Gersius lay awake clutching the sleeping Lilly to his chest as his mind found no peace. So much had happened in the last few days that he found the weight of it crushing. He had never fully understood how large a role Lilly played in his life until she was beyond his reach. Now she was back, and he felt he had to protect her from the world and its terrible truths. Lilly had learned firsthand how single-minded some people could be and how they could be so absolutely convinced they were right. She had learned that the Doan did what they did because that was how it was always done. They were right simply because they wanted to be right, and no amount of pleading or logic would sway them.

Lilly was hurt by what she considered a betrayal. She was certain the wise ones respected her and were open to discussing the possibility of a better course of action. Not only had they been false with her, but they knew she could see their lies. They couched everything they said in truths that could not be tested and arranged situations to force their own hands. Lilly believed she had no choice but to submit to being collared and then married because they played their game so expertly. Now she had come away with a hard lesson in true deceit and the depths some would go to gain an advantage.

Yet, in all that darkness, a great ray of light had shone forth. Not only had Lilly found his missing sister, but she also recovered Rose. It was impossible to describe the profound impact of Rose's arrival on Sarah and how deeply the dragon's pain ran. Her daughter coming home was the greatest gift anyone could give her, and she lay all that gratitude at Lilly's feet.

Ayawa was grateful for Lilly opening the way for her to learn how to walk with the winds, and in doing so, she also opened the way for Tavis to train with Sarah. It was Lilly who risked her life to save her family, the army, and the empire, all because she loved them. Her achievements were beyond reckoning, yet she only wanted to be in her husband's arms.

Of all the things that had happened while she was away, the marriage to a Doan man had caused her the most pain. She was ashamed of what happened and pleaded with Gersius to forgive her. He did his best to assure her that she had done nothing wrong. Sophia was quick to her defense, pointing out that this was a manipulation of the wise ones. Lilly was slowly being spun into a trap meant to poison Gersius’s heart and drive the empire into despair.

In the end, what soothed Lilly's heart was making love to her. It was slow, passionate, and full of tears as she clung to him, whispering that she was sorry. He didn't know how to make her understand that she didn't need his forgiveness, but when the moment came, she finally let go. He supposed it was a part of her dragon nature that still lurked beneath that delicate exterior. The act of mating was like a ritual to Lilly, and the man she mated with was her keeper.

He felt all her pain melt away when she was fully bred, and her eyes suddenly became heavy. She begged him to sleep with her and keep her safe, so he settled beside her and pulled her tight. Now she was asleep and dreaming of the day he bought her first dress and how she spun in the window to use it as a mirror.

“She’s finally settled,” Thayle said as she crawled into bed beside him.

“I have never known her to be so upset,” Gersius said as he stroked Lilly’s side. “She honestly believes she has betrayed me.”

“She can't accept the idea that anyone but you can claim to be her husband,” Thayle replied, snuggling into his back. “I will talk with her in the morning and explain that this marriage was just another trap. It holds no weight on her or our hearts, and no one will recognize it.”

“I think it is because this man turned out to be noble that bothers her the most,” Gersius replied. “The wise ones had intended for her to marry that other man, but she was rescued by Hurrock.”

“Who didn’t take advantage of her in any way,” Thayle reminded. “Well, except that one kiss.”

“I admit the kiss bothers me,” Gersius said. “But I know Lilly would never betray us.”

“She can't betray us,” Thayle laughed. “We share a soul, and she can't do anything without us knowing about it. Besides, that very fact proves that no man can claim her hand while you still live. You are the man in this union of souls, and so long as you draw breath, none of us can acknowledge another man.”

Gersius knew that was true and hoped Lilly would be better when she woke in the morning. He turned his attention to Sarah and asked how that was going. Thayle had been spending most of the night with the two dragons as mother and daughter tried to come to some understanding.

“Rose is hurting,” Thayle said. “She has finally begun to see that everything she believes in might be a lie. She is also feeling genuine love for her mother, and that pain is twisting inside. She has no idea what to do with it or how to express it.”

“Lilly was the same,” Gersius said as he held the blue-haired beauty close. “She was terrible when she finally started to feel it.”

“It was terrible that it happened in the middle of that awful revelation,” Thayle said. “Just as she's starting to understand she loves you, you go and claim sole responsibility for her wings.”

“I was responsible,” Gersius insisted.

“You stubborn man,” Thayle groaned. “What am I going to do with you? You were lied to and betrayed by the leaders of your holy order. Nobody could have expected the men you should have been able to trust your life and soul with to turn on you. They are responsible for what happened, but in the end, it all worked out for the better. That terrible moment of pain is why Lilly is so hopelessly inseparable from you. It was the fire that forged a bond between you two that nothing can break.”

Gersius could only agree as he knew she would not tolerate any other action. She was right, but he still felt guilty for what happened. Just as Lilly was not to blame for Hurrock, she still felt guilt over it. He closed his eyes as gentle hands came to his neck, and Thayle put her skill at massage to use. She rubbed and caressed to drive away the worry, helping him relax.

“Close your eyes and sleep with your wife,” Thayle urged. “All your worries can wait until morning.”

He wasn't sure when he slipped into blissful sleep, but Lilly was still in his arms when he woke. She was awake and smiling as she stared across his chest at Thayle, the two holding hands and playing with their fingers.

“There he is,” Thayle said as he lifted his head. “Our husband is finally awake.”

“How late is it?” he asked as he noticed the sunlight.

“It’s still early,” Thayle insisted and pushed him down. “Now lay back and keep your wives warm.”

“Where is Sarah?” he asked while reaching over the bind. He could feel her nearby, her emotions somewhat frayed but filled with joy.

“She probably spent the night talking with her daughter,” Thayle said.

“Our daughter,” Lilly insisted before leaning in close enough to kiss his cheek. “You will have three children soon.”

“Rose is old enough to be your mother,” Gersius replied, then paused to think. “How old is your mother, anyway?”

“I don't know,” Lilly said with a shrug. “She's older than Sarah, for sure.”

“But Sarah say’s she can’t find any dragons of that age in the dream,” Thayle said.

“Then maybe my mother is awake,” Lilly said, rubbing her cheek on Gersius’s chest. “I miss her. I wish I could talk to her like Rose is talking to Sarah. I know she could make it better.”

“You have nothing to make better,” Gersius said as he put an arm around her back. “You are my dragon, and I own your soul. No man can take that from me.”

“Hmm,” Lilly said with a pleased smile. “I like it when you say I am your dragon.”

“I have failed to convince her she isn't your possession,” Thayle grumbled. “So keep her; she is yours.”

“And I own you,” Lilly said, reaching out to tap Thayle's nose. “My little dragon treasure.”

“We should get up and see to the camp,” Gersius said, but Thayle didn't budge, and Lilly crawled over him to hold him down.

“Alayse is in command of the army,” Thayle pointed out. “I am sure she doesn’t need your help managing the camp.”

“Besides, I need you,” Lilly said innocently with sad eyes.

“You taught her that,” Gersius said as he turned his gaze on Thayle.

“I most certainly did,” Thayle laughed. “She picks up those lessons easily.”

“Are you three still in bed?” Sarah’s voice echoed in their heads.

Gersius smirked at Thayle as she complained their snuggle time was going to end. He then focused his voice into the bind and replied that his wives would not let him leave.

“Oh, now he’s telling on us,” Thayle said as Lilly smiled.

“You two minxes get your butts out of bed before I come in there and drag you out,” Sarah snapped. “I want you dressed and in the yard in ten minutes.”

“And the day begins,” Thayle sighed as she rolled out of bed.

“It feels good to have Sarah in charge,” Lilly said.

“That’s because you like having somebody to tell you what to do,” Thayle argued. “I think our husband trained you to be that way.”

“I did no such thing,” Gersius said defensively. “I treated her with respect at every step of our journey.”

“I am sure you did,” Thayle replied sarcastically as she went for a dress. She helped Lilly into her green traveling dress because she insisted on wearing it, then donned a black one for herself.

Gersius watched them dress and play, sharing a kiss full of smiles. It was almost as if the pain of yesterday had been washed away, but he could still feel lingering guilt from Lilly. He dressed and joined them outside, where they stopped to inspect the egg. Thayle bent down and kissed it gently before rubbing the side and promising the child it would be loved. They then followed the pull of Sarah to the outer yard, where Shadros stood in his dragon form with Mingfe beside him. Sarah and Rose were facing one another, with mother towering over daughter as the two discussed something.

“Are you two here for a reason?” Thayle asked as they got close.

“Alayse has asked me to be on hand for any intelligence the dragon might share,” Mingfe replied. “And she thought Shadros’s presence might make her more relaxed.”

“That’s unusual logic coming from Alayse,” Thayle replied.

“Perhaps Jessivel is tempering her aggressive nature,” Gersius suggested.

“I have no idea what he sees in her,” Thayle grumbled.

“He sees a woman who wants to be loved,” Lilly replied, taking her hand as they walked the distance to where mother and daughter were debating.

“Oh, good, you’re finally here,” Sarah quipped. “We have much to discuss.”

“We heard your summons,” Thayle said with a smirk.

“Don't you take that sassy tone with me,” Sarah commanded as she looked down at Thayle. “We have been given a tremendous gift, and you three need to be here to hear it.”

“Hear what?” Gersius asked as Sarah turned her gaze on Rose.

The younger dragon sighed and looked away as her aura flared with turmoil. He realized Rose had insight into the enemy's plans, and her current doubt left her questioning them.

“The Gorromogoth has been trying to keep you preoccupied,” she said at last.

“Preoccupied?” Thayle said. “I thought he needed to be in Calathen?”

“He has perpetuated that story for his own gain,” Rose replied. “Since our last encounter, I have questioned some of my beliefs. I went to the source of our order and confronted the ones most directly involved. They were not pleased by my questions, but I learned enough to know I was wrong about their plans.”

“So do you know what they do plan?” Gersius asked.

“I know what they dared to tell me,” Rose replied. “It all has to do with the moons and the eclipse that is soon to come. Everything that has happened has been a distraction to keep you from what he plans to do on that night.”

Gersius could see her light, and that she believed she was telling the truth. He now realized that her masters had been lying to her so that when she repeated their lies, she would believe them and thus be seen as truthful. The question now was, were her new beliefs more lies, or had she finally gotten the truth?

“Why is that night so important?” Gersius asked.

“That I don't know,” Rose said as she looked away. “All I know is that night is what all this is about. This war and everything involved has been one large plan to keep you from interfering with that night. It's all about keeping you convinced the true objective is the Doan conquest of the empire. By the time you realize the true danger, it will be too late.”

“So all of this has been a deception?” Thayle gasped.

“Which can only mean that what our enemy is planning must be of great importance,” Mingfe cut in.

“But there has to be more,” Gersius insisted. “Now we know it is all about a single event, but what motive is behind it.”

“It has something to do with Solesta,” Rose replied. “We were told they planned to bring her back.”

“Can that even be done?” Lilly asked. “Balisha has never said anything, even remotely hinting at that.”

“I do not believe it can be done,” Gersius replied but then had to consider all they knew. “However, we also cannot overlook what our enemy has achieved. They know how to both manipulate and block divine power. They were able to cut tens of thousands of women off from Ulustrah and lay traps that could rob a dragon of its might. They bound the seals to their will and diverted their divine power to the unworthy. We cannot simply dismiss this out of hand.”

“We also have to consider the fact that we witnessed a resurrection,” Thayle reminded. “Lilly brought Gersius back from the dead. So we know it's possible.”

“But if they did plan to bring Solesta back, how would they do it?” Sarah asked. “She was a divine, not a mortal being. It isn’t like they have a body to resurrect, as Lilly did.”

“And I used two dragon hoards to do it,” Lilly added. “I assume bringing a divine back would require much more.”

“It still doesn’t make sense,” Thayle agreed.

“No,” Gersius agreed as he tried to work through the things he did know. “Rose, why are they stripping the lands they capture of their people?”

“To mine,” Rose replied. “There are vast supplies of gold in the western mountains. The Gorromogoth has all the people he can capture set to mining it. All I know is that it is important to his plan. The people are as well. He needs them to be there when his plan comes about.”

“He needs witnesses?” Thayle asked incredulously.

“No, he needs sacrifices,” Gersius replied as he thought it through. “He is doing what we did on our march. Amassing all the wealth he can to use in one single moment.”

“Like we did to shatter the gates,” Lilly said.

“Exactly,” Gersius replied. “All of this is building to something related to Solesta, but we cannot forget that the dragons we battled over the seals mocked the plan the resurrect her. They said the plan was to replace her.”

“I heard some rumors to that effect,” Rose agreed and lowered her head. “I took your human form so that I could sneak closer to a conversation I was not welcomed to. I heard the one you know as Carrigara say that the day the queen would be replaced was coming.”

“So, they don't plan to resurrect her. They plan to replace her with a new divine,” Sarah said.

“And they are gathering wealth, people, and artifacts to do it,” Lilly said, then turned to Sarah. “You don't think they can use the people to power such a thing?”

“You mean consume them like we do the magic in the metals?” Sarah asked as she took on a dark look. “I want to say no, but our enemies display a vast knowledge of the dark magics. We know they have used shadow marks and can twist the natural flow of powers. We also know that our human companions can draw on our power, so perhaps there is a way to draw in the other direction.”

“They really are going to be sacrificed,” Thayle gasped. “To help power whatever they plan to do during the eclipse.”

“Which takes place in just over two months,” Mingfe pointed out.

“We need to convene a meeting with Alayse and all the leadership to inform them of all we have learned,” Gersius said, then looked at Rose, whose aura was in flux. “You have done us a great service, Rose. You will be recognized as a hero of the empire.”

“I don't want recognition,” Rose replied as her aura filled with pain. “I want to know what I am doing is right. My whole life, I have been told that if Balisha ever returned, the dragons would die out. Now she is returning, and I see dragons mixing with humans and producing eggs. This is exactly what I was told to fear, and yet I see something in you that I cannot explain. It doesn't look like the danger I was told it was, and no one else around you seems to fear it. I know I have been lied to by those above me, but I do not know to what extent. Perhaps the parts about Balisha are true, and only their plan to fix it is a lie? I don't know what to do, and I don't know who to believe. All I know is my fear and the dread that I will help wipe out our kind.”

“Such is the trap I found myself in when this all began,” Gersius replied. “I thought I knew the truth and set out to find a dragon to stop the Doan. I had no plans to fight as a champion of the divines or battle a great dragon overlord. I only knew what I was raised to believe for years and did the best I could. But then I discovered my masters were lying and manipulating events around me to keep me in darkness. I, too, had to question what to do and what to believe, and for a while, I was lost.” he turned to Lilly and took her into his arms as she smiled.

“But I had a ray of light to guide me through that darkness,” he said as she leaned into a hug. “She showed me that despite how hopeless it looked, we would succeed. The divine were united behind us, and even our darkest hours were part of their plan to forge in us into an unbreakable union. Thayle was called into that union later, and then Sarah, Numidel, and Shadros. They were all guided by the divines to stand at our side and be a light in the darkness. Now you have been called, and though your thoughts are confused, that light will soon clear the storm, and you will see this is where you belong.”

“But you had her to guide you,” Rose said as she pointed to Lilly. “Who will guide me?”

“I will guide you,” Sarah said. “As a mother should be a beacon to her daughter. In time another may rise to take my place and carry you further. Perhaps a man so you too can have a family.”

The look on Rose's face matched the shock in her aura as she considered the idea of having a family with a human man. Gersius could tell she wasn't ready to face that possibility, but in time all things were possible. For now, they had a greater threat to face, and that was preventing whatever the enemy was planning to do on the eclipse. It most certainly had something to do with Solesta, but what, and more importantly, where? They had no idea where this event would take place, but the enemy likely had already secured the location. What he needed now was something to guide them closer or at least point them in the right direction.

He held the meeting over an hour later because that was how long it took Sarah to convince Rose to take her human form and wear a dress. She now stood between Sarah and Lilly, looking decidedly unhappy as Gersius explained what Rose had told them. Ayawa, Tavis, Gedris, Sophia, Mingfe, and Shadros were all on hand, as were some of the prominent leaders of the various faiths. Gersius wanted to make sure they all heard what was said in this room so no one would be swayed by rumor. When he was done with the explanation, he sat back and waited for them to understand the full scale of it.

“So we have just over two months to uncover the details of this plan?” Alayse asked. “Even Jessivel couldn’t dredge up what we need that quickly.”

“Do not count me out so quickly,” Jessivel replied as he put a hand over hers. “I have good news that might be of use here.”

Alayse glared at him, but everybody saw her face soften just to look at him. Gersius could see her light flowing to the man beside her as he addressed the crowd and explained that the high diviner of Youthan had been captured.

“You caught him?” Alayse said in alarm. “How?”

“With luck,” Jessivel replied, giving her an odd smirk. “He is on his way here as we speak. I would have detained him in Calathen, but I thought his particular skills might be useful to us.”

“I doubt we can trust anything he has to say,” Thayle said.

“Most certainly, we cannot,” Gersius agreed. “But it might be what he does not say that matters.”

“How do you trail people that leave no trail?” Alayse demanded as she turned on the man beside her. “And he can predict your movements. He should have been impossible to corner.”

“Every man makes a mistake eventually,” Jessivel replied. “And every gambler’s luck runs out.” He smiled as Alayse shook her head in disbelief then he reminded them that there were other options. Several Doan women suspected of being wise ones had been captured. Thanks to Lilly, they now knew the dragons disseminated knowledge to the Doan through the wise ones, so perhaps they knew something more about the coming event.

Gersius hadn't forgotten the captives but wasn't looking forward to questioning them. By all accounts, they were as hard as stone and venomous as snakes, spitting insults at anyone who approached. He had thought to try and have Lilly reason with them, but he didn't want to expose her to their manipulation again.

Sophia had agreed to try and talk with them, but he suspected it would make little difference. Likely her experience with the wise ones had been as carefully crafted as Lilly's had been.

Sophia admitted to telling the Doan about the empire and the lands immediately inside the border. She had given them detailed knowledge of the roads, population centers, and disposition of local fighting forces. It was all done to keep her life intact and buy time until she could escape. Apparently, this Hurrock planned to assist in her escape once the Doan were inside the empire. She was sad by that admission and stated that she had genuine feelings for the man. She described him as considerate, strong, and questioning if the dragons were worthy of the Doan’s obedience.

Gersius was delighted to discover she was alive and given new hope for a world free from this war. However, that war was now just a delaying tactic to keep him away from the true danger. What he needed were answers, and that meant they needed to question the women.

“I want the Doan women brought in,” he said and turned his gaze on Jessivel. “We will question them now.”

“I will have them brought in,” Jessivel replied with a nod and left to collect them.

“Why would you question them now?” Alayse asked when he was gone.

“Because everyone who is important to this decision is here,” Gersius replied. “We have just over two months to stop whatever they are planning, and we have no idea where it will take place. All we can be certain of is that the lives of thousands might be in danger if we delay in getting our answers.”

“I feel something over this,” Rose whispered to Sarah as they waited. “My stomach churns as if it were full of fish. These rodents were my minions. What will they say of me?”

“Please call them humans, at the very least,” Sarah replied. “And what you are feeling is called anxiety. You are uncomfortable about facing people who were once your allies. You worry they will condemn you for your actions.”

“They won't even know who she is,” Lilly said. “The dragons never revealed their human forms to the Doan. They didn't know we had them until I showed up.”

“Why would we reveal such a thing to them?” Rose asked. “It serves no purpose.”

“It's called building trust,” Sarah replied. “And Lilly is right. These women will have no idea who you are. So stand by my side and watch.”

“As you wish,” Rose grumbled and stood defiantly as they waited.

Eventually, the tent flap opened, and four women were led in under heavy guard. Each was bound and tied to the other by a rope as they looked around the room with eyes full of scorn. Gersius could see the anger and sheer disgust these women carried just by the looks on their faces. Their aura echoed the same sentiment, showing four women who were sickened to have to meet him.

Jessivel lined them up before the crowd as Gersius came forward. The oldest of the group spit at the ground as he approached, but he paid her no attention. He took a moment to stare into each woman's eyes as she looked him back defiantly. They were full of fire and hatred, their pride forbidding them to back down an inch, even in defeat.

“You know who I am,” Gersius began, using the dragon voice to display his power. He paced before the line of them with a deadly calm that suggested he cared little for their defiance. “And I am aware that you women act in a leadership capacity among your people. They call you wise ones and you are chosen for your age and wisdom.”

Not a woman responded, but their aura did fluctuate as they didn't believe he should know such a thing. He gave them a moment to wonder in silence, then turned to face them and show his displeasure.

“You are pawns in a conflict between dragons, sent to waste your blood and your lives in a pointless battle with the empire,” he stated and waited for a response.

“There is honor in conflict,” an old red-haired woman said. “And nothing done for honor is ever wasted.”

“Is that so?” Gersius asked with a slight nod. “Do the tens of thousands of your dead that I am still burying believe in your honor?”

“Their deaths were their honor,” she spat back.

Gersius held back a smile as she loomed before the woman, his face cold as ice. “In my lands, we have a saying. Honor is only earned by the victor.”

“Your people are weak!” she shouted.

“And yet, we defeated you,” Gersius replied as the women stiffened. He walked away, turning his back on them as he considered his next words carefully. “But you say our people are weak. Why, then, do you claim honor in slaughtering them? Isn't it a coward who chooses the weak to display his strength?”

“You do not know what honor is!” the woman shouted, but a second suddenly spoke.

“Keep silent, Mirriam,” a dark-haired woman with deep creases on her face said.

Gersius studied the woman a moment and noted how she stood straight and tall despite her binds. It was a trait of the Doan that they were all tall, even the women, and she was tall even for one of them. He stood before he as she refused to look away, her eyes wishing every death imaginable on his head.

“So, now we know who the leader is,” Gersius said as he nodded.

“I will not waste words on you,” the woman said calmly. “I will die in honor as I should.”

“You will die uselessly as a pawn in a conflict you don't belong in,” Gersius replied, waiting to see her reaction. She held her tongue and said nothing more, so he decided to change tactics.

“I am aware that your dragons have commanded you to do this,” he said, pacing again. “But you have been deceived. They are not working for your benefit or to build your people into a new age. They are simply using you as a distraction. Your lives are being spent to keep me from learning about what they are really doing, but in even this, they have failed. I now know they are planning some event for the eclipse of the moons. I know that this event is all they truly seek, and everything else is just a ploy to keep us busy. I don't know why this particular event is so important to them or where they plan to accomplish it. But I suspect that one of you might know or be able to tell me how I might learn of it.”

“None of us will tell you anything,” Mirriam laughed.

“Yes, you will,” Gersius said as he turned to glare at them. “Because you revere dragons, and you have no idea how many dragons stand in your presence now.”

The women looked confused for a moment, then hardened their faces once more. The dark-haired woman called him a liar until Gersius glared back at her, and his eyes lit with fire.

“Use your eyes,” Gersius said over the bind. “Even you, Thayle. I want them to think we are all dragons.”

Thayle smiled as her eyes suddenly blazed blue, followed by Lilly. Sarah's eyes went red, and a quick whisper to Rose sent her eyes blazing as well. Shadros understood what was happening and joined them as they all glared at the four women who looked shocked.

“What is this trick?” the dark-haired woman asked.

“We are all dragons,” Sarah replied in the dual voice of her kind. “And we are not amused by your ignorance.”

“None of you are dragons,” Mirriam laughed. “You are men using some trick of the weave to light your eyes. We have seen true dragons, and their strength would crush you all underfoot.”

“And you have just proved my point,” Gersius replied with a smile. “You have proved that you know nothing of your so-called masters. You have no idea how much they lie to and manipulate you while keeping their secrets.”

“Words with no weight,” the dark-haired woman replied. “You can't fool us by calling yourself dragons. We can see what you are.”

Lilly giggled and shook her head. “I told you they were like this. They won't believe in anything they can't directly see, and even then won't accept it if it goes against their traditions.”

“Then let us see how strong these traditions are,” Gersius suggested before ordering the women to be taken to the edge of the camp. He brought the entire assembly with him as well as a dozen women of Ulustrah carrying sheets. Once safely away from the tents, he turned to the wise ones and told them that their dragons were keeping a secret from them. He then nodded to Lilly, who stood behind a wall of sheets so that they could see her head. She vanished in a swirling cloud of mist as the wise ones gawked in shock. The air filled with the sound of blowing wind, and a moment later, their eyes were stung by a flash of light. Then the ground shook as Lilly the dragon stepped out of the mist and looked down on them.

“Did your dragons tell you they could take a human form?” Lilly demanded. “Did they tell you that they walk among you, spreading lies and manipulating you to waste your blood in this pointless war?”

“How can this be?” the dark-haired woman gasped.

“It has to be a trick,” another said.

“A trick, is it?” Gersius replied and nodded to Shadros.

He went behind the sheets and undressed before he, too, was surrounded by a swirling cloud. Their eyes were stung again just before the sleek black form of Shadros climbed out of the mist. The wise ones were struck mute by the display, so Gersius then nodded to Sarah. She took her place and began the transformation, but the size of her black cloud made the wise ones weak.

“Why is it so much larger?” one of them gasped.

“You will see,” Gersius replied with a pleased smile. The flash of light lit the whole countryside, and for dramatic measure, Sarah blew her cloud away with a mighty clap of her wings.

“So, we aren’t dragons,” Sarah growled as her massive head loomed down on the terrified women. “The great wise ones of the Doan have no idea their holy dragons can take a human form. How pathetic.”

“You are all dragons?” the dark-haired woman stammered.

“Just those of us with burning eyes,” Lilly replied. “The rest are all human like you, but they are our trusted friends and allies. We don't keep secrets from them or call on them to waste their lives for our schemes.”

“The dragon knights are dragons themselves!” Marriam gasped. “We have been fighting against dragons!”

“But the decree,” a silver-haired woman interjected. “The rise of Balisha will end the blood of the dragons and doom the world.”

“That's a lie,” Lilly countered, lowering her head close enough to sniff at them. “Balisha is the only one who can save them.”

“Now, do you see?” Gersius asked. “You have been deceived.”

“No,” the dark-haired woman said. “It is you who is trying to deceive us. We knew there were fallen dragons aiding your empire. We were warned that there were dragons bound and chained and forced to fight for you. This display changes nothing. Our dragons have always been at our side, guiding our people and making us strong. They have ever told us that Balisha's return was the doom of the world. They would not lie to us about that, and they would never abandon us.”

“Really?” Gersius asked as he saw a tremendous opportunity. These women had no idea what happened to the dragons in the north, but one thing was certain: they were supposed to be in that battle. Surely they doubted why they never showed up or even blamed them for the loss. All he had to do was ask the right question, and that festering doubt would grow into a rot.

“Then why did your dragons abandon you to fall before my army?”

The looks on their faces were all the indication he needed to know he had struck a cord. They had expected the dragon to help, and not one of them came. As a result, their army was decimated, and many thousands of Doan were dead. Surely that would be reason enough to cause at least one of them to question her allegiance.

The four women looked between one another before one of them rushed forward, screaming curses. She was lurched to a halt by her binds and dragged back where she was held. Of the remaining three, only the dark-haired woman held his gaze as she burned with anger and doubt. She held her tongue, refusing to say anything more as Gersius studied her aura. He could see the flashing over their heads as they struggled with a decision, probably one of faith. They believed their dragons had abandoned them and left them to die in a battle they drove the Doan into. It was a blow that would rock them to the very core and, if left to fester, might loosen their tongues. Despite having learned so little, he ordered them taken away. He would give them time to debate what he said and see what they had to say after they could not deny his logic.

“So what now?” Thayle asked as she came to his side.

“Now we wait, Gersius replied. “One of them will break in a day or two.”

“This army needs to be marching in three days,” Alayse said with a determined voice. “If you have a destination you need it to capture, the sooner you discover it, the better.”

“I know a location you might find important,” Rose said as all eyes turned to her. “It’s an old dragon shrine hidden in the mountains.”

“What is so important about it?” Gersius asked.

“It is where the old man that once headed the order of Astikar is hiding,” Rose replied. “And where they are keeping the seal.”

The whole assembly went silent as the shock of her words sank in, and every person was stunned. It was finally Sarah who came to her senses and voiced the one question that mattered.

“You know where the seal of Astikar is?”