The palace was in chaos. The Dragon Gem was missing and, much to Somwang’s horror and confusion, all evidence pointed to Lynn having taken it. Scores of soldiers had been sent to all corners of Kumandra to search for where the gem had been taken, meanwhile back at the palace, all the leaders of the regions had gathered to discuss how the situation should be handled, even the dragons had come.

Somwang sat outside the war room, pacing back and forth. This whole thing was impossible, Lynn stealing the Dragon Gem? It just didn’t make sense, and yet it was the only answer.

The previous day’s banquet had been drugged, causing the whole of the palace to fall into a deep sleep, except Lynn and Somwang, who had eaten a separate meal. Lynn had drugged the whole palace, to steal the Dragon Gem.

The doors came open, and the leaders began to leave, executing whatever plans they had settled on. Somwang stepped to the side, searching the small crowd for Namaari. Spying her undercut among the heads, Somwang made after her.

“Namaari!” Somwang called, once they were away from the other leaders. “Namaari what’s going to be done? What’s going to happen?”

Namaari turned to her friend, a scowl on her face. “We’re going to find the thief, and we’re going to execute her.”

Somwang gasped, “Do they still think it’s Lynn?”

Namaari rolled her eyes, “Your report was clear, Somwang. The two of you were awake last night while everyone else was drugged, she started acting weird, yelled something about the gem, and left for the temple. Now both she and the gem are gone. Of course we think it was her, because it was her.”

Somwang’s shoulders sank, she had hoped the leaders would come to another conclusion. “Namaari, I know Lynn, she would never do something like this.”

Namaari scowled and kept walking, “You only recently met her, perhaps she’s not what you thought. You were with her last, did she say anything else? Anything that might help us find her.”

That comment stung, Somwang was used to Namaari’s comments being hurtful in some way, but that one hurt especially. “No, just that she had a terrible sense of dread. She said she saw something behind me before she ran off.”

Namaari nodded, “It must’ve been a signal. She had co-conspirators. Then that must’ve been them that were spotted riding on horse-back towards Talon. The chiefs must be informed. Thank you Somwang.” Namaari hurried off.

“Namaari wait!” Somwang called, but it fell on deaf ears. “This is all wrong.” I just don’t know how.