(A/N Oooooooh, dramatic title of the chapter! Hehe, oh, and is the story being too long, you think? I mean, it actually covers both the storyline of Queste and of Syren. That requires a little bit longer story. I mostly made them into one, because Queste and Syren technically could be the same book. I don't mean that they're alike, but rather that the ending of Queste is so close to the beginning of Syren. Well, duh. But they feel especially connected, if you get it. The other books are, of course, connected, but it's not the same 'adventure', if you know what I mean. Of course, all the events in all the books are connected, but... oh my god, you get my poiny, don't you? Enough said for today. Also, probably enough sugar for me today. Oh, and plus: I actually am going to write in some Lorea-moments. It would be fun, and as long as you guys are okay with it. Here ya' go, the next chapter!)

Chapter 25: The Dragon

Zamir thought of what Odale had said on the way back to the Tower. Even though they were good friends, they used to MindTalk and all, he had never really understood her. In one moment, she could be nice and happy, then in the other moment she could be furious, angry and mean. It was as though she was a several different persons, who fought over who she were. He never knew how she would react, and it frightened him. A lot.

He liked her more than she frightened him, though.

Odale was thinking as well. She had, even though she felt guilty about it, read Zamir's thoughts. She had heard that he had hoped that she would have changed, and that hurt. Marcia had told her once that she shouldn't read peoples mind, because they could think about her. And when they thought about her, that wouldn't always be very great. For once, Odale agreed with Marcia.

But how dared he want to change her? She knew that maybe, she wasn't the greatest of all people- absolutely not the nicest- but she was who she was, and she couldn't just change that. No one could change that. The more she thought about it, the more it made her angry.

Eventually, they arrived at the Tower. Zamir noticed that Odale was in a worse temper than before, and decided to do something to it.
"Hey, Odale?"

"What?" Odale asked, crossing her arms across her chest.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry that I made fun of Cri... Merrin. I'm sorry that I made fun of Merrin." Zamir answered.

"You shouldn't apologize to me: you should apologize to him!" Odale said.

"I'm not going to apologize to him." Zamir said, crossly. Odale let out a deep sigh.

"What is wrong with you?" she snapped, "You're behaving like a child! I should absolutely not have allowed you to follow. I'm not going to stand being with Sep all that time, and I'm absolutely not going to stand being with both of you."

"Odale!" Zamir protested, "Of course I'm going to come with you. What if you need my help?"

"What if I don't?" she snapped. "Zamir, what do you have against Merrin, anyways?"

"Well, Lau..." he tried to avoid eyecontact. He wanted to tell her about what Merrin had said and done, but then if he did... On the other hand, he knew that Odale hated lies and when people hid things from her. But then, if he never would be able to control his EvilEye again, what would he be supposed to do? He would have to avoid all humans for the rest of his life and live alone somewhere. He didn't want that. He had to lie. "I mean, uhm, Odale, you know that he and I never have got along..."

"But why can't you just do that now?"

"Why would we?" Zamir snapped. "Hey, what's up with you nowadays? Are you having a crush on him, or something?"

"No!" Odale said, "Zamir, I made his life a living hell back then. I just want to... you know, make it up to him."

"What if you can't?" Zamir asked, crossing his arms.

"I can try." Odale snapped. "You don't even want to go, do you?"

"I do!" Zamir protested, "I just don't like that you randomly attacks everybody- but Merrin. It kinda makes me annoyed."

"Sorry." Odale muttered.

"So?" Zamir said.

"So what?" Odale wondered, puzzled.

"Can I still go with you? And Septimus?"

"Fine." Odale said. Then she smiled, briefly.

"Like the old days?" she asked.

"Like the old days." Zamir replied. "With a little less spying. And murdering. And-"

"Yeah, less spying, less murdering, and less corruption. I suppose."

Lorea had waited for Rodrian quite a while. Three whole hours. She didn't like being inside so much: she preferred being outside, and discover all the corners of the city. Often together with Honey. So she decided to do just that: go outside. Besides, it would not be a bad idea to get some special groceries in order to make some special food. For her birthday.

Since Rodrian was working very much, Lorea had spent a lot of her childhood with a woman named Amanda. Amanda had been her babysitter, but also something more. Almost like a mother, or at least an aunt. Lorea's own mother, Lorea thought, had died in a fyre along with Lorea's father. At least, that was what she had been told. Of course she believed it. That was what she had heard Rodrian tell Amanda, and why would he lie to Amanda?

In which case, Amanda had taught Lorea how to cook. Or more correctly, Lorea had watched Amanda cooked, and after a while she had begun to help Amanda with the cooking. Coming from a middle-classed Eastern Snowplaininan family, whom was very traditional, Amanda always- at least almost always- cooked Snowplainian food, and therefore it was what Lorea was best at, as well.

Before leaving, she pulled on her cloak. She loved that cloak. It was in a dark colour, somewhere in between green and blue. It was lined with soft fur from a white fox, and it made her feel warmed. As though somebody embraced her. She felt silly thinking that.

Bringing Honey with her, Lorea went out and started walking towards the Great Market House.

Zamir thought it was very excited when he sat up at the dragon. Spit Fyre. He thought it was a ridiculous name, but it couldn't be helped, though.

Despite the silly name, it was a thrilling sensation to be near such a creature. Zamir adored reptiles. In the Southern Desert, most of the animals you would see were reptiles. Yet, he had never encountered a dragon. It was massive, muscular and green, and it intimidated him. Never the less, it fascinated him as well.

Odale had noticed his childish excitement for the dragon, and she teased him with it slightly. But only in a friendly way. She knew that he was very fond of reptiles.

When Odale had found Indigo, Zamir had been very jealous. As a gift, she had given him a ParrotLizard. She wondered where it was now.

They were just going to take off, when a little boy- Barney Pot- came running across the Dragon Field.
"Apprentice!" he shouted, "Apprentice, please wait!"
Septimus did wait for the little boy to stumble across the field, towards them. "What is it, Barney?" he asked. The little boy reminded him of a little boy he had met, five hundred years ago.

"A lady asked me to give you this." Barney said, jumping up and down while waving an object in the air.

"What is it?" Septimus wondered.

"Something to keep you safe, the lady said." Barney said, "Please, apprentice, you have to take it."

"A SafeCharm?" Septimus asked. "No thanks, Barney."

"B-but you have to!" the boy said, jumping up and down more furiously. "You have to!"

"I don't have to do anything, Barney." Septimus said.

"You should consider it." Zamir said, "Offerings like that might save your life."

"Or you may die from them." Septimus replied. "No. And Barney, let me teach you something: never, ever accept a SafetyCharm from someone you don't know properly. Never ever."

"But-" Barney began, but it was too late. He had too jump out of the way in order not to get crushed, for Spit Fyre was taking off. When they were high up in the air, Zamir at last said:

"I still think it was a bad idea neglecting that Charm, Septimus."

"But you don't know what I know." Septimus said, rather snappishly.

"And you don't know what I know." Zamir replied calmly.

(A/N End of chapter 25! See ya'll! And happy Samhain! :) )