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Estara paced restlessly, shadows coiling around her as she listened to Tara and Lyrrekka explain what they’d discovered from the blocks. When they finished she stopped and laid her forehead against one of the living walls of her palace.

“Why?” she said softly. “What could they have seen?” She shook her head. “I think they picked entirely the wrong person to approach. They should have gone to Keylaria, Andarian or even mother… Anyone but Xantaria. But why would they feel they needed us to exist…? What could they have foreseen? Not just Likadrian returning, I think.” She shook her head. “Al’s going crazy with speculation.”

“We could try and clarify it,” Marian said. She’d been sitting at the table with her head in her hands after they’d told them about Adrian but now she looked up. She gave a sad smile as Tara opened her mouth to object. “Yes, Tara, I do know it’s nearly impossible to clarify a premonition without the original, especially after so many millenia, but nearly impossible is not the same as impossible. We could try. My retrocognition might help.”

“It might,” Tara said dubiously. “But we have to deal with Adrian first.”

“I know.” Marian looked over at Estara. “You’re looking for his heart friend, right?”

“Yes, but none of us have heard of any ice heart friends in the last twenty years whose partners aren’t accounted for, which means they aren’t in the Heart lands. It’s highly likely that Adrian’s partner is with whichever dragon he’s working for. On the upside, it’s certainly not Mitakrian or Shalriya – neither of them would do anything other than kill a heart friend born in their territory. We know it’s not Gerian because we know all the heart friends he has. It’s not any of our group and I doubt it’s Endaria – not her style. That doesn’t leave many options.”

“Are you counting Darlryan-mirian among our group?” Lyrrekka asked. “Because it does seem his style.”

“I am, but only because he’s not long out of transition so he hasn’t had time to recruit the young man,” Estara replied. “Which leaves us with three possibilities: Indaturan-mirian, Aneria-miria and Kanderian-mirian, all of whom are quite capable of this sort of thing and have definite interests in Taloa.”

“Hmm…” Lyrrekka frowned. “Gerian’s got a lot of spies watching Aneria because she’s so hostile to him. I think he’d know if she had a heart friend under her influence and I think I would have heard.”

“Everyone would have heard, Lyr,” Tarian said. “He would have screamed loud enough to shatter the palace.”

“That’s true.” Lyrrekka chuckled for a moment. “I’d say it’s got to be Indaturan or Kanderian, though it scarcely matters which since the white and grey courts are allied.”

“And both of them are preferable to Aneria, if just barely,” Estara said. “But do not underestimate Aneria’s ability to keep secrets. She knows we spy on her and her talents lie towards illusion and deception.”

“That’s true as well,” Lyrrekka sighed. “I hope it’s not her.”

“Is she horrible?” Lydia asked.

“Yes, but in a different way to Shalriya and Mitakrian,” Estara said. “She’s extremely focused and rather ruthless. She’s cruel because she thinks it’s expedient not because she wants people to despair like Shalriya and she doesn’t enjoy it. Of course the same can be said of Indaturan but he knows terror is a blunt tool so he applies it rarely and cautiously where Aneira uses it as her primary weapon of persuasion.”

“It’ll blow up in her face eventually,” Tarian said.

“And all three of them want Earth?” Lydia asked.

“Indaturan does,” Estara said. “Though he just wants Taloa to be safe for Dragons because he’d prefer to live there. He’s not interested in ruling it. He steered clear of Takilyan before he came to his senses and still avoids Gerian because he thinks a direct invasion would make things worse. Kanderian just wants his little brother to be happy and follows his lead. No one knows exactly what Aneira wants but it certainly involves Taloa.”

“So if it’s this Indaturan we might have a lever,” Lydia said. “If he’s amenable to reason.”

“White is the colour of pragmatism,” Estara said. “And he’s not in descent that I know of. It’s fair to say he’ll always be amenable to reason. You’re thinking if he wants to live on Earth it’s in his best interest to ally with you and prove himself to not be a danger to the Talori.” She pursed her lips. “If this Adrian is working for him, he’s surely told him that you have Lyrrekka and her court with you. I’d be surprised if he hadn’t thought of it himself.”

“Which means we’ll soon find out,” Lydia said. “All to the good. One way or another we need this sorted out.”

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