We made the journey back to the Belithain in slightly less than a month, without incident. A miracle, considering two-hundred-plus people shared six bathrooms and one table.

  Still, when the Belithain came up on the scanners, I breathed a sigh of relief. Two-and-a-half months is a long time in terms of travel distance. Had they deviated from their course... I didn't want to think about that.

  There were no tear-filled reunions. Santa Kylie had been a large enough settlement that you didn't know everyone. Stanko even glared at the Kylians we'd rescued from Remba.

  He glared more at me, especially after Geir was carried off the Bucket on a stretcher. His legs had started to heal, but we had nothing like the Belithain's med bay. Geir'd spend a month or more regrowing skin and splicing muscles.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  "Talain?" Stanko said.

  I merely shook my head, and a sadness passed between us. He touched his heart in salute.

  "Absent friends," he said.

  "Absent friends," I echoed.

  "You did good," he replied, and clapped me on the shoulder.

  I hadn't expected that. I was about to comment, but Stanko already had his back to me, stalking off to supervise his security forces handling the new arrivals.

  I went to my domicile, down-tuned the wards on my doors, and walked in to find the hatchling sleeping peacefully, his bucket of kibble empty.

  There was an empty space next to him that called my name, and I indulged it, leaning in against the warm, black scales and closing my eyes, luxuriating in the peace.

  Then I went in search of Riina.