A quiet whine of a dragon escaped Hump’s pouch.

“Hush,” Hump whispered to Nishari.

She’d slept for a few hours while he perused the Daston library, but peace only lasted so long. While the room was mostly empty, servants still moved throughout the halls. The last thing he needed was for anyone to find out he had a dragon with him.

Bored. He didn’t exactly hear the word, so much as felt it. It overwhelmed him, and for a brief instant he was bored too.

“I know you’re bored,” he said quietly. “Give me a little while to finish up and we can go back to the House.”

She shifted inside her pouch, the leather bulging as she wriggled. He’d set her on the chair beside him as he read.

Hungry.

Hump sighed, placing his book on the table. The cover read: Jeffery Audston’s Secrets of Advanced Enchantment. It was an old journal, and not the first Hump had found throughout the library, all of them about as dull as each other. Turned out, as good as the Book of Infinite Pages was at storing information, when it came to books, he had to read them first.

It had been five busy days.

Tomorrow, he and his party were leaving Sheercliff, and they were splitting up. Hump tried to keep that from his mind and focus on getting the most out of the opportunity Countess Daston had granted him. A privilege few wizards in the kingdom could boast of, yet five days was all he had.

Five days of torture. He’d never done so much reading in his life. Spellbooks, guides on magic, enchanting technique, and potion making. Anything that might be useful to him now or in the future.

Nishari was less than helpful. He lifted the flap of her pouch, revealing the small head of the little dragon within. She had black scales like her mother, though hers were tipped with gold. Her purple eyes peered back at him, shining with essence and mischief. He couldn’t help but smile at that.

Excitement radiated from her. Play. Play. Play.

“Fine!” Hump declared.

She tried to barge her way out of the pouch, but he gently pressed her back.

“Not yet,” he said, using his other hand to lift up the bag, close the flap, and sling it over his shoulder. “We need to get back first.”

It was nearing the end of the afternoon anyway—time to call it a day.

There was a gathering in the main hall as Hump was on his way out. He watched from the upstairs balcony as nobles and Chosen and gods knew who else poured out from the meeting hall and left the building. Amongst them, he spotted Sir Roderick, Sir Isaac, and Francis Dordrel, the Sheercliff Guildmaster. Powerful people gathered in one place could only mean something important was being discussed.

None of my business, Hump thought. He’d rejected the count’s offer and would not be joining their service. A year ago, that would have been ridiculous, but with his promise to take the Dragon Keeper Trials he had no choice. It was time to go to Drakalyn.

He was nearly out the door when a familiar voice called him. “Wizard Humphrey!”

Countess Daston sat there, smiling at him. She held a letter in her hands, and from the way she watched him it was as if she knew he would be here.

“Countess Daston,” he greeted, approaching her.

The countess sat in a chair with wheels—something Graham and Vivienne had helped put together for her. It allowed her to move around using her essence now that she’d lost the use of her legs, though Hump still hadn’t gotten used to seeing her like this. Rarely were even Chosen healers unable to mend an ailment, but the stab through her torso had been no ordinary attack. Anthony had fuelled it with his power, and those effects would last.

“I’m glad I caught you,” she said. “I trust you received the Enchanters Quill?”

It had been delivered as promised—a quill made of gold, enchanted to distil one’s essence to write runes on objects.

“I did, thank you.”

“Perfect. I have a favour to ask you.”

She handed him the letter in her lap, and he turned it over to see the wax seal of the Dastons.

“What is it?”

“You are bound for Drakalyn, are you not?” she asked.

Hump stared at her, not knowing what to say. He’d not mentioned the trials to her, and he was sure that Marcela had not either. Once more, she’d shocked him with the breadth of her knowledge. Sometimes he wondered if there was anything in the kingdom she didn’t hear of, and now he wondered just how far her influence stretched.

“Don’t look at me like that,” she said. “I am familiar with Goddess Owalyn, it was not difficult to piece together where you might be heading. This letter is for the people of Drakalyn. Times are changing. The Fallen Lands are growing more powerful, and even with the help of a goddess, they can’t resist them alone.”

“You’re proposing an alliance to Celaine’s people?” Hump asked.

“I’m extending an offer of open communication to the Dragon Keepers. Whether they accept, I do not know.”

“I didn’t think Chosen dealt with gods from beyond the Pantheon,” Hump said.

“They do not.”

She didn’t elaborate, so either this was something she’d done of her own accord, or perhaps Imira herself didn’t agree with the direction of the Pantheon. It was impossible to guess, and in the end, Hump decided he didn’t care. Chosen, gods, the Pantheon—he wanted no trouble from any of them.

“If I bump into these, Dragon Keepers, I’ll be sure to deliver the letter.”

She laughed at that. “I shall be sorry to see you go, Wizard Humphrey. Our offer still stands, you know. If you and your party change your mind, you shall always have a place in our service.”

“My thanks, my lady. If I did not have business elsewhere, I think I would take you up on that offer.”

She glanced at his pouch, her eyes gleaming. He wondered what the eyes of Imira’s Chosen saw. “Business indeed. I envy you a little. All these new Chosen in the city are a nightmare. Everyone wants accommodation fitting of their status. You’d think they were oblivious to the destruction.”

Hump hesitated, not sure how to respond to something regarding such powerful people. He’d noticed their presence though. Even the Upper City was busy these days. More adventurers were arriving in the city every day, eager to partake in the upcoming dungeon dives. Entire cohorts of Chosen had come on orders of King Henry, and it only made sense that residence in the Upper City was expected by such prestigious guests.

The price of essence stones was soaring, along with every other item an adventurer might need. Usually, that would have been a problem for Hump, but it turned out having a Countess' favour was useful for many things. He and the others had stocked up on everything they’d need for their trip.

“How are preparations going?” Hump asked, trying to steer the conversation back to something a little less dangerous.

“Our first expedition leaves to the Telvar Mines in three days. Winter is breaking, and I predict that the weather shall be on our side. Only time will tell the true outcome.”

“I don’t suppose you’ve foreseen good weather on my upcoming trip?” Hump asked, grinning.

She laughed. “I’m afraid I can see little of your future now. You are going too far from the events of Sheercliff. At least for now.”

“I guess I’ll have to keep my fingers crossed then.”

She nodded. “Do be careful out there. I cannot see what path lays ahead of you, but I get the sense you are caught up in something dangerous. Tread carefully, for I would not like to see our White Flame extinguished.”

***

Hump tilted his face upward and closed his eyes, relishing in the sun. His head was pounding after a night of drinking with the rest of his party along with Vivienne, playing with Nishari, and reminiscing about their adventures.

It had been a good night to end things on, but the morning not so much.

Dylan rode ahead of him, the druid annoyingly comfortable, once again not plagued by hangovers like the rest of them. Even more aggravating was Nishari in his lap. She’d taken a liking to Dylan. They were beyond the city walls now, and the road was empty enough for Nisha to stretch her wings and sit out in the sun. A hundred or so paces ahead of them, the convoy heading to the Blackthorne Manor awaited them, waiting at a fork in the road that Hump knew was coming.

“I still can’t believe you have an actual dragon,” Emilia said, hardly able to take her eyes off Nisha.

“I can’t believe she’s sticking to Dylan,” Hump said glumly.

Celaine laughed. “It’s a good thing. Wolf dragons are social creatures, it’s important for them to form bonds throughout the pack, as well as their bonded.”

Dylan lifted the little dragon up in the air, his hands under her front legs so that she faced him. Her forked tongue flickered out and he smiled. “I just can’t believe we’re going our separate ways just a few days after she hatched. I’d have loved to spend more time with her.”

“She’s doing well,” Celaine said happily. She’d been smiling almost constantly since Nishari had hatched. “She’s healthy, and the gold is an unusual tint for a wolf dragon. She’ll be gorgeous when she’s older.”

“She’s already gorgeous,” Dylan said, rubbing his nose against hers.

“Right!” Hump said, squeezing his heels and urging Prancer forward. “Give her back!”

Dylan grinned at Hump, holding out an arm that Nisha ran along and hopped toward Hump, gliding the distance. He caught her in his lap.

“Bye Nisha,” Dylan said, waving, then his smile widened as he looked at Hump. “I’m going to miss your fits of jealousy. You’re like a brooding mother.”

Hump glared at the druid, far too tired and hungover to come up with a witty reply.

“When will she start breathing fire?” Bud asked.

“At least a few months,” Celaine said. “Their throats need to develop so that they’re strong enough that they don’t burn themselves. We should be in Drakalyn by then.”

“Just be cautious,” Vivienne said. “The Charred Heights are rarely travelled for a reason. Those mountains are dangerous.”

“Vamir and I made it out without much trouble,” Celaine said. “Supposedly, Hump’s now stronger than Vamir, seeing as he’s manifested his soul. Something I’m sure he’ll be pleased to hear.”

Hump laughed at that. He couldn’t wait to see the look on the man’s face. Vamir would never have guessed how far he’d come since Bledsbury Dungeon. How far they’d all come.

“Even so, it’s a dangerous road,” Vivienne continued. “Alveron is on high alert, and two adventurers travelling toward the Fallen Lands will draw attention. Keep a low profile.”

“Relax, Vivi,” Hump said casually. “We’ll be fine. Don’t forget I grew up doing this. The road is what I’m used to, dangerous or not.”

Vivienne pressed her lips together and hummed. “You’re right. You’ll both be fine, I’m sure of it. Do not forget your soul training. Veiling your soul will be even more important in the Fallen Lands.”

They were nearing the convoy now, and Hump sent a mental note to Nisha to get inside her pouch. She crawled inside sluggishly, and he closed the flap. From here, he could see the funeral wagon that carried Bud’s cousin, Arthur’s body.

Henrietta led what remained of the Blackthorne knights, and whatever warmth she’d had for Bud seemed to have vanished. She stared at him with icy eyes. They blamed Bud for Arthur’s death, and that of their other party member.

“It’s time,” Bud said, sighing.

The six of them dismounted.

“How are you feeling?” Hump asked.

“I’m ready to go back,” Bud said. “It’s been a long time.”

“Your father’s going to be shocked when he realises you’ve returned with the fiancée you ran away from,” Hump said, chuckling.

“Yes, well, I’m not the same person I was when I left,” Bud said. “This time, things will be different.”

Hump nodded. “They will be.”

They hugged it out, then stepped back from each other. They each said their goodbyes, and then Hump, Celaine, and Vivienne mounted their horses once more.

“Good luck to all of you,” Vivienne said. “Dylan, take care of yourself. Send letters.”

“I will,” Dylan said.

She smiled, then turned her horse and rode back toward Sheercliff, where she would be staying on in Countess Daston’s service. Hump stared at the city. It seemed strange to see the cliff without Osidium’s face sculpted in the stone. In its place, the clean cut made by Anthony remained. Hump would miss it, and he would miss his friends.

“Right,” Hump said, looking down at his three companions—former companions. “We best be on our way before we lose the morning.”

A knot twisted in his stomach; his throat tightened up. He didn’t want to go, but his own task awaited him. Drakalyn and the Dragon Keeper Trials. The Fallen Lands.

“Goodbye Hump,” Dylan said. “We will meet again.”

“Stay safe, both of you,” Emilia added.

Celaine smiled. “And you. Take care of each other.”

“If you are in trouble, you know where to find me,” Bud said. “I’ll keep an update at the Blackthorne Manor and with Countess Daston if my situation ever changes. When this is over, we’ll continue our adventure.”

“That we will,” Hump said.

Bud reached up and Hump clasped his hand, and then Hump turned Prancer and followed the road north.

“Gods be with you,” Bud called.

“I’d rather they stay with you,” Hump called, not turning back, waving over his shoulder.