“Ven is on his own,” he said to himself. “I can do nothing more for him. Ven will either swim or the dark waters will close over his head. Grald is dead. The sons of Melisande avenged their mother. I’ve made life difficult for Maristara and Anora, but I haven’t stopped them. I have delayed the hour they will attack Idylswylde, but I haven’t stopped that either. Perhaps I’ve made matters worse. Maybe I’ve pushed them to desperation. Whatever the case, I have to leave Dragonkeep and I have to leave now, before Maristara arrives.”

The monk was a problem. He could still hurt Rosa and Anton, and Draconas owed them too much to bring more harm to them than he already had.

Draconas dropped the maltreated sock. The little girl stood up and went up to stand next to the monk. Brother Leopold eyed her warily.

“I’ll tell you a story, Brother,” Draconas said. “Shall I?”

“Very well,” he said, his expression grim.

“Once upon a time, a dragon had a son—half-dragon, half-human. The dragon’s son grew up to be a fine, strong young man, and the dragon was well pleased, for he had decided that he would steal this son’s strong young body and use it for his own. After the dragon had taken over his son’s body, the dragon—in the guise of the son—would catch his foe all unsuspecting and slay him. And the dragon would live happily ever after.”

Brother Leopold listened, his face set in stone.

Draconas shook his head. “That’s how the story is supposed to end. But it doesn’t.”

“Oh?” said the monk sarcastically. “How do you think it ends?”

“Most unhappily for the dragon. He’s dead.”

Brother Leopold gave a tight smile. “I don’t believe you. This is a trick.”

“Grald was supposed to send for you when he had his new body. And he hasn’t, has he?”

The monk had no answer. He walked over to the door and stared, frowning, into the night.

“Go to the Abbey Go see for yourself,” said Draconas, coming over to stand beside him.

The monk glanced around. “And what do you do then?” he asked mockingly.

“I let you live,” Draconas answered.

The monk stared down at the child in front of him and his mouth twisted in disbelief.

He must know that I am a dragon. Grald would have certainly told him when he sent him to see to it that I did not interfere with Grald’s plans for Ven.

But it is one thing to be told and another to see for oneself.

Draconas shifted the illusion. The shadow of the dragon, kept hidden from human eyes, took the place of the little girl.