While Quora was glad that Thedus found his own path away from Myratel's influence (and away from Quora's schemes), it also meant he could not be used as a living anti-magic zone as Stragor originally intended. Quora's next idea lay in Eramus, whom she realized she had not heard from since sending him to the Roaring Mount. As far as she could tell, the venture had not killed him, and the curse hadn't killed him for idleness. Something was delaying him indefinitely, though Quora had few ideas for what that could be. She resolved to visit the one person Eramus would confide in - and she would need to visit Dreamford to that end.

Night had fallen when Quora arrived in her bird form on the island Dreamford was situated upon. As the front gates were closed to arrivals at this time, pushing through the magickal barrier protecting the city was a simple affair. She flew to Castle Dreamford's gardens where the barrier cast a dim and pale light, turning the greenery to a mint hue. Quora noticed the flowers that were once a multitude of colours had all taken on shades of blue. The centrepiece of the gardens was a pond littered with lily pads and duckweed, chirping with tiny frogs. Quora remembered the first time Eramus's curse had pained him for ignoring his objective and sitting on a stump beneath a small tree overlooking the pond was the reason why Eramus veered:

Princess Cordelia.

Quora landed softly and shifted into her human shape. She clutched her chest - the sadness in this place was palpable. Cordelia looked at Quora somberly and then returned to her reflection in the pond. The woman wore her blue silken dress and elbow-length white gloves, though her halo braid started fraying.

"Bold of you not to call the guards," Quora said as she approached.

Cordelia shook her head, her gaze unmoving, "T'is not boldness. Do as you will..."

Quora loomed over Cordelia and then looked at their reflections in the water. Quora saw her glowing orange eyes looking back at her. She sighed and sat on the ground next to Cordelia. The princess looked at Quora's reflection.

"You're her," said Cordelia, "The witch who cursed Eramus. Who else has eyes like that? He told me you could have been the most beautiful woman he has ever seen."

Of course I am. Wait...

"Could have been?" Quora said, "I'm not sure if I should be flattered."

"Eramus sees more than appearances," said Cordelia, "He also said you're evil and cannot be reasoned with. The truest representation of beauty being skin deep."

"I am plenty reasonable."

Cordelia scoffed, "You cursed him to steal for you on pain of death. I'll not hear it."

I could shove this girl's head into the pond until the bubbles stopped.

"I...suppose you have a point," Quora admitted. The two watched each other's reflections. Cordelia shuddered and buried her face in her hands, sniffling and sobbing.

Quora sat up on her knees, and noticed she was a full head taller than Cordelia, "Are you...alright?"

"What," Cordelia sputtered, "Going to curse me into telling you? I'm such a fool..."

Quora put a hand on Cordelia's shoulder and felt her shudder and cry. Cordelia did not pull away, "My father is terrible..."

"I know."

Cordelia looked at Quora, "...How?"

"He and I go a long way back," Quora told her, "Before you were born," Cordelia opened her mouth to speak, but Quora put a finger on her lips and smiled, "And no, I'm not your mother. Trust me, you'd be very ugly if I was."

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Cordelia sulked, "I never knew my mother, she died giving birth to me."

Quora nodded, "That's hardly surprising," a moment of silence passed between them, "...Do you want to know the truth about your father?"

Cordelia was dumbfounded, "...What truth? I'll listen, but I'm not sure what you could mean..."

Quora told Cordelia about what her father truly was: a dragon called Dremfrrdon. A dragon just like Quora - much weaker, of course, but no less a beast beyond humanity. She told Cordelia about the trouble in the old kingdom, how King Fafnir and Queen Mona were dragons as well, and that the latter had come to be known as Moonfang. She told her about Dreamford's quest to preserve dragonkind in his image - going so far as hiring a mercenary intending to kill Moonfang and plunder her eggs for himself, a mission that went horribly awry. Quora stressed her refusal to participate in Dreamford's quest.

"He admitted to me that he never saw you as anything more than a pet. A fascinating experiment until now," said Quora, "Now he sees you as dragonkind's future - a breed of humans with draconic blood."

Cordelia was clearly overwhelmed. She stared into her hands, stunned at her father's true nature and potentially that of herself. She shook her head, "It sounds outlandish, but...it does explain a few things. I seem to experience taste stronger than others or hear things nobody else does. What else do you think I could do?"

Quora took a moment to think, "You're not a true dragon, so I don't imagine you can transform into one. However," Quora conjured sparks in one hand, "You should have a natural talent for magicks, and a wellspring of power to draw from."

If only I had time to mentor her...

"Hmm..." Cordelia put her hand to her chin, "My father always did prohibit me from his collection of tomes..."

Perfect.

"Have you heard from Eramus?" asked Quora, "He could help you 'acquire' some."

Cordelia shuddered and broke into tears again.

Oh, now what?

The princess hugged Quora, who cringed and hid a disgusted look. Cordelia rested her head on Quora's chest. Quora sighed and returned the gesture.

"Oh, Quora...I'm such a fool," Cordelia sobbed, "To think my father thought me a pet while I tried to win his love...I've done a terrible thing. If I died today, my guilt would see me sink to the bottom of the Neverbeck, and I would accept that fate."

Quora looked down at the silver tiara Cordelia wore.

Where have I seen that before?

Cordelia said, "I'm a betrayer...and now the man I love languishes in the dungeons, facing execution."

Quora's eyes widened, "...Eramus does?"

Cordelia nodded, smearing tears on Quora.

"We need to break him out." said Quora, moving her hands to Cordelia's shoulder, "Tell me everything you know of the dungeons, and I will do the rest."

Cordelia furrowed her brow, "Only if you release Eramus from the geas."

Quora sighed, "Fine, fine..."

Cordelia thought for a moment. She told Quora of the myriad protections within the dungeons, warding against offensive magicks and even detecting transformative spells. Then there was the security presence where Eramus would be held, consisting of some of King Dreamford's finest soldiers. To make matters worse, a sensitive system was in place that summoned all guards when an altercation was detected. Quora suddenly felt less confident of her chances; this sounded like a setting where gratuitous violence made things worse.

"You would need another Eramus to save him..." lamented Cordelia.

"Don't worry," Quora stood up, "I know someone. He does not rely on magicks and lives in shadow. I'll curse him into helping if I must."

For once in this night, Cordelia seemed hopeful. As Quora turned to take her leave of the castle gardens, the memory of where she had seen that tiara came back to her.

That girl has to die.

----------------------------------------

Quora flew back to Campbellton Gate as quickly as she could. The goblinoids had been informed of Quora's nature and that she was an ally, and thus made no effort to stop her from landing directly outside the keep. She let herself into Stragor's quarters once again.

Stragor was startled awake, his human form looking groggy. He rubbed his eyes and mumbled as he reached for his helmet and pulled it over his head to assume his shadow form.

The king of shadows sighed heavily, "Quora, if we're going to be allies of convenience, please knock. Or better yet, come bother us at a decent time-"

"Stragor," Quora interjected, "I know where the key to getting rid of the barrier can be had."

Stragor recoiled, "What?! Tell me!"

Quora told him about a master thief called Eramus, who was held deep within the dungeons of Dreamford. If Eramus could be freed, he could shut down the barrier.

"It takes a magickal device to sustain a spell like that barrier, no doubt held in the tallest spire of Castle Dreamford," said Quora, "Free Eramus. Make a deal with him, and Dreamford will be ripe for assault."

Stragor cocked his head, "And what if your 'Eramus' doesn't want to comply?"

"He will," stated Quora, "His love was betrayed. He will want vengeance."

Stragor laughed darkly, "Vengeance, you say? Very good..."

We will give him vengeance a hundredfold.