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Chapter Sixteen

Part Four

“So who are we going to send on the rescue mission?” Karen asked after her parents had finished telling her what had happened while she was unconscious. As she spoke, summoned and dispelled light in her left hand, trying to get some control over her new power level. It wasn’t easy, the light kept flaring brighter than she expected. Matthias flinched noticably at the brightness of the light, so she closed her fist and extinguished it. “Sorry, dad. I should have thought how it would effect you.” She picked up her empty mug and waved it at him. “Could I have another?”

“Of course you can. And please, carry on. It’s only mildly annoying and you do need the practice.” He took her mug and began to heat some more milk. “But is that all you’ve got to say?”

“For now,” she said. “I need some time to digest the rest. I’m sure that I’ll have lots to say once I have.” She returned to opening and closing her hand. “So, rescue party?”

“Well Sonia’s still not well enough,” he said hesitantly. Sonia made a protesting noise and he glared at her. “You’re not. Ask the dryads if you think I’m being over protective. Besides, we need you here.” He tutted for a moment. “Sarah needs to guard Mela, Lucas is starting to try and wean some of Jayden’s dupes away from him. And no one knows where Anthony is, of course.”

“From what Sarah told me, I’m not surprised he’s dropped off the radar,” Sonia said. “But I bet she could contact him.”

“She probably could, and he’d probably come as well. But even if we did send for him he’d have to argue with Drew over the Ice heart bracelet unless Halia can enlighten us as to how to do without it.”

Halia shook her head. “It’s possible but I don’t know how. You could ask my mother.”

“I think I will,” he said. “And I need to keep an eye on Jayden. I should probably go back to Elapyron for a while soon. It might slow him down.”

“And you all have to be on call  to defend Waldhafen as well,” Karen sighed. “That leaves us and Jason. This is not good timing. Dan will probably go through his maturity tomorrow if what you said about the timing is right, but Drew…” She trailed off and scowled. “That could be really awkward if it happens while we’re on the mission.”

“Well you shouldn’t have to fight,” Halia said before Matthias could speak. “And Ilona will be able to handle it if he collapses, but having scanned him I’d say that you have at least a week before he tips. That thing Emms is building really did a number on him. The Life Warrior was right to think that it set him back quite a way, and his current confusion isn’t helping either.”

“I noticed that,” Matthias sighed as popped the refilled mug down in front of Karen. “I should have done more to nudge him into thinking about the inconsistencies in my story.”

“What? Like jumping up and down in front of him while waving a banner which said ‘this makes no sense’ when you were talking about it, you mean?” Karen asked. “Because I’m not sure that would have worked either. When Drew gets an idea in his skull, he’s stubborn about relinquishing it. Even now that he knows you were lying I think he still half believes it.”

Sonia made a strangled laughing sound. “She’s right, Matt. He took in my little history lesson but he’s still dubious, and I remember how long it took to convince him that Santa wasn’t real. It’s not your fault. You signposted the ridiculousness of it perfectly, it’s just that Drew wasn’t listening. The other three all got it. If you’d been any more blatant it would have been clear that you knew it was nonsense as well.”

“Which would have defeated the object,” he conceded. “But still, why is he so-”

“Drew’s as bright as any of us, dad,” Karen interrupted. “He wanted it to be true, so on some level he chose to ignore the inconsistencies.” She sipped at her milk. “But I’m right, aren’t I. You want Jason and us to go.”

“I wouldn’t say want,” he sighed. “But I don’t see much choice. I think you’ll need to leave tomorrow evening – hopefully Daniel will be okay to go with you. If not it’ll just be you, Lyd and Drew.”

“Hmmm,” Karen pulled a thoughtful face. “Hopefully. Where is he, by the way? It’s still dark so he can’t have gone to bed yet.”

“He was feeling restless and irritable,” Matthias said. “So he and Ebona went out for a gallop to clear his head.”

PLEASE DON’T FORGET TO VOTE FOR THE DRAGON WARS SAGA ON TOP WEB FICTION!

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