“Yes. We’ll take who we have today to try to stop them at Lethbridge. We’ll send who we can spare to the main tribes for support,” Helly said confidently.

“I brought you a favor then. Actually, the bastard insisted after he saw what happened at the wall.” Zina cupped her hands and yelled, “Come on in here and stop eavesdropping, old man.”

The man who stepped through the door made Kerrigan gasp in shock. She’d know that face anywhere. Even old, completely gray with a scar puckering around one of his eyes, he was quite clearly Trulian.

“Master Trulian,” Helly gasped, bowing deeply.

“Thank you for the warm welcome,” he said as he returned the gesture. “It’s a pleasure to be back at Draco Mountain. I thought I’d never see battle again. But from what I can see, you’re going to need an old man for one more battle.”

“We would be honored.”

“Oh, honor,” Zina said, waving her hand. “Let’s get on with it. Sound the alarm, Hellina.”

“Yes, of course. I’ll rouse the Society.”

“And you, girl. You’re coming with us,” Zina said.

Kerrigan frowned. “I’m not certain that the rest of the council will approve of that. I was recently kicked out.”

Zina rolled her eyes. “I’ll put this legend in front of them, and they’ll all bow and scrape, won’t they, Dad?”

Trulian scowled. “You’re safe with us. If you’re anything like my Mei, we’ll need you.”

“Then, I’m in.”

Fordham interjected, “You just recovered from being unconscious for three days.”

“It’s battle, kid,” Zina said. “We’re running at an empty aerie. We’re going to need everyone we can get. Training’s over. Now, the fun begins.”

Kerrigan and Fordham didn’t argue. She hugged Clover, thanked her for all she’d done, and followed Fordham out the door. They all but ran back to their quarters.

Audria and Roake were seated in the main room, going over some assignment when they entered.

“Kerrigan!” Audria gasped. “What are you doing here? I heard what happened.”

“No time to explain,” she said, wheezing from the exertion.

“The House of Shadows has been released from isolation,” Fordham said calmly. As if none of this affected him. As if he wasn’t about to go to war with his own people. “They’re heading to Lethbridge to take the city. We’ve been called to stop them.”

“What?” Roake asked. “But we’re still trainees.”

“Not anymore,” Kerrigan said. “There aren’t enough members in the aerie. They need every last dragon in the sky.”

“Gods,” Audria whispered. “I know we’ve been training for it, but who thought we’d ever see battle?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Fordham said. He’d already seen battle. Civil war in his tribe was common. “What matters is that we answer the call. Get packed and get to the aerie.”