Karla looked surprised then very deliberately, shrugged. “Everyone has lied at least once.” She said, feigning a lack of concern. She looked nervous, but the gem did not stop glowing blue.

“What has the dragon lied about?” Rueban asked, pressing the issue.

Karla frowned at the red robed man, then shook her head, she didn’t need to fear this man, she could be brave for Rex’s sake. “I believe him when he said that he didn’t break your gem, that’s the truth!” She said holding up the blue glowing gem. “If you want to see if he was telling the truth, why not let him touch this gem and then nod or shake his head when you ask him if he broke it?” The catgirl asked defiantly.

“That seems fair,” Able said, thinking It was a reasonable suggestion.

“I don't want to risk another gem,” Rueban objected.

“Well why not let me cast an analysis spell on the broken gem?” Leonard asked, stretching out a hand towards the broken PDC.

Rueban and Blake exchanged a look. This wasn’t going as they had planned. Frustrated, Blake blurted out, “What about your ability to talk to dragons, isn’t that a lie?!”

Karla froze up. She’d already been suspecting that this was what they were aiming for, but didn’t expect the question to simply be asked like that. “What do you mean?” Karla hedged, “I can speak to him.” but her pale face was a sign that she was trying to hide something.

“I heard you that other day,” Blake said, standing up to loom above Karla.

“Stop.” Rex said out loud. Idea had been busy, building a speaker in Rex’s voicebox that finally allowed him to speak out loud. He’s started working on it as soon as the duo guessed that this was all some elaborate trap. Putting one clawed finger on the gem in Karla’s hand, Rex spoke again, his voice clear, “The truth is I can speak. Before, I made it so only Karla could hear me, now, you can all hear me. That gem was flawed, I didn’t break it, it broke on its own.” The gem did not stop glowing blue.

Karla looked shocked, then relieved, and then a little sad as she realized that she’d no longer be the only one who could talk to Rex. She gave the dragon a one armed hug while still holding the blue gem with the other hand.

But Rex’s glaze was unwavering, even as Karla held him, he stared at Blake in cold fury. Blake could see his plans to discredit Karla falling apart. But maybe he could still salvage this? “So you lied to everyone and she helped you hide the truth?” Blake said, turning his accusation towards the dragon.

“I didn’t trust you, I was right, you spied on us.” Rex countered.

Blake was struck speechless by fury, but couldn’t think what to say.

"Were you spying on them before or after you hit her?" Eric asked angrily, also standing up to face Blake, his fists at his side. "Just leave them alone!" He told the stablemaster.

“I’d already guessed that whatever magic allowed Karla to speak to Rex was not her,” Leonard commented softly, picking up the PDC. “I wasn’t sure, but since “dragon speaking” skill didn’t show up when she touched the temple’s PDC, and I couldn’t detect any trace of magic when she spoke to Rex. I could only conclude that it was Rex’s strange undetectable magic at work. I am a little disappointed that they didn’t trust me with the truth, but I don’t see the harm in a little secret between friends. What I do see the harm in, is an enchanter who is trying to blame a dragon for breaking an already flawed gem.” Leonard said gravely.

“That gem wasn’t flawed,” Rueban objected, “It was a valuable commodity that has been ruined. The dragon might think he did nothing wrong, but I…”

“Perhaps you should hold your own truth gem and say that again?” Leonard asked the red robed man, holding the broken PDC in his hand as he performed the analysis spell with the other, “Because my spell suggests this gem had been repaired with a mend spell. Any enchanter would know such a repair can’t but fail the next time it is used.”

Rueban’s mouth snapped shut, but surprisingly he did reach out and take the blue gem from Karla’s hand. Then he put it away in his pouch. “Well, this is embarrassing, I have just recalled, that perhaps yes, that PDC might not have been in perfect condition. I bought it from a disreputable source, so I will go ahead and accept this loss. I apologize for this, um, you make keep that broken gem if you’d like. But perhaps, you would be interested in buying my truth gem? I think we’ve established how useful it could be...”

“I think I’ve heard enough for today,” the duke said, frowning. “You may leave, Rueban.” He dismissed the enchanter, who bowed in acceptance.

But before he left the room, he turned slightly and told Rex, “I think you’ve proven yourself quite interesting, little dragon. I suspect we will meet again.”

When Rueban was gone, the duke cleared his throat, “Blake, I trust you are satisfied with this? My son told you to leave the catgirl alone, I’m repeating the order. You worry about the other dragons, from now on, Karla is Eric’s, not yours, to command. You may also leave, Blake.”

Defeated, Blake nodded, “Yes duke,” then left, not before shooting a venomous glare at Rex and Karla. This wasn’t going to be the end of it, Blake promised himself, this was only one battle lost.