Aulder quickly ducked out of the tent and looked around. There were so very few tents left. All the pages and squires had gone. A few soldiers were shuffling back and forth packing gear.  Aulder opened a port to outside Faris' tent. Forgoing any disguise they walked into the tent without announcing themselves.

"I found the child," Aulder said.

"Aulder? You did?" Faris was surprised.

"She is in your capital city, and she is in danger," Aulder said forcibly, "He found her too."

"We need to make our last preparations then, Dragonis is waiting for us at my Estate." Faris jumped up and went to his mirror.

"I will go back to the conduit," Aulder said as Faris waved his hand over the mirror.

"Her name is Hin," Faris said.

"Yes of course," Aulder said absently as they walked out of the tent to make the port back.

As soon as they exited the port, Aulder smelled something rank. It was foul as death. They sniffed The air trying to determine where the familiar stench was coming from. They followed it to Hector's tent. Aulder walked in and found the young man packing up his belongings. He turned quickly at the intrusion.

"Who are you?" Hector yelled.

"What's around your neck, I can see the darkness in it, and smell the stench of death," Aulder spat angrily.

Hector looked quite confused. Then he looked as if he remembered something. He took it out from his shirt and handed it over to Aulder.

"Please, have mercy. No one came to harm," Hector pleaded.

"Come with me child. Faris must judge this, not I," Aulder said as they walked out of the tent holding the crystal.

Hector followed Aulder out of the tent and into the port they made. Both of them stood outside Faris' tent. Hector bowed his head and entered the tent after Aulder. Faris turned his attention from the mirror and looked at Aulder in a questioning manner.

"He reeked of death," Aulder spat disgusted and angry.

"Hector? Surely not," Faris exclaimed.

"Do you have so little dragon in you?" Aulder asked feeling very hurt.

"Hector what have you done?" Faris asked in a very resigned tone.

"I... I put a potion in her drink," Hector cried as he bent down and got to his knees.

"Do you still have the container?" Faris asked in an alarmed tone.

Hector reached into his pouch and pulled out two empty vials. He handed them over to Faris.

Faris unstoppered the first vial and sniffed. Then handed it to Aulder.

"Kipu," Aulder said as he sniffed again, then motioned Faris to give him the other vial. He sniffed it then made a face, "A tracer potion. This is how He knows about the girl."

"Hector, stay here," Faris ordered and Hector nodded. 

Aulder followed Faris out of his tent. Faris turned to them, his face was pure anger and frustration.

"What are you doing here," Faris put an emphasis on every word.

"Itzal came to my home, he knew where I was hiding," Aulder said plainly, "your need led him to me."

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"What are you doing Here," Faris stared at them.

"I decided to help you, my dear," Aulder said pleasantly and then added, "Be grateful."

"You decided to... Help," Faris threw his hands up in the air, "Go back in my tent and keep Hector company, I need to think." 

Aulder watched him walk off then went back into the tent.

"How did you know, how did you smell it?" Hector asked.

"Have you never met a Dragon before, oh no, of course not," Aulder laughed at Hector's puzzled expression.

"You are a dragon?" Hector sounded confused.

"No more questions or I'll eat you," Aulder said annoyed.

Hector scooted to the far side of the tent and wiped sweat from his forehead nervously. Aulder laughed at him. The silence that followed was uneasy. Although Aulder enjoyed the silence more than anything, they grew bored with Hector's breathing, and the stench of death still rolled off of him from some hidden taint of the crystal.

"Are you a necromancer?" Aulder asked

"No, my lord," Hector said while shaking his head.

"Then how did you come by this crystal?" Aulder was curious.

"When I made Paidus, A man approached me promising a very prominent appointment," Hector said, "A favor for a favor later. Then he gave me the crystal and said when he needed the favor he would contact me with it."

"And the vial?" Aulder snapped.

"I left camp after the first contact to collect it from the place he left it." Hector gulped, "An abandoned farm not far from here."

"And this was all you had to do?" Aulder asked feeling very skeptical.

"I swear it, my lord." Hector sounded frightened and nervous.

Aulder sensed something lurking. Then they looked closer they noticed the bump under the surrounding atmosphere, a wraith, come to cause death. An assassin. Aulder concentrated on the wraith, and then he felt it quietly implode at his bidding. No doubt it's master felt it's death. They were running out of time, and it appeared that Itzal's return was bringing the necromancers out. This must be why he recalled his Shadow army. He planned a more subtle approach. Aulder paced the small space and watched Hector flinch when he came close. Why must everyone take so long? Aulder grew more irritable. This would never do. Aulder was about to leave the tent when Faris returned.

"You will need to come with us to my estate. I will let you look for the child" Faris did not seem as upset as before. Aulder bowed his head in acknowledgment. 

"Hector please go collect your belongings." Faris sighed. Hector got up and ran for the entrance to the tent.

"You aren't going to send someone to guard him?" Aulder asked curiously.

"Alaric is waiting by his tent," Faris said plainly.

"Ah," Aulder smiled, "They sent a Wraith assassin, I took care of it, but they will send more."

"Do you have somewhere to be, other than here?" Faris sounded frustrated again.

"Of course." Aulder bowed their head slightly and then exited the tent.

Aulder ported back to Xander's tent and then stepped inside. Hin was still sleeping. Aulder resumed their disguise and sat down to wait.