Summit Meeting

Thanks to Minestus's flame within her, which seemed as though it must be more than a purely metaphorical expression of a magical power, Elaine in fact was perfectly comfortable, but she felt that it would be more tactful if she did not contradict Astra. So she remained silent.

"I apologise for your discomfort," Euaristus said, "but I was rather rushed. Your deaths might have been only seconds away. I would have rescued you sooner, but the three of us have only just arrived. Here..."

She gestured. Astra was expecting her attire to change as a result of the spell that had presumably been cast, but it did not. However she suddenly felt comfortably warm.

"That will wear off in a couple of hours," Euaristus said, "but that should be more than time enough. It was simpler than a clothing spell, and besides I'm rather out of touch with what sort of things humans prefer to wear nowadays."

"You're not human?" Elaine said. "I thought there was something strange about you."

"And there are three of you?" Astra put in.

"Yes, there are three of us. Do not be alarmed, for we mean you no harm, but I must tell you that we are dragons. We flew from far to the east when we learnt of Minestus's death. It was too late for us to help him, of course, but we hoped that his flame might survive, in which case it was important that it should be properly cared for. What we had not anticipated, of course, was that it should pass to a human."

"So now you're going to kill me and take the flame," Elaine said flatly. "You will no doubt suspect, or perhaps even know, that it was I who killed Minestus. But I no longer have the power to withstand even one dragon, never mind three. I feel as though I'm being consumed from within by the flame, anyway, and I'd prefer a quick death at your hands to that."

"Hang on," Astra said. "She said that they meant us no harm. And why say that we have much to discuss, if they just want to kill you?"

"Indeed. Let me explain...

1. Euaristus explains.
2. Meanwhile, back on the road to Pellgar the party is intercepted by another one of the three from the east.
3. Meanwhile, back on the road to Pellgar...
4. Meanwhile, what of Adele? (Might we even learn what the entity claiming to be her conscience is up to?)

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