CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Krayson coughed against the burning in his throat. It defied reason that anyone would drink things like this for fun. Willingly. He groaned and leaned his elbows on the bar, uncaring of the amused look the burly bartender gave him.

"No offense meant, my lord," he said, "but are you not somewhat young to be in a place like this?"

"Eighteen," Krayson slurred. "Shtow your... Stow your thunder, man."

The bartender chuckled and moved on to hand Lord Therrak and Lady Kolbat glasses of wine.

At Krayson's side, he had something of an audience. Saveen clung to Kimpo for support, and the Huntress was gasping for air due to how hard she was laughing. Whatever it was that amused the thundering dragons so much, Krayson wished they'd be a little quieter about it.

"Bah," Krayson grunted. "Not an ounshe of respect-" He hiccuped. "-in the whole... thund'rin' empire." He rounded on Kimpo and Saveen, pointing a finger at their incessant hooting. "I'm a sworn brother of the Shanguine Fraternal Order, not a... uh... an object of ridicule."

"Waves and tides," Pacifica exclaimed, walking up to the bar. "What've you done to him?"

"He did it to himself, point of fact," Kimpo said.

"How many has he had?"

"One. Well, half of one."

Pacifica's jaw dropped. "Waves take me. I know the Hondoan stuff is strong, but this is just ridiculous."

"Bah," Krayson said eloquently.

Pacifica fixed Krayson with a steely glare, and her fingers started working through a sequence of somatic gestures.

"Not a sheep!" Krayson shouted, recoiling from her.

Pacifica sniffed haughtily as her fingers stopped moving. "I imagine you'd be more comfortable with your outward form matching your inner self, you animal."

A gold-skinned man with black hair and blue eyes accompanied Pacifica to the bar. Adar tried unsuccessfully to hide his mirth behind a hand. "I must compliment your somatic control, love. Had you been putting ether behind it, he would be covered in wool right now."

Pacifica nodded graciously to her bound dragon and wizardry instructor. "Covered in wool, but still on two legs. I'd need a proper sigil array for a complete polymorph." She turned to Saveen and Kimpo. "Now, is someone going to explain this drunkard's state?"

Krayson scowled as the dragons explained certain handicaps placed on him by his blood magic; several of the spells woven into his cracked imprint interfered with his body's ability to handle alcohol. While they chattered about him, Krayson cast a critical eye over Pacifica's choice of wardrobe.

Of the group, only he and Adar the Ascendent were dressed sensibly. Krayson remained in his normal clothes as well as his red half-robe, and Adar kept to an embroidered doublet. These thundering females with their... added proportions... were far too fond of exposed skin. Between Saveen and Kimpo's Aleesh raiment and whatever in hellfire that gown Pacifica wore was supposed to be, Krayson was developing several opinions on the importance of modesty.

Krayson glared accusingly at Kimpo. "You usually wear tabards," he growled.

Kimpo blinked at the odd change in subject from her perspective. "My Ruby advised 'casual attire', but he wouldn't let me abstain from dressing entirely." She gestured to her dark red raiment. "A happy medium."

Krayson's eye wandered down to Kimpo's abdomen. He gave the scarlet markings circling her navel a good long stare before looking back to her face. "I'm not happy."

"You're never happy, master," Saveen scolded.

Krayson gasped, insulted.

There was a heavy sigh from Pacifica. "Oh, for... Saveen, we can't have the Order's representative seen in public like this." She gestured towards Krayson for emphasis. "Would that he still had a bond to receive strength from."

Saveen giggled. "That'd snap him out of it in a hurry. As it stands, I've been sending some Moon's way."

Pacifica glanced over towards Ban and Moon. "I was wondering. Those two haven't slowed down since they got here, but they're still going strong."

"I haven't given the boy anything," Kimpo said. "He's holding his cups on his own."

Pacifica raised an eyebrow. "Really? Color me impressed, in that case. Even I needed a little refresher from Adar."

"Two refreshers," Adar corrected.

"Yes, well," She cleared her throat before returning her attention to Krayson. "Which leaves us with what to do about this blockhead. If there's a spell to cure drunkenness, Adar hasn't taught it to me yet."

Adar laughed. "There is, actually. I'd need two reagents, but it's easily done."

He went to the counter and raised a hand to summon the bartender. Apparently, the reagents were something close at hand. While Adar acquired what he needed, Pacifica and Saveen manhandled Krayson towards a nearby table and made him sit.

"What was it he was drinking?" Adar asked over his shoulder.

"The Hondoan whisky," Kimpo said.

"Flames, Huntress, his metabolism's compromised by sustaining spells. Were you trying to kill him?"

Kimpo shrugged, unconcerned.

Adar sighed and ordered the same drink from the bartender. He then seemed to think better of it and ordered an additional tumbler for himself. No ice.

"Leave off," Krayson protested. He clumsily fended off Saveen's hold on his arm. "Like I said, I'm perfactily... perfectly... fine."

"Knock it off, master," Saveen said. "Getting shnockered is one thing, but not admitting it is a character flaw."

Krayson looked up at her and calmed himself. He remembered meeting this thundering dragonet, and he remembered how much he owed to their time in each other's company. The last thing he wanted was for Saveen to think less of him. "You've grown since then," he said, somber, if not exactly sober.

Saveen didn't appear to have any trouble tracking the course of his train of thought. "Not really. I thought you'd notice by now, but my human form is a couple inches shorter lately."

Krayson squinted. "Is it? Why?"

"I wanted to be the same height as my Sapphire," Saveen explained. "We look absolutely fearsome when we're all kitted up together. I bet doubly so now that Moon's not so bulbous anymore."

Krayson snorted, which nearly tipped him out of his chair. He was still not the biggest supporter of Saveen having a bond again. She was thirty years too young in the estimation of other dragons, but her bond had been forged out of necessity. It was also given to someone Krayson felt he could trust to look after Saveen's best interests.

Moon fits her, Krayson thought. Better than I did, and certainly better than Cardin ever could.

Adar came back to the table with a tumbler of whisky in either hand. He set one down in front of Krayson while pounding back the other in one shot.

Krayson reached for the glass.

"Nope," Saveen said, swatting his hand away. "That's not for drinking, master."

"Quite so," Adar confirmed. "Have you a notion of my spellcraft, little one?"

Saveen nodded. "Yes. He might not look it right now, but Krayson's taught me a lot about magic. Even though I'm a witch, he's shown me the basics of wizardry, too."

"That's most admirable," Adar said in praise. "Now, could either of you two apprentices tell me what the second reagent I'll need is?"

Saveen scratched at her cheek as she shook her head. Pacifica offered the answer.

"A drop of Krayson's blood."

Adar inclined his head to her. "Indeed. Would you mind procuring one for me, love?"

Pacifica mimed rolling up her sleeve and balled up a fist. "With pleasure."

Saveen interposed herself between them. "None of that. Let me, my lady."

Krayson allowed Saveen to draw his hand towards her mouth. He didn't resist, not even when she altered her polymorphy to give herself more dragon-like fangs. She bit down on his thumb. Not overly hard, just enough so her teeth broke the skin.

While she collected some of Krayson's blood, Adar dipped a finger into the whisky. He let a few drops fall onto the tabletop, then directed Saveen to smear Krayson's blood beside it.

"I see," Pacifica said, observing the process. "You're connecting the imprint of his blood to the reagent composition of the whisky."

"This is usually done to remove poisons from a patient," Adar said. "Functionally, this is no different. The spell will filter it from his blood."

"To where?" Saveen asked, wrinkling her nose.

"Fortunate for Brother Joshuan, there's a privy closet down the hall."

Adar performed a complex string of double somatics, simultaneous gestures from both hands. Pacifica intently watched his hands move, memorizing the sequence. At least two of the somatics were advanced, unknown to the magocracy and beyond the ability of a mortal hand to replicate. Unless, of course, the mortal had their hands' structure modified by a dragon bond. Krayson and Pacifica were two of the few mortals in the world able to utilize dragon somatics in their spellcraft.

Krayson felt a wave of icy cold wash through his body when Adar's spell completed. It came with a sharp headache that quickly began to fade. The dullness in his head left with it, leaving Krayson shivering and a little woozy, but sober.

"Thunders take me," Krayson muttered with a clear head. He remembered most of the last few minutes and rather wished he didn't. "How do I let you people talk me into these things?"

Kimpo thumped him on the back. "Because you've an admirable skill for keeping us all in good spirits, Blood Runner. Ready for another?"

Saveen snatched the whisky off the table and held it away from Krayson. "He's had enough."

"Stow your thunder, Saveen. I wasn't about to drink it."

She glared at him and took a step away. "I'll make certain of it," she declared, then drank it down.

Krayson and Pacifica both raised hands to stop her, but it was already too late.

Saveen wheezed. Her eyes clamped shut to hold back tears of pain, and she spent the next few moments hacking and coughing. "Flames! Humans drink this? On purpose?"

Krayson shrugged.

"Moon's right. You're all rockers."

"In any case," Krayson said, "thank you, Lord Ascendent. I wouldn't want to be left to the mercy of these two."

"Of course, Brother Joshuan. I do, after all, owe you a great deal."

Krayson raised his head in question.

Adar placed a hand on Pacifica's shoulder. "I thought my Diamond lost. You brought her back, and that's a debt I could spend the rest of my life repaying."

"Tell that to your Diamond. She could stand to be a little nicer to me."

Pacifica curled her lip. "That's rot, and you know it. This is only the second time I've ever been cross with you."

"A memorable two times," Krayson muttered. "But, you're right. I beg your pardon, my lady."

Pacifica's manner changed abruptly. Her sneer became a smile in the span of a moment, like she was thundering proud of him or something. It pissed Krayson off, but he wasn't about to say so this soon after earning her forgiveness. He swallowed his pride and rose to his feet.

"After all," he said, "Lord Ban tells me this is yours and Reyn's debut celebration. Congratulations, my lady."

Adar furrowed his brow. "What's this about?"

The look of sudden chagrin Pacifica got made her eyes look as wide as dinner plates. She rounded on Adar with a mortified gasp. "Waves take me, did I never tell you?"

"Tell me what? Something about Minister Reyn?"

Kimpo started laughing again. "They're courting now, Adar. Or, should I say, courting publicly."

Adar looked across the room towards where Starra and Reyn were whispering into each other's ears and getting flush in the cheeks. He looked back at Pacifica in confusion.

Pacifica held up her palms. "It's... Yes, it's a whole thing. Forgive me, love. I should've mentioned all this sooner. A lot sooner."

She drew Adar away by the arm, the Ascendent growing more perplexed with every word she said to him. Kimpo was far too amused by it all as she went and ordered a drink— for herself this time— from the bartender.

Krayson sat back down, rubbing at his temples. All this, all these people, they were by far a more chaotic bunch than he was accustomed to. His brothers in the Order had been more... well... ordered.

Saveen came to his side and patted him on the head. "There, there. I'm done tormenting you, master. I'll even keep everyone else from bothering you."

He looked up at her before turning away. "It's not so much being bothered."

"Oh? What is it then?"

"It's..." He struggled to find the words. When none came, he gave up on it. He didn't want to burden Saveen with his worries. "It's nothing. To be honest, if I wasn't the butt of your jokes anymore, I think I would start to miss it."

Saveen's eyes lit up.

"That wasn't an invitation."

She pouted.

"But I'm relieved," he said in a quieter tone. "Her Highness has returned. I feared all was lost with her gone."

Saveen pulled a chair out from the table to sit down beside him. It hadn't been Krayson's intention, but they sat more or less facing Jin and Enfri's table across the parlor.

The empress and the princess were alone, as much as anyone could be in the midst of a semi-public party. They sat facing each other, gazing into each other's eyes and clasping hands.

"Look at them," Saveen sighed wistfully. "I'm glad she's back, too. Her Majesty hasn't been herself since Her Highness left." Saveen let out a little gasp as Jin leaned in to kiss Enfri, one Enfri returned just as passionately. "Oh, Flames. Now that's what I call a smooch."

Krayson averted his eyes, not wanting to be the man gawking at two beautiful young women having an intimate moment. Saveen had no such compunctions.

"I wonder what that feels like," she mused aloud.

Krayson frowned. "You've been kissed. I would know. I was there."

Startled, she looked at him. "What? When?"

"Thunders, Saveen. You kissed Cardin right in front of me. Don't tell me you forgot."

She turned a darker shade of blue. A stammered string of consonants came out of her mouth, but what they were meant to communicate was lost on Krayson. He turned away from her as the music changed.

The bard set aside a flute and took up her lyre. As she played a slow and hauntingly sweet melody, she began to sing. The song's lyrics were in Old Gaulatian, Krayson believed, so perhaps Reyn requested it. Whatever the origins, Enfri rose from her chair as the first notes fell over the parlor, then offered her hand to Jin. Her Highness took it, and the two of them glided towards the center of the room. Enfri held Jin about the shoulders, and Jin held Enfri by the waist. First one step, then another, they began to dance.

The sight pulled Saveen out of her self-inflicted fit. She gasped and went wide-eyed as she watched Jin and the empress dance. Soon, everyone in the parlor joined her in gaping at the pair. Conversation died down, and the wine house was silent but for the music. Even Krayson couldn't keep his eyes off them for long. The part of him that could feel what everyone else seemed to be feeling was long withered by his blood magic, but right then, it did feel like more than a ghost. With every step the two reconciled lovers took, it grew stronger.

Peace, my saint, Kumo whispered. This feeling is peace.

"I like it," he whispered back.

Saveen, the only one close enough to hear, raised a curious eyebrow. She didn't wait long for an explanation before turning back to watch. After a few moments, she dropped her gaze and wrung her hands on her lap.

"I..." she began. She spoke it so quietly that it couldn't be overheard by anyone else in the peaceful room. "I don't feel that way for Cardin."

Krayson glanced sidelong at her. He didn't require an explanation, but there was a sense of relief at hearing it.

"Maybe once," she continued. "Once, when I didn't know any better. He was... I didn't know what was going to happen, the sort of person he'd choose to be, but he was still only the second human I ever met who didn't try doing something weird to me."

"Who else didn't?" Krayson asked.

She squinted at him. "Um... you?"

"Saveen, we were bound inside two minutes of meeting each other."

"Yeah, but you didn't do that."

Others began joining Jin and Enfri in their dance. Ban came forward with Moon, the disparity between their heights somehow managing to look as far from awkward as possible. Pacifica danced with Reyn. Hugin coaxed his husband Rav onto the floor. After a few half-hearted protests, Deebee even got Kimpo to join in. Also, in what might've been the most shocking coup of the new century, Starra offered an invitation to Princess Maya, who with the utmost reservation, accepted.

At the owner's fervent direction, the serving maids as well as the bartender hurried to pull a number of tables and chairs from the center of the parlor to clear way for a better dance floor. At the edge of the room, Krayson and Saveen were safe from eviction.

"What I'm trying to say," Saveen said, and as she said it, her face got bluer and her hands wrung harder. Unfortunately, whatever it was she was trying to say wasn't coming out.

"Don't worry, Saveen," Krayson said. "I think I understand."

She turned her head to look at him. "You do?"

Krayson nodded. "Yes, I think so."

She smiled, a mixture of relief and hopefulness.

"You don't want me to mistakenly believe you have any residual romantic feelings for Cardin."

She nodded. "Yes. That's right."

"Because you worry such misunderstandings might interfere with our lessons, given our history with the Knights of Alinwé."

Saveen's eye twitched. "I... suppose."

Krayson faced forward, confidant and pleased that this was cleared up between them before it could become an issue. "Good. I do feel better. Thank you, Saveen."

She continued to stare at him, flummoxed for some oddball reason. She drew her mouth into a line, gave him a pat on the shoulder, stood up, and walked away.

In Krayson's head, in the place reserved for his patron god, there was a sensation that reminded him of a long, drawn-out sigh.

He had other problems, however. Krayson sat up straight as it came upon him with sudden and urgent intensity. Careful to stand up in a smooth motion, rather than the sharp bolt he desperately wanted, Krayson turned his feet in the direction of the nearest exit. Every move he made was calculated so as not to draw attention from those around him, also to preserve what little dignity he had left. He placed his steps cautiously, too much and he'd turn this into the worst night of his life.

Adar's intoxication cure had caught up with Krayson, and it was angry. Best to find that privy closet he mentioned quickly.