***
Alric sighed as he watched the elves report to King Auldian about a recent attack on a small village on the outskirts of Minathim. The Qualsax had left no one alive, and the devastation was tremendous.
“This is becoming too common in both of our lands,” Alric said.
Auldian nodded. “It is, but their numbers seem to grow so much faster than ours.”
“It’s sad how many choose to follow the unlawful.”
“It’s lazy.”
“It’s appealing. However, I would hope that someday, good would prevail and consciences would bring them to us.”
They both turned when a hum sounded behind them.
“So they say. You poof and I’ll be out of here by morning,” Kyrin said proudly, and then fell to her butt on the floor when her location changed suddenly.
“Kyrin?” Alric asked, confused.
Kyrin got to her knees and looked around. “Get back here, Sithias! You can’t just drop me here.”
Auldian smiled. “Lady Kyrin?”
“What?” she asked, looking over at him.
“Is there a problem?”
Alric went over and helped Kyrin to her feet. He noticed she had her backpack covering her middle, and she was looking around.
“What have you lost?” Auldian asked, following her eyes.
“Where’s my nicker?”
“What’s a nicker?”
“Little gray creature,” she said, and bent down to look under a table.
Alric watched her. “He wasn’t with you when you appeared. If Sithias put you here, then my guess is that he has the nicker.”
“Sithias!” Kyrin screamed, and looked around.
Auldian was watching with amusement as Kyrin turned furious.
“Kyrin, why did Sithias bring you here?” Alric asked.
“Because he’s a coward!” she screamed at the ceiling.
Auldian gasped at how this girl spoke to his deity. “You cannot call him names in my home.”
“Then he shouldn’t drop me on my ass in your home.”
Alric was trying not to laugh. “Okay, so calm down and tell me why Sithias dropped you here.”
She finally looked at him and calmed down. “He dropped me here to keep me from shifting to take the nicker back.”
“You were going to shift? Now?”
“I had to! The nicker took your pin again, and the knights were going to kill him.”
“Do you know how dangerous that is?”
“Yes, but I can’t let them kill him. So Sithias said he’d take the nicker, but I don’t trust Sithias. He said he’d keep me from shifting, but I don’t think he can.”
“Okay”
“Trox told the knights to keep me from picking something up or disappearing. However, I don’t think they’d try very hard to stop me. They hate me. Then I’m here.”
Alric rubbed the back of his neck. “I guess that makes sense.”
“Are you with child?” Auldian asked, looking at her curiously.
“No,” Kyrin said, and started for the door.
“Yes,” Alric countered.
Kyrin turned to look at him. “No, I’m not.”
“Yes, she is,” Alric said, smiling at Auldian.
Auldian was now confused. “So is she or isn’t she?”
“I’m not,” Kyrin told him, and then walked out.
Alric turned to Auldian. “She is, but she’s hiding it.”
“Why?”
“Long story. So are we in agreement?”
“Yes, but I don’t see why your magic user can’t do something about them.”
“Pregnancy is putting a strain on her body, and she hasn’t been able to cast.”
Auldian frowned. “Is it permanent?”
“I don’t think so.”