I just wanted to say I really appreciate y'all. :) Anytime I get a notification of someone new starting to read my book, I check out their profile. The notifs of someone adding me to their reading list make me smile. (Then I go check out the list to see if they've found anything I might like to read.) Also of note, this week Chapter 1 hit 1,000 reads. Y'all are the best. <3

The song of the day is True Faith by Anberlin. Does this song remind you of anyone in particular? It reminded me of... Well, you'll find out. ;)

*Waglington's POV*

I stepped out of the tree line onto the wheel rutted road, brushing a few leaves off of my robes. I adjusted my hood self-consciously as I entered the ring of light surrounding the bar. The solid oak door burst open as I cautiously navigated the front steps, and I barely dodged the body that was hurled past me. "Don't come back unless you pay for that chair!" The very large man who had thrown him shouted. "Drunken sod..." I heard the burly man mutter under his breath. He noticed me as he turned to go back indoors. He narrowed his eyes under thick, dark eyebrows as he looked me up and down, no doubt sizing me up for throwing as well. He looked like he could toss a whole pine tree if he wanted to and not break a sweat. Talk about intimidating. This lumberjack has to be three times my size!

The man finally gave me a lopsided grin and motioned me inside, laughing at my obvious fear of him. "Come in, weary traveler!" He boomed, sounding much friendlier than he had a moment ago. "You're welcome here so long as you don't break anything."

I hesitantly followed him into the riot of sounds and smells, keeping one hand on my money bag. It would be easy for a skilled pickpocket to make a living in here. He guided me through the throng to the bar counter against the far wall, at which point I realized this man was the bartender. "So what'll it be for you tonight?" I was pulled from my inspection of the place by the tender's question.

I cleared my throat and asked, "One bottle of your strongest whiskey and some water if you have any that didn't get polluted by the fire. Also, would you happen to know where I could get my hands on some fish that's safe to eat?"

The big man paused cleaning the shot glass he held and gave me an interested look. "Whiskey we've got aplenty. The river water's not gonna be safe for another three or four days, I reckon. Closest spring's a mile up the road. As for the fish, we've got some smoked from yesterday." After setting the glass he was working on aside, he asked me another question. "You get caught out in the fire, kid?"

Kid?! I resisted the urge to let him know that I was in fact his senior and answered his question. "Yes, barely made it down into the river gorge to avoid getting cooked alive. If you would be so kind as to point me in the direction of that spring, I'll pay for the whiskey and fish and be going." I could feel eyes on me from the rest of the bar. My accent and robes stood out like a crow among seagulls in this place, and I did not like getting this much attention. With any luck they'd all forget they saw me when they recovered from their hangovers.

My discomfort must have been evident, because the bartender nodded at my request before turning a fierce scowl on the rest of the gathering. The feeling of being watched dissipated but didn't go away entirely. "You'll take the right fork at the big crossroad," He said pointing down the road in the direction I'd come from. "There's a small cabin up near the spring that travelers use when they're passing through. Though it's not the safest place to stay on a blood moon."

I chuckled before suppressing a fit of coughs as I leaned on the bar. The tender gave me another appraising look as he collected my purchases. "I'd suggest you stop by Miss Mary's before you leave town, stranger. She's been treating people who got caught in the fire all day. Her apothecary is on the corner; you can't miss the mortar and pestle sign out front. She won't mind being woken up, neither. She's got a heart of gold, that one. Just tell 'er Jim sent you her way," He said with a wink as he set a bottle of amber liquid and a parcel wrapped in butcher paper on the scuffed counter.

After some friendly bartering, I handed Jim the decided on payment with a bonus to ensure he forgot I was ever here and left with my supplies. I did my best to ignore the curious to openly hostile looks I got on my way out. Once outside, I ducked back into the forest immediately in case anyone thought to follow me. I made it back to Memento without incident or sign of pursuit. I let him know I was going to check out a possible doctor in town, and he reluctantly agreed to stay put a little longer, consoled by the fact I had found some fish, even if it was cooked.

Jim had been right; even at night, it was easy to find the apothecary. I cautiously knocked on the front door of the business, feeling a little bad about disturbing the lady's sleep after what had to have been a long day. Sure enough, I heard shuffling inside and a minute later the door cracked open to reveal the silhouette of who I assumed to be Miss Mary. "What?" She asked brusquely.

I cleared my throat nervously and said, "Jim sent me down here. I may have been out in the fire yesterday."

Her annoyed voice and posture softened when she heard my hoarseness. "Come in, dearie," She sighed and walked back out of sight, leaving the door open behind her. I stepped inside and was overwhelmed by the strong scents of medicinal herbs and tinctures permeating the room like the smell of alcohol had the bar. Mary was quickly weaving through an aisle between shelves crowded with supplies, heading for a back room. I closed her door and followed, careful not to knock anything over.

Mary was busy fussing with a large green tank chained upright to one wall when I stepped into the dimly lit room. It looked like a cross between a small doctor's office and a supply room. Another doorway led out to a hall and what I guessed to be her living quarters. Without looking up from her work she asked, "Any burns, or just smoke inhalation?"

"Both," I answered, making my way over to the cot against the right wall that must double as an exam table. Suddenly, a thought occurred to me. "Um, what's your opinion of magic?" I asked nervously.

Mary laughed and turned to look at me with tired brown eyes. She brushed a loose strand of black hair behind her ear and told me matter of factly, "Look, I don't care if you're a wizard, witch, or hobgoblin. I'm not reporting anybody. Wouldn't be good for business." She returned to her work after seeing me relax.

Knowing she'd need to see my burns, I slipped my robes off over my head, leaving me in my tunic and trousers. I managed not to hiss in pain at the movement, though I did release a small yelp when I plopped down on the edge of the bed, earning a quick glance from Mary. I'd forgotten that my backside was burned as well. Oooh, I think I'll have to sleep on my stomach for a few days. I inspected my ash and mud encrusted robes for any damage to distract myself from my pain; I'd have to clean them later. Mary finally turned back to face me with a clear plastic mask attached to the green tank by a long hose. She raised one eyebrow at my appearance, but made no comment. "Some oxygen will help with your lungs," She said as she slid the mask over my nose and mouth and the elastic strap behind my head. I adjusted it slightly as she turned a valve on the tank until I could hear the hiss of compressed air being released. She watched me carefully as I took a few steady breaths. "Now, Mister..." She trailed off, asking for a name.

"Oh, uh, call me James," I said quickly, unsure why I gave my old name.

Mary nodded and continued, "James, are you having any headaches, muscle weakness, dizziness, or coughing?"

"All of the above, though not as bad as when I first woke up. I was unconscious most of the day," I added sheepishly.

Mary tutted and shook her head. "You're a lucky duck. Now, where'd you get burned?"

"We were running ahead of the fire... So, pretty much my entire back half," I said with an embarrassed chuckle. I removed the mask long enough to pull my tunic off over my head. Mary had me put the mask back on before she'd look at me.

She checked my back, tutting some more. "You're starting to blister up pretty nicely here, though it is hard to tell how far the burns extend with your skin tone." She walked back over to the wall by the tank and opened the valve further. She then picked a stethoscope off of a hook there. "Keep up with those slow deep breaths. I'm going to listen to your lungs and see what we're working with."

I did as directed while Mary listened to my lungs. I jumped slightly when she tapped on my chest. She gave me a reassuring grin before going back to tapping; she appeared to be listening to the sound her taps produced. I winced as the rattle from earlier made a surprise reappearance. That's not good, is it?

Mary frowned when she heard the rattle and took the stethoscope away from my chest, walking to hang it back on its hook. "You've got some debris in your lungs you need to clear. I can get you some medication to help with that, but you should stay put until your lungs sound normal again. We don't want you getting pneumonia, now do we?"

I nodded slowly. As much as I need to keep a low profile, I suppose my health should come first. Then my mind went to Memento. He was still out in the forest. Now that I thought about it, I wondered how he was doing. I hadn't heard a peep out of him since heading back into town.

"Worried about your friend?" Mary asked.

"Ye—wait, what?! I'm not traveling with anyone!" I quickly tried to cover my blunder.

Mary grinned and continued, "I can send a friend of mine to bring them over. They're going to get worried, aren't they? Plus, if you're in this bad of shape, they likely need help too."

I couldn't argue with her there and sighed in defeat. "His name's Memento, and he's my familiar—a cat to be specific. I don't suppose you could help with shredded paw pads?" I asked, somewhat apologetic.

She seemed thoughtful for a moment before consenting, "I'll see what I can do, though I make no promises. I'm used to treating mortals and occasionally wizardfolk." She indicated for me to stay put when I started to stand. "No, no, no. You," She said firmly while pointing at me with a stern expression. "Are staying on oxygen. I'll send Andy to bring your cat."

"Andy?"

"A friend of mine who stops by for a few days whenever he passes through. One moment." Mary disappeared into the hallway. I could hear her footfalls on the pine plank floor as she went. I continued taking deep breaths while she was gone. The oxygen seemed to be helping a little already, though my head still felt like someone was tap dancing on it in combat boots. My old migraines had been a lot worse. Maybe the fact I'd had such horrid migraines in the past had caused me to not take my current condition as seriously as I should have.

I leaned back against the wall cautiously, wincing as I put pressure on my burns. I sighed, then started coughing. Exhaustion tugged at my eyes as I caught my breath. Yeah, I should probably stay put for a bit.

The cot was looking more tempting by the second, and I'd just decided to lie down on my stomach with my arms folded under my head when Mary and her friend walked back in. I didn't bother opening my heavy eyes when I said, "I'll tell Memento to behave himself. He's in a tree just past the fork in the road if you're going to Jim's bar. He'll cast a light spell when you get close enough to see it. I left my pack there too if you'd be kind enough to bring it."

There was silence for an unsettling moment before the newcomer asked something I didn't expect, "Waglington, is that you?"

What?! They know my name? I snapped my eyes open and propped myself up on my elbows to see who had spoken. The speaker was a lad about my age when I got the athar. He had messy but short brown hair that was slightly lighter at the curling ends from time spent under the open sky. Blue-green eyes studied me with surprising alertness for someone who had just been called from their bed. The thing I recognized most were the dozens of cruel scars crossing the tanned skin of his bare chest—not all of which were old. Interestingly, now that I had more of my former power back, I could sense a power residing in him as well, not unexpected for Ianite's grandson and acolyte. "Prince Andor!" I exclaimed as I started to sit up fully.

Mary scolded me and pushed me back down with barely any pressure on my burned back. I complied with a grimace but kept my head up, eyes locked with Andor's. Discomfort briefly crossed his gaze at the old title. "It's just Andy or Andor now," He said after clearing his throat. "What are you doing way out here?" He asked as he crossed his firmly muscled arms over his chest.

Apparently his travels have treated him well. He was little more that a toothpick when we got him back from Inertia. He had skipped town a week later. Poor Sparklez had been worried sick that Andor was going to get recaptured by Mianite or killed when the next blood moon rose. He hadn't relaxed until Ianite assured him that Andor was far stronger than we gave him credit.

"Oh, just the usual: picking fights with mobs, running from natural disasters, being ruggedly handsome." Mary and Andor chuckled slightly. My smile faded as I continued, "No, really I've been out here looking for Steve. Martha's been unable to contact him for several days now, and the signs I've found point to his being captured by Mianite's guards."

Andor's face paled as the implications of that revelation sank in. Andor knew too well what treatment he could expect. Mary pretended not to be listening to us as she set about picking several herbs and other items off her shelves up front. She returned to the room we were in and set her materials on the counter next to the oxygen tank. "His trail led you this way... from Dagrun?" Andor asked shakily.

"From the Black Market, actually. Sadly, it's a burned out husk now."

"Oh, bother. I got some of my rare herbs from a man who worked with the Black Market," Mary confided with true disappointment. "Now, I'll have to find another supplier."

"They're probably taking him to Entropy. It's another high security prison, built in the last decade if the guards at Inertia are to be trusted. Its location is a fiercely guarded secret, even among Mianite's ranks. I'd heard a rumor or two that it was out this way, but that's all I know." Andor shook his head sadly.

So that's it. I've lost Steve, I thought in resignation. I had been running from the fire for ages before reaching the river, and I'd been delirious for half that time. I had no idea where I lost the trail. I'd have an entire mountain range to search, and even then finding the trail would be unlikely on the broken and rocky soil—if they passed through the mountains at all. What am I going to tell Martha? I let my head fall back onto my arms in defeat.

"Well, I should go fetch...Memento, was it? You never struck me as a cat person..." Andor trailed off.

"It's a long story. I'll tell you tomorrow," I muttered, feeling rather dejected.

Andor nodded and walked out the front door of the apothecary. I sent my familiar a quick heads up, recapping what had happened. He wasn't enthusiastic about the idea of seeing another doctor, but he didn't seem to have the energy to protest as much as he had with Dec. That meant he definitely needed one.

"Here, drink this," Mary said, holding a glass of something that smelled strongly of cherries. "It'll help with the junk in your lungs."

I went back up on my elbows and took the glass without protest, removing my mask to drink it. Though I gulped it down in one go, my eyes watered a bit at the horrid flavor the cherry cordial couldn't quite disguise. I shuddered as I handed the empty glass back to her, blinking the excess water from my eyes. She exchanged it for a cup of tea flavored with lemon and honey. She must have brought it with her when she came in with Andor.

"Bless you," I said appreciatively as I nursed the hot beverage.

"Now, that medicine will loosen the mucus in your lungs. Unfortunately, you'll still have to cough it all up. Once the expectorant kicks in, you'll be doing a lot of that," she said, handing me a threadbare handkerchief.

Lovely. I decided to finish the rest of my tea quickly to allow myself some rest before I started coughing my lungs out. While I finished my drink, Mary finished the creamy paste she had been mixing at the counter. I recognized aloe, but none of the other ingredients she added. I'd gladly spend several lifetimes in Ruxomar, and I'd never learn all of its secrets, I thought as I resituated the mask on my face and set the tea cup on the floor next to the cot. Mary walked over with bowl in hand as I lay back down.

"Alright, now to treat some of these burns. Hold still, dearie." Mary started applying the paste to my back with no further warning. I did my best not to wince and jump as she found particularly painful blisters where my backpack had rubbed and a large bruise on my ribs I hadn't been aware of. The paste went on at a neutral temperature, but quickly turned a soothing cool that felt like heaven to my burned skin. I sighed in relief as she finished applying the stuff to my back, shoulders, and sides and set the half full bowl beside the cot. "You can take care of the rest yourself, but I'd like to finish tending your back first." Without waiting for a reply, she pulled a small spell book off one of the supply shelves and started reciting a healing spell with her right hand hovering over my back. It was a fairly rudimentary one, easy for a mortal to master, but I was in no position to criticize. Between the relief of pain in my back, Mary's soft chanting, and my own weariness, I drifted into a deep and grateful sleep.