“Which you claim you won’t ever give me,” Alric reminded his half-brother. “It’s not really a bargaining chip unless you’re willing to negotiate for it.”

  Osmian paused, and the man in the green robe cleared his throat. “Remember, Osmian, the prophecy.” His old voice had a decided quaver but was stronger than Lilly had expected. Luc and Shilayla were watching him closely while Lilly kept her attention on Osmian and Alric.

  “What prophecy?” Alric demanded.

  The old man shuffled to one of the many bookshelves that lined the room, searching on a dusty shelf for something. After a moment, he pulled out a scroll and opened it. He cleared his throat and read from the parchment.

  “Black and white shall fly side by side, bringing together the tainted son with the pure. The lover will transform from warrior to beauty, and the Blind King will be blind no more.” The old man lowered the scroll and looked around the room. “This looks like most of it right here, though interpreting these things is sometimes best left to others.”

  “Who are you, sir?” Alric asked the question Lilly had been wondering about herself.

  “My name is Dieffenbacher. I am the holder of the green tower to the west, a fellow Alchemist and leader of my own school of alchemy. I came here today to reason with Osmian, who was a student of mine for a short while, early in my career, but there is no reasoning with a madman.” Dieffenbacher shook his head sadly as Osmian made a rude gesture in the old man’s direction.

  “Your time is over,” Osmian scolded the green-robed Alchemist. “It was over when I left your school, though you didn’t yet realize it. Mine is the vision of the future for our brotherhood, not yours. It’s time you realized that, old man.”

  “I supported you for Grand High Alchemist, against my better judgment, but no more. You have gone too far.” Diffenbacher shot the younger man a disgusted look and sat heavily on top of a low bookcase right behind him. “I suspect these people will have a say in your future, as well.” The old man subsided and said no more for the moment.

  “This is not the prophecy,” Osmian said, a crazed look in his eyes that Lilly didn’t like. “That prophecy will never come true. It’s nonsense! Pure nonsense.”

  “Whether it is or not, I intend to have the cure from you, Osmian. I did not come here to leave empty handed,” Alric told the Alchemist in a calm, powerful voice.

  Lilly watched as Alric slid down from Zallra’s back. That wasn’t the plan. He was supposed to stay mobile, not let himself be caught on the ground. Lilly moved to stand beside her King, as did Jimnel as Zallra stepped back. Alric faced the man who had intentionally blinded him and killed his parents. Lilly felt the tension in the air ramp up even higher. Something was going to blow here at any minute.

  The three gray-robed men rushed at Alric, but the dragons intervened. Zentailleron skewered one with his talons while Grennulf’s tail barb took down another. It was Zallra who shifted into her human form in the blink of an eye to stop the fastest of the three men with a sword stroke that removed his head from his shoulders in one clean swipe.

  Zallra turned casually and walked to Alric’s side, taking his hand in a show of solidarity that wasn’t lost on anyone in the room. Osmian began cursing and reached behind him to grasp a light blue bottle off a shelf behind him. It had been kept at the back of the shelf and was covered in a layer of dust.

  “This is the cure,” Osmian shouted, holding up the bottle and showing it to those who could see. “If I smash this now, you’ll never see again, brother,” he taunted.

  Osmian placed the bottle on the table in front of him and reached for something in one swift move. Lilly held her breath and moved to intercept should Osmian bring out a hammer to smash the bottle. No way would she allow that bastard to deprive Alric of the cure any longer than absolutely necessary.

  But it wasn’t a hammer that Osmian produced. It was a dagger. A black blade carved from obsidian and heavily inlaid with alchemical runes. It glowed as it flew through the air at an angle impossible for Lilly to intercept. She watched it head straight for Alric as if in slow motion, knowing she was badly positioned.

  Then, all of a sudden, Jimnel was there, diving in front of Alric and deflecting the blade. Zallra moved faster than Lilly could blink and snared the blue bottle off of Osmian’s worktable, while Luc and Lilly moved to intercept Osmian as he rounded the table and headed straight for Alric, death in his eyes and a second, longer black dagger in his hand.

  He would never get there. Lilly and Luc acted in concert. While Lilly blocked Osmian’s attack, Luc’s blade made contact with the Grand High Alchemist, with devastating effect. Osmian stumbled a few feet closer then fell to the floor, the black stone dagger falling beside him and shattering into a dozen shards.

  “Osmian is dead,” Lilly reported for Alric’s sake, checking the body.

  Lilly had felt the deaths of those in the room with her new awareness of healing rhythms and magic, but it hadn’t crippled her as she’d feared. Instead, it felt…just. As if acting in defense of others somehow tempered the action. She’d have to consult with the healers more to learn if her supposition was correct, but that would have to wait.

  She’d been doing the exercises they’d taught her faithfully and it really seemed to help with her control. Especially right now, when she was in the midst of battle. She’d been so afraid she’d freeze up as soon as somebody got hurt, but this battle had been fast and clean with no lingering wounded, and her new power remained under her control.

  Lilly was aware of Zallra murmuring to Alric, explaining what had happened, but she was more interested in the sole survivor of the room. The old man in the green robe rose from his seat on top of the bookcase. Luc was instantly at her side, blocking Dieffenbacher’s path to Alric with her.

  The old Alchemist held up both his hands, palms outward in a show of peace. “I am not your enemy. I have no quarrel with King Alric. But I do have some interest in seeing that the cure is used properly. If it is what I think it is, that preparation is for external application. In other words, you do not drink it, King Alric, you apply it to the eyes directly.”

  “How can we trust you?” Zallra challenged the man.

  Dieffenbacher regarded her critically. “You are the prophecy fulfilled, milady. The warrior turned into beauty, and now, only the last phrase needs fulfillment. The Blind King must be blind no more.”

  “And then what?” Luc asked suspiciously. “What happens after that? We have seers and even prophets among our people. There’s usually a reason for them to write something down that doesn’t come to pass for years.”

  “Ah, you’re right, of course,” Dieffenbacher nodded toward Luc, his lips curving upward slightly. “This prophecy was given to the last Grand High Alchemist by the only prophet I know of that we have ever had living within our city. She was the wife of the Grand High Alchemst who was in power when I was a young man, and she wrote down her strongest visions of the future and gave them to the people they affected. This one became popular with the previous leadership when you were blinded, Your Majesty, and has piqued the interest of many of us all these years.” The old man leaned against the worktable, which was to his side. “This prophecy was supposed to herald a time of upheaval in the world and within our community.” He glanced at Osmian’s corpse. “His death is proof enough of that. We will have to hold a conclave of all the tower holders to see which one will rise to power. Unlike his predecessor, Osmian did not leave a clear line of succession for us to follow.” Dieffenbacker tilted his head. “Perhaps, that is for the best. This way, we will be able to choose someone who will not lead us down an evil path.” He straightened a bit. “Which is what I believe Osmian has been doing. Once word of his crimes spreads among my brethren, I am near certain he will be condemned for his actions. We are not men of vendetta and war. We are scholars and scientists, seeking knowledge for its own sake, not for the power it can bring us, though of course, that is usually a byproduct. Still, I like to think most of us have some purity of heart, at least on a basic level.”

  “I can tell you that the greater world is in conflict already,” Alric told the old man. “Some seek to meddle with the rest of the wizards and bring back their chaos to our realm.”

  “Surely not!” Dieffenbacher looked appalled, and Lilly did not think it was an act.

  “Draconia has been attacked from several different fronts,” Zallra put in. “King Lucan of Skithdron and the barbarians in the Northlands have been openly seeking the Citadel, as have pirates in the southern seas, who have tried stealing books of magic from the last of the great wizards. And, yes, I can confirm that the wizard Gryffid has come back to our time, along with an entire colony of gryphons and fair folk who have lived on his island all this time, hidden from our view. He is actively working with the leadership of Draconia, the Jinn and others to stop the enemy from breaching the Citadel and releasing his ancient enemies.”

  “This is grave news, indeed,” Dieffenbacher replied. “I’ve heard rumors, but nothing firm.” He paused, seeming to think a moment. “Then, if we are to fulfill the prophecy, we must restore your eyesight, Your Majesty, as soon as possible.”

  “What is your instruction, Lord Dieffenbacher?” Alric asked as Lilly worried. Could this old man really be trusted?

  “How do we know—?” Lilly whispered to Luc, who remained at her side.

  “The dragons know,” Luc replied immediately.

  “Be at ease, Lilly. This old one speaks truth,” Shilayla’s voice rumbled softly through her mind. “Besides, if he tries to hurt Alric, we will all flame him into oblivion.”

  Lilly fought the smile that wanted to come forth at Shilayla’s teasing tone. If the dragons were willing to trust the green-robed Alchemist, then she had to have faith in their judgment. Still, she would watch and be wary. Alric was dear to her, not only as her King, but as her friend.

  Dieffenbacher walked Alric through the application of the cure, instructing Zallra to prepare the pads of cloth, soaked with the solution from the light blue bottle. She did so, and together, they gently applied first one and then the other poultice to Alric’s eyes. He tilted his head back and remained that way for several minutes while Lilly nearly held her breath with worry.

  “That should be long enough for the first application,” Dieffenbacher stated after about five minutes had passed. “Take the dressings off and rinse with clear water.”

  Alric did so, using Zallra’s own canteen to rinse his eyes. Water splashed around his feet, but it wasn’t a lot, and he didn’t seem to care as he blinked his eyes over and over.

  “I see…” Alric began. “Shapes and colors. Blurry, but I definitely see something.” Then, it was tears that rolled down Alric’s face, along with the residual water.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  “Apply the cure two more times, and by the third application, your sight should be fully restored,” Dieffenbacher advised.

  “How soon can we do it again?” Alric asked. Already, Lilly could see that his eyes were tracking Dieffenbacher by the old man’s speech. It was a miracle!

  “An hour apart, I should think,” Dieffenbacher replied. “If you would like to come to my tower, I would welcome you all as guests and offer food and comfort while you recover, Your Majesty. I’d like to see you made whole before you leave, just in case you require further treatment.”

  “I will take you up on your kind offer, Lord Dieffenbacher. Perhaps, you’d like to catch a ride to your tower with one of our dragon friends?” Alric looked around the chamber and seemed to be able to see the big white forms for the first time. “I can’t wait until I can really see you all,” he said, his happiness clear on his face. Lilly felt tears falling from her own eyes. Her heart was so full of joy for her old friend.

  “Your Majesty,” Det put in. “Lady Tissery and her heartmate stand ready at the window to carry Lord Dieffenbacher to his tower. Sir Zentailleron and Ulrick, his heartmate, will remain here to secure the room while others of my command go through the tower. We will put all of the people in the courtyard below this tower for you to see later, if you wish. There may be some who have knowledge of Osmian’s plans that you wish to interview. My people will do the preliminary work, with your permission, and set aside those to whom you may wish to speak further.”

  Alric turned toward Det. “You have my thanks, Sir Detlif. And Sirs Ulrick and Zentailleron will have a special reward for finding our quarry so quickly and efficiently. Let us be on our way.”

  Lilly and Luc helped the old Alchemist over to the window and the waiting dragon. He seemed apprehensive at first but soon saw that, with the warrior on the dragon’s back, he would have something to hold onto. He mounted, and the trio left. Gren and Det, with Jimnel, were next to leave. Ulrick stayed behind with his dragon while Lilly and Luc mounted Shilayla’s back, giving Zallra and the King a moment of privacy as best they could.

  Lilly saw Alric touch Zallra’s cheek. They were speaking in low tones for a moment before she stepped back and transformed into her dragon shape. Alric didn’t need help getting aboard this time. He could see well enough to know where Zallra was and how to get on. Then, they were off, flying over the city and in between the towers and their spires. Shilayla acted as rear guard with Alric and Zallra flying directly ahead of them.

  The green-robed Alchemist had a tower that looked as if it were modeled after the trunk of a mighty tree. It had veins running along its twisting height that were probably the very same pipes that were on the other towers, but here they were gently camouflaged so as to look more organic. Lilly thought it was lovely. The tower was festooned with green banners reminiscent of leaves waving in the breeze, and the buildings below all flew a similar green flag or banner of some kind. From above, this part of the city looked a bit like a forest, but under the surface, Lilly could see the residents were both prosperous and peaceful.

  Whatever else Dieffenbacher was, he was a good overlord to his people. It was clear from the way the buildings were kept and the look of the people who gazed up at them as they passed. They were well-dressed and well-fed. None had the lean, hungry look of someone living on the edge.

  They landed on the roof, and Dieffenbacher led the way into an observatory where he had a huge telescope mounted on rollers. The roof could be opened in various ways so that he could look in all different directions, and the large openings were wide enough for the dragons. The room itself was also big enough for a few dragons to recline in comfort since the area was kept clear for the giant telescope to be moved through.

  Dieffenbacher, on his home ground, was much steadier. He had a cadre of servants and acolytes in similar green robes of a lighter color bustling around, bringing in food, drink and chairs for the two-legged guests. There were even a few children dressed in green breeches and tunics serving as pages who brought in bushels of apples to offer to the dragons. The children, of course, were fascinated by the dragons, and each had several little pages standing around in awe.

  Zallra was off to one side, and Alric alighted just as Lilly reached him. She reached out to steady him but pulled her hand back. Alric must have seen her gesture because he took hold of her hand and brought her in for a quick hug.

  “Lilly, you have been my dearest friend for so very long. Thank you for bringing these miracles to me. The alliances. My magical lady love. My eyesight. I can never repay you.” His words were spoken low, near her ear as she hugged him with all the joy she felt for him.

  She drew back when he let go and looked up at him. “I would do just about anything for you, My Liege. My friend. I could not be happier for you. And there is no need for thanks. It’s been my honor to serve you all these years.”

  Alric reached out and ruffled her hair. “I never realized you were so short.”

  Lilly burst out laughing as Alric joined in her merriment. She could see a swirl of black out of the corner of her eye, and then, Zallra was in her human form, being ogled by everyone in the room who had never seen the black dragon transform.

  Lilly felt Luc come up behind her and turned to see Shilayla was seated comfortably near the large doorway that opened into the observatory. There were chairs, now, around a table that had been cleared of charts and books and laid with a fine tablecloth in green with green embroidery, of course.

  Food was being served, brought up from somewhere below through a small cubby at the side of the room that seemed to operate on some sort of pulley mechanism, though it was incredibly steady. Both food and drink came up that way and was quickly placed on the table. Before long, a veritable feast had been laid.

  Dieffenbacher came over to Alric and bowed slightly. “If you would come this way, Your Majesty, the table is ready. There will be just enough time for food and drink before your next treatment.”

  They all followed the Alchemist to what was no doubt usually a worktable but had been set up for a feast. The servants were pleasant and helpful, and the dragons were at ease, which didn’t put Lilly totally at ease, herself, but went a long way towards helping her relax just a bit. Alric took the place of honor at the center of the table, with the Alchemist at his right hand and Zallra at his left. When Lilly and Jimnel would have taken up guard positions behind Alric’s chair, Zallra assured them both that Alric would come to no harm as long as she was next to him. Alric gave them the nod, and Lilly reluctantly went to sit beside Luc while Jimnel took a seat farther down the long table.

  The meal was simple but filling and just what they needed after their long journey. Dieffenbacher’s hospitality was everything that could be hoped for, and his people were accommodating. When it was time for Alric’s second treatment, even Lilly could see the change in his eyes. Where before they were a milky white, the color was returning to his irises as the eyes themselves cleared. His eyes were a sparkling light blue unlike anyone else’s she’d ever seen. Perhaps, Alric would always wear that mark of his previous blindness, or perhaps, it would fade after the third and final treatment. Only time would tell.