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As Lydia reached her parents’ table, Adrian leaned across the table and spoke quietly to her mother.

“I was wondering if you would object to having Lucas have a look at Kay?” he said. “I’m worried about her now I know it’s not just me who thinks her behaviour is odd.”

“Of course,” Sonia said. “But what will you do if someone has interfered with her mind?”

“I-I don’t know,” he said. “On the one hand I hope it isn’t because I’d feel terrible if she didn’t really love me. On the other, betraying her family like that, especially after…” He shuddered briefly. “I mean it didn’t make any difference because mum had figured someone would warn Hannah, but it’s not normal to be that attached to someone, is it?”

“It happens, but if your bond isn’t that deep I wouldn’t expect it,” Sonia said. “I’ll talk to Lucas.” She looked up at Lydia and Daniel, then over at Karen, Andrew and Naria making their way through the crowd. “Ah, good.” She looked over at Matthias as the last three reached the table. “You want to explain this, Matt?”

He nodded to her. “It seems you need to be careful of the Cantrell family.” Images of half a dozen people flashed through Lydia’s mind as he spoke. “Those are the ones who are here. One of them tried to pry information about my plans out of Karen and Adrian say Garrett was offering an alliance earlier and was angry when told we had a truce.”

“Hmm…” Daniel said. “None of them has approached me. Mostly I seem to attract people congratulating me on being alive. It’s disconcerting.”

“I’d imagine,” Matthias said. “But they mostly mean well. Sonia was popular.”

“Since I’m here, I need to talk to you,” Naria said. “I had a message from Ystelyan while we were messing about with the piano. I was going to speak to you after the reception.”

“What did he say?”

“Julie replied to his imp but she seemed more interested in asking what is going on than answering the question, though she seemed unphased by it,” she said. “And Indaturan has asked if he can meet with you there. He’s said yes and wonders if you could go and arrange it after the reception.”

“Yes, of course.” Matthias gave Naria a penetrating look. “How are people reacting to you?”

“Curiosity, mostly,” she said. “I got a lot of impertinent questions about my hunger and my ancestry before Andrew dragged me away.” She giggled quietly. “I think he was more offended than I was.”

“They had no right to be so nosy,” he said. “You’re a person, not a curiosity.”

“Right now I’m a person and a curiosity, Drew,” she said mildly. “I’m the first dragon most of these people have met; of course they’re curious and want to know if I’m a threat. I imagine Lyrrekka-ida is getting the same and the others would be if we’d brought them.”

“Mum isn’t so much,” Kyle said. “A lot of people here knew her when she was human. She is getting a lot of questions about being remade and about Kithra though.”

“Ah.” Naria stiffened and looked over Matthias’s shoulder where as an older man with greying blond hair approached the group. “Isn’t that one of the people you just showed us coming over?”

Matthias turned to look and nodded. “It is,” he said quietly. “Good evening, Garrett. Can I help you?”

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