Caithe nods. "Then no harm will come to Aurene while I still breathe."

"Thanks, Caithe. After the coming battle with this changed, more powerful Primordus, I hope any of us are still breathing."

"Changed and more powerful? Care to explain?"

"We were just in the Fire Islands; Primordus moved down there. Taimi, Vetareh, and I discovered that its minions have evolved," James explains. "They're showing signs of Zhaitan and Mordremoth influences. We also found a dwarf head, but... Long story."

"We might want to find something to absorb the loose power each time one is killed, so that we don't end up fighting one mega elder dragon at the end."

"Because they all absorb each other's magic," Caithe says, eyes widening.

James nods. "That will be... a task," he says, sighing.

"Yep. Exciting." Snuuuggle the adorable little dragon.

"James, can we be done with today. It was long and complicated and we've done quite a lot of things that violated common sense, can we get a new one? I like to try to space out my crazy."

That startles a laugh out of him. "Yes. Let's go home."

"I'll stay, then, and watch Aurene."

"Thank you." Scritch scritch scritch scritch.

"Now, this is a hard task, but I think you're up for it, little one," she says to Aurene, with mock seriousness. "You be very cute while we're gone. The cutest. Charm all of the glowy people, and Caithe, and any random passerbys that happen to show up. It will give you openings for later when you strike." She pecks a tiny kiss on the little dragon's head, then gets to standing. "Also be safe, but you know, for right now that's really more Caithe's problem!"

The dragon makes another adorable noise, and even though the exalted over there fiddling with the barrier enchantment doesn't have eyes there is very much a feeling of a fond eyeroll coming from that direction.

So cute!!

But yeah, she really wants to go crash for at least twelve hours, and then maybe hide under the covers for a whole day after. Home now, please?

Home! They can climb back up to the waypoint and return to Divinity's Reach.

Yay! To the big house that still doesn't really feel like a home at all yet!

There is a really nice bath in there that has her name on it!!

And then: gosh, is that a real actual bed instead of sleeping in an illusioned cave on the Fire Islands? Such luxury. Clearly it must be used immediately.

Yep.

Except on the way from the bath to the bed James spots an envelope on his bedside table. He frowns, looks at it, groans, and flops onto the bed, hiding his face on his pillow.

"Noooooooo," bemoans Vetareh. She sits beside James and pets his hair, eyeing the letter. "Is that an important letter, or a letter we can hide in a drawer somewhere and deal with tomorrow without something going horribly wrong somewhere?"

"It has the royal seal on it," he says into the pillow. "I am absolutely ignoring it until tomorrow."

"I'll hide it for you so you can pretend it doesn't exist," she agrees sagely, and then it gets tucked carefully under their clothes so they don't have to look at it.

And then they can sleep, yes? They deserve some sleep.

Yesssssss sleep they deserve so much sleep.

zzz