Kotta was still exploring on his own. That left Selen and Vonn to putter around town, talking about a fire last year and the public execution that followed. "The assumptions are so different here," Vonn said.

"These things were normal not so long ago." Selen led the way up the Two Hoots' staircase so they could hang out in her room and relax. "I have friends now, people who're working hard to keep up with me. Seems like that's happening with your circle in the south, too; we're all pulling ahead of the average for our age."

"We'll get the new guy set up to start being amazing at whatever it is he does. I was laughing earlier about how jaded I am. It was special when I got your first letter."

Selen chirped and ruffled Vonn's ears. "I jumped up on a table full of food and shouted at this guy. 'Where did you hear that story!?'"

Vonn tilted his head and rubbed his muzzle up against Selen's arm feathers. "Don't let the Duke dictate to you, okay? If it gets bad, run south and I'll try to help. We have a ton of work to do to repay what we've been given."

Then Selen was on his lap, her wing-arms around him, and his chin rested on her shoulder. Her beak tickled his neck. She had nothing to say. It was enough to sit like that for a little while, eyes closed, feeling her slight feathery weight close by.

#

Late that afternoon, Vonn and Kotta left town on a downstream boat. The Kobold had been slumming and now had a bruise on one arm and a few cracked scales on his jaw. "Told the wrong story for the audience," he explained.

"War related?" The flatboat wasn't private, but there was enough free space to speak quietly.

"Yes. It was about Urika's smithing and the Summerbreath Scale. They were on our side, but this group didn't want to hear it."

Vonn caught Kotta up on the Knowledge Society situation, while healing him a bit. Kotta said, "You're lucky it's a snooty high-class group or they might've beat you up too. They sound scared and you're a weird outsider."

"But I'm a junior member, and they're listening to me."

"Look at you. How were they dressed, compared to you? Did you notice their accent and their slang?"

Vonn hadn't worn his tie-dye shirt, just plain village clothes. "I guess I could fit in better."

The Kobold watched the river go by, passing another village that stank of a leather tannery. "We're back to the more physical kind of danger, soon. I don't feel ready for a fifth level of Bard."

"What will you do for it?"

"You... aren't a believer in what Selen explained to me, are you?"

"No, but she and I -- and Polestar, now -- all know that something supernatural happened to us. Some of my heroes said that those beliefs are useful to society, and that the truth of them is a separate question. That's kind of my attitude, that the stories have power. But Selen was chosen too, and she takes it farther."

Kotta nodded. "I was a cowardly lizard in the city. Didn't speak of these things, in a place where I'm suspect already. But I do want to tell people. You know the songs and stories of her religion, don't you?"

"Some. You don't understand that other-world culture without them."

"You should take up the Music skill yourself. It's hard listening to you trying to hum things." Kotta sighed. "I should be glad for whatever I can get from you three."

"Ha, I'll add music to my to-do list."

Kotta met his eyes with a stern expression. "I'm serious. The Dragons speak through you. If you have some bit of their essence, you should try to have no barrier to telling it. Just like the world map drawing, I might get a clearer picture from having all three of you tell me what you can."

Vonn nodded reluctantly, feeling overburdened. "There's something else you should know. When we spoke to Polestar... well, so much has been going on that I haven't pressed for details yet. But he said something hinting that there was one more of us."

"They've met?"

"No. Remember that I mentioned being offered one of seven lives to live? Selen said she saw six, the same set minus me. Polestar said four."

"Then he can tell us where to look for another?"

"Or at least which role."

#

The boat arrived late one morning. Vonn stumbled ashore, grumbling about the bumpy ride and the fog and a damp blanket. The village's dock district was its usual seedy self, hosting small-time traders and traveling workmen. Vonn and Kotta immediately got dragged into a river cleanup operation he wasn't ready for.

Dad spotted him while he was trying to prepare his wind gun for any combat. "How did it go?" he asked quietly. His squad was scouring the river with keen eyes and spells that slapped the water.

"We met the Duke. Selen and I anyway. He was grateful to us, sort of. Didn't say anything about sending us help, though."

"At least you're back."

"Made a little money from trading, too. Oh, our Baron! Where is he? He has orders to contain and maybe destroy the core."

"He went home but his son is across the river, joining us in today's work."

Another crew on the far bank was also checking the water for the usual dangerous logs as well as monsters. As Vonn watched, they found some. A trio of scaly green beasts erupted from the riverbank, goaded by a daring Aves in a canoe. People there were ready with spears.

Vonn said, "Uh, shouldn't we go help?"

"Bridge is too far off. Unless you brought another flying machine."

One of the beaters on their own side got the attention of another critter. Must've been a nest. Now Vonn had a chomper to fight, a small one. It gnashed its long jaws at the gang of riverfolk. Vonn tapped the spear of the nearest man to make its point glow white with frost, then did the same to his gun. They both backed off, though, trying to lure it onto land.

Vonn couldn't get a safe shot. This beast was only wolf-sized at least. With shouts and feints his group flanked it and struck. All Vonn could do was keep charging people's weapons until he remembered how to fling a frost spell at a nearby patch of ground. A bit of the muddy earth beneath the gulper glowed, distracting it. No ice like Vonn had planned but it gave somebody an opening to stab. The team rushed in and killed the monster in a few more seconds.

Meanwhile, across the river, young Brightstep was working with the town Geomancer to set up wards that penned the chompers. Kotta was over there too, playing defense with a club. Vonn started to head toward the bridge but Dad stopped him, saying, "We're still on duty on this side. Don't over-extend."

It looked like the other party had the upper hand and wasn't calling for aid, so Vonn shrugged and joined in with the effort to keep searching along this bank. He double-taked at the wards, though. He couldn't see the magic of them, but caught sight of how the Geomancer operated: a certain way of twisting carved stakes into the ground, reminding Vonn of how his existing spells worked. Even at a far distance it was helpful to watch him.