Several hours later, the four horses reached a sharp cliff, marking the edge of the mountain range. Looking out across the plains below, Dart could barely make out a settlement just at the edge of his vision. Shana dozed in front of him, and he bent down his head.

"Almost there," he whispered to her. "Hang on." His lips brushed against her soft tresses, and her scent wafted into his nostrils, bringing him some slight comfort.

The sun was beginning to drift slowly down, edging toward the little town. The party turned south and tried to find a way around the sudden drop. Soon after, they found a gully cut by a small stream flowing west down the mountains and turned to follow this gentler slope. This incline, still relatively steep, forced them to slow to a walk, and the horses carefully placed each hoof on the rough ground. Eventually, the banks of the creek became too steep to walk on, and they were forced to lead the horses through the water itself. Luckily, the creek bed was solid rock – slippery but passable.

At last, they emerged from the mountains. Spilling out onto a rolling plain, the group rushed forward, hoping to reach the city by nightfall. For the next couple hours, they raced against the sun, and when it was little more than a twinkle over the mountainous horizon, they finally found themselves before the walled city. People and horses and carts constantly bustled in and out of the large, open gate, and Dart was surprised to see no guards by the doors.

Merging with the flow of traffic, they entered the merchant city of Lohan with Lavitz in the lead. No sooner had they made it through the gateway than they were swarmed by traders offering them exotic goods. Startled, Dart glanced around at them, surprised at their strange appearances. Most of them wore dramatically colorful clothing, strange headdresses, and multiple layers of gaudy jewelry.

"Keep your eyes on the coin purses," muttered Rose to each of them, and Dart snatched his from his saddlebag and held it his close to his waist.

It appeared that these men and women were desperate to sell as many goods as possible before the sunlight hid away. Even as the light dimmed, Dart could hear little above the cacophony of voices. He grew more and more frustrated the longer it took to delve into the city, and he placed a hand on Shana's arm. She was still cold. Reaching into the well of power offered by his dragoon spirit, he drew out the flaming warmth, heating his own body to try to keep Shana warm.

As they were forced into single file, Rose, who had also taken the reins of Shana's horse, fell to the back, for which Dart was grateful. The loud city left him feeling uncomfortable, and having Rose behind him offered security.

As they weaved through the crowded streets, Dart was struck by the contrast between this place and Bale. Where Basil's capital city had felt spacious and peaceful, Lohan was constantly bustling, and the buildings were all stacked up haphazardly. Dart almost felt like he couldn't breathe with tall houses on either side; he preferred open and empty terrain.

Merchant caravans reminiscent of the one Dart had encountered near Hellena Prison squeezed through the streets. Vendors selling all manner of goods continued to shout at them from their stands on the edges of the road, and posters advertising various goods, services, and entertainment were littered over every available surface of the buildings. Dart couldn't focus on any of them well enough to understand what they were advertising.

They turned down a street where there were fewer merchants and vendors, but still countless people milling about. Eyes darting around, Dart tried to find any semblance of a clinic or hospital, and at last his eyes settled on a poster advertising "Sanator: Master of Medicine," along with an arrow pointing farther down the street. Without even glancing up, Lavitz led them in that direction, and Dart supposed he must have been here before.

Dart nudged Shana gently and whispered, "Look, Shana. Almost to the doctor."

Shana merely stirred, coughed, and returned to her uneasy slumber.

At last, they arrived at a building with a wooden sign indicating the clinic they sought. Holding Shana in place with his hand, Dart dismounted and then pulled her down and carried her toward the door.

"You go ahead," said Rose, remaining mounted while Lavitz jumped down. "I'll go find the inn."

"There will be more than one," said Lavitz. "Go to the One-Eyed Crow. We'll get better service there. Down this street, take a right, and it'll be on the left."

Rose nodded and grabbed all the reins, leading the horses off in the direction Lavitz had indicated.

"If anybody can keep our money safe, it's Rose," muttered Lavitz. "Let's go." Dart nodded and followed him into the clinic.

The room inside reminded Dart of the inn where he'd recovered after the Battle of Hoax. Multiple beds lined the walls, perhaps twenty in total running the length of it. However, there were no windows in this room, and some of the beds were surrounded by gray curtains. An old man, perhaps seventy years old, sat hunched over a desk along the left wall and looked up as they walked in. Seeing Shana's limp body, he immediately stood and approached them.

"We need your help," Dart blurted out. "She's dying."

"Right this way," said the man, and he led them to an empty bed along the right wall as his sage green cloak billowed behind him. Dart rushed forward and gently laid Shana on the soft mattress.

"What seems to be the problem?" asked the old doctor, placing his hand on Shana's forehead before proceeding to examine her.

"She was poisoned by a dragon's breath," said Dart hurriedly. "Is there anything you can do?" He knew he sounded urgent, emotional, and maybe even a little crazy, but he didn't care. Shana's life was on the line.

At this Sanator stopped and turned to them. "Dragon, you say? I heard about such a beast, but I thought it must be some fear tactic used by Doel. But I suppose not..." His eyes lingered for a moment on the forest green of Lavitz's armor – the color of Basil – and Dart might have worried had there not been more pressing matters. Dismissing whatever thought, the doctor turned back to Shana before saying, "Why would someone throw such a person against a dragon?" He seemed genuinely concerned, which comforted Dart. The old man's face was wrinkled, but his eyes were kind and full of wisdom.

Before Dart could answer, Lavitz cut him off. "We were traveling through the forest in the mountains, and it found us. We managed to get away, but…" As Lavitz's voice trailed off, he looked down at Shana, brow furrowed in worry.

"I see," finished the doctor.

"Please tell me there's something you can do!" said Dart a little loudly.

"If you will," said Sanator, "please wait over there while I perform a proper examination. I will let you know whatever I find." He gestured toward the door, and Dart turned to see two benches set against the wall on either side. He started to protest, but Lavitz grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the bed – away from Shana. Every inch that separated them only brought him more pain and anxiety. As he sat down next to Lavitz, he crossed his arms, bouncing his knee and keeping his eyes set on her fragile form.

"Dart, we have to give him space to do his job," whispered Lavitz. Once again, Dart could feel those brown eyes studying him.

Shaking his head, he paused for a moment before words poured out of him.

"I can't believe this happened. Rose said there's nothing we can do." Cursing, he buried his face in his hands. "Why did I listen to her? I knew something was going to happen, and yet…" He huffed. "I should never have let her go into that nest."

He felt the same fear within him as the night before in the forest, fretting about the dangers of the upcoming battle, but now his fear was before his eyes, lying unconscious in a hospital bed. He cursed himself, he cursed his situation, and he cursed everything. What was all that about fate? What fate could possibly exist for him with Shana dead?

"This isn't your fault, Dart," said Lavitz, placing a hand on Dart's shoulder. His hand felt frigid, and Dart wasn't sure if it really was or if he was just unconsciously warming himself again, but Lavitz didn't jerk away like last time. "Shana made the decision to fight all by herself. She's a grown woman now."

"So, we should just let her decide to throw herself into danger, even if it kills her?" asked Dart derisively, lifting his head and gesturing wildly.

"Didn't you do the same? You chose to go with me to Hoax even though you knew there might be a dragon waiting. And that was before you knew you were a dragoon. This is no different, Dart. You have to let her be an adult. She's no longer that thirteen-year-old girl you left behind."

"I know that," he snapped. "Don't you think I know that?" He glared at Lavitz, whose expression softened and shoulders drooped. "But it's my responsibility to take care of her!"

"And who appointed you with that task?" challenged Lavitz.

Dart huffed and looked away.

"You are not a god, Dart. You can't control the outcome of battles. None of us has that responsibility, and none of us should want it, either. Right now, there isn't anything you can do to change what happened."

Sighing, Dart hung his head. As he rested his chin on his hands, brow furrowed and jaw tight, Dart watched the doctor examine Shana's eyes and throat. He appeared confident, knowledgeable, and wise, giving Dart some semblance of comfort, but every moment that passed, any calm thoughts were instantly replaced by the possibility of Shana's imminent death. If she died, Dart would never forgive himself, and he knew that he would never be whole again.

Leaning forward, Lavitz sighed and said, "We'll find a way to help her. Let's wait and see what the doctor says. Maybe he'll know what to do."

And so, they waited. Every second was agonizing, and still they waited. Sanator inched around Shana, checking her pulse, listening to her heartbeat, and several other things that Dart did not understand. After an eternity, the doctor finally turned toward them and approached, looking troubled and thoughtful.

Standing abruptly, Dart quickly closed the gap between them and asked, "Is there anything we can do?"

"Had I not examined her myself, I would never have believed it was really dragon's poison," said Sanator as Lavitz approached him. "I'm still not quite sure I believe it, if I am honest, but the symptoms are unlike anything I have seen before. However, they most closely resemble those of a venomous bite from a rare snake that lives in deserts. It appears that this snake and the dragon both share the ability to emit a neurotoxin."

"A what?" asked Dart.

"A neurotoxin," repeated Sanator calmly. "Simply put, it cuts off muscle use and shuts down other bodily functions as it spreads. She is unconscious as her body tries to stall the spread of the poison. Or at least, that's what I would say if this were really a snake bite. There are other symptoms, such as the closing of her lungs, that I cannot explain properly."

"Is there any way to cure it?" asked Lavitz.

"I am unsure. I will administer an antitoxin that is specialized for such snake bites and test its effects. In the meantime, I will spend most of the evening looking through my old books to see what can be done. Perhaps our ancestors had to treat such problems in the past centuries." He gestured toward the back of the room, where Dart could make out an entire wall covered in hefty tomes.

"But how long does she have?" he pried, unwilling to sit around and wait for morning.

"Once again, since I have never encountered this before, it is impossible to say with certainty. But if I had to guess, assuming that the antitoxin helps and that I can keep her calm and sedated, perhaps two weeks."

"And if the antitoxin doesn't help?"

"… Maybe two days."

Dart swallowed. Two days wasn't enough time. Two weeks wasn't enough time.

Lavitz gently placed a hand on Dart's forearm and spoke for him. "Thank you for doing everything you can," said Lavitz. "Since there's nothing we can do right now, we'll come back first thing in the morning." Dart prepared to protest, but was met with a meaningful look from Lavitz. Reluctantly, Dart nodded.

"First thing tomorrow…" said Dart. Then he walked past the doctor to Shana, placing a hand on her forehead. She still felt so cold.

She looked peaceful lying there. Save for her unusually pale skin, all appeared normal. She could have been dreaming pleasantly if Dart had not known better. He slid his hand across her hair, feeling the dirt and grime that had built up over the past few days. He recalled her bright and cheerful eyes from so many years ago while they played together near Seles, and he longed to see them so happy again. Before he knew what he was doing, he bent down and pressed his lips against her forehead.

"We'll be back tomorrow," he whispered.

It was all Dart could do to back away from her and leave the clinic. He mindlessly followed Lavitz through the streets of Lohan, still bustling with people despite the falling darkness. He kept his head low. It felt as if every step farther from the clinic was a step farther from his own heart.

A few minutes later, they arrived at the inn Lavitz had mentioned. It, too, bustled with activity, and Dart found himself longing for anywhere that he could be alone. As the door opened, a loud buzz of conversation assailed him, and looking around, he saw a surprisingly small room filled with boisterous people eating and drinking. Despite the late hour, Dart was anything but hungry; seeing the food made him feel nauseated, and he eased up closer to Lavitz to ask to go somewhere else.

Just then, Rose approached them, looking heated. It appeared that she appreciated the noise as little as Dart.

"I got us rooms," she said, fighting to be heard above the clamor. She turned, black hair whipping out behind her, and walked quickly over to the stairs on the far side of the room. Lavitz and Dart gladly followed.

The building was narrow, but tall, and Dart counted three flights of stairs before they finally reached the proper floor. The din from below was pleasantly muted here, and they piled into one of the rooms. Inside were two small beds, a bedside table between them, and a small dining table with four chairs, but no windows. The only light in the room shone from a dim candle on the table. They meandered over to it and sat, grateful for a moment of rest. A minute of silence passed before Rose interrupted it.

"How's Shana?" she asked.

Those two simple words almost overwhelmed Dart, and he rubbed his eyes to avoid the question, hoping that Lavitz would answer for him.

"Not so good," Lavitz said. "The doctor said she could have days to weeks, depending on whether his treatment works. He's going to spend all night taking care of her and trying to find something to help."

Rose nodded somberly. "Since there's nothing else we can do, I'm going to my room. It's across the hall." After shooting a glance at Dart, she stood and walked out.

"Listen," said Lavitz gently, placing a hand on Dart's forearm. "We'll find a way. We always do."

Dart could not bring himself to answer. His emotional instability threatened to overcome him should he try to speak. Instead, he simply nodded and began fingering the grain of the wood on the table.

Standing, Lavitz announced, "I'm going to grab some food downstairs after I get out of this armor. Do you want anything?" Dart shook his head, and Lavitz clapped him on the back as he walked over to the corner, removed his armor, and made his way down the stairs, closing the door behind him.

Finally alone, Dart hung his head and let out a dramatic sigh. Standing slowly, he began working at the straps holding on his breastplate and dropped it on the floor, scratching at the skin that it had been rubbing against for the past two days. He removed his sword belt, leaving it with his armor, and glanced around for his bags, mildly surprised to find them piled in the corner; someone had been kind enough to deliver their supplies to their rooms. He lazily changed out of his dirty traveling clothes into something more comfortable – a simple cotton shirt and pants – and fell onto one of the beds.

As he stared at the ceiling, his mind ran quickly through all the events since he'd awakened his dragoon spirit. It now felt so long ago that they'd departed Hoax, and yet, it had only been two days ago. Part of him wished that they had never left. Their victory over the dragon and Greham – and Lavitz's receiving a dragoon spirit – had both been wildly overshadowed by Shana's illness. While part of him wanted to celebrate such a stupendous victory, he could not overcome the anxiety that now filled his soul. Every second brought his mind back to Shana's wellbeing and whether she would survive. Was it truly worth eradicating a dragon to save a country in which Shana ceased to exist?

He knew this to be a selfish thought. Thinking back to slaughter of the Seventh Fort, he was disgusted with himself for thinking that the lives of those men were less important than hers. But no matter what he told himself, he knew that he would always put Shana first. Others may not understand it, but he would always do whatever he could to keep her safe.

He chortled at himself.

Safe? The last time Shana was safe was before you came back.

She had been taken captive and thrown in a terrible prison, only saved by his dramatic overcorrection of his previous faults. And then he'd led her into the mouth of a dark cave, where they'd almost died twice over. After that, he'd taken her directly into a war zone and then into the nest of a poison-breathing dragon. How could he ever say that he meant to protect her when such things happened at every turn and on his watch?

And now, at the end of it all, she was dying, and he could do nothing to help her. A sickened feeling arose in his stomach again, and he swallowed to keep it there. All he could do was dare to hope that the doctor would have a lead for them the next day.

Hearing footsteps on the stairs outside, Dart jolted. Quickly, he rolled over to face the wall and pretended to be asleep. Lavitz opened the door and quietly set something down on the table before blowing out the candle and crawling into the other bed. In that moment, Dart envied Rose, who had an entire room to herself.

Over the next several hours, Dart heard Lavitz toss to and fro, trying to find sleep. He himself could not resist doing the same, although he did so less often. It was well into the morning hours before Lavitz's breaths finally became regular as he drifted off, but Dart remained wide awake. He knew that he could never sleep while Shana's fate remained so uncertain.