In the aftermath of a chilling nightmare, Jahree awoke with a scream that shattered the silence of his room. Tilla was there, at his side. He recoiled reflexively, still not fully trusting her. His eyes met Tellic’s steady gaze, and a sense of protection washed over him. “I’m sorry,” Tilla said, her voice laced with concern as she noticed his alarm. “I was just checking on your wounds. I hoped I wouldn’t disturb your rest. Unfortunately, the injuries you sustained are quite severe. You’ve sliced through the muscle and compro-mised the tendons. We should be able to heal it all, but Loka’s not strong enough. When Midta gets back, we’ll see what we can do.” Confusion clouded his features. “Midta was here?” “Yes, he came, but there was an urgent matter he had to attend to,” Tilla informed him. “Ket started panicking when he realized Mom was hurt. He was with the children in the nursery, and Tellic was looking after them. Midta had to take him to the foster home to ease Ket’s distress. He’ll be back once Ket settles.” A perplexed look crossed Jahree’s face as he uttered, “I thought Ket’s mother had passed away.” “My mother, Ket’s grandmother,” Tilla clarified. “Jahr, Tilla is Lanni’s daughter,” Tellic said, seeing the confusion linger. Recognition dawned on him. “Wait, you are Lanni’s daughter?” Tilla’s expression turned sour. “She and I have our differences. She wouldn’t have mentioned me.” He remembered Lanni’s words, though vague. “She talks about all three of her kids, just not by name. I just didn’t make the connection. It’s clear she misses you, though.” Opting to redirect the topic, Tilla addressed his earlier distress. “We’re looking into what happened this morning. That wasn’t me this morning in your room. I’m part dragon. I may roast you or skin you, but I could never do that. I don’t know who it was. It looks like you may have been drugged. Midta is more familiar with your history. You’re been through a lot, and it’s difficult to sort out.” Jahree furrowed his brow in confusion and concern. “I was drugged? How? By who?” he asked, trying to make sense of the disorienting situation he found himself in. Tilla offered a helpless shrug, equally puzzled by the events. “I’m sorry. I can’t tell that. It looks like it might have been something you ate,” she suggested, unsure of the ex-act method of drugging. “But all I had was breakfast,” Jahree protested, trying to recall every detail that led up to this moment. Tellic interjected with certainty, “No, you didn’t. You never came to eat.” Jahree’s response came with a hint of realization, “Lanni sent something out to me.” “No, she didn’t,” Tellic corrected him firmly. “She ate with me and Marn. She said she was going to check on you and see if you wanted something to eat.” Puzzlement washed over Jahree’s face as he recounted the morning’s events. “But Malla brought out a tray to me. She said Lanni sent it.” Tellic’s expression grew serious as he considered the implications. “Sounds like she’s involved.” Sighing deeply, Jahree tried to understand the motive behind the subterfuge. “Why? Why do they care about me? I’m nobody.” Tellic, looking at Jahree with newfound scrutiny, suggested another angle. “Maybe it’s not about you. Maybe it’s about your chosen,” he remarked, prompting Jahree to rethink the situation. “Chosen?” Tilla, who had been following the conversation with growing interest, ap-peared confused. “You and my mom?” Jahree nodded slowly, a mixture of embarrassment and surprise on his face. “I guess she didn’t mention me either,” he mused. Tilla’s eyes narrowed as she processed the new information, her tone turning bitter. “Mom and I don’t talk. She wouldn’t have mentioned you. I didn’t even know she was up here.” She then cast her gaze away from Jahree, looking toward the wall in a pensive silence. Jahree followed her gaze and realized Lanni was on the other side of it. There was a flash of bright light as Midta materialized in the room. “Welcome back. Is Ket all settled?” Tilla inquired with a mixture of concern and curi-osity. Midta shrugged noncommittally. “I hope so. He wants to help out. He said I could use his strength.” Tilla’s expression grew troubled. “That never works well.” A look of perplexity crossed Jahree’s face. “Lanni’s still in a trance? I thought she was out.” Midta nodded, acknowledging the concern. “Ket’s a healer. It’s just that he can’t do it when he’s having problems, and when I have tried using his healing magic to help me, he forgets and fights me.” “Could you examine Jahree?” Tilla requested. “I think he was drugged, but he’s been drugged before, so I’m not sure I’m reading the difference.” Jahree’s face drew into a frown. “I’ve never been drugged before,” he declared with a note of defensiveness. “I think she’s referring to some of the medicines you took on Tameria,” Midta clari-fied. “It’s easy to confuse them if you’re not used to them.” “I don’t treat many Tamerians,” Tilla explained. “I’ve been healing the King’s council and their families for centuries. Midta gently laid a hand on Jahree’s forehead to read him. “He was drugged. It was the same kind they used on Grandpa when he was a prisoner, the type that made him hal-lucinate that he was seeing Grandma,” he explained, recalling the potent effects of such a drug. “One of several he was on,” Tilla added thoughtfully. “I’m going to check on Mom while you figure out what we need to help our new dad,” she said. “Dad?” Midta repeated, a look of surprise crossing his face as he turned toward Jahree. “You and Mom mated?” Jahree shook his head with a hint of sadness in his eyes. “No. I am courting her. Or I was. She broke things off with me.” Midta’s expression softened in sympathy. “Why? What happened?” “The events of this morning,” Jahree admitted with a heavy sigh. “That’s why I slit my writs. We’re not bonding. She thinks I’m scamming her.” Understanding washed over Midta’s features, and he grew more concerned. Taking a step back, he addressed Tellic, who had remained in the room. “Tellic, may I talk with Jahree alone for a while?” Tellic glanced over at Jahree, seeking silent permission. With a slight nod, Jahree con-sented, indicating that he trusted Midta. Accepting this, Tellic gave Jahree a promising look. “I’ll be back,” he vowed and quietly exited the room, leaving Midta and Jahree to converse privately. #fantasy #magic #dragons #hiddenlands