Long into the night the people of Viemen enjoyed themselves, ate well, and drank to their heart’s content. And as the stars grew brighter overhead, they drifted in small droves from around the campfires back to their tents and laid themselves down to sleep. There were still a few who, for one reason or another, remained awake— talking or reminiscing in intimate company beside a crackling glow of embers.

  Nearest to the manor, the Starspawn remained in various states of consciousness. Most had fallen into a drunken sleep with a dull smile plastered across their faces. Beside one of the few remaining fires, Telhari sat in contented silence; beside him, Ellis and Mary were laying a few inches from each other in the grass. Telhari turned his head to check on them, catching a final blinking of their eyes before they were both sound asleep. He rose from his seat and reached over for a nearby blanket with which to cover them. With those two settled, Telhari returned once again to the long table of ale barrels.

  “Still awake, Alfy the Hero?” Ma Mileena snickered as she downed the last of her mead.

  “We thought you might have been asleep,” Lyusya said as she pulled out a chair for him.

  Telhari sat down between the two and eyed the puddles of mead and food crumbs on the table.

  “Just resting,” he answered.

  “Do you sleep?” Ma asked, “I mean, like the rest of us?”

  “Somewhat. My kin and I can engage in mental relaxation that satisfies roughly the same function as—”

  “Just say no,” Ma said as she waved her wrinkled hand at him.

  Telhari grabbed his cup and downed the last of it.

  “Then no,” he added with a playful grin.

  Ma returned a smile. Then she leaned back on the wooden crate and looked out into the front yard.

  “Reminds me of the old days,” she sighed. Her misty eyes gleamed bright as they drank in the moment. “Still,” she added, “Never thought I’d see the day that those hard headed fools would cheer for an Elfkin.”

  “I have Sir Perry to thank for that.”

  “Don’t you dare give that boy Perry all the credit,” Ma said with a stern voice. “You did that.” She pressed her bony finger into the table as she continued. “Here you are, seated with us, like family. Me, her, those two over there, and everyone else in Perry’s guild an’ otherwise— you made that happen, Alfy. It ain’t just that dragon, you hear me?”

  Telhari surrendered with a nodding of his head.

  “Good.”

  Ma sat up once again and reached for her cup, only to realize it was empty.

  “Master Telhari,” Lyusya said as she suddenly had a thought, “Sir Perry is walking quite well on his leg. It’s hard to believe he’s recovered so much in such a short time.”

  “He has us both to thank for that.”

  “Was his leg so bad?” Ma asked as she refilled her cup with the last of the ale.

  “The bone was sticking out…” Lyusya mumbled.

  “Was it now!?” Ma said with an excited look. “How much of it? Was it spurting blood?”

  “I think the important part is that we fixed it,” Lyusya answered quickly.

  “Hmph.”

  Ma stared down into her cup and swirled the ale, watching the froth gather and spiral together, smelling it as the acrid scent wafted up to her nose.

  “You two did it with magic, then?”

  Telhari and Lyusya shared a look.

  “Does that bother you?” Telhari asked.

  Ma snorted.

  “This old woman has seen it all,” she said as she rested her chin in her palm. “But I can’t speak for them…” Ma gazed out into the distance at an encroaching gloom, which grew with each passing minute as the flames therein dwindled. “Is it like this where you’re from, Lyusya? South, was it?”

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  “Oh no,” she said with a nostalgic sigh. “Anandira is quite different from Omnirius.”

  “Anandira? You’ve come from so far south?” Telhari asked.

  “How’d you hook up with Perry an’ them anyways?” Ma asked.

  “Hugo and I were hired to escort a nobleman from Tunith’Arnan back to his home in Eadenfros. This was just after the war had ended and things were quite tumultuous. Once in Eadenfros, we encountered Perry and Ingrid. The Starspawn had just been formed and they were headed south on a mission to root out a band of Boginsklad soldiers who had laid siege to a small settlement outside of Edge.”

  “So why stay?” Ma asked as she took another sip of her drink. “You must know how people here feel about magic?”

  Lyusya shrugged.

  “You’re right,” she sighed. “It was certainly a shock to find how weary and even aggressive people were. But it wasn’t like that with them. Perry, Ingrid and the rest… they didn’t act that way. They were not thrilled by the idea, but they didn’t care much, so long as we got the job done.” Lyusya held onto her cup, staring listlessly into the liquid as memories came back to her. “It was…nice.”

  “Nice?” Ma blurted out with a quizzical look.

  Lyusya’s face grew red with slight embarrassment.

  “I only meant…” Her voice faded as she tapped her finger against the side of the cup, trying to find the right words. “For Hugo and I, most of our life has been spent wandering. Moving from place to place, town to town and between territories looking for work.”

  “You are Des’Tiyren?”

  Lyusysa seemed surprised by Telhari’s comment.

  “Yes.”

  “What is that?” Ma asked, not wanting to be left out.

  “It means ‘Strange Wanderer’,” Lyusya began, “People with certain skill sets —magic, mostly— who travel and work for coin.”

  “Hugo too?” Ma said as she glanced over her shoulder at the man who was slumped against the staircase with a bit of drool hanging from his cheek.

  “He cannot use magic as I can,” she corrected, “But he and I work together and take jobs together.”

  “Ohhh? Do you now…” Ma purred as she ran her finger along the rim of her cup.

  “Do you plan on returning?” Telhari interjected, quickly changing the subject.

  Lyusya took a sip of her ale and wiped the foam from her lips.

  “We had planned to, initially. But…”

  “It was too nice?” Ma teased.

  Lyusya smiled softly to herself.

  “After so many years, I never imagined that I would stay in any one place for so long. Omnirius is not the most wealthy, nor the most developed, nor even the most hospitable place for Hugo and I. But Perry and the others…they became like family to us.”

  “I know how you feel,” Telhari sighed.

  “People will do that to you,” Ma added with a wry smile. “Even if they’re as stubborn as this lot.”

  The three nodded in agreement and took another sip together. Ma then took a long breath in and exhaled deeply before addressing the two of them.

  “I know it might be a long shot, but I think you two really have a chance to make a difference here.”

  “What do you mean?” Telhari asked.

  “Omnirius can’t hide from the world forever. I know those bastards up in the city will try their damnedest, but it won’t work. We need change.”

  “What are you suggesting,” Lyusya asked her.

  “There are hundreds of people out there— tired, sick and hurting. They have an incredible job ahead of them and they are doubting they can do it.” She took another sip of ale and looked hard at the two of them. “Show them what you can do,” she said with a grin. “If you can put Perry’s bone back in his leg and get him walking again, imagine what you can do to a sprain or a bruise? It won’t take much for them— no need for lightning storms,” she added as she raised an eyebrow at Telhari. “Show them that there is more out there than dragons and basilisks and things that go bump in the night. Show them the good.”

  Lyusya tapped her fingers nervously on the table as she considered Ma’s proposal.

  “Do you really think they would accept it?”

  “There is only one way to find out,” she answered with a shrug. “And if they give you trouble?” As she finished speaking, Ma lifted her hand from the cup and balled it into a fist.

  Lyusya smiled.

  “I think it is worth trying,” Telhari added.

  “Great!”

  Ma scooped up her cup and waved it around in front of them.

  “You can start by making some more of this!”

  Telhari and Lyusya raised an eyebrow at each other.

  “I-I don’t know anything that can—”

  “Neither do I…”

  “Ugh!”

  Ma slumped onto the table and began sobbing under her breath.

  In time, the three of them finished their drinks and continued sharing stories. Before long, Ma had fallen asleep, nearly sliding off her seat and onto the ground. Telhari scooped her up and carried her into the manor with Lyusya as his guide. They took her to an empty bed in one of the servant’s quarters and laid her down. Telhari had left to go find blankets and upon his return he found Lyusya asleep as well. Telhari made sure the two of them were covered and he left a bucket by their bedside just in case. As he headed down the hallway and back toward the main entrance, he heard voices from deeper in the manor and saw the faint glow of candle light. It was Sir Perry’s voice; along with the voice of another man. Telhari chose not to intrude, deciding instead to return to the crisp night air and silver starlight.