He could see distinct shapes after the second treatment, though everything was still blurry, he reported. Dieffenbacher suggested an hour of quiet repose before the third treatment, and he had his musicians come up to play restful music while the company sat and talked quietly. Dieffenbacher asked many questions of Zallra about Draconia and particularly the wizard Gryffid’s return to the mortal world. Zallra held them all spellbound with her stories of flights of gryphons and the enclave of fair folk who lived and thrived on Gryphon Isle. She also spoke of the land of Helios, far to the east, which was also now connected by blood ties to the ruling family of Draconia. One of the King’s brothers, Zallra said, had married the Doge of Helios not too long ago and was making his home in that land now.

  “I had heard tales of the wedding,” Dieffenbacher said quietly. “I like to encourage bards to visit my part of the city when they come through. They often have the most entertaining tales, and since they travel widely, they bring news I might not otherwise hear.”

  “Very wise, milord,” Zallra told him. “In case I didn’t mention it before, I am Jinn, of the Black Dragon Clan. In fact, your name was mentioned to me by the spymaster of Alric’s capital city as a point of contact in this land. You have made friends among the Jinn, whether you realize it or not.”

  “Truly?” Dieffenbacher looked surprised, then pleased. “I see the Jinn network is even more extensive than I had believed.” His smile twinkled a bit when he looked at Zallra. “And I had no idea the Black Dragon Clan actually had black dragons in it.”

  “That was a closely held secret until just recently. Like you, we have had great prophecies come to pass in recent times, including the return of the Jinn Queen and her King-Consort, Prince Nicholas of Draconia.”

  “Princess Arikia is the Jinn Queen?” Again, Dieffenbacher looked truly surprised.

  “She is,” Zallra confirmed. “And she is one of the reasons many of my brethren have been gathering in Draconia to settle down in permanent homes. King Alric has also negotiated with most of the leading Jinn mercenary companies to settle in the unclaimed wasteland north of his lands, which are now annexed into his kingdom but run by the Jinn who will live there.”

  “This is news!” Dieffenbacher enthused. “I had not heard of this before.”

  “It is a new arrangement,” Alric told the old Alchemist. “It seems Osmian was paying large numbers of mercenary companies to travel by stealth to the wasteland in preparation for an invasion. They tried that yesterday and were repelled. Lady Zallra was instrumental in negotiating the arrangement with the Jinn mercenary companies, and the dragons—both snow dragons from our allies under the Veil and ice dragons living in caves at the northern reaches of the wasteland—are overseeing the trasition and removal of those mercs who are unwelcome or unwilling to join in the peaceful dissolution of their army. They are being escorted through the northern pass to Elderland, back to wherever they had come from. I will be approaching the Emperor of Elderland next, to apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, though the dragons assure me it will be minimal with them watching the mercs’ every move.”

  “Brilliant, Your Majesty, and Lady Zallra. I am certain mere human mercenaries will not try their luck against a dragon.” Dieffenbacher looked at the dragons sitting peacefully around his observatory, eyes widening when he saw their smoky laughter rising skyward. “That Osmian was hiring mercs is not surprising, though I wish I had realized what he was doing before now. I would have brought him before the Tower Council and held him accountable. He might’ve been the Grand High, but the Council still holds the power to oust a bad Grand High. I was delivering that message to him today, in fact. Warning him that the other tower holders were not happy with the direction he’s been taking us all in. Alas, he didn’t listen. He never listened. He always thought his way was the right way, and no other opinion mattered. It was why I could not teach him in his youth and sent him to another master. Our approaches to alchemy were diametrically opposed.”

  All the while they were talking, Lilly noticed the way Alric clung to Zallra’s hand just below the table. He was alternately sitting with his eyes closed, then opening them to look all around, as if searching for whatever he might be able to see. This had to be a momentous time for him, and she wasn’t sure if being in company was bad or good. Perhaps a bit of both.

  Having others around to share these moments with and help distract his thoughts was probably beneficial. Having Zallra to share in his recovery was also a pretty special thing. The more she saw them together, the more she realized how perfect Zallra really was for Alric. He deserved someone special and magical. Someone who loved him for him, not for his position or the power he could bring them.

  Zallra was special, and she was powerful enough on her own. She came to Alric as an equal in so many ways. Lilly was deeply touched watching them interact, and she couldn’t wait to watch their relationship mature. Zallra was good for Alric. And what was good for Alric was good for his kingdom. Zallra was going to be a great Queen.

  Dieffenbacher announced it was time for the final treatment, and once again, Alric put the compresses on his eyes. A few minutes later, he removed them and rinsed, and his first sight was the face of his beloved.

  “Zallra, will you be my Queen?” he asked, gazing deep into her eyes.

  “Yes, my King. I will,” she replied in a tender tone that made Lilly’s heart clench. Alric leaned in and kissed Zallra while everyone around them watched with various degrees of happiness or indulgence.

  Luc was not unaffected by the scene before him. When the newly engaged couple finally broke apart, Luc sent up a cheer that was echoed around the chamber, congratulating them. Alric walked around the chamber with Zallra, finally able to lead the way now that he could see. He stopped in front Luc and offered his hand.

  “Thank you for all you’ve done for me and my people, Sir Luc. I hope you will consider yourself welcome in my domain anytime,” Alric said, shaking hands with Luc as an equal, not a monarch. It was a big gesture that was not lost on Luc.

  “Shilayla deserves most of the credit for making it possible for me to complete my mission. She has been amazing through it all,” Luc said, giving credit where it was most certainly due.

  Alric’s eyes alighted on the dragons, seated nearer to the large doorway than the two-legged contingent. He walked over to them and after a moment, he smiled.

  “You must be Shilayla,” he said, his voice merry with joy. “I never expected to be able to see a dragon, or anything at all, really. I am blessed to have you among the first things I could behold.” He nodded to each dragon in turn. “Thank you for all you have done.”

  Alric’s joyful mood spread to everyone in the room. He looked at everyone and everything around him with wide eyes that had retained their striking blue color. He went up to each dragon, thanking them and staring at them in a way that wasn’t rude for someone who had never been able to see such wonders before.

  Then, Dieffenbacher brought the King a mirror. He placed it gently in front of the King as he sat back at the table.

  “You have not seen your own reflection since you were a boy,” Dieffenbacher said quietly as the room quieted. “Behold the King.” Dieffenbacher’s expression was playful as he backed away and let the King rediscover his own face.

  Lilly reached for Luc’s hand, and he looked at her. Tears were openly running down her cheeks, and he put his arm around her shoulders. She leaned into him and sniffled, squeezing his hand gently.

  “Is that what I look like?” Alric asked, pushing at his hair and running his fingers over his face as he gazed into the mirror. “My eyes…”

  “They’re unique and beautiful,” Zallra said, touching his shoulder.

  “Will they always be this color?” Alric asked Dieffenbacher.

  “I suspect they will, though you have to understand, what happened to you is very rare, indeed,” the green-robed Alchemist replied.

  “I will always wear the mark of my experience,” Alric said quietly, looking into the mirror again.

  “We all wear the marks of our experiences, my love, though in different ways. Yours are just a bit more visible. And lovely,” Zallra added. “You were handsome before, but now… Those eyes of yours are gorgeous. I will have to beat the women off with a stick. Or threaten to toast them at the very least.” Zallra’s amused chuckle held just a hint of her inner dragon.

  Alric turned to her and wrapped one strong arm around her, tugging her close so he could kiss her cheek. “No toasting our subjects, my love, unless they truly deserve it.”

  The couple laughed, and all those gathered shared in their amusement. Lilly was chuckling, even as she dabbed at her eyes, and Luc had to admit that seeing the King’s recovery was a very emotional experience. Even Det was smiling, and Luc’s big brother seldom smiled at anything these days.

  The Alchemist invited them all to stay for the night, since they had a long journey ahead of them. Alric accepted for them all, and Dieffenbacher sent his servants to prepare the best chamber for the royal couple. Jimnel and Lilly were prepared to stand guard over the door to the King’s chamber in shifts, but Luc and Det joined their planning, and Det was able to call in enough of his guards to do the work in short shifts that would allow everyone enough rest.

  The fact that Shilayla decided to sleep draped across the doorway was a big help to the effort. She squeezed herself into the tower hallway and was just able to fit outside the chamber, which was thankfully, just below the observatory. It was Dieffenbacher’s own room, given up for the comfort of the visiting monarch. The rest of the visitors bedded down above and below where the King slept with his very own dragon lover.

  Many of the fey Guard and a few of their dragons slept in the observatory itself, making room on the floor for their bedrolls. Lilly and Luc shared a guest room on the floor below, stealing a few moments for themselves to sleep. Though they both would have liked to have spent the hours in more pleasureable ways, they were in a strange land, on duty to protect the King. Pleasure would have to wait a bit.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  They woke early to find that the Alchemists had not been idle while the rest of them slept. Over breakfast, one of Dieffenbacher’s senior alcolytes brought the news that the Tower Council had been called last night and was still deliberating. Osmian’s body had been laid on a pyre at the edge of the city adjacent to his own black tower, and a small ceremony would be held for him later that morning.

  So far, the Tower Council had decided unanimously that Osmian had needed to be replaced. They’d already decided that before, but this official declaration made it clear that King Alric would not be held responsible for the former Grand High’s death. To the contrary, the Tower Council was even now drafting an official proclaimation of apology, to be presented in King Alric’s court, for the crimes committed against him. The Tower Council wanted it to be clear that Osmian’s actions were strictly his own, and they neither condoned nor endorsed what he had done to Alric.

  The Council had worked long into the night and decided that Dieffenbacher should serve as Grand High Alchemist. He hadn’t really wanted the position but took it with the proviso that he be replaced within five years due to his age. The others had wanted him to stay permanently, and they’d reached a compromise by creating a new position of Grand High Emeritus. The Emeritus Grand High would advise the new Grand High and generally stick around to make sure the newcomer was going in the right direction. In this way, Dieffenbacher’s influence would continue even after he retired from the position.

  Alric was content with the solution and made that clear as they ate breakfast together in the observatory that had once again been put to rights by the servants and younger alcolytes. Lilly just sat there marveling at Alric—eating in the presence of others for the first time since he was a child. He must have sensed her looking at him because he glanced up and smiled at her, sending her a little wink that made her giggle while holding back the tears of joy that wanted to fall. She was so incredibly happy for him!

  Alric decided, in consultation with Detlif, that they would stay to see Osmian’s funeral pyre, but then, they would begin their journey back home to Alric’s lands. There was still much work to do at home to make sure the changes that had been wrought in the wastelands went smoothly. Annexing such a large piece of land onto his kingdom was not something Alric had decided to do on a whim. Only with the continued work of the Jinn mercenaries and the others who would be making a go of living there, plus the support of the farmers on the other side of the river that had been the border of Alric’s domain before, would it be possible.

  They all flew out over the Alchemist’s city, heading for the black tower to the east. This had been Osmian’s part of the city, and it was still festooned with black banners, making it seem like a dark blot on the otherwise colorful cityscape. They went out beyond the last of the city dwellings, which were not in the best of shape seen close up, and landed.

  A funeral pyre had been laid, but there were few mourners. A small group of gray-robed acolytes were in attendance, plus the Alchemist who had led the tower ever since Osmian had been made Grand High. They stood off to the side and watched mutely as Alric’s party dismounted from their dragons and moved closer.

  Dieffenbacher walked next to Alric and Detlif. Another group of Alchemists in various colored robes stepped forward to meet them. This was the Tower Council, Dieffenbacher explained. Made up of the leaders of all the other towers in the city. They were here to witness Osmian’s rite. Alric was introduced to each of the Alchemists, in turn, and they all offered words of welcome and apology to the King. Lilly and Jimnel stood guard over Alric’s shoulders, and Zallra chose to take her human form in full view of everyone once the Tower Council introductions had been completed.

  Gasps arose from the gray-robed contingent as she walked over to them, turning from black dragon to black leather-clad warrior woman between one step and the next. All of them bowed to her, getting down on one knee and lowering their heads in respect. When she stood in front of the one who had been leading the tower in Osmian’s absence, she spoke.

  “You recognize what I am?” she asked the man, who kept his gaze lowered to her feet.

  “I do, milady. You are the prophecy fulfilled.” A tone of wonder was in his deep voice.

  “Which prophecy is this?” Dieffenbacher demanded.

  “It is the prophecy of the black tower,” the man replied.

  “Stand, and tell us this prophecy,” Zallra demanded.

  Rising slowly, the man looked at her, his gaze full of awe and respect, if Lilly was any judge.

  “I am Zenarth, milady. Head acolyte of the black tower and leader in Osmian’s absence these past years. The prophecy was made by the prophetess you may have heard of, the wife of a former Grand High, who gave many prophecies during her lifetime. It was she who described the rise to power of the leader of the black tower…and his fall. Osmian never believed in it, but we, who have watched what he did with his power, have always believed. Though we are men of science, we respect magic and know that the prophetess had power that was both awesome and true. She gave Osmian’s predecessor the letter that hangs in the secret chamber within the tower known only to high-level acolytes. It says…” He paused, and his eyes grew distant as he seemed to recall the exact words.

  “Black is your sigil but let it not be the color of your hearts. Black like the moonless night where secrets may be spoken and shared. Black like the starless sky in which wisdom may be found. Black like the sacred scales of those who come to bring enlightenment. When you see the black beast transform, you will begin the path of true wisdom. Take heed and do not waste the opportunity on old thoughts and old ways. Take only that which serves from what you have learned before and move into the future with clear hearts and minds. Follow the ones who come from the sky to walk on land with you, for the black beast will be your guide. Beware her fire and embrace her will.”

  Silence met his words while everybody thought about what he’d said. Finally, Zallra broke the quiet with a chuckle.

  “Your prophetess was quite the woman,” she mused. “If I interpret that correctly, I am the sign, but I am not a person of science. However, there are those in my Clan who could easily fulfill the rest of your prophecy. In fact, if I’m not mistaken, several of them have been to your city in the past and studied among your towers. If the black tower is in need of help getting back on track, I can simply put out the word among my clansmen, and I suspect they will fly here as soon as possible. We black dragons are no longer in hiding. Our own prophecies have come to fruition, and our time to be visible in the world is at hand.”

  “Thank you, milady,” Zenarth replied with grave courtesy. “To be honest, we’ve been a bit lost as a school since Osmian’s rise to power. He really had no interest in teaching the younger acolytes, and he wasn’t one to share his knowledge easily.”

  “A fitting epitaph, I think,” Dieffenbacher said, reminding them why they had gathered here. “Osmian was never an easy colleague,” he went on, turning toward the funeral pyre. “He had great knowledge, but he used it badly. We all need to mark this day and remember not to let greed for power or imagined slights rule our thinking. We are people of science. We must calculate our actions, and as the first Grand High stated so many centuries ago: First, do no harm. Osmian clearly forgot or discarded that wisdom in his search for power and status.”

  Dieffenbacher stepped back and allowed another of the Tower Council to speak a few words. The rest echoed what Dieffenbacher said, somewhat less eloquently, but the sentiment was clear. They had not liked Osmian and what he had done as Grand High. Things were going to change. That was the theme throughout the short ceremony. Finally, Dieffenbacher motioned to the King, asking if he’d like to say a few words, and Alric stepped forward.

  “I will never know for certain if Osmian truly was my half-brother, or not. What is clear, is that he believed it, and his belief caused him to act in a way I find hard to forgive. All those years of sightlessness taught me hard lessons. Among them is the need to do what you can with what you have. I might’ve had a brother, and I would have been glad of him, but Osmian apparently wanted something quite different.”