Bruni was a heap of red hair and leather clothes on the ground, his ax falling away from him.

  Theo scrambled to his feet, gaze flickering around the clearing in search of what had attacked the dwarf. What was it this time? More wolves? Another dragon? Other nasty creatures that

  Theo didn’t even know existed and could barely imagine?

  But there was nothing.

  Freya stood with her sword drawn, moving nimbly around the clearing in search of danger.

  Theo, with Nibblet sitting on his shoulder, neared Bruni. He looked like he was sleeping, like he had decided a nap was a good idea right this second, and Theo reached out to touch him, but—

  “Don’t,” Freya said. “Don’t touch him until we know why he collapsed.”

  Theo turned to her. “What do you mean?”

  Her gaze kept roaming the surroundings. “We have no idea why he collapsed, so we don’t know if it’s contagious. Don’t touch him right now.”

  “But what if he needs help?” Theo asked.

  “Don’t need help from you,” came from below, and Theo looked down to find Bruni’s eyes open again. He had brown eyes, the color of milk chocolate, Theo thought distantly.

  “Sorry,” Theo snapped. “Here I was, just going to check on you. What was I thinking?”

  “I’m fine.”

  “You’re flat on your back,” Freya said, eyebrow raised. “You sure about that?” Her voice held an edge of concern, masked by her usual briskness. She leaned closer, still cautious, observing

  Bruni from a safe distance. “If you’re fine, Bruni, then sit up. Show us you can.”

  Bruni pushed himself into a sitting position, his face contorting with discomfort, but he said nothing. His eyes flickered to Theo (was that something like an unspoken apology in their depths? Nah, it couldn’t be) before he masked it with his customary gruffness.

  “Just lost my footing,” he muttered, his voice rough.

  Freya looked less than convinced, but sheathed her sword, her eyes still scanning the trees. “We’ll take a longer break here. It will work as a camp for the night. You look like you need the rest.” It was a command, not a suggestion.

  Theo, though relieved that Bruni seemed better—he was on his feet, at least—couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. After all, Bruni’s comrades had both been sick and there was a disease spreading among the dwarves. Why would Bruni be immune? Theo pushed it down, though, because the dwarf had shown clearly that he had no desire for Theo’s concern.

  Instead, he helped Freya unpack their parcels of food, plates, and basic cutlery.

  Emberion returned shortly, his massive form causing the trees to sway as he landed gracefully at the edge of the clearing. Clutched in his claws hung the parts of what must have once been a large forest animal, which he placed on the ground. It would be enough to feed Theo, Freya and Bruni for several days, though if Emberion intended to eat, it would be gone before night fell.

  Emberion sniffed the air and zeroed in on Bruni.

  “You reek.”

  Bruni glared. “You’re rude.”

  “Only truthful.”

  Bruni glared at him. “Does this godforsaken forest have some elderberries? Just give me some and I’ll be good as new. Or willow bark, if you have that.”

  “That’s… oddly specific,” Theo said.

  “Of course it is,” Bruni said. “Elderberries are renowned for their healing properties, and a decoction of willow bark relieves discomfort and fever.”

  “So you are in discomfort,” Theo said. “Do you have a fever?”

  Bruni glared at him. “I just said those are the properties of those particular herbs.”

  Theo glared right back. Why was Bruni so exasperating? He was sick, Emberion had just said so, and so he probably had exactly the same thing his comrades that he dumped in Silvershard had. “And that you need them.”

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  Bruni ignored Theo and turned to Emberion. “Do you have either of those in this blasted forest?”

  “We do,” Emberion rumbled, his deep voice resonant in the quiet afternoon. “I will see what I can find. You can rest.”

  “I’m fine,” Bruni muttered.

  The dragon waited expectantly.

  “Fine,” Bruni snapped. “I’ll rest.”

  Freya nodded. “Thank you, Emberion. We’ll take care of him, and we’ll cook the deer while we’re at it. Theo, can you handle that part?”

  Theo, eager to be of use and even more eager to do this particular task, nodded. It wasn’t quite baking, but it was handling food, at least.

  “Could you make a fire for us?” he asked Emberion.

  “Of course, Theodore.”

  A while later, the aroma of roasted venison filled the air, a comforting scent to Theo. He wasn’t as good a butcher and cook as he was a baker, but he was decent enough after all the time he had spent in the kitchens. Together with the elderberries Bruni had asked for—which Theo was now making a syrup of, according to Bruni’s careful instructions—Emberion had also brought back rosemary and basil, which Theo had used to give the meat some taste.

  Bruni was, after all, resting, while Freya cleaned her weapons with careful meticulousness. Once she was done, she began pitching the tents—one for herself and one for Theo—and Theo realized they would not be going any further today.

  They ate in silence, with Bruni eating less than Theo would have expected. He did down spoonfuls of the elderberry syrup, though. His stubborn refusal to discuss his earlier collapse hung in the air, a palpable tension that even the fire’s warmth couldn’t ease.

  “You can rest in one of the tents if you want,” Freya said. “Theo and I can share.”

  “I don’t need a tent,” Bruni said.

  Freya pursed her lips. “You know what, sleep wherever you want. Just go rest, and wake up a happier dwarf tomorrow, okay? After all, you’re not sick at all, right?”

  Theo ducked his head to hide his smile. Freya had had enough, and it was awesome.

  Bruni glared at her. “I’m fine.”

  “Great.”

  But Bruni ended up taking a tent. Theo noted the concerned wrinkle between Freya’s brows, and couldn’t help but feel the same.

  He brought out his pack and handed a cookie to Freya. “Here. Have some dessert.”

  She raised an eyebrow at him. “You brought cookies? Seriously?”

  “What, are you telling me you don’t want it?” Theo asked. “Because I can eat it instead.”

  “No,” Freya said quickly. She sighed. “Thank you.”

  Theo grinned. “You’re welcome.” He gave half a cookie to Nibblet, who chirruped happily in response, before turning to Emberion. “Would you like a cookie?”

  Emberion looked at the round shape in Theo’s hand and frowned, though there was obvious interest on his face. “What is a ko-keeh?”

  “Cookie,” Theo said. “It’s a delicious baked goods with sugar, butter, brown sugar, vanilla, flour, a bit of salt, baking soda, and chocolate chips. I’ve made them myself.”

  Emberion looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded. “I would like to try a ko-keeh.”

  Theo held out his hand, and Emberion delicately licked the whole thing from Theo’s palm. He had it in his mouth and even though it was so small there was no need for him to chew it, he did. His eyes lit up.

  “This is very good,” he said. “I have never tasted anything like it.”

  Theo grinned. “Chocolate chip cookies. They’re one of my favorite baked goods.”

  “I can see why,” Emberion nodded. “Though they should be bigger.”

  Theo chuckled. “Indeed.”

  “Now let me show you some of my home,” Emberion said.

  Theo glanced at Freya, who looked like she wanted to protest.

  For some reason, Theo wanted to go with Emberion. Bruni would have said it was because he was stupid, but Theo argued with himself that it was what his father wanted him to do. He should be talking to the dragons, or dragon in this case, and figure them out.

  “Is there any risk that the other dragons will attack?” he asked, because he still wanted Freya safe, and there had been several dragons out when he flew with Emberion.

  Emberion shook his head. “You all smell of me. They will not come close.”

  Theo nodded and said to Freya, “I’ll be back before you know it, okay?”

  Her lips were a thin line, but she nodded reluctantly.

  Theo followed Emberion on a walk into the darker recesses of the forest. Despite being accompanied by a massive dragon who could have eaten him at any moment, he wasn’t scared—and wasn’t that a surprise? Nibblet, always curious, rode along on Theo’s shoulder, her tiny claws gripping his shirt. As they moved deeper into the woods, the taste of the air grew earthier, filled with the subtle undertone of wild berries growing nearby.

  Theo asked, “What did you mean by Bruni reeking?”

  “You don’t smell it?” Emberion asked. “The darkness surrounding him?” Sunlight filtered through the high canopy, casting dappled shadows that danced on the forest floor as they walked.

  Theo shook his head.

  “Hmh,” Emberion said. “Perhaps it is the same as with the weave. Or maybe I just have a more sensitive nose.” He stopped to study a shiny, beautiful indigo feather on the ground before picking it up without a word.

  “Do you think it’s the disturbance in the weave making him sick?” Theo asked. “His friends are sick, and he said it was because of a disturbance in the heartbeat of the earth. He said it was some bell missing, or something. Maybe it was ringing out of tune.”

  “Bell?” Emberion asked. “He thinks there are… bells?”

  Theo shrugged, wondering if Bruni had been messing with him. But he had sounded serious—though not particularly convinced of the truth of the myth—and he had been speaking to Freya at the time, not Theo.

  The soft rustle of leaves stirred by a gentle breeze mingled with the distant calls of forest birds, and Nibblet peeked at the shadows of the forest with interest. For a moment, Theo wondered if the little creature would scurry off in search of better things to do, but she stayed.

  “There are no bells that could do that that I know of,” Emberion said.

  Theo deflated further. “Oh.”

  Emberion cocked his head to the side. “But there is an amulet.”

  “Amulet?” Theo asked. “What amulet?”

  “There is a powerful amulet once made by a powerful dragon mage who wanted to control all other dragons,” Emberion said. “It was a dark time in our history, but when my ancestors finally defeated him, they hid the amulet away. If it ends up in the wrong hands…”

  “It would be bad?” Theo asked.

  He reached out his hand to brush against a fern when Emberion snapped, “Do not touch that!”

  Too late—Theo’s hand came into contact with it and a sharp sting seared through his palm.