“Mother, what do you think you’re doing?” Tilla demanded with a mix of concern and exasperation. Lanni, startled from her dozing state, replied, “Following the healer’s orders for a change and getting some rest.” Tilla’s tone shifted as she shared the news, “Jahree tells me you two were chosen.” Lanni eyed her daughter skeptically. “You haven’t spoken to me in years. Now you suddenly care about whom I’m involved with?” “When it almost gets you killed, yes,” Tilla asserted. “Mom, I was angry, but I didn’t mean to avoid you for so long. You left without a word. I didn’t even know you had re-turned to this side of the desert.” “I tried to reach out,” Lanni confessed. “But you blocked me. I thought you didn’t want anything to do with me.” “I was in surgery,” Tilla explained, the frustration in her voice softening. “It was a prolonged procedure, and afterward, I needed rest. When I tried to contact you, I got no response.” Lanni’s face softened. “I never heard you. I would have responded. I’ve missed you, Tilla.” The reconciliation was tender but firm. “And I’ve missed you. However, if you ever pull a stunt like that again, I’ll make you wish you were in Lerjao again.” “Did you meet my friend Tellic?” Lanni couldn’t suppress her grin. Tilla nodded. “I did. He seems nice. But now, let’s talk about Jahree. Why did you end things with him?” Lanni’s face darkened. “He was sleeping with someone. I saw him.” Tilla corrected her firmly, “No, Mom, he wasn’t. He was drugged to see you. When he woke and saw me, he thought I had been the one. You couldn’t feel all this?” “Feel it? How could I?” Lanni was puzzled. “We haven’t bonded.” “But you have, and it’s strong,” Tilla insisted. “When I first saw the connection be-tween you two, I was convinced you had mated.” Lanni was bewildered. “I don’t feel anything like that.” Tilla pondered for a moment. “Maybe it’s because he’s resistant to magic. That’s got to be it.” Her gaze held a silent question, wondering how this factor might have influenced their bond. Tellic burst into the room with a fervor that demanded attention. “It’s about time you woke. How could you think Jahree could cheat on you? Can’t you see how much he loves you? He hasn’t looked at another woman since he met you. And you know how con-scious he is about his scars and that he’s been saving for ages to be able to have them headed. He spent that money on a ring so he could propose.” “Propose?” The word hung in the air as Lanni absorbed the shock. Doubt and disbe-lief clouded her judgment as her mind kept replaying the image of Jahree in bed with an-other woman. “Why do you think he tried to kill himself? Because he lost you. You wouldn’t even let him try to explain. You judged him on his past, just like everyone else.” The weight of Tellic’s words struck Lanni like a physical blow. She had done just that. She had done her best not to judge him on his past but to give him a fair chance. But as soon as it looked like he was falling into old ways, she jumped to conclusions and didn’t give him a chance to explain. “He was drugged? But by whom?” Lanni’s voice was barely above a whisper, her confusion evident. “He said it was Malla who brought his breakfast. You saw who he was with.” Lanni’s frown deepened. “The woman had blond hair, but that was where the similari-ties ended.” “Mother, it’s the same drug that Nor’than used on Grandpa Mishtali. The one that had him hallucinate that he was with Grandma Shay. It would only take the right words and a blond wig, and Jahree would have been convinced that any woman was you.” At the revelation, it felt as if the room began to spin. Lanni groped for balance, both physically and emotionally. “Oh, shades,” she whispered, the realization of her mistake settling in. Clarity rapidly returned to her and, with it, a single imperative thought. She sat up, a resolute look hardening in her eyes. “I need to talk to him. I need to set this right.” Tilla placed a gentle yet firm hand on Lanni’s shoulder, signaling she should refrain from rising from bed. “Jahree’s with Midta currently. And you need to stay in bed. You haven’t been sleeping again,” she said with concern and admonishment. “I have. It’s been a couple of hours each night,” Lanni protested, the weariness evi-dent in her voice despite her insistence. “You retreating while Drepal reads or wanders doesn’t count. You know that,” Tilla reminded her, emphasizing the importance of proper rest. “That’s not what has been happening. You can ask her,” Lanni countered and, with a soft sigh, reached out with her mind to wake Drepal. “We have been sleeping properly. We missed two or three nights since this squad came. They weren’t in a row, and Loka knows,” Drepal confirmed, supporting Lanni’s claim. Tilla’s brow furrowed slightly in consideration. “Maybe sleeping with someone re-sistant to magic is affecting you,” she mused aloud. “We haven’t slept together,” Drepal clarified. Tellic chimed in to add some context. “He’s been quite the gentleman with her, in-tending to treat her respectfully.” How much have you and Drepal been awake together?” she inquired, attempting to uncover any factors that might contribute to Lanni’s condition. “Not much. We’ve had a few strategy meetings together and spent a bit of time to-gether this morning,” Lanni responded, her expression one of recollection as she tried to account for their shared hours. Tilla gently placed her hand on her mother’s wrist, her face creased with concentra-tion. She was attempting to read Lanni’s health, scanning for signs of illness or imbalance. After a moment, she frowned. “I’m not getting anything from you. No usual signs. Have you been eating or drinking anything unusual?” Lanni leaned back slightly, her tired eyes meeting her daughter’s. “Tellic’s outside all night on patrol. I usually make him some Lanish before bed. I have a cup myself, too.” Tilla tilted her head, concern flickering in her eyes. “Lanish? And you’ve been drink-ing it regularly? Have you been sleeping well?” Tellic shook his head. “No problems sleeping. I drink more than just a cup, too—sometimes I go through two wineskins full of it.” Tilla’s brow furrowed. “Two wineskins?” she echoed, processing the information. “Does anyone else drink it?” Lanni let out a small laugh. “Lanish? Please. No one else will touch it. Jarhee had a sip once, but that’s it.” Tilla’s frown deepened. “I’m going to check the kitchen and the ingredients. You spend the night here, alright? I want to see how you do.” Lanni’s expression tightened with worry. “What about Jarhee? How is he?” Tilla sighed, her voice softening with empathy. “He did some serious damage, Mom. Cut several muscles and tendons almost to the bone. Midta’s with him now, but he’s go-ing to need surgery. We’ll let you know more as soon as we can.” Lanni nodded slowly, her hand instinctively gripping the blanket. Despite her calm exterior, it was clear the news weighed heavily on her. Tilla placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Now, you need to rest,” Tilla said gently. “You’ll think clearer after some sleep.” Lanni bit her lip, glancing at her daughter with hesitation. “I’ll need some help sleep-ing.” Without a word, she extended her hand toward Tilla, and her daughter took it in hers. Tilla closed her eyes for a moment, focusing her magic. A subtle warmth spread from her hand into Lanni’s, and within moments, her mother’s eyes fluttered closed, her breathing evening out as sleep overtook her. Tilla released her mother’s hand with a quiet sigh and stepped back. She and Tellic exchanged a brief glance before slipping out of the room. As they walked down the hallway, Tilla kept her voice low. “I’m worried something’s been off with her for a while. This isn’t just exhaustion.” Tellic nodded. “Could the Lanish be causing this? Or maybe something’s been added to it?” “That’s what I’m wondering. I’ll test it. Whatever it is, we’ll figure it out. Just keep an eye on her for now.” #fantasy #magic #dragons #hiddenlands