"Astra? Haven't I Heard That Name Before Somewhere?"

Alya put her free hand to Velus's wrist. "His pulse is strong and regular," she said. She moved her hand to his forehead. "And there is no sign of a fever. What happened to him?"

"Velus had been enchanted into the form of a small dog by the dragon. When I killed the beast, he returned to normal, but then immediately fell unconscious."

"When the dragon died, all of his magicks would have been undone. But any transformation such as this would put a strain upon the subject. I think the boy probably just fainted as a result. He should come round before long, and be none the worse."

"How do you know so much about all the dragon's magic?"

"'Know your enemy' is our motto in Aqualaria. Going up against a dragon is dangerous enough even when well prepared. I'm surprised that your land would send someone without instructing him properly, and even more surprised that you should succeed in spite of that."

Fred wasn't quite sure whether he should interpret this as praise or as an insult. He couldn't understand how the Aqualarians could have been so well informed about the dragon and its powers. Unless there was much that had been kept from him, little had been known in Allaria.

He decided to change the subject. "This Astra you mentioned - the name sounds vaguely familiar."

"Only vaguely? I should have thought that even in Allaria they would have heard of the heir to the Aqualarian throne."

"How did the dragon come to kidnap her? Surely as heir she would have been heavily guarded at all times?"

1. Alya smiled. "We do things differently in my country. She was on a quest to kill the beast."
2. "She had twenty of our finest women-at-arms with her. But even that was no protection against the dragon."
3. "She..." A groan interrupted Alya. Velus was coming round.

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