”I glanced at Flower on her way to collect dishes from another table. I looked at the commander, “Will the guards try to do anything?”He shook h...is head, “The drakes will stay outside for a few days and then continue on their way. The city lords will not risk sending people out.”I looked around at everything I had accomplished before sighing, “I will take care of it.”The commander blinked, “What?”I looked at him, “I will kill the drakes.”He looked at me as if I was crazy, “But they breathe. The knights loomed over us. They were terrifying. I gripped the fire totem in hand. My earth destroyed, too much pain inflicted on the elementals had overwhelmed the channel. It had failed spectacularly. My hand throbbed, a pink welt forming across my palm.I raised my fire totem. What could I do with fire? It was destructive, damaging. It consumed. It broke apart. That was fire's purpose. Decay was as important as growth, and fire was decay at its most extreme. I had to do something to buy me a. Are you alright, Alyssa? You seem very distressed, Senior Councillor Ularean asked, awkwardly patting the radiant girl on the shoulder while trying not to concentrate on the breathtaking perfection of the orbs pressed against his chest.She pulled back and gave him a grateful smile. You wouldn’t believe how glad I am to see you, Ularean! I thought those mist monsters were going to get me for sure!His big black eyes blinked rapidly, his expression of shock mirrored by the several members of the. He'd be thesnake in our little garden. He can say anything at all right now,but we all three know he can always back out of this thing he'sproposing. At any time. No matter how skillful he becomes atpersuading us, maybe even persuading himself that he's serious. Hecan always take up living like a man again any time. And I'dalways worry that when he left he'd take you with him!" He wouldn't do that. Would you, Joey honey?"Of course I would. That was exactly my intention. But they.