‘Perhaps I’ll manage to find out something about the Quel-naz as well. It seems they’re not in Bushtabhar, but maybe I’ll turn something up anyway.’
‘Fortunately, that’s the least of all the worries that have come crashing down on us.’
‘Are you setting off soon, Colonel?’
‘First thing in the morning, as soon as we manage to find a cart and pack up the bodies.’
Darius stepped out of the courier’s office into the darkness. Although a bright quarter-moon hung low in the sky, the slums were plunged into darkness. It seemed rather unnatural and a little frightening, but he had no choice if he didn’t want to spend the night in a building reeking of a corpse. He was accompanied only by the Ruby Guard, as Rex had offered to stay behind to organise transport for the body.
Bleist lit a few more flares, stoking their glow to such an extent that even the alleyways they passed were briefly illuminated. He had to admit it to himself, but without the presence of the two heavily armed guards, he wouldn’t have felt very confident walking through this part of the city.
For a moment, he tried to take his mind off everything that had happened since he’d left Atlantis and focus on something more pleasant. He knew that Draco must have already received the letter informing him of his acceptance into Solvein. Darius had known from the start that the dragon was incapable of failing his exams, but the boy had been terribly nervous about it the whole time. The acceptance letter must have helped him calm down at least a little, although another problem was looming. Bleist knew full well that his protégé did not have the fondest memories of his peers. Although that was an understatement. The wizard couldn’t begin to imagine the traumas his pupil was actually carrying, and yet Draco seemed to pay no attention to most of them. It was hard to understand, though he was certain he should try, so that he might later be able to help the dragon in any way he
