Lilly ran for her life, wildly dashing through a forest of tall, slender trees. Most were supple pines with dense needle-coated branches. Others were birch with white paper-like bark that peeled in places. The forest floor was a bed of needles and ferns, dotted by pine cones and hardy flowers. The trunks of fallen trees were scattered about, long since covered in carpets of green moss. It was a quiet place of stillness and mystery where time seemed to flow at but a trickle.

Lilly thundered through it all, snapping slender trees like twigs and bending the larger ones as they bounced off her hide. Where her clawed feet touched the ground, she tore the earth, heaving clouds of ferns and needles into the air behind her.

She pushed on in a reckless panic, heedless of what was in her way. The only goal was to escape, and she was too tired to choose a careful path. As a result, the battering of trunks was taking its toll, and she could not keep up the pace. Every collision was battering her body and forcing her to work harder to maintain the frantic pace. Her body ached from head to tail and bled from a hundred wounds. She found it difficult to catch her breath and heaved for air as she collided with yet another tree. It fell over in a great crash as she stumbled on, her left leg alive with pain where the spear point continued to do damage.

Eventually, the race was run, and Lilly could go no further. She wobbled on her legs, staggering a final few paces before collapsing into the ferns. Finally, calm returned to the forest as a dragon lay shaking and bleeding as her chest heaved for breath.

With panicked tears, she lamented why she was here, calling herself a fool. She should have run straight out and gotten as far away from the city as she could. She should have gone with Thayle and the others and headed straight away. But greed and dragon lust got the better of her, and she took a foolish risk. For a pathetic sack of coins, she separated from the others and stayed close to the city. She risked being recaptured for a nearly insignificant amount of gold. What were a few handfuls of coins worth in comparison to a life of slavery and torment? It made sense now that she had failed but at the moment, having those coins back was all that mattered.

Lilly knew she had to keep going and struggled to get up. However, the moment she put pressure on the leg, she knew it was futile. The spear point had dug deeper with every step, and now that her shock and panic were abating, she could feel just how much damage it had done. She would go no further, and those men would be here soon. Dellain would arrive with whips to teach Lilly a new lesson in suffering and pain. That thought alone drove her to claw at the earth, desperate to drag herself away.

Nearly blind with panic and tears, Lilly almost didn't notice the approaching woman. It was the same woman that Thayle told to put away her bow. That black bow was in her hands once again as she stepped through the foliage while hardly rustling a leaf. Her face looked determined with a firm gaze watching Lilly's every move. Lilly was surprised to see the color of this woman's skin; its reddish hue was very different from Gersius's tan. She had dark hair like Thayle, but it was twisted and tied in a long rope. The strange woman approached silently and put up her hands to show Lilly she did not intend to use the bow.

“You're the one Gerisus calls Lilly?” the woman asked from a safe distance.

“Yes. My name is Lilly,” she replied between deep breaths.

“Then you are the dragon Gersius speaks of. The one he calls his friend?” the woman added.

Lilly heard the words but found it hard to think them through. She concluded that Gersius must have told them she was a friend in the letter. That seemed odd considering their relationship, but Lilly didn't have the strength to puzzle it out. She let her head fall to the forest floor and closed her eyes as she weakly replied that yes, she was his friend.

“Then you must get up!” Ayawa insisted. “They are coming, and you have a trail of destruction that even a child could follow. They will be here in half an hour at most.”

Lilly understood, and the despair inside rose with every word. She wanted to get up and run, but her leg wasn't going to carry her. So long as that spear point was buried inside, every step would be a torment.

“I can't get up,” Lilly panted. “There is a spear point buried in my leg, and I can't stand on it any longer. I need you to pull it out so it can't cause any more harm.” She struggled to twist and roll to one side, so the leg was presented to the red-skinned woman. “Please, It has to come out.”

Ayawa flinched as Lilly moved and held up a clawed foot with fingers long enough to wrap around her body. She never dreamed she would see a dragon, let alone be close enough to touch one. Ayawa was struck at how out of place the dragon was in the green of the forest. Her scales were blue with white tips resembling a piece of the sky.

“I am no healer,” Ayawa said as she dared to lean closer. “You have to get up and follow me. I will take you closer to the temple. Maybe the priestess can do something for you.”

“I can run no further while that thing is in my leg,” Lilly sobbed. “You have to get it out or leave me. They will be here soon.”

Ayawa nodded and crept slowly toward the bleeding leg. She followed the flow of blood to a gaping wound of red flesh.

“I see the wound,” she said as her stomach turned. It was a hole as big around as her fist, exposing the flesh inside and awash with blood. She leaned over the terrible wound and looked to see if the point was visible. All she saw was flesh and blood, the point buried deep inside.

“Can you get it?” Lilly asked as the woman put a hand on Lilly's leg.

“I do not know yet,” Ayawa said. “I will try, but I warn you, this is going to hurt, and you may not be able to walk even after it is out.”

“Just get it out. Let me worry about walking,” Lilly groaned.

Ayawa was no stranger to combat injuries, but this was a dragon, and the wound was deep. She would have to open the wound and search for the offending weapon causing terrible pain. With time running out, she grabbed with both hands and pulled the wound apart as Lilly cried out. Blood gushed up from deep below, but Ayawa still couldn't see the spear point. With a jaw locked in determination, she reached a hand into the hole and began to feel for the weapon.

Lilly twitched as she cried, the pressure causing the pain to rise. Ayawa plunged her hand deep into the hole, amazed at how far it went. Finally, she felt something solid and grabbed at it with her fingertips. Lilly howled and dug her clawed hands into the ground as Ayawa began to pull. It took a few moments, but she was able to tear it free and quickly discarded it. She had to step back as blood poured from the wound with renewed vigor, and the dragon curled around to press a hand over it.

“The point is out. Now get up before they catch us both,” the southern woman insisted.

Lilly took a few moments to breathe, then twisted her long neck so she could look at the strange woman. She had blue tears dripping from scaled cheeks as she nodded in agreement.

“I can’t go on like this,” she said and released her leg so she could take two packs off her other arm. “Here, take these.” She dropped the packs at Ayawa’s feet and went back to clutching her leg. “Now. Stand back. I need more room.”

Ayawa didn't understand, but she did as the dragon instructed. She took up the packs and took a dozen steps away. As she did, a white mist appeared to drift over the dragon's skin. In two blinks of an eye, it became so thick it started to obscure her form, then suddenly it grew into a swirling mass of white clouds. It was like a storm that suddenly flashed with lightning so bright it stung Ayawa's eyes, forcing her to look away. When her vision cleared, she could see something moving in the mist. It was no longer swirling and rapidly thinned as the form inside stepped out.

Ayawa was dumbstruck by the sight of a naked woman. She was tall and slender with flowing silver-blue hair that fell down her back in a straight drape. She was pale as snow but had the most striking blue eyes that glowed with light and burned like fire. She staggered a few paces then collapsed in a heap, her tears falling like rain.

“Lilly?”Ayawa asked as she rushed to the woman’s side.

“Help me get to my feet,” Lilly begged. “I can walk. Please, I can walk.”

Ayawa wasn't so sure as she gazed at the mysterious woman. The body may have changed, but the wounds carried over. Lilly was a patchwork of bruises and welts. She was cut in a dozen places and bore a terrible bleeding wound on her left leg. Her right shoulder had a second smaller puncture and around both ankles and wrists were dark rings where skin appeared to be burned. Blood trickled from half a dozen bruises on her head, matting her hair and running down her back. Here, Ayawa noticed the strange blue tattoos of woven lines that ran down her shoulders but stopped as they curved toward Lilly's back.

Ayawa went to help her up, but Lilly cried out in pain when she stood on the leg.

“You won’t walk another twenty feet!” Ayawa growled and set her down. “And you will bleed to death long before we reach the temple.”

“I can walk!” Lilly cried. “I promised him I could walk.”

Ayawa knew Lilly's leg wouldn't support her weight, and she was losing too much blood to be moved. She quickly threw down the packs and began to ransack through them.

“This looks like Gersius’s stuff,” she commented.

“It is,” Lilly cried. “It’s his pack and mine.”

“Fool man. Why do you carry nothing useful?” she cursed as she turned the contents upside down. She finally found something useful and yanked a leather belt out of the pack. She turned to Lilly and commanded her to hold still as she wrapped it around the leg four times. Her plan was simple. She would tighten the straps over the wound and compress it, slowly the bleeding and buying them time. Then, with a warning that it was going to hurt, she pulled, causing Lilly to cry. Ayawa tied the belt off as Lilly beat her hands on the forest floor. The belt was so tight it dug into the leg, but the pressure was necessary.

“This will slow the bleeding and give you more stability, but you should avoid putting any pressure on that leg. I will support you and get you to the priestess who can do more,” Ayawa said as she leaned back.

Ayawa carefully pulled Lilly up by the arm and braced herself under the shoulder. She needed to carry as much of Lilly's weight as possible and get the wounded woman moving. With the other hand, she grabbed at the packs, slinging them over her shoulder as she grunted under the weight.

“Now walk with me,” she commanded. “If we can get far enough away, they may lose the trail.”

Lilly nodded, and both women struggled to move, staggering away slowly. They stumbled many times but soon found a rhythm that allowed them to make decent progress. Moving as quickly as she dared, Ayawa steered the dragon woman through the trees to avoid leaving a trail. She groaned under the weight of both the woman and the two packs that seemed unnaturally heavy. They were barely a hundred feet away when she heard a man call out orders to keep looking.

“We are not moving fast enough,” Ayawa growled as she shifted the heavy packs. “Your pack weighs twice what Gesius’s does. What do you have inside it? Stones?”

“My hoard,” Lilly said weakly.

“Your hoard?” Ayawa replied and dropped to one knee to set the packs down. She threw the flap open with one arm and began to fish around inside. There was a small sword strapped to the side, but inside were two dresses, some tattered shoes, and a pair of sturdy boots. She tossed all this to the side to finally discover what was weighing the pack down.

“Your bag is weighted down with coins. We need to leave it behind,” Ayawa said.

“No!” Lilly cried and reached for the pack with a wounded arm.

Ayawa flinched and looked about, wondering if that outburst had been heard. She battled to grab hold of the desperate woman and yanked her hand away.

“Your life isn't worth the coins, you foolish girl,” she whispered loudly as another distant shout signaled how close the pursing knights were.

“I am not a foolish girl,” Lilly cried. “I am a dragon, and I can't lose my hoard a second time. Please, we can't leave it behind.”

Ayawa looked into Lilly's eyes to see the desperate fear and need. She realized that Lilly would rather risk being captured than lose these coins. If she tried to drag her away without the bag, the woman would probably scream out, and they would be detected for sure.

“Fine,” she said, her voice dripping with anger. “I will carry them, but hey will slow us down.” she sat Lilly down and quickly fished out the boots, rapidly slipping them over Lilly's feet. “At least we can make it lighter, and you may be able to travel faster with boots on.” She tied the straps as quickly as she could, ever alert for the men that were pursuing them. “When we are a safe distance away, I will get you dressed,” she added and quickly pulled Lilly back up.

Lilly groaned as her wounds shifted but quickly fell into the motion of walking. The two women hurried on with Ayawa bearing all the weight and trying not to leave a trail. It was all she could do to keep up a slow pace as they stumbled through the woods hoping it was fast enough.

---

Tavis dragged Gersius into the temple as gently as he could. Thayle didn’t want to take the risk of dragging him down a long hall, so insisted he be put in the main temple space.

It was a simple temple made of local stone and stout oaken beams. The main room was longer than it was wide and sparsely furnished with four wooden pews. Its polished stone floor was impeccably clean, and the walls appeared freshly limed. There were no windows, but a beam of sunlight came through a hole in the ceiling. Vines grew along the wall where the sunlight descended into a small silver bowl. Roots from plants growing above hung through the hole to dangle over the silver bowl. They glistened with moisture, and now and then, a single drop of water fell into the basin below. It was a kind of shrine to the goddess of love and harvest, and even Tavis could feel a presence here.

A smooth stone altar carved from granite was at the far end of the room. The altar's surface was artfully etched with the head of a doe and patterns of flowers. Behind it hung two green tapestries depicting scenes of simple people at work harvesting crops.

Gersius was laid before the altar, and Thayle knelt beside him, gently caressing his hand. She was still exhausted from overhealing but determined to keep watch on his health.

“This room is so dark. How do you do anything in here?” Tavis asked as he stepped back.

Thayle took a deep breath and then uttered a word of command. Small blue orbs of what appeared to be water flickered into life along the walls. There were a dozen on each size, each the size of a chicken's egg. As he watched in amazement, the balls began to give off a shimmering white light, filling the room with a warm color.

“Now that is impressive,” he said while moving close to inspect one of the lights. “How did you make these?”

“I didn’t make them,” Thayle said weakly. “This temple has seen nearly ten generations of my order. Those were made by a priestess long before I got here.”

“They must be a weave then,” Tavis said as he walked around one of the lights. “Blessings are only temporary. It takes a strong weave to create a magic that lasts for many years.”

“There are lots of holy items that the divines have blessed to last,” Thayle argued.

“Yes, great artifacts of power delivered in times of dire need,” Tavis agreed and gave up his investigation of the light. He turned about and moved closer to Thayle as he pondered some of the items. Let’s see, Vellis gave his priests the horn of storms to turn the Alunic seas into a raging tempest.”

“To sink the invading fleets from Zhamora,” Thayle said.

“Correct,” Tavis replied and continued. “Astikar gave his priests the sword of mercy to battle the giants in the time of troubles. Gorrin gave his followers the silver hammer to enchant an armies worth of magic shields, and –,” Tavis paused as he tried to recall the next one. “Who was the one with the dragon sword?”

“Balisha,” Thayle said. “Though most people don’t believe she exists.”

“Right,” Tavis agreed as he considered the obscure goddess. “She created the fang blade and gave it to the first dragon knight.”

“Is there some point to all this?” Thayle asked.

Tavis smiled and pointed to a nearby water light. “Your goddess has gifted you the watery ball of light.”

Thayle glared at him with contempt and wondered if she had the strength to make him repent.

“You know, I am pretty sure I can take away fertility as well as grant it,” she threatened.

Tavis smiled wide and dipped in a low bow with a flourish of his hand. “If only I had met you sooner. You could have saved me much trouble in my youth.”

Thayle’s mouth fell open in shock at how easily he toyed with such a situation. She was doubly disturbed when his aura pulsed with white light, indicating that he was telling the truth.

“You're a scoundrel,” she sighed and looked away.

“Maybe I was, but I am a married man now,” he replied and tipped his hat low before walking for the open door. “I am going to stand watch outside. Call if you need something or anything changes with Gersius.”

Thayle was grateful to see that pulsed with truth as well. Whatever his past, he was committed to the southern woman and would not betray her trust. She told him to go and assured him that she would stay beside Gersius.

Thayle turned her attention to Gersius and once again took up his hand. His breathing was slow but steady, and every so often, his face would twitch. His eyes were still swollen, but some of the burns and welts on his chest appeared to be improved. With any luck, her healing salve was speeding the body's natural processes along and would help him recover in weeks instead of months.

Still, many of the wounds were inside, and these were by far the worst. As the magic of the healing joined them in the flow of the divine, it allowed her to feel the true depth of his injuries. To say what had been done to him was cruel hardly began to describe it. That healing power was used to torture a man to death over and over made her sick. He was broken in so many ways that she couldn't tell them apart, and many of the wounds were already too old. She could feel the body's need as it cried out for more healing, desperate for help. She held as long as she could until her own body began to bleed in protest. There was a risk to channeling divine power, and every priest knew their limits. A divine could give you all you wanted, but there was a point when the petitioner simply couldn't contain anymore. To push beyond those boundaries came with sacrifice, often pulling at the priest's own soul to maintain the link. Thayle had done all she could, even trading a small portion of her health to give to him. With the task done, now all they could do was wait.

She had no further power to give, but still, she cupped a hand between her own and recited a prayer. She called to Ulustrah to consider this man called Gersius, and in her grace, find him worthy. Perhaps she would see something worth saving in him and grant a special blessing.

Tavis stood just outside the temple using the vantage point of the hill to study the small town. It was hardly more than a dozen buildings nestled along one muddy lane. It had the basics of any town with a smith and a couple of small shops. There was a plaza where a few merchants sold produce out of the backs of hand carts. One building acted as a small inn but didn't have private rooms or hot meals. As he watched, the people below went about their business, and nobody seemed at all interested in the temple.

The sun was low, and the people slowly settled in for the night. Most of them lived on small farms tucked about the town in a random fashion. The town probably served as a hub to connect the farms to the main road. Here they would take the bulk of their produce to market in the city of Whiteford, plying the much larger population for coin.

“Let's hope the night remains calm,” Tavis whispered as he turned to watch the main road. He knew if trouble did arrive, it would come from the road, so he focused his attention there. It was behind a stand of tall cedars but still visible to careful inspection. Despite that, he decided to enhance his vigil and put a weave to use and watch more carefully.

Taking a careful seat on the ground, Tavis crossed his legs and closed his eyes. He fell into a clear mind as the sound he was searching for came to his lips. It was a simple spell that anyone could do with a little practice. The trick was maintaining the focus needed long enough to be useful. Hands danced in a gentle pattern as his focus narrowed to the humming sound finally forming the weave.

Through closed eyes, he saw light as his vision was projected into a magical lens. With careful practice, the magic eye drifted through the air, passing over the town and into the trees. He pressed the sight forward, reaching the broad road that went to Whitford, and began to follow it back.

“Where are you, Ayawa?” he dared to think as his mind wandered for just a moment. It caused the vision to fade, but he quickly regained focus, and the sight snapped back to clarity. Slowly he pushed the magical sight forward, searching the forest road for any sign of his wife.

Minutes passed, and he was pressing the limits of his range. He was a skilled weaver but a far cry from the old masters. The Cellic people were known for their affinity for weaving and well trained in several schools. Tavis had a broad knowledge of these schools but had a knack for one in particular. It was part of his people's ancient heritage, but critical portions of the knowledge had been lost thanks to wars and upheaval. Now it was too dangerous to use except in the most crucial circumstances. The level of concentration is required to use safely was something most could not attain. Certain safeguards were put into place to compensate for the lack of knowledge, but he had long since used these up. Because of this, he resorted to weapons over weaves in battle, favoring short blades and throwing knives. He still used utility weaves and some basic attacks, but the true strength that burned in his soul was too dangerous to let out.

He focused on the task at hand and pushed his sight further, going beyond a mile when he finally found her. Ayawa was struggling down the road with a strange silver-haired woman. It was clear that Ayawa was supporting the woman who was nearly limp at her side. Tavis realized they needed help and let the weave go to return to his senses. Quickly he scrambled to his feet and ran inside to find Thayle wiping Gersius’s face with a damp cloth.

“Ayawa is on the road dragging an injured girl with her,” he reported

Thayle looked up in alarm and demanded to know if the woman had long blue hair. Tavis said it looked silver to him, but Thayle amended the color to silver-blue.

“How did you know what color it was?” he asked in surprise.

“Because that’s Lilly,” Thayle replied while struggling to get up. “We have to out and get them.”

“I thought Lilly was the dragon?” he replied in confusion and went to help her up.

“Lilly is the dragon,” Thayle insisted as she came to her feet and nearly fell back over.

“Then who is the girl with Ayawa?” he asked in confusion.

“That’s Lilly,” she replied and slumped back to the floor.

“Why does talking to women always leave me confused?” Tavis asked while shaking his head. He couldn't understand how the dragon and this woman were both Lilly, but he didn't care. Thayle insisted on being helped up again, but he denied her.

“You can hardly stand,” he pointed out. “You need to stay here and watch Gersius. I will go get them and bring them back.”

“Bring them straight here,” Thayle said in defeat.

Tavis nodded and ran out the door, rushing down the hill as fast as his feet would carry him. He was through the town and onto the road in less than a minute as he sprinted away. The weave of lightness had long since worn off, and he was out of breath when he finally reached them.

“I see you decided to hunt something smaller,” he joked as he arrived and was finally able to see the mysterious woman up close. Her hair was a silver-blue, and she wore a traveling dress of browns and greens that looked like it had been hastily put on.

Ayawa didn't laugh as she glared at him with a look of anguish. Instead, she swung her arm, barely managing to toss two packs a single foot away.

“Take these damn packs!” she growled through gritted teeth. “If ever I needed you around to make something lighter.”

Tavis did as she instructed and hoisted the packs immediately, noting how heavy one of them was.

“Did you stop to put rocks in this one?” he asked as he came to Lilly’s free arm and helped support her.

“It’s full of coins,” Ayawa snarled. “I am so grateful to be rid of them.”

“If it was this heavy, why didn’t you leave it behind?” he asked.

“No!” Lilly cried, showing some sign of life for the first time.

“That's why,” Ayawa replied and adjusted her shoulder. “She can't walk at all. Help me get her back so we can lay her down.”

“Why can’t she walk?” Tavis asked. Ayawa reached down and pulled the hem of Lilly’s dress up. Tavis saw the leather straps tied tight around a leg that was turning purple. He could see the trails of blood leaking through from what must be a terrible wound underneath.

“Stop. Hold her up a second,” he said once he saw the wound.

“What are you doing?” Ayawa asked as he set the packs down as well.

“Let me make her lighter so she can be carried,” he said. “That binding isn't going to last much longer.” He quickly worked his weave and touched Lilly, reducing her weight as Ayawa sighed in relief. She cradled the crippled women in both arms as Tavis took up the packs and escorted them back.

“So, did you find the dragon?” he asked as they hurried along.

“This is the dragon,” Ayawa replied with a glance his way.

Tavis nearly tripped and had to hurry to keep pace as Ayawa pressed on.

“How is this the dragon?” he demanded as he tried to take a closer look at her.

“She did it herself. Some king of dragon magic,” Ayawa replied.

“Tavis had a look of genuine shock on his face but dared another question. “So she can change forms like your people used to?”

“This is nothing like my people,” Ayawa snapped as the town came into view.

“If this woman was a dragon, then she has used some power very similar to what your people once did,” he pressed, unwilling to let it go.

“We don’t have time to discuss this,” Ayawa growled. “Our friend Dellain was chasing her across the countryside when I found them. He very nearly ran her down outside the forest.”

“We knew Dellain would be involved in this,” Tavis said with a sigh.

“How that butcher has remained a priest of Astikar amazes me,” Ayawa replied as they turned into the town.

“Gersius knew this was going to happen, or at least he suspected,” Tavis said. “That explains why he was so insistent we disappear if we didn't get word. He wanted to make sure we were long gone before Dellain came looking.”

“It's hard to say what Gersius knew,” Ayawa retorted. “But I would love to kill that bastard, Dellain. “I almost had my chance at the forest's edge, but he was in full armor. I had to shoot his horse out from under him to slow them down, or she would have been caught for sure.”

Tavis nodded and looked to the woman in Ayawa’s arms, noting the blood that dripped from her face.

“How badly is she hurt?” he asked.

“She had been beaten to a pulp and run ragged. She was so panic-stricken she crashed through every tree in her path, absorbing the blows. There is a hole in one shoulder and a wound in a leg that goes nearly all the way through. I am afraid she has lost a lot of blood, and I did not have the time to stop all the bleeding.”

Tavis nodded but pointed out that Priestess Thayle would not be recovered enough to perform another healing. Ayawa nodded in agreement and said that the holy waters would have to be enough. Thayle could wash the wounds and dress them before laying her next to Gersius to heal.

When they reached the temple, Tavis helped carry Lilly inside, laying her next to the man who was still unconscious. Thayle went to work quickly, applying her healing salve to cuts and bruises. As she worked, Lilly stirred with a weak smile. She tried to reach up and touch Thayle's face as she asked how Gersius was.,

“He’s fine,” Thaye said softly as she took Lilly’s hand to give it a reassuring rub. “He just needs to sleep, and so do you.”

Lilly nodded and practically went limp as she slipped into blackness.

“What in the heavens happened to her?” Thayle asked as she continued to work. “She didn’t look half this bad on the road.”

“A priest of Astikar named Dellain happened to her,” Ayawa replied. “He's a monster of a man, and his knights were right on her heels when I find her.”

Thayle struggled not to cry as she moved down, finally coming to the wounded leg. She loosened the straps to a torrent of blood and quickly pressed her hands to the wound.

“Hand me the silver bowl on the wall!” she cried and gestured with her head.

“The one that’s part of the shrine?” Tavis asked as he stepped closer to it.

“Yes, that one. Hurry! I can’t take my hands away for long,” Thayle urged.

“I got it,” Tavis replied and rushed to the bowl. He carefully picked it up, noting that it was cool to the touch and filled with clear water. He carried to Thayle carefully and set it beside her legs.

“This is how we get our holy water,” Thayle said as she dared to take her hands away and pick up the bowl. “The plants that grow on the temple are blessed, and their blessing drips from their roots into the basin. It slowly collects and grows in potency, becoming one of our greatest strengths.”

“And this can help?” Ayawa asked.

“We use it to heal plants and sick crops to ensure a good harvest,” Thayle replied. “Anything fed by the blessed water grows more quickly and with great health.” She poured some water onto Lilly's leg, causing the blood to wash away. The wound clouded over with a bubbling green foam as Lilly let out a slight cry. She asked Tavis to hold her head up and tipped the bowl to Lilly's lips. She poured a small amount down Lilly's throat then went back to work.

“Will this water work for people, I mean her?” Ayawa asked as Lilly lay still.

“I don’t know,” Thayle replied and set the bowl aside.

“Her leg is still bleeding,” Tavis pointed out as the blood mixed with the green foam.

“The wound is too serious; the water isn't going to be enough,” Thayle said and pointed to the hall in the back. “There is a closet at the end of the hall. Inside you will find a basket that I need you to bring to me. It is full of bandages soaked in the healing pastes and a binding agent. Maybe I can dress the wound firmly enough to stop the bleeding and give the magic more time to work.”

Tavis ran off and returned a moment later with the basket allowing Thayle to get to work. She packed the wound with a bundle of cloth then wrapped her leg firmly with another. She used several wraps to layer them over the wound as the first one began to bleed through. As a final measure, she took up the leather belt and carefully used it to apply pressure. Lilly stirred as it tightened, calling out for just a moment as Thayle pulled. She hated to see the poor dragon in pain, but the bleeding had to stop.

When that was finally dressed, she turned her attention to the hole in Lilly's shoulder. One by one, she packed and wrapped injuries until, at long last, Lilly was no longer bleeding. Thayle looked down at the woman, who was a patchwork of bruises and bandages, silently praying it was enough.

“Will she be alright?” Tavis asked when Thayle finally rested.

“Her aura is faint but not fading. She should be fine so long as we give her enough time to rest.” She stroked Lilly's head as her eyes fixated on the light that surrounded the dragon. With relief, she noted the tiny flashes of green that danced around the edges indicating that magical healing was indeed taking place. Her eyes looked lower to where the strange red chain ran between her and Gersius. She had no idea what it meant but was sure it was significant. Thayle held her breath in shock as a tiny speck of light broke away from Lilly's aura and drifted to Gersius. There was a second speck, then a third as more light reached for the man beside her. Lilly stirred and looked up with intense blue eyes before looking at him. She fumbled for his hand and blended her fingers with his as her eyes shut again. Thayle gasped in shock as Lilly's light flared with life and began to tear away in ripples, drifting to Gersius. She looked to Tavis and Ayawa with a blank expression, unsure of what to say.

“Is something wrong?”Ayawa asked when they noticed the expression.

“No,” Tayle said and looked at the two people holding hands. She smiled at the display of light and had to wipe a tear from her eye. “Everything is fine. There are blankets in that same cupboard. Could you bring them to me? I want to make them more comfortable.”

“I will get them,” Tavis volunteered and hurried off.

Thayle noticed Ayawa intently studying her and tried not to meet her gaze. She had a stern look on her face as if she was deep in thought trying to solve a puzzle. Thayle realized that she was a part of that puzzle and avoided giving her the pretext to ask questions. Tavis returned with an arm full of woolen blankets and helped Thayle cushion their heads and cover them up. When the work was done, she struggled to her feet and sat in the closest pew to keep watch. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the display of light as flowed from the dragon to the man.

“There is something I need to know,” Ayawa said as she approached, forcing Thayle to give up watching. “How did you know the dragon was Lilly?”

Thayle let out a sigh and turned to the proud southern warrior maiden. Many things had gone on that needed explaining, and Ayawa was not a patient woman.

“This is the form she was in when they came to my temple,” Thayle replied. “This is the woman I know as Lilly.”

“So you never saw the dragon form?” Ayawa asked. Thayle shook her head no, but that only prompted the next question. “Then how did you know the dragon outside the city was her? For that matter, how did you know she was a dragon at all?”

“I can see her aura,” Thayle replied. “I can see the aura of all living things if they are close enough.”

“You mentioned her aura was weak but not fading,” Ayawa said with a nod. “But how did that tell you she was a dragon?”

“Lilly's aura is different,” Thayle said as she closed her eyes. “I knew the woman I met wasn't human the moment her light came into view. It is much brighter, and there is a shadowy image of her true self floating just over her head. I could see the dragon's face as clearly as I can see yours now. I told Gersius about what I saw, and he confirmed that Lilly was a dragon.”

“So this aura surrounds all living things?” Ayawa asked.

“Plants have a very weak aura's, but animals are much brighter,” Thayle replied.

“Then you can see my aura?” Ayawa pressed.

Thayle nodded and replied. “I can see your aura, Tavis’s aura, and the aura of the small mouse hiding in the back corner.”

Ayawa followed her gaze to study a dark corner. Sure enough, a small mouse scurried out and vanished through a crack in the wall.

“I am sorry I called you a liar,” Ayawa relented. “I couldn’t understand why you said you hadn’t seen the dragon.”

“You have nothing to be sorry about,” Thayle said as she felt exhausted. “I could have explained it better, but we didn't have the time.” Her eyes closed as her head nodded in the coils of needed sleep.

“Rest priestess,” Ayawa urged. “We will talk more in the morning.”