Ayawa hurried across the encampment with Gedris holding her hand. She had woken from the dream with Lilly's warning fresh on her mind to only Gedris in their tent. Tavis had been called to a meeting with Gersius and the others just moments before, and the timing couldn't be worse.

“Are you sure it wasn’t just a dream?” Gedris asked as they rushed through the darkness.

“I am sure,” Ayawa replied in a dire voice. “She was at the location we agreed to meet and pleaded with me to warn them.”

“But if Lilly had such a warning, why give it to you? Couldn’t she have given it to Sarah?” Gedris pressed.

“I don't think Sarah has been doing much sleeping since they returned,” Ayawa suggested. “She has been pressed into near-constant reconnaissance flights. Plus, Lilly explained that the two dreamers had to have a specific place to meet at. It needed to be someplace with an emotional link to both of them. She said it was near impossible for two dreamers to meet when they weren't specifically looking for each other.”

“And you have an emotional like to Eastgate's temple,” Gedris said with a nod. “You became her wed mother there.”

Ayawa felt a swell of emotion from that remark, that was a mixture of pride and pain. Taking a woman as your daughter wasn't a simple thing in her culture, and it carried significant meaning. Now that daughter was far to the west and almost certainly in danger. All Ayawa could do was hope her assurance that she was safe was true and that she would be back soon.

As they approached the meeting tent, her apprehension grew stronger. She had no idea what they were going to say when she delivered the warning.

Gedris squeezed her hand to reassure her as they went inside to find Thayle, Sarah, and Tavis standing before a table with a map of northern mountains.

“I thought you were sleeping?” Tavis asked as his wives approached. “I didn’t want to wake you.”

“I woke on my own,” Ayawa began before she noticed the looks on Sarah and Thayle's faces.

“What is wrong?” Ayawa begged when a tear fell from Thayles cheek.

“Lilly called to us just an hour ago,” Thayle said.

“You saw her?” Ayawa asked, stunned by the revelation.

“No,” Sarah replied. “We just felt her over the bind. It was a swell of emotions followed by a sense of calm.”

“We think she is trying to tell us she is alright,” Thayle said. “But she’s too far away to communicate anything but the strongest emotions.”

Ayawa wondered if that swell of strong emotions had been Lilly's desperate plea to deliver the warning. Gedris did, too, as the woman put an arm around Ayawa for extra support. She looked about but saw no sign of Gersius, so she asked where he was. Sarah said he had been inspecting the camp and doing some work to reassure the forces waiting for the impending battle.

“So why was Tavis called away?” Ayawa aked.

“They are thinking of going ahead with the mass scouting plan,” Tavis replied and leaned over a map to point t it. “Lilly saw the Doan somewhere about here. Assuming the attacks in the east are diversions and the real army is ahead of us further west, we need to scout this region heavily.”

Ayawa glanced at the map as she couldn't believe what she was hearing. It made what she needed to tell them all the harder as it would only add wood to the fire of their suspicions. Then, just as she was about to suggest they reconsider, Gersius came into the command tent and went straight for Thayle and Sarah.

“Why was I called?” he asked when he reached them. “Why are you crying?”

“We felt her,” Thayle replied with a smile and reached up to stroke his cheek. “Didn't you? Maybe an hour ago, we felt a surge of emotion from Lilly as if she was calling out to us.”

“I felt the surge, then a sense of calm,” Gersius replied. “But I would not say she was calling out to us. It was more like she was trying to say do not worry.”

“I don't know how you can say that,” Sarah grumbled. “She is cut off and surrounded by our enemies.”

“I am aware of this,” Gersius said in a firm tone. “But Lilly is mature enough to choose her path, and we must trust her. I would do anything to have her back this very moment, but I feel she is telling us to wait.”

“I have been trying to convince her of this since we got up,” Thayle said.

“Wait for what?” Sarah asked. “For them to behead hear? What is wrong with you two? This is Lilly we are talking about, not some hardened knight. She thinks with her heart and isn't aware of the darkness that lurks in a human solus, let alone that of the dragons. She is lost behind our enemy's lines, and for all we know, she is wounded. They could be holding her against her will and harming her as we speak.”

“They are not harming her,” Gersius insisted and stared her down. “You know as well as I do that if they were harming her, we would feel it. No matter the distance, we would know.”

“And what happens when we do feel it, and we are days away from being able to rescue her?” Sarah asked.

Ayawa could see Gersius didn’t want to answer that question as the tension mounted between them.

“I have given this a great deal of thought,” he finally answered. “If Lilly is not back in two days, we put a plan in motion to rescue her.”

“Rescue her?” Tavis asked in surprise. “How on Talamehn are you going to rescue her?”

“With the bind,” Gersius replied. “Even now, we can feel her and point directly to where she is at.” He accentuated the comment by pointing west and closing his eyes as if expecting to feel her.

Ayawa could see they were all in pain as Gersius explained his plan. He was going to fly back to the front lines and use the binding sense to detect in what direction Lilly was. Then he would fly north and south along the front using the sense to plot lines on a map. Where those lines crossed would be Lilly's location, and then he would formulate a plan to snatch her from their midst at night.

“This is why he commands armies,” Gedris said in awe of his foresight. “He knows how to put everything at his disposal to use.”

Thayle smiled at his cleverness and looked at the map as she quietly assured Lilly they were going to find her. Sarah was somewhat relieved but not entirely ready to sit idle for two more days.

“Once we know where she is, I will plan a lightning attack with Sarah and Shadros,” Gersius added. “We will bring as many battle priests as Sarah can carry for additional aid. Then, we attack from the clouds in the dead of night and take them by surprise. Our only goal is to grab Lilly and get away. We need not engage in a lengthy battle.”

“What if there are other dragons about?” Sarah asked. “I can't maneuver with a back full of soldiers.”

“Shadros will scout the area above the camp for us,” Gersius explained. “His black scales make him nearly impossible to spot in the dark sky.”

“A dragon will see him,” Sarah cautioned. “But at least you have a plan, and we aren't sitting on our hands hoping. I am sorry I was angry with you.”

Gersius reached out to lift her chin as a tear ran down her cheek.

“You have nothing to be sorry about,” he assured her. “I am grateful that you love her this much. But tell me honestly, did you feel she was trying to assure us she was safe?”

Sarah closed her eyes and nodded as he stroked the side of her head. Ayawa could see it was a painful admission when all Sarah wanted was to have Lilly back where she was safe.

“I understand why you are hurt,” Gersius said. “And I want to make an admission. I was aware of the dreams and Lilly’s fear of what they meant before you told me.”

“You were?” Sarah asked as she looked at him with pain-filled eyes.

“I did not want to worry you,” Gersius said. “But I, too, have spent long hours wondering if this is the mistake we make that costs her life.”

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“What are you talking about?” Gedris asked as their aura flared with pain.

“A dream Gersius has,” Thayle explained and wiped her eyes. “We can look into each other's dreams, and Lilly likes to watch his. He dreams of holding the hand of a little girl with long blue hair and pointing to a star low in the night sky.”

“I always tell the girl that the star is her mother and that she is a beautiful dragon,” Gersius added.

“But Lilly isn't in the dream,” Thayle finished. “And she began to believe the dream is a warning from the divines that she won't be there to raise her daughter.”

“How terrible,” Gedris remarked. “And now this situation with Lilly being with the Doan. You three must be torn to shreds with worry and fear.”

“That is putting it mildly,” Sarah said and tried to look strong. “Lilly was so certain she would not survive this war she broke down in tears when she told me about the dream.”

“Yet, she chose to go to the enemy anyway,” Tavis pointed out.

“Like Sarah said. Lilly thinks with her heart,” Thayle replied. “She hates this war and the bloodshed it brings. She has become convinced that trying to prevent it is more important than winning it.”

“All of this is because of Rose,” Sarah said and hung her head in shame. “She knows how deeply Numidel's death affected me, and she is terrified of what might happen if Rose is killed. If she can prevent the fighting, then there is no risk of Rose being killed.”

“She should have thought of what would happen if she died,” Ayawa pointed out.

“I am not at all well with the idea of what Lilly is doing,” Gersius admitted. “I am both afraid for her and angry at the same time.” He paced a few steps and ran a hand through his brown hair as he contemplated the situation. “But how can I say she was wrong when I did the very same thing. I defied my entire order and went after her in a time of desperation. I would have done anything to save the people, and now Lilly is doing the same thing.”

“You had nothing to lose by yourself,” Sarah corrected. “But Lilly is a part of our bind, and she should not have gone this alone. I blame myself for not listening to her when she tried to tell me, but she still shouldn’t have gone.”

“Lilly is trying to save you the pain of weeping over your daughter,” Thayle said as she put a hand on Sarah's back. “She loves you that much.”

Ayawa watched as Sarah nodded while new tears ran down her cheeks. Seeing the strong and mighty dragon brought to such a state of despair was a terrible sight.

“I just wish we were sure she was safe,” Sarah cried. “I wish I knew what she was doing.”

Gedris nudged Ayawa, who stiffened at speaking in such an emotional situation. She knew that if she didn't speak now, it would only be harder later, and they would demand to know why she waited.

“Actually,” Ayawa began with a look of shame. “There is something I need to tell you.”

Gersius looked up with a heavy brow as a troubled look passed over his face. He asked her what she was talking about, so Ayawa stood tall and explained.

“I spoke to Lilly last night,” she admitted as Sarah and Thayle gawked at her in stunned silence.

“How?” Sarah demanded. “We would have felt her if she had flown back.”

“She didn’t fly back,” Ayawa countered as she began to shift uncomfortably. “Lilly has been teaching me of her solus. She has been helping me understand her connection to the spirit so I might learn how my people once did it. We have been practicing for a while now and trying to learn to spirit walk. We have briefly been able to find each other a couple of times.”

“Spirit walk?” Gersius asked.

Ayawa looked at Tavis for support as he stood to put his arm around her.

“She can dream her way to other people or places. The two of them have been trying to find one another in their dreams,” Tavis said.

“By the divines, Lilly has been teaching you how to use the dream?” Sarah demanded.

“We have been teaching each other,” Ayawa countered and turned her firm gaze on Sarah. “She wanted you to teach her, but you have been so busy with the war. So I agreed to help her practice. I have been doing all I can to help her master the ability while she teaches me the basics.”

“You have?” Gersius asked the woman with wide eyes. “I have to be honest, Ayawa. Despite this wed mother business, I thought you didn’t like her.”

“I never disliked her!” Ayawa barked. “I just questioned the wisdom of your relationship with her and with Sarah,” she said, unable to look Sarah in the face. “Your aura sight should have told you that.”

“It told me you accepted her, but you have never been able to embrace the relationship I have with Lilly and Sarah,” Gersius said.

“Why do you question our relationship?” Sarah asked. “You have always stood against it.”

Ayawa hadn’t expected this turn of events and now wished she had kept quiet. Gedris took her hand and stood by her side even as the others glared while waiting for their answer.

“It’s part of her culture,” Gedris said in defense of her wife.

“So what does this have to do with my relationship?” Sarah questioned again.

Tavis came to her aid as well, standing behind her as he explained. “Her people share their stories from the time a child can speak. They make them recite them a dozen times a year to mark certain festivals and events. But you should know their stories are full of darkness and moments of pain. They speak of the ruin of her people. The end of her civilization. The wars, death, and pain that followed for thousands of years was caused by a violation of the natural order.”

“I do not understand what this natural order is,” Sarah stated, her face going firm and her voice gaining a strong authoritative tone.”

“She explained this to you before,” Gedris insisted. “Ayawa's people used to be a vast empire like this one. They were prosperous, healthy, and strong. Their strength came from a sacred gift; her people could speak to the earth. This allowed them to grow and live in balance with the land around them. They maintained what they called the natural order, a balance with nature that believed that everything had its place. To her people, leaving your place to live unnaturally is a crime.”

“So why is this important to me?” Sarah questioned.

Tavis sighed and looked her right in the eyes. “The storytellers all agree the natural order was violated when dragons mingled with men. The two species together were a symbol of doom. The earth mother warned them that this violation would end in great pain.”

Ayawa saw Sarah grow even colder by that explanation but held her tongue so Tavis could explain the rest. He told her how her people once embraced the dragons, but the war happened, and her lands were obliterated. Not a single city survived, and the once lush forests were burned to ash. Most of her people were dead, and all the teachers and practitioners of her people's power were gone. Her people lost everything and were driven to a nomadic life of small families living in tiny villages scattered across what was once a vast and powerful empire like this one.

Ayawa had to be helped into a chair as she, too, started to cry. She felt guilt for what they were saying because she truly did respect the dragons. But how could she look at the pain and suffering of her people and think anything good could come from tempting fate a second time?

“The most devastating wound was losing their connection to the earth mother,” Gedris added. “None of their shamans were left alive to teach the survivors how it was done. As a result, they have never been able to rebuild or even glimpse the glory of what was lost.”

“So Lilly was trying to help you relearn what you have lost?” Sarah asked as she glanced at Gersius for his support.

“She has been teaching me about the dream, and I have been able to enter it,” Ayawa admitted. “I am unskilled and can never hold it for more than a few moments, but just an hour ago, Lilly was waiting for me.”

“So you spoke to her?” Thayle asked excitedly.

“She spoke to me in a rush,” Ayawa admitted.

“It must have been a normal dream,” Sarah insisted. “To find each other in the dream is nearly impossible unless you know exactly where to meet or go to one of the interconnected regions.”

“It isn’t impossible,” Ayawa snapped and looked up. “We meet in halls outside our rooms in Eastgate.”

“Eastgate?” Thayle asked. “Why would you meet there?”

“It was Lilly's idea,” Ayawa insisted. “She thought it would help if we picked someplace with a strong emotional connection to the both of us.”

“And it worked?” Gersius asked.

“It has worked a handful of times,” Ayawa replied.

“More proof that emotion can power the magic of this world,” Sarah quipped before glaring at Ayawa. “The next time you see her, you tell her to go the valley instead. I will be waiting for her, and she can give an account of her actions.”

“Sarah,” Gersius interjected. “You cannot be asleep all day waiting for Lilly to contact us. I need you scouting the mountains.”

“And what of when I am here with you?” Sarah asked.

“You have other duties,” he insisted. “I am sorry, but Ayawa will have to keep contact for us. Maybe she can range a specific time where you and Lilly could meet, but it must be very narrow.”

Ayawa saw anger in Sarah's eyes as the red dragon bristled against Gersius's wisdom. Gersius looked away and turned back to Ayawa, finally asking what Lilly had said. Ayawa relayed the warning that some plan was about to come to fruition, and the Doan were moving. She also told them Lilly indicated she was safe and treated well.

“That’s it?” Sarah asked. “That’s all you know?”

“I am not strong with spirit walking,” Ayawa said defensively. “I was only with her a few moments.”

“It doesn’t tell us anything we don’t already know,” Thayle added. “We know the Doan are on the move.”

“But some plan is about to happen,” Gersius said.

“Lilly said it had just been ordered to begin,” Ayawa corrected. “She said she didn't know the details but that it was meant to deal with their greatest threat and cripple the empire.”

“You left that out!” Sarah snapped. “Is there anything else?”

“That was all I heard before I lost the dream,” Ayawa admitted.

“So the attack has begun,” Gersius growled. “And my army still isn’t ready.”

“We don’t know that it means the attack has begun,” Thayle insisted. “It was just a warning that something is coming for us.”

“But the message was too vague,” Sarah agreed as she turned her angry eyes on Ayawa. “You and I are spending the rest of the night together. “I will teach you how to spirit walk, as you call it,” Sarah said as she opened her eyes. “I am much older than Lilly, and I was taught by my mother, who predated the collapse of the world. I am willing to bet I know a great deal more than she did.”

Ayawa looked up at the woman with glossy eyes. “Why? Why would you help me when I have done nothing but condemn your relationship?”

Sarah held her anger in check, but Ayawa didn't need the aura sight to know it was boiling.

“Why is Lilly helping you? Is it because she loves so much that she feels a need to help? Is it because she wants to see your people restored to their previous glory? I may know more about the solus than Lilly, but I am a child when it comes to understanding love as she does. If she was willing to help you, then I know I should too. We will spend every moment I can spare teaching you until you can hold the connection. Maybe I will get lucky and be there when Lilly arrives so I can tell that disobedient creature how much I love her.”

“How long will this take?” Thayle asked with hope in her voice.

“If what she says is true and they are already making a connection, then I would suspect I can teach her all she needs to know in a single night,” Sarah replied. “But she will still need to practice. It might take days for her to hold the link for a full minute.”

“Lilly is supposed to be back in two days,” Gersius reminded.

“Would you rather we wait to see if she actually returns before I start training her?” Sarah asked, causing Gersius to shake his head. “Then we start tonight. If something goes wrong, maybe she will be able to tell us what it was.”

“Oh, please, Ulustrah, protect that loving dragon,” Thayle prayed.

“Lilly will be fine,” Gersius insisted as he took Thayle into his arms. “Soon, we will know exactly where she is, and Ayawa will be able to tell us what is happening,” Thayle responded by throwing her arms around him to cry as Ayawa felt the tension mounting.

“So the training won’t take long?” Gedris asked.

“The training is simple,” Sarah replied. “It’s the student that counts. It will all depend on how quickly she can learn and if she has any blocks in her logic to prevent access. If she has already had limited success, then I suspect she has no such blocks.”

“Then let us not delay you any longer,” Gersius said. “Lilly could be trying to contact us again.”

“There is one last matter I wish to discuss,” Sarah said, turning her gaze on Ayawa again.

“Why are you giving me that look?” Ayawa asked.

“Why?” Sarah questioned. “You, who denied your husband the right to learn the proper control of fire from a dragon, ran off to learn your spirit walking from another. You said his heritage and culture should be left in the past while you refuse to let go of your own. I will teach you what you need to know, but I do not care for your selfish actions. Now, meet me here in ten minutes,” Sarah added. “I wish to speak alone with family.” She took Thayle by the hand and headed for the private tent as Ayawa looked to Gersius for sympathy. Gersius watched them go and then looked down at Ayawa, who was still struggling to keep her composure.

“I understand why you feel the way you do,” he said with a stone face. “But I hope Lilly has made you ashamed of it.” With that, he turned and walked to join his family, leaving her to stew in her pain.

“That wasn’t fair,” Gedris said as she put a hand on Ayawa’s shoulder.

“Yes, it was,” Ayawa replied and struggled not to wipe her tears. “Yes, it was.”