Winter 4994, 35 Shinmoth

The capital city of Diem took up the entire tip of the peninsula off of Lenare and had overflown its original walls. Creating the official inner city where the Temples, Guild, and all the other major organizations, were represented, and the more well-off people lived; and the unofficial outer city, where everyone else gathered, primarily laborers and the poorer common folk.

"Do we have to go now?" Lily whined to Shon as she took her papers back from the outer city gate guard, "All the best inns are out here."

Shon sighed, shooting a glance at the guard, an enlisted of Saint Giorgos. The capital was the only place where the guards were sworn to the kingdom Temple and not Hengist or Horsa. The man shrugged unprofessionally, interjecting to answer her, "They'll know you're here, but you don't have to check-in unless you go through the inner wall."

Lily grinned at the guard, and Shon rolled his eyes while Ryuuko chirped in triumph. They both already knew that, but clearly Lily saw the official confirmation as further evidence to boost her argument that they should wait another night before reporting as visiting Sorcerers. Though if they put it off too long, a few days at most, the Guild would send a representative to hunt them down in the outer city and make them register.

Ryuuko snapped at Shon's ear and chittered, sending him an image of the sun setting. "Fine." he sighed. Lily hopped in place, clapping her hands before grabbing his and pulling him down the still-busy road toward a particular inn. He followed stiffly.

Shon liked coming to the capital, but generally preferred getting rooms in the orderly inner city, with its clean and clear roads and well-kept shops. By contrast, the outer city was a jumbled mess, having sprung up over the years out of necessity. Built by desperate people who couldn't fit in the city proper, they chose to risk the dangers of life outside the walls, until the second set had been constructed. The nicest thing about the outer city was the inspiration it provided for his drawings. That was it.

"The brother-in-law of the innkeeper here is a brewer, and he supplies only this inn with his best stuff..." Lily explained as she wove between the people out and about on the dirt roads, pulling Shon behind her. Ryuuko crawled down his arm, across their hands, and up to her shoulder. Shon couldn't help but grin at the back of her head as she continued to ramble about the history and virtues of this simple commoner's inn. Never had something as simple as getting dinner and a room filled him with so much joy as it did with her.

She let go of his hand as they entered the inn, which was crowded enough to be standing room only. A small table for four was leaving just as they came in, and Lily pointed, exclaiming, "Hurry! Save that one before someone else gets it."

"They were here first..." Shon argued, but Ryuuko had already launched itself off her shoulder to land on the table and hiss at the first person who tried to take it.

Lily just shrugged, "I doubt most of them are getting rooms, so we should get priority." She moved towards the bar, waving at patrons who recognized her and ignoring those who whispered behind their hands at her exotic appearance, leaving securing the table to him and Ryuuko.

Shon rolled his eyes but chose not to argue with her, walking through the crowd that parted before him like waves before a ship. Ryuuko waved its spiked tail threateningly at a bleary-eyed man -who'd probably already had too much to drink as it was- and hissed one more time before jumping from the table to Shon. The drunk man squinted, following the pseudodragon's flight, then stumbled away from the table at the sight of Shon.

He nodded in thanks to the man -though he probably wouldn't see it the way Shon intended- and took one of the seats with his back to the wall, facing the door. Maybe Lily would invite some of the standing locals to sit with them. Since there was room. He didn't necessarily like dining with strangers, but forcing them to stand seemed more rude than his silence might be awkward.

Ryuuko whistled in his ear and nuzzled his head, sending a feeling of proud approval through their link, which had Shon pausing to analyze his own thoughts. Only a few months ago, he would've scowled and glared to keep everyone as far from him and this table as possible. Now he didn't necessarily want them to join him, but he also didn't mind if they did... The revelation made him smirk. Hells, a few months ago, he wouldn't have entered an establishment this crowded in the first place. And Master Veon-Zih wouldn't have insisted.

"Zihler!" Lily's voice cut through the babble of the crowd.

Shon looked quickly from her to the door as she wove between the press of people towards one of the last people in the world he ever wanted to see again.

The knight laughed, a bastard sword like Shon's strapped across his back -though he wore the plain clothes of a man off-duty. Beside him was a second Paladin, with a one-handed long sword hanging from her waist. Lily pushed a set of drinks into her stunned hands before flinging her arms around Zihler's neck.

Shon's ears were ringing. Lily turned and pointed his way, and Ryuuko's whistled greeting sounded like it came from far away. He knew it was bound to happen eventually. Those Squires he'd trained with weren't going to stay in Clearhelm forever. He was going to meet at least one of them sooner or later, though he'd hoped it would be later. Preferably never.

Lily took her drinks back from the female Paladin and led the way to their table, beaming. "Look, Shon! Did you know he was stationed in the capital? I wonder how many others are out and about now..." She mused, setting her drinks down at the two empty chairs across from Shon before spinning on her toes and clapping her hands, "I'll get more drinks! This is fantastic. I never get to see my Squires anymore!"

She skipped off through the press of people back to the bar, and Shon started to stand. "That isn't necessary, Staff Sergeant," The female Paladin waved him down, "We're all off duty today." She glanced at Zihler then added, "At least until you report..."

"Tomorrow," Zihler confirmed with a grin, pulling out his seat and taking it, "So she really found you." he said to Shon.

Shon nodded but continued to stand. Ryuuko bounded across the table to lick Zihler's nose and crawl up his arm to hang off his sword hilt and nose at the Paladin woman's ear.

"Um..." The knight leaned away from the pseudodragon, and Lily returned with two more drinks for her and Shon.

"Introductions!" Lily announced as she sat down.

"Yes," Zihler smiled at all of them. He was always one of the more sociable Squires. He gestured around the table, "Nala, this is Lily, Ryuuko, and Shon..."

"Sirs." Shon gave the two knights a Monk bow, left fist in right hand, while Lily thrust her palm across the table to shake Sir Nala's hand. Zihler flinched at Shon's formal address, and Shon sat as the knight took Lily's hand briefly, pulling back in shock at the heat.

"Oops," Lily said, taking her hand back, "Sorry about that, I'm a fire Sorcerer."

Zihler cleared his throat and said, "Lily's the one the Guild is looking for..." which made Lily tilt her head at him, and Shon arch an eyebrow. Nala made a knowing 'ah' sound, but neither knight elaborated.

Lily shrugged, "So what brings you two to the outer city?" she gestured at their cups before they could answer, "Drink up. You're not in uniform, so I know you can."

Zihler chuckled but obeyed. Nala hesitated but did the same. Her eyes went wide, and she pulled the drink back to stare at it a moment before taking another. Apparently, Lily's assessment that it was exceptional was accurate. Shon left his untouched.

"We were actually waiting for you," Zihler explained, focusing on Shon, "We wanted to talk to you before you talked to the Temple."

"Privately," Nala added.

Shon arched his other brow, and Lily rolled her eyes. "If this is about the new job, then I already know about it." Lily said, "I think it's a great idea. We need more answers, and a special team is more likely to get them than a bunch of different hunting parties."

"Still..." Nala said.

Lily huffed, "Shon's just going to tell me anything you say anyway." She looked to Shon for confirmation -which he gave with a nod- then beamed at him.

But it was Zihler who said again, "Still..." eyeing Shon across the table. If they honestly thought Lily would give up without a fight, they clearly didn't know her very well. Zihler, at least, should know better. Shon arched his other brow.

"It's Temple business. We swore-" Zihler tried to explain.

Lily rolled her entire head as theatrically as she could and sighed, but to Shon's surprise she stood, lifting her drink and downing all of it before slamming it back down, "Fine." She pointed at Zihler, "But you owe me dinner while we're in town." then she swept over with that same hand to stroke Shon's cheek and kissed him on the top of his head. "Our room is number five. I expect a full report."

Shon pat her hand with his, taking a moment to rub his thumb across her ring and nodding in answer while watching Zihler -whose eyes went wide.

Lily left up the stairs, and Shon crossed his arms again, watching the Paladins, who watched her leaving. Nala coughed nervously, and Zihler swallowed, "You... you married her?" he asked.

"It was denied," Shon said shortly while Ryuuko hissed, gliding from Zihler's sword to Shon's, which was now swirling cloudy white.

"Well... She isn't... I mean..." Nala started and stopped a few times before falling silent as Shon's eyes shifted from Zihler's to hers.

"Shon knows," Zihler said, shaking his head, then continued to him, "Maybe once the kingdom knows more..." Shon just shrugged.

"You don't say much, do you?" Nala asked, clearly growing frustrated with Shon's silence.

Zihler managed a laugh, "That hasn't changed at all. I trust you at least took my advice with her?" Shon nodded mutely. Ironic considering Zihler's advice had been to talk more, at least with Lily, to voice all his feelings even if he thought she already knew them.

Nala sighed, drinking more before leaning back in her chair, "Well, maybe this will be easier than we thought. If you two are really that close." She looked Shon over, then added, "And if you're really loyal to the Temple..."

Shon arched an eyebrow, but Zihler scoffed, "There is no one more loyal. That's why they chose him for this, that, and his experience with Warlocks already." He leaned on the table to continue to Shon, "The team is comprised of someone from every primary organization. The Temple wanted to send a Paladin, but the king forbade it, from both us and those Horsa bastards."

Nala scowled at the mention of Horsa but coughed at Zihler's use of profanity. Shon just nodded. He knew this already, it was in his orders, and it didn't explain why they had sent Lily away.

Zihler hadn't forgotten how Shon communicated, so even though Nala blinked at him, Zihler continued, "They want the team to work as a cohesive unit, to find the Warlocks. And their experiments."

"They will be hosting Miss Lily in the Guild while you work to find the others," Nala explained bluntly, getting to the point.

Shon scowled, and Zihler rushed to explain, "She won't be a prisoner. They just want to learn more."

Ryuuko hissed, "She'll never agree to it." Shon said.

"She won't have a choice." Nala countered.

Frost formed on the outside of Shon's glass, but he managed to keep it contained to just around himself. Ryuuko hissed again. "She won't do it." Shon stated again, then to Zihler, "It would be much wiser if they didn't try to make her."

"Look," Zihler said quickly, "I understand, I really do, but even if you refuse these orders, they'll just assign someone else, and they will be the one to take her in. But if you can convince her-"

Ryuuko leaned forward on Shon's chest and stretched its neck out to hiss again while Shon took a deep breath, pulling his power in as tight as he could, "No." he said simply.

Nala gasped and leaned forward like Zihler, "I thought you were loyal. You joined the Temple even after-"

"Maybe this is why, Shon." Zihler added quickly, "They can't assign a Paladin, maybe-"

"Don't," Shon said shortly, coldly, and Zihler's jaw snapped shut. He'd run countless circles in his mind over that why. "Don't," he said again, quieter. Ryuuko purred, drawing back to nuzzle his cheek. Shon brushed it off his shoulder and back onto his sword.

"You're the only one with Paladin training that stayed with the Temple," Nala said, "And you've faced these Warlocks before. If you really want to help Lily, then joining the team..."

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Shon's eyes snapped to her again, and her words faltered. "Lily's freedom is more important to her than her life. She is the most powerful fire Sorcerer the Guild has ever seen, and they should know better than to pursue this after the last time someone tried to hold her against her will."

"But you might be able to convince her. If you at least ask..." Zihler started to argue, but Shon shook his head,

"I will not ask her to give up her freedom because some nobles are afraid of what she is."

Nala narrowed her eyes at him, "This isn't just the Temple, Staff Sergeant. This is an order from the King." Shon didn't respond, and Ryuuko trilled in approval.

Zihler whispered, "You would defy the Temple for this? Hengist? This team is the best chance we have of fighting these Warlocks and freeing Lily. For good."

Shon lifted his beer and drank deeply. He could hardly taste it. When he set it back down, he leaned forward as they had. Nala shivered from the cold, and Zihler searched his face for an answer. "Listen very carefully because I will not repeat myself." Shon told them, "I swore an oath to the Temple and Hengist, and I still hold great faith in everything he stands for. I believe forming this team is the best idea for all sides, and I would be honored to be a part of it.” Zihler looked momentarily relieved, but Shon continued, “But if they are asking me to choose between a god who didn’t want me and the woman who does,” He stood, towering over them, “then they won’t like my answer.”

Shon didn’t bother to finish his drink. Tossing down a few silver -more than enough to pay for the four glasses- he concluded, “I will meet with the command tomorrow. You might want to warn them. Before they make the same mistake.” He bowed to them in the Monk fashion and made his way towards the stairs without looking back. Though Ryuuko sent their stunned expression to his mind anyway.

***

Lily unlocked the door to their room and entered with a sigh. She closed the door behind her and set a single fire to hover in the center of the room with another. Then turned to place the key over the doorframe with a third. She'd been so happy to see one of her Squires again, one of her favorites after Shon, but even he refused to keep her in the loop for this mission. As if they weren't a team... A pair...

"Firewyrm?" A nervous female voice whispered in draconic.

Lily spun, a line of fire trailing from one hand while her other went to her bag and the staff waiting within. A girl, no older than Lily, raised her hands defensively and fell back a step. But the fire whip went right through her, her image wavering in its wake before solidifying again.

Lily hissed, drawing her staff and spinning it before her. The Warlock waved her hands, exclaiming, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! This is just an illusion. I can't touch you. I won't hurt you."

"My name," Lily spat the words in common, "is Lily."

"Lily?" the girl asked, her hands finally falling, then she asked, "Did you pick it?"

Lily slammed her staff down on the floor, letting the fires burst in tiny explosions of sparks, declaring, "Yes."

The Warlock smiled, and Lily waited for her to say something about it not being a dragon name, but instead, she breathed a sigh and said, "That's lovely. I'm glad. Perhaps now He'll be able to pick one too." She was still speaking in draconic but what she said was more curious than the language was infuriating.

"He?" Lily asked, slipping into draconic out of habit.

The Warlock nodded, answering, "The Earthwyrm, He's free now too, and if you want to stay that way, you need to leave tonight, now."

Lily could only blink but eventually tilted her head at the strange woman, "Who are you?"

She shook her head and at least attempted to explain, "I can't tell you. I'm undercover in the Mages Guild. If either they or the Talons suspect me, I'll be executed. They already suspect I had a hand in helping the Earthwrym..." She bit her lip, looking away and whispering, "I've already said too much..."

Lily tilted her head to the other side, then back again, but the Warlock didn't continue. So Lily asked instead, "Why should I leave?" She could imagine that this Warlock didn't want her and Shon hunting them down, but why come to her at all? Why threaten her freedom?

The image of the Warlock took a step closer, the move pleading, and the tone of her voice matching, "The Guild, the kingdom, they want to hold you in the Mages Guild. They claim they want to know more about you, but they won't let you go, not while the kingdom team is still hunting us, and maybe not even then."

"They can try," Lily scoffed, then smirked, "And what? You want me to go back to the Warlocks? Let them hold me instead? As flattered as I am that you might fight each other over me, I have no intention of ever living in a tower again."

But the Warlock continued to surprise by shaking her head fervently, "Not at all! Ryuugen needs you to exist. He doesn't need you held. That's why..." Her voice faltered again. She swallowed nervously before saying, "Not all of us are as cruel as those who have already fallen to madness..."

This young woman, either an apprentice or journeyman based on age, was like Lily's Brom and Ran. Kind.

Lily put her staff away with a sigh, thinking out loud, "The kingdom wants to hold me while the team exterminates those who made me... What will they do to the others like me?... Take them in, too, probably..." Lily hummed and started pacing, circling the illusion of the Warlock, who turned in place to keep Lily in view. "Shon won't let them execute anyone without being questioned first, but he also won't let them hold me..."

"The Hengist representative?" the Warlock asked.

Lily didn't stop pacing and just nodded, continuing to contemplate this complication, "If we want answers, then we need to get them from the Warlocks. But if we don't join the team, we'll have to run and hunt them ourselves. And that would require Shon going against the Temple..." She sighed and stopped walking, shaking her head, "That would break his oath. And his heart..." Would he even do it? Even for her? A part of her thought he would; they shared their own oath after all. But an even larger part of her never wanted to put that to the test. Either result would hurt him.

"Please, Lily..." The Warlock used her name and stepped closer, reaching for Lily's hands. Her fingers just passed through Lily's flesh with no sensation, their image wavering again and solidifying on the other side. The Warlock stared for a moment at her palms, then clenched them into fists, looking up with steel in her eyes and saying, "I don't want to see any of you held against your will. You're dragons, the most wondrous creatures ever to grace the material plane, embodiments of magic, no one should ever attempt to tame you."

Lily cocked her head to the side but responded, "Dead ends, you mean..." But the Warlock shook her head hard in adamant refusal of the statement. And Lily believed her. Not all Warlocks were like Shaloon. Though those that were needed to be stopped, by any means necessary.

A plan was forming in Lily's mind, one she didn't like. But it was better than the other options presented thus far, "Where are the others? The other Wyrms?" Lily asked.

"I..." the Warlock hesitated, looking away and biting her lip again.

Lily stepped closer, close enough that the woman needed to back up to keep her image from blurring again. "If you really think we should all be free, then tell me where they are so I can free them."

"I don't know..." the Warlock answered, then shook her head, "The Earthwyrm was in Gasha, but that was months ago. The Icewyrm is somewhere in the south, and the Windwyrm is somewhere in the north, or west... I don't know where. The Waterwyrm, she..." she hesitated again and whispered, "They say they've tamed her and that she works willingly with them somewhere in the east..."

"East of here?" Lily asked, "The ocean?" they were already as far east as they could get.

The Warlock shook her head again, "No, in the desert, somewhere in Halakon, but I don't know where and I can't ask. They already suspect m-"

"Fine," Lily nodded, lifting her hand and summoning fire to lick her fingers, "I'll find them and get my answers. My way."

The Warlock blanched, her eyes locked on Lily's fire, but then looked over at Lily's face, and her lips twitched in a nervous smile, "Thank you."

Lily shook her head, "Don't thank me. I have no intention of helping you hurt kingdom citizens. I won't do anything that will push Shon into breaking either of his oaths."

"We don't hurt-" the Warlock tried to argue, but Lily spoke past her,

"I was the one who stopped the group in Swailand. Don't lie to me now and say you don't hurt people."

The Warlock fell back a step, her shoulders rounding as she folded in on herself, whispering, "Each Talon and Archmage does their own experiments... I-"

"Then some of them don't have anything to fear from me." Lily interrupted again. Though that wouldn't save them from the kingdom.

Footsteps sounded from the hall and Lily and the Warlock spoke in unison, "You should go." The Warlock blushed and grinned at Lily while Lily chuckled and waved her hand in a shooing motion.

The Warlock's image faded to nothing, and the footsteps continued past. So not Shon.

Lily sighed and snatched her little fireball for light out of the air, making for the window. She opened it and sat on the cill to feel the cool breeze and look out over the city. She could just make out the Mages Guild peaking above the wall of the inner city. They wanted to hold her again... That was why the Paladins didn't want her there while they spoke to Shon.

She sighed, torn. Part of her hoped that if they told him their intention, he wouldn't refuse outright. It would make her plan that much harder. But the other part of her hoped he did. On principle. For her.

***

Shon hesitated outside their room. Ryuuko trilled quietly in his ear and nuzzled his cheek, wrapping its tail around his neck. He reached up to stroke its side and sighed, then opened the door.

The room was dark, the only light filtering through Lily's fingers as she sat at the window looking out into the night. "I'm sorry," Shon told her as he closed the door.

To his continued surprise, Lily giggled and shrugged, turning in her seat to face the room, "It's okay. It worked out better this way."

Shon furrowed his brow at her, stepping into her light and kneeling to bring his face on a level with hers. He arched an inquiring eyebrow, and she smiled, whispering, "I had a little private meeting of my own..." Shon alternated his arched brow to the other side, and she giggled, "I had a visitor, an illusion. She told me what the Guild has planned."

Shon shook his head then reached up to run his hand through her hair, pulling her forward to rest her forehead on his, "I won't help them hold you, Lily."

But she just tilted her head to the side, still pressed on his, and asked, "You didn't tell them no already, did you?"

He searched her eyes for some kind of further explanation but answered, "I told them I wouldn't ask you to surrender yourself. And that they shouldn't ask me to."

She sighed, "Oh good, then you can still join the team."

"But..."

Lily silenced him with a kiss, breathing in one long deep breath before pulling back to say, "I won't let them hold me either. But if you don't join, then we can't guarantee that the kingdom even looks for answers, let alone gets them." Ryuuko leaned forward on his shoulder, tilting its head at Lily and trilling in question.

She giggled, giving the pseudodragon its own quick kiss on the snout before she tossed her fire into the air and took Shon's hands to stand. She looked down at his hands and turned them, palm up, in hers, running her thumb over his ring. "I won't ask you to break your oath to the Temple, and I know that there are Warlocks out there like Shaloon that need to be stopped. But there are also those who are kind, and my siblings to boot."

"Lily..." He tried to interrupt, not liking where her words were leading his mind. But Lily just stood on her toes and kissed him again -to stop him talking.

"I'm going to help," she whispered against his lips, then dropped slowly, pulling away to smile, though the look was strained, "In my own way."

Shon's chest grew tight, and a lump rose in his throat. He tried to swallow it down while Ryuuko thrummed nervously from his shoulder, "You're leaving." He had to swallow again, "To hunt the Warlocks on your own while I join the team..."

She reached up to poke his nose, "Yep. Together we'll get the answers we need."

Shon looked away rather than at her smiling face, "Together..."

"Kind of," Lily shrugged. She cupped his cheeks and turn his face back to hers, repeating, "I won't ask you to break your oath to the Temple. And you were right. The kingdom is better equipped to do whatever is necessary to save the world if the Warlocks are right and it needs saving."

She ran her thumbs over his cheeks, then let her fingers trail up to run through his hair, scratching his scalp and continuing, "We'll be able to end this so much faster if we approach it from both sides, don't you think? And then we can be together again, with no one having any excuses to stop us."

Shon squeezed his eyes shut and wrapped her in his arms, pulling her close and burying his face in her warm hair. She hummed against him, and his breath shook. She was right. He tried to find a loophole. Another option, But none came to him. She wouldn't be held by the Mages. Neither of them wanted that. So he could either go with her, breaking his oath to the Temple and setting someone else to hunt them both. Or he could join the team as they'd planned and work from the inside. If they would still let him.

"I won't hunt you, Lily." he spoke into her hair, "I won't help them bring you in..."

"If you don't, then someone else will," Lily whispered, shaking her head against his neck, "But I'm pretty good at fighting, in case you haven't noticed..."

Shon's shoulders bobbed, but if in a sob or a desperate laugh, even he wasn't sure. He shook his head again. "I won't do it, Lily." He could feel her about to argue and squeezed her tighter, continuing, "I will meet with them. I will still offer to join the team, but on the condition that I not be asked to take you in. The others can try, and I'll stay out of it." As best he could anyway. He couldn't know, if push came to shove, if he could stand back when this team of elites tried to capture her.

Lily shook in his arms, and -like his own reaction- he couldn't tell if she was crying or giggling, but she said, "That will have to do, I guess. It's your choice."

His choice... all he'd ever chosen was to follow orders, to give up his power of choice. In everything but her... "I chose you." He whispered, "Always." Just as she had chosen him. Even after the gods, whom everyone claimed loved all their children, all humans, regardless of nature or sin, had denied him, she had chosen him.

Lily giggled -for sure this time- and pushed on his chest as she pulled away enough to see his face and cup his cheeks again. Ryuuko, who had remained blessedly silent for most of the exchange, twittered and took advantage of the space to nuzzle her scaled cheek. Lily let Shon go with just one hand, just long enough to pat the little dragon before focusing on him again and saying, "I love you."

She stood on her toes to rest her head on his, wrapping her arms around his neck and whispering, "Make love to me? Don't hold back."

Shon dipped, scooping her legs out from under her and carrying her to their bed, the last they would share for who knew how long, "Never again, Lily." he answered.

He wasn't in the mood to play rough. He made love to her slowly. Exploring every inch of her beautiful skin with hands and mouth. Wanting to memorize all of it, to hold her as close to his heart as he did to his body. Lily sighed and moaned, doing the same as they lost themselves for a time within each other. Their bodies and spirits intermingling until they couldn't tell where one began and the other ended.

Afterward, they lay in each other's embrace, their merged magic keeping them warm in the chill air from the still-open window. Until Lily sat up enough to lean over him. Shon stroked her scales with the back of his hand, "Where will you go?" he asked.

Lily smiled, leaning down to rub her nose against his, "I'm not going to tell you." He opened his mouth to argue, but she pressed her fingers to his lips and continued, "That way, you don't have to try to lie." She ran her fingers through his hair again, and Shon wished he could purr. At the foot of the bed, Ryuuko did it for him.

"Just promise me one thing," Lily added, falling further forward to lay against him, resting her elbows beside his neck and propping her face up with her hands. "If you find anyone else, you'll tell me." It was the promise she'd asked of him back in Hamerfoss. Way back on the bell tower. A year before his failed vigil.

Shon laced his hands up through her hair and pulled her down with a growl, but she just giggled against his lips at her own bad joke. "There is no one, Lily." he growled, "There never has been, and there never will be."

She returned his kiss long and deep, and when she pulled back again, it was just to sigh and slide down to lay on his chest, "Stubborn..." she whispered.

"As a glacier refusing to melt." he agreed, squeezing her tight and making her giggle again.

"Let's end this quickly then." she stated, curling into him, "I'm not known for my patience."

They couldn't end this fast enough. He would save the whole damned world on his own if he had to. Because it wasn't worth existing in without her. Ryuuko whistled in agreement.

He didn't want to sleep, but he did close his eyes, stroking Lily's side as her breathing deepened and slowed. He thought of everything they'd been through together and tried again to think of an alternative plan. But just as they hadn't come up with anything except allowing her to be kidnapped in Swailand, he couldn't come up with anything now. And despite his best efforts, his thoughts became dreams.

Ryuuko breathed slowly beside him, curled at his neck. The inn groaned as old buildings often do, and the winter wind whistled through the open window. The bed creaked and shifted, and as dawn came, Shon woke up alone.

To be continued in the next volume, "The Gods of Dragons: Book 2, Law and Chaos"...