to hip. The talon moved upward and along each rib to the sides. The designs looked like feathered runes. By the time Hezzena was done, Ebudae's back looked like it had orange wings from base to neck. The girl lay there crying, but unable to move even after the claw lifted.

Then the silver eyes turned their attention on Pelya, who didn't wait for the claw's touch to start crying.

She felt her tunic pulled off magically. She wanted to resist being rolled onto her stomach, but had no control over her body. The invisibility pendant flew off. Pelya whimpered just like Ebudae when she felt one claw pin her down and the other cut into her back. It didn't touch the bones in the spine, but she could feel heat coming from it.

Through the burning pain, Pelya became aware that hers was different from Ebudae's. Only her left side was being tattooed. Then Hezzena turned her over and continued the tattoo along the ribs to Pelya's breastbone. More intricate designs were carved into the skin while Pelya stared at the leaves of the tree above her through eyes blurry with tears.

The talon finally stopped moving. Pelya struggled to breathe. Her entire body burned, but the hottest fire was where the tattoo was. It hurt more than any physical pain she had ever imagined.

The talon touched them each in the middle of the forehead. "Stand up and put your tunic back on, Pelya Child. Stand up and put your dress back on, Ebudae Child."

Pelya did as commanded. Somehow, the dragon was controlling her.

Once they were dressed, Ebudae came to stand next to Pelya.

Hezzena lowered her head and looked deep into their minds. "Grab your packs, walk back to the manor where Ebudae Child lives and then go to sleep. No one will disturb you or notice you."

The girls immediately turned and grabbed their packs, knowing the instructions were complete. They walked past Hezzena toward the dirt road by the sewer river. Neither looked up when the dragon put Rizzith on her neck and leapt into the sky, although they felt the massive gust of wind from her wings as she flew away.

When Pelya and Ebudae reached the road, they turned north. For hours, they walked the miles back to Dralin. Their exhausted bodies protested and the heat from the tattoos caused them to sweat terribly, but it made no difference.

They reached the Tannery District well past midnight when Dralin was most dangerous. It smelled worse than the sewers, but the girls paid no attention to that. They spent a full hour walking through it because it was one of the largest districts in Dralin.

Pelya was able to realize that no one paid attention to two young girls walking alone through the streets. At some point, they should have been kidnapped, or at least noticed. Something the dragon had done was protecting them. The pain from the tattoo was still fierce, but didn't slow them down.

They finally reached the Merchant District just before sunrise. Shadows moved alongside Pelya, concerned for her safety. She wanted to reassure them that she was all right, but couldn't speak.

They entered the secret entrance from the alley and went down the stairs in the wall to the passage. A few minutes later, they were back in Ebudae's lab. Instead of collapsing, they dropped the packs and continued until they were in Ebudae's bedroom. Both girls changed into nightgowns. As they got under the covers and clung to each other for dear life, Pelya wished they could take a bath and eat. The thought faded as they closed their eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

***

They woke after sunset that night. Both their stomachs growled from neglect. Before the noisy bellies could be satisfied, the girls grabbed each other tightly and drowned themselves in tears. Everything they had been through finally caught up to them. It was the obvious thing to do.

When the tears died down, they got their aching bodies out of bed. Pelya's tattoo still felt like it was on fire. She looked underneath the nightgown and saw the lines glowing dim orange.

Ebudae put an arm on Pelya's shoulder and opened her mouth to say something. When no words came out, she frowned.

"What's wrong?"

Ebudae opened her mouth again, but the words refused to come forth.

Pelya opened her mouth to ask if it was about the tattoo. Silence.

They both tried to speak. When it came to the tattoos, neither could say a single word.

Eventually, Pelya asked, "Shall we get some food?" As long as it was about anything else, the words came forth.

Ebudae nodded miserably. "Yes. I'll have Tina run us a bath after she gets our food. We stink." It looked like she was going to say more, but nothing came out. The wizardess hit her thigh in frustration.

Pelya took her hand and gave her an understanding look.

They headed downstairs.

No one said anything about them having been gone. In fact, they didn't seem to have noticed. After eating, they took the bath and scrubbed the grime and stench off furiously. They stared at each other's tattoos, but when they reached out to touch them, they always lost interest and did something else instead.

Realization sunk in that they would never be able to discuss them. Every time Pelya wondered about what the tattoos did, she immediately lost interest. It upset her to the point of tears.

They went back to bed after the bath and fell asleep between clean sheets Tina had put on. The next night, they woke up, ate, bathed and fell back asleep. The glowing lines had almost disappeared by that point although the girls could still feel them in their skin and bones.

For the rest of the week they rested in bed or in the gardens. Neither had any desire to go on another adventure.

The tattoos were invisible when Frath came to pick up Pelya. Lady Pallon and Frath had to peel the girls apart because they held onto each other fiercely. Both girls cried miserably when the tall man put his daughter over a shoulder and carried her off.

***

Things eventually settled back to routine. Pelya was allowed to go back to training, but on a limited basis. She could still study and read as much as possible and even worked on learning extra languages as well as memorizing every detail of the sewers.

Ebudae continued learning magic. Even though she was still too young, it was no longer having harmful effects on her body. She was able to handle more powerful spells than ever before. The young wizardess also continued to study, delving into the books and learning more and more ancient writings.

Every chance possible, the two got together. Ebudae started teaching Pelya some basics of magic while Pelya taught the wizardess self-defense and basic exercises that would help keep her fit in order to better handle magical energies flowing through her body.

They didn't go into the secret passages for the next few months before eventually working up the courage. Within a couple of years, they had explored the entire academy as well as some of the tunnels under the buildings in the backyard. They didn't venture out into the ancient city often though. The thought of running into anything else that rumbled in the darkness was too much for them.

They remembered the dragon tattoos every once in a while, but only briefly and never told anyone about them. They couldn't have done so if they tried.

###

### Books 2 and 3 of the Dralin Series, "Ebudae" and "Pelya", are available where you found this book.

## About the Author

John H. Carroll was the youngest of seven children and was born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1970 where he was kept in a dresser drawer with the clean socks. Luckily, he wasn't kept with the dirty socks or else he might have grown up to become slightly warped.

As a child, John spent most of his time wandering through the Mojave Desert in an attempt to avoid people. He would stare at the sky, imagining what it would be like to explore different worlds. One of his favorite memories is watching his dad build the fuselage of Evel Kneivel's skycycle in their garage. One of his least favorite moments was watching that skycycle fall into the Snake River. (Not his dad's fault and he has documentation to prove it, so nyah)

As a teenager, John spent most of his time driving wherever he could in an attempt to avoid people. He would stare at the road, imagining what it would be like to explore different worlds. He was the captain of the chess team, lettered in golf and band while in high school, and wasn't beaten up anywhere near as much as one might imagine.

As an adult, John spends most of his time gazing at a computer screen in an attempt to avoid people. He stares at the monitor for hours, imagining what it would be like to explore different worlds. Occasionally, he looks around to see what's happening on planet Earth. Quite frankly, it frightens him. He's just going to do his best to write as many books as he can before aliens disintegrate humanity for being so irritating.

Emo bunny minions surround John at most times. He is their imaginary friend and they look to him for guidance. At one point, they took over the world. No one noticed because they left everything exactly as it was. They gave the world back after a week because it was depressing.

The _Ryallon Series_ is his most popular endeavor into the field of writing. His _Stories for Demented Children_ have lightened the hearts of many strange children and adults. He writes in the evenings and weekends whenever possible.

If you would like to be alerted of new releases, you may sign up for his newsletter. Your email will never be shared with anyone else. You may unsubscribe at any time.

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You can follow his blog where he discusses writing, emo bunnies, family and various other topics of insanity.

http://www.ryallon.blogspot.com/

Follow him on twitter if you like insane ramblings and random comments.

http://twitter.com/kookoo88

Find him on Facebook where he discusses current projects and writing in general:

http://www.facebook.com/John.H.Carroll.Author

His Goodreads Page:

 http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4479427.John_H_Carroll

### Stories for Demented Children:

Odd tales of anti-heroes doing their best to survive odd circumstances.

Books 1-5 are found in _A Collection of Stories for Demented Children_

The Emo Bunny that Should (Illustrated)

Zachary Zombie and the Lost Boy

Drippy the Peg Legged Rainbow

Unholy Cow

Attack of the Sugar Plum Fairies

Books 6-10 are found in _A Collection of Stories for Demented Children, Volume 2_

Phairyphant

Naughty Nanoworms

Zachary Zombie and the Wicked Worm

Steampunk Roo

Pow the Panda, The Case of the Rainbow Dragon

### Novels of Ryallon:

My full-length novels are set in the world of Ryallon. They are high fantasy with rogues, knights, dragons and flower children. You can get them at the store where you found this one.

**Dralin Series** (Set in time before the Willden trilogy)

Dralin

Ebudae

Pelya

**The Wyvern Series** (Parallel to the Willden Trilogy, set in time after the Dralin Trilogy)

Wyvern

Liquid

Cloudswept

Sidetracked

**Willden Trilogy** (Written first)

Rojuun

Anilyia

Kethril

**The Crazed Series** (All previous series merge here)

Liselle

Bounty

To be announced (Coming 2019)

To be announced (Coming 2020)

To be announced (Coming 2020)

Stand-alone Novella

Rain Glade

### Other Stories:

Short stories and a novella that came to me along the way.

Novella

Alien Coffee (Sci-fi)

Short Stories

Blue Haired Alien Girlfriend (Sci-fi)

Test Pilot (Sci-fi)

Don't Ever Change (Horror)

The Storage Room in the Grey Void (Surreal)

