"Daddy, let me down!" The girl managed to get free, and she continued running. He hurried to catch up with her and scooped her up in his arms.

"She's a handful, I take it?"

He shook his head. "You really aren't from here, are you?"

"No," I answered. This time he seemed to look closely at me; he frowned and said, "You seem familiar, but I can't place you." He tensed, holding the girl closer. "You aren't from Ahnmik?"

"The falcons come here often?"

"Look around you," he answered.

"I'm sorry; I have not been here in a very long time. The last time I stood in this spot, Oliza was the heir to the throne." "No, I'm sorry," he answered.

"If you are looking for Oliza — " He turned away, his breath hitching.

"Daddy, do you see the rainbow?"

"There is no rainbow, honey."

"Daddy-"

"There is no rainbow." he said, too sharply. Then he fell to his knees, cradling the girl. Tears stung my eyes. "What kind of future was this? This was my child; I could feel it. And surely this was the mate I had chosen. But where was everyone else? Where was Wyvern's Court? What was wrong with the girl?

"Mommy!" the girl shouted, pulling away from her father. She ran to me.

"Not Mommy," her father answered. Looking at me, he said, "I'm sorry, you never told us your name."

"Mommy!" the girl called again. "Mommy, Mommy!"

She was crying now, and I could not help going to my knees and putting my arms around her.

"Please don't encourage her," the man said. "Keyi has a poor grasp on reality. These walls keep her physically safe from her magic, but her mind has never been as safe. Please, Keyi, come here."

I choked back the tears in my throat hoping the avian side of me would keep my emotions in check and held her close.

It was then I realized where I was standing. The statue that had resembled my powerful wyvern stood proud and tall. I caught sight of the Rookery of in the distance.

"What happened here?" I asked the man over the girl's head "Where is everyone? The rest of the Wyvern's court?" I watched him as I stood keeping eye contact.

He shook his head. "There is no rest of the Wyvern's Court. Since Oliza..." he tensed as he said my name "..my mate left there was no Wyvern to rule."

I gasped suddenly remembering the man, a burmese python, my mate, Vere Obsidian.

I collapsed into his arms as I grasped my snakecharm whispering "Ahnleh...I am home.."