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"Maybe soer of hearts, but I’ll take your word for it Where is this discourse leading?"

"I believe our kind is vanishing froue with that She’d seen few enough dragons in her life These Fireether

"Perhaps Your opinion of the surface is true enough There aren’t onkind needs you Your aid would be invaluable, if the Lavadome is to survive"

"What is the Lavadoinal home, I expect"

"Whaaat?"

"It onspeech is very sions"

"I’ve talked with soons who formerly were under the thrall of riders They’re a slow and stupid bunch, and their speech is most odd Half the time I must ask the you In fact, you’re easier onthem my whole life I can’t help but think we’re related"

"How can that be?"

"How randsires?"

"Very little AuRon knowsnow and then, and Mother supplied a few details I know my mother’s mother was named Irelia"

"An Anklene name if I ever heard one Was your mother clever?"

"Yes I would call her clever Father was always praising her ability with tongues"

"I suspect, Wistala, that you’re frothralls--they even coons, if you would believe such sophistry--and they left There were those happy to see theriffaran But what I’ at, Wistala, is that you’ve co to do about it?"

Wistala felt as disoriented as after her crash down the well "I--I need ti ho used to a newa new me"

Ayafeeia crossed necks with her, and they stood so, feeling each other’s blood pulse

"Take your time," Ayafeeia said quietly

Once past that break in the tunnel the Firenificent blue with red stripes on his wings whom Ayafeeia called one of the "Aerial Host"

He bore a rider, but it was easy to see as in charge While Ayafeeia spoke to the dragon, the on The rider had no reins, but he did have a thick strap tethering him to the saddle Ayafeeia later told her it was so he could turn around in the saddle to shoot his crossbow behind in flight The riders did co taps, to let the, so a sudden turn or dive didn’t "spill" their burden

Wistala noted that the rider wore a sort of aronscale, the sae, evidently with a round! This Star Tunnel was a wonder of the world

"What sort of men ride with the Aerial Host?" Wistala asked

"Free thralls," Ayafeeia said "There’s talk of establishing an Uphold just for the Aerial Host so the ardens in the sun Though if I were the Tyr I ht fear such a move"

"Why is that?" Wistala asked

"I suspect the Uphold would prosper, and a rival ons in this empire lived in fear of another civil war The previous one had lasted for generations, off and on, and ended only with the establishment of the First Tyr, FeHazathant There were two short-lived ones after hion-riders, and now Tyr RuGaard, who had inaugurated what he called the "Age of Fire"

"Our Tyr would not have us hiding in the dark He promises a return to the surface," one of the drakka said "When we are strong enough"

Wistala wondered The world was an awfully big place, and it sounded as though even this eh the Star Tunnel, drakka out scouting ahead and behind They came to another break, but this tie

"It’s heavy enough to bear a dragon," Ayafeeia said, trotting across ings out for balance

The others followed in line