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When he woke, Daniel kept his eyes closed for a moment, luxuriating in the fact that he wasn’t in pain any more. He stretched and finally opened his eyes to find they had returned to Ystelyan’s palace and he was in a bed in one of the chambers.

“Ah! You’re awake!” A young goblin woman who bore a strong resemblance to Rilletta was seated by the bed. “You were in a bad way when they brought you back, even though Alaryia-mira had healed most of the damage.” Read the rest of this entry »

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“I think he’s right,” Savira said after a moment. “If the hypothesis is correct – and you say it’s been tested – then it only proves one partner has to be on Taloa while the bond is forming. It says nothing about which one. “

“And conversely, one would have to be here in Talonyka,” Indaturan said. “You’re right, we should look into that. I mean if the dragon children are in the wrong court, we’ll need to do something about that before they are corrupted or worse.” Read the rest of this entry »

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“We have another favour to ask, Councillor Saeaera,” Sonia said. “We wish to put her heart friend in stasis here for as long as Savira is in the shell.”

“Hmm?” Saeaera said. “Why would you… oh! To put her in a state of mental receptivity similar to an unborn infant so their bond can fix itself? I think that might actually work. Yes, of course we’ll allow it. It will surely help with rehabilitating the dragon.” She hesitated. “This Savira, is she brown with an Ice Affinity?” Read the rest of this entry »

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All three adult Silvers were waiting for them when they jumped into Waldhafen. Arran in particular looked tired and worn like he hadn’t been sleeping well.

“How are your foster daughter and her heart friend?” Lydia asked. Read the rest of this entry »

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“You should have done,” Indaturan said. “But I wonder why he was after your research? He wouldn’t have been interested in the bond problem.”

“He might be, actually,” Alartyia said slowly. “If he’s realised why born dragons don’t have heart friends. He may not care about the bond but its nature might teach him something about achieving his own goals.

“That’s true,” Savira said quietly. “But would it have occurred to him? He’s not the cleverest of us, after all.” Read the rest of this entry »

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“If it is one of your family, my alran,” Indaturan said. “All the evidence is circumstantial.”

“I know,” Adrian said. “But we do need to check them and I could do with checking that none of them are still secretly intending to hunt resonants. Some of them flipped a bit too easily. I mean, I know they’re scared of Julie, but…”

“It does all seem a little too easy, doesn’t it?” Julie agreed. “I’ve been thinking the same thing. I think most of them are loyal but at least some were too deeply committed to have given up that easily.” She looked over at Daniel and Ebona. “Would you help us out with this?” Read the rest of this entry »

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“I wish I was sure of that, Ril,” Ystelyan said. “Yoou’re probably right but there are strains of alien essence in it that make me cautious.”

“That’s how I destroyed my sample,” Savira said. “Though I used a vat of mabain rather than just dumping in the sea because I had the same doubts that you did.” She frowned thoughtfully. “It was rather slow to dissolve, but it did and Jolanan monitored it for a several months to check it was really gone before we dumped it back in the sea.” Read the rest of this entry »

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“I see what you mean about it being familiar,” Alaryia said. “There is a tang to it that’s like trying to recall a name and yet it’s definitely not anyone I know.”

“I get the same feeling,” Darlrydan said. Read the rest of this entry »

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“Not him.” Savira pointed at Matthias. “I may have lost but I want as little to do with him as possible.” She scowled and hugged herself. “Some of my best friends are dead because of him.”

“I think you’ll find it was Likadrian that killed them,” Naria said drily. “Not Matthias-idan.”

“You might blame me as well,” Andrew added. “I ordered them to fight him.” Read the rest of this entry »

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“Interesting,” Darlrydan said as the vision faded. “It certainly seems she’s up to something, but Lydia-ida definitely isn’t booby-trapped. Did you think we wouldn’t have checked that?” He eyed Lydia thoughtfully. “But it does leave the question. What is she up to and why was the timing of our rescue important?”

“My guess is she wanted her to die and her family to blame themselves,” Indaturan said. “She’s sadistic enough if she thought it would distract them–” Read the rest of this entry »