The healer was curious as to what the dragon had said, or done, to captivate Makism’s eldest daughter. How could something so innocent—so pure—be drawn to something so… so scarred. It left a sour taste in his mouth and a heavy weight in the pit of his stomach. He wondered if his nephew had come across Karina since their meeting. He had asked for the muddy-eyed youth to question the princess on her time spent with the dragon. XIX had hoped that their connection in age would encourage the little Baranski to open up. While her departure from the medicine den did not come as a surprise, it still confused (and upset) the ghost. It had happened to abruptly that XIX did not have time to question it; however, it all made sense now. It had happened after Kjors had joined the pack and the time they spent together had increased. Something wasn’t right, he thought bitterly to himself as a deep frown cut across his maw.

Just as XIX was growing tired of the dragon’s looming presence, Kjors announced he was leaving. “Likewise,” the medic responded with a soft nod, the single word offering more than one meaning. As much as he hoped Amisun would turn up, XIX was doubtful. The wolves that joined the river wolves only to abandon them seldom returned; while he hoped the female healer was different, he did not hold his breath.

Without another word, the ghost turned away from the dragon, his slim legs quickly putting distance between the two. He hoped that his nephew had gotten a chance to speak to either Naia or Karina about the reptile that had slithered its way into their pack. As much as he wanted to confront his apprentice, he worried that it would put tension between the two. He would leave that conversation for her and Karp—for now. He headed for the depths of the forest, desperate for the silence that the abundance of trees offered.