Winter 4995, 37 Ginmoth 

Ryuuko landed on Shon's uninjured shoulder as he riffled through the Warlock's robes, looking for the keys to free the cheering Sorcerers. Ebonwing sat on the Warlock, catching her breath and taking a moment to heal the worst of her wounds. She yawned afterward but grinned at Shon as he found the keys and stood, "You want me to take care of those?" she asked, gesturing to his bloody shirt. 

He took a moment to examine the wounds, determined they could wait, and shook his head, explaining, "Alena can handle it." 

Taking the ring of keys in hand, he twisted, bending the ring and allowing him to slip the keys free, handing two of them to Ebonwing. They were color-coded with jewels that corresponded to the Sorcerer's elements. The Druid sighed, getting back to work freeing the teens.

She went for the fire and earth lot, while Shon started with the ice girl before moving for the water and air cages. The teens backed away from the bars as he approached, watching him with...  awe? He arched an eyebrow at the kids' expressions, finishing his task and turning in time to see the fire boy who had thrown his boots first run from his cage to kick the Warlock in the stomach. 

Ebonwing shrugged, turning her back on the scene and Shon sighed. He let the boy get one more kick in then grabbed his arm and pulled him away before the third could land. The boy glared up at Shon, then paled as Shon returned the glare with one of his own. Shon let the boy go and he pulled back to stand beside his fellow fires as they retrieved their shoes. 

The lone ice Sorcerer stepped over the groaning Warlock and approached Shon with a whispered, "Thank you..."

Shon nodded down at her and Ryuuko whistled. "Um..." one of the waterboys, the smallest, approached nervously, "Is that your familiar?"

Shon nodded again in answer, then bent over the Warlock, picking the old man up and throwing him over his shoulder, causing Ryuuko to hiss and fly off in indignation. 

The fire boy asked, "You don't talk much do you?" 

Shon turned to arch an eyebrow but Ebonwing laughed out loud, answering for him, "Now that's an understatement! Come on you lot, let's get you home." 

"Our familiars..." an airgirl started,

"Are they alright!?" an earthboy finished with a shout. 

Ebonwing started for the door, waving for the kids to follow, "They're just outside." 

The teens swarmed around the door behind her, each struggling to be the first out into the hall. Shon stayed back, watching in silence. But he wasn't alone. The ice girl stood beside him, "They wouldn't let us see them..." she whispered, "We don't even know exactly what they are. Just a vague idea of species. Like bird, or mammal..."

Ryuuko flew down to land on her shoulder, making her jump and nuzzling her cheek with a purr. Shon looked down at her, remembering his own meeting with Ryuuko. The damn pest had stalked him through Hamerfoss for a day before finally revealing itself.

"You'll never be apart again." He said. The last of the Sorcerers piled out and Shon nodded for the door, signaling the girl to proceed him. 

Once he joined them in the hall, Ebonwing pointed to the door across from hers just outside the prison. Shon set the Warlock down outside the door and the two of them opened their respective rooms, finding cages filled with all manner of small beasts lining the walls and keys hanging just inside. 

The Sorcerers knew exactly which rooms their respective familiars were in. Those on Ebonwing's side crowded around her, trying to slip around to get inside, but those on Shon's continued to give him space, letting him in to unlock the cages, waiting just outside the door.

There were nine cages and all but one of them held the usual small animal, five different types of bird, a cat, a weasel, and a snake. The last was large and held a timber wolf. The wolf stared at him with calm intelligent eyes, waiting patiently as Shon unlocked the other cages first.

As each familiar was freed, it flew or sprinted for the door and into the waiting arms of its human, all with tears of joy and relief in their eyes as they were finally united with a missing part of their soul. They each moved away from the door, making room for the next until only one remained. 

The ice Sorcerer entered the room, locking eyes with the wolf as Shon set it free. She knelt on the ground before it, her lip trembling but no tears flowing yet. Slowly she reached out a hand, "My name is Emma." she told the wolf. The wolf looked from her fingers to her face and back again, then sat and rested a great paw as large as her entire hand in her palm. The tears finally came and Emma lunged forward to hug the wolf around the neck.

Ryuuko landed on Shon again, nuzzling his cheek. He let it, reaching up to stroke its side and sending it a silent message, You did good in there, little pest. 

He left the room, giving Emma some time to compose herself. Lifting the Warlock once more he nodded around at the Sorcerers, then to Ebonwing. Signaling her to lead the way up to the others.

***

Lily sat on the Warlock's bed, flipping through the last book. She'd burned some of the pages out of the others, the ones that listed some of the other towers doing non-harmful experiments, and a few illegal contacts that smuggled mostly illegal components and magical items but not people. But this one was different, it described some Warlock spells and she wasn't really sure what she wanted to do with it.

She stood, turning one more page and finding a particularly unbelievable Warlock ability. Crouching beside the unconscious Journeyman she slapped his cheek, "Hey, wake up." He groaned, his head lolling limply before she smacked him on the head with the book and his eyes fluttered open.

She held the book open to him, though his eyes looked so unfocused she doubted he could read it. "Is this actually true? Some of you can move entire towers?" 

He mumbled something incomprehensible and Lily grabbed him by the chin, giving his head a little shake, "Focus." 

"I'll not help you betray us..." he slurred. Lily rolled her eyes and stood, slipping the book in her bag.

It would be helpful to the kingdom to know exactly what the Warlocks could do, but she wanted time to study the information herself. Or more likely, she thought as she moved for the open door, Rose can study it and give me the short version...

It felt like ages since the fighting had stopped, and though Lily knew her ability to gauge time when impatient was flawed, she still cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted down the stairs as loud as she could, "Hey! You guys coming up or what?! I've got the Journeyman up here for you!" 

*** 

Tristen allowed Alena to see to the team's wounds as Oswall lined the Warlocks up against the crumbling wall across from the door. He watched as the kindly Cleric even tended to the injured apprentice before herself, but nodded in approval when she passed up the Warlock Archmage.

Now that the fighting was done, Oswall took out a pinch of tobacco and his flask,  asking Alena, "Your head alright?"

Alena picked at her blood-matted hair but grinned, "Head wounds always bleed more than they should. I don't think it needs healing just yet. I've got a salve for smaller wounds." putting action to words she reached into her bag, pulling out said salve and a bottle of red potion. She tossed the bottle to Oswall and opened the salve, "Give that to the apprentice. It will replace the blood she lost." 

Oswall huffed, kicking the Archmage as he passed, but administered the potion while Alena finally tended her own wound, saving her magic in case it was needed more later. Knowing Shon's propensity to get himself hurt, it was a good call.

Ranito scribbled in his book, mumbling something about never having seen such spells before, and Tristen himself started back up the stairs, turning at the door to call down, "Come on. Shon and Ebonwing may need our support." 

He needn't have bothered. Ebonwing walked heavily up the stairs as they exited back into the hall, a beaming smile on her tired face. "Basement is clear, and all Sorcerers accounted for," she reported. The closest Sorcerers in question peeked nervously around her from below and Tristen allowed himself to smile. 

Alena rushed past him, her hands already glowing as she healed the last of Ebonwing's wounds and asked, "Shon?" 

Ebonwing yawned, but shrugged, "He's got a few good cuts but he said you could handle them." 

That was when Lily's shout reached them, reminding them that they weren't done yet. And it wasn't just the Warlocks they had to deal with...

Jogging to the stairs Tristen shouted at Shon over the kids' heads, "Stay with the Sorcerers, Master Sergeant! The rest of you, with me." with that, he started up the stairs to face the Firewyrm, the team close behind.

He ran up the spiral stairs, his armor clanking heavily with each footfall. Past the library -full to bursting with books containing who knew what- and up to the private rooms the Waterwyrm had described. He stopped when he spotted the Firewyrm, waiting just outside one such room. 

She smiled, pointing at the open door, "Don't close it or you won't be able to get back in." He started towards her, but Lily spun, sprinting up the stairs two at a time. 

Tristen knew he couldn't catch her, but he also knew she didn't have anywhere to go. He paused outside the door, looking in to find a round room that looked like it should take up the entire tower and not just a wedge of it. It was a mess, the bed hangings pulled free and the shattered glass littering the floor. The Journeyman sat on the floor, leaning against the side of the bed, moaning. His left hand was tied around his neck and his right... His right sat five feet away seeping blood onto the floor. 

"Cuff him," Tristen ordered and Ranito moved forward. Retrieving his manacles, he lifted the Warlock's stump of a wrist, the end cauterized, before shaking his head and cuffing his ankles instead. It merely needed to bind his left and right sides together to fully seal his magic. 

Alena gasped at the sight, but Tristen held out a hand to stop her, "We have to bring in the Firewyrm," he said, then followed his own orders, starting after Lily to the roof. 

She stood on one of the crenelations, twisting up her hair and looking back at the ladder. Waiting for them. Once they were all present she stabbed a stick through her bun and tilted her head, "Where's Shon? Don't tell me you gave him babysitting duty." 

Tristen could feel the others exchanging looks behind him. He knew none of them really wanted to bring her in, especially after she'd helped on this mission. But, "I swore an Oath..." 

Lily rolled her eyes, "You Paladins and your Oaths." 

"Come with us, Lily," Alena pleaded with her. 

"You could do so much more good in the Guild," Ranito added.

"Don't make me fight you..." Oswall whispered.

"Yua and I will come see you as often as we can." Ebonwing tried, giving Tristen an idea.

Lily was shaking her head at them but froze as Tristen spoke, "You can be with him." She met his eyes. He pushed, "He can stay with you in the guild. For as long as you're there. I know he wants it too." He could read the longing in her eyes and for a heartbeat, he thought she might actually give in.

Then she smiled, the expression soft, "Nice try. But we've been apart far longer than this before." 

"Who?" Oswall whispered to Ebonwing behind him.

Tristen stepped closer, "You have nowhere to go, Lily. Come with us."

She beamed at him, "So you DO know my name!"

"Get the cuffs," Tristen growled over his shoulder. The team hesitated, exchanging looks again and he snapped at them, "We have a job."

"We used ours on the Warlocks," Oswall reminded him.

Ebonwing held up a finger, "I used mine on the one in the basement."

"So the only one with cuffs left is-" Alena was cut off by Lily cackling. 

"And he's the only one not here!" she giggled into her hands, her eyes twinkling as they met Tristen's. He smothered a curse. At least she hadn't given away that Shon wouldn't use his cuffs. 

She controlled her giggles, ending in a sigh and shaking her head again, "You're wrong by the way. I have plenty of places left to go, and it's about time I head out." 

"No..." Oswall breathed.

"Lily, don't!" Alena shouted. 

But it was too late. The Firewyrm waved a cheerful farewell and jumped. 

Alena and Ranito gasped. Tristen, Oswall, and Ebonwing lunged for the side of the tower, leaning over the edge and watching as she fell. Shortly before hitting the ground Lily kicked off the wall and hit the ground with a roll. But even with all her acrobatics, it shouldn't be possible to survive such a fall.

She rolled twice, then jumped to her feet with a spin. Lily bowed to the team from the ground and ran into the woods. 

"How?" Ebonwing breathed.

"... not human..." Oswall said, sitting down right there on the tower roof in shocked disbelief.

Ranito huffed, finally coming to the edge to look over the side and saying, "We've already determined that, good man. She's a dragon." 

Oswall shook his head, "Not that. She's a damn Monk! They aren't human." 

Alena inched closer, staying as far back as she could to peek over the edge, and asking, "What do you mean?" 

He waved a flustered hand towards where Lily had jumped, "She told me. She said that she learned from her master how to fall long distances without getting hurt. I... I didn't believe her. Not this high..."

"Oh my," Ranito said, taking out his notebook, "Do you think our resident Monk could do the same?"

"Shon!" Alena shouted, "He's still injured," She rushed to the ladder and started down.

Ebonwing snickered, "I'm more worried about the Sorcerers. Eighteen teens left alone with him? How long do you think he'll last?"

Tristen sighed, finally turning away from the crenelations and forest, "Let's go."

*** 

The Sorcerers filled the entry hall, the tallest craning their necks to look over the heads of the shortest, but none moved to follow the team up the stairs. Just in case, Shon stayed on the landing, blocking their path up. He shifted the Warlock's deadweight more comfortably on his good shoulder and turned to face the teens.

They started to whisper to one another and he caught a few words, "Scarry..."

"You mean amazing..."

"He didn't even use magic..."

"He didn't need it..."

"He's a real hero. Like the Bards' stories..."

Shon sighed, reaching up to run his hand over his hair and flinching as the move hurt his injured shoulder. Both wounds were deep enough to be dangerous, but with Alena here he knew they could wait. But he didn't have time to consider the wounds or even put the Warlock down.

The youngest Sorcerer took a nervous step forward, his toad familiar clutched in both hands before him, "Umm... Who are they?" he asked.

And the floodgates opened, the Sorcerers shouting their questions over each other,

"Did the kingdom send you?"

"Who was that lady with the gold hair?"

"Was that her shouting?"

"Is she on your side?"

"Why did the Mages' let her see us?"

"I want to go home..."

"What's going to happen to us?"

Shon nearly took a step back as the Sorcerers started to crowd forward, their eyes pleading. Ryuuko tried to whistle to get their attention but it didn't work. Shon raised a hand in the air then closed his fingers into a fist, stating clearly, "Enough." 

As one, their mouths snapped closed, and Shon sighed, "One at a time." he told them. The fire boy who'd thrown his shoes opened his mouth and Shon raised one finger to forestall him, "We came from the kingdom to bring you home and arrest the Warlocks, they are not Mages. The woman with the golden hair is named Lily, and she is..." he hesitated, but decided to use Oswall's term, "... a double agent within the Warlock organization."

"She told us you'd be coming!" 

"She said the Guild wouldn't help us..."

"She said we should meditate..."

"I don't know how..."

"Is the kingdom going to seal us too?"

Gods, Shon thought, there's no way all these kids can afford training for a clearance... He closed his fist again, silencing them once more, "You will all be given a chance to earn your clearance-"

"But-" the fire boy started,

"- I will show you how to meditate," Shon said. They all stared at him with wide eyes and he sighed, continuing, "No one expects you to know something you've never been taught." But Lily was right, the Mages Guild wouldn't teach them that. And if she thought that would be the most helpful for them, he would believe it. "Let me see to this," He shifted the Warlock again and the old man let out a pitiful moan. 

Shon started forward and the Sorcerers backed up against the walls, giving him plenty of space. He stopped at the door to the broken room, then nodded to the nearest teen, Emma, she rushed forward and pushed the door open for him without question or comment. The far wall was collapsed -more so now than before the shaking- and the three other captured Warlocks leaned against it.

The two Apprentices looked up at his entrance and gasped. Then they choked back screams as Shon dropped the Archmage over the landing to grunt heavily to the floor six feet down. He was usually more gentle, even with lawbreakers, but this man had experimented on children. He turned his back on the room without comment and returned to the Sorcerers. 

Shon took a moment to look them over once more, gauging the space available in the hall. He nodded, there would be just enough for all of them to sit down. He moved for the exit, trusting that none of them would go for the stairs considering they never stopped watching him. 

"Where are..." one of the older girls started asking, her owl hooting on her shoulder. 

Shon turned back to them at the door and sat down, cross-legged on the ground. "Sit." He didn't have to shout and they all rushed to obey, pushing and shifting around each other to find space. 

"Your back should be straight but not stiff, it will get easier with practice. Cup your hands in your lap thumbs touching." He demonstrated, resting the fingers of his left hand over his right and arching his thumb over them, touching the tips together. "Close your eyes."

Most obeyed, but the fire boy shouted from the back, "But then we won't be able to see you."

Shon took a deep steadying breath, already finding his center, but answered, "You won't need to." he took another breath, "Breath deep and steady, in through the nose and out through the mouth." 

"The gold lady said we should count..." whoever spoke stopped as Shon opened his eyes, a few quickly closed their own to avoid his gaze.

"That's later," Shon explained, "For now, just take a few moments to calm yourself and relax. Feel your body. Focus your mind on nothing but that, and on your breath." He gave them time to do it, cycling his own energy, remembering his earliest lessons from Master Veon-Zih. 

"Imagine a line through your center. From the sky above through your body and out into the earth. This is your center, focus on it but try to stay relaxed." a few shifted uncomfortably, "It may be hard now, but it will be easier with practice. If your mind wanders, acknowledge it and return your focus to your center. No one is perfect on their first try, or even their hundredth."

He breathed a few more times, his deep voice filling the silent hall, "Now, try to feel your energy, if you can't, just imagine it. As you breathe in, feel it coming up your back, and as you exhale feel it flowing down your front. Cycle your energy along your centerline as you breathe." He opened his eyes, seeking out the fire Sorcerer, though his eyes were now closed along with everyone else, "This is where you start counting, only to ten, then start over. If you lose count, then you've lost focus. That's alright, just acknowledge it and start over at one." 

Shon gave them time to practice, doing his own full count to ten before he continued, his voice as slow and steady as his breaths, "Everyone has this life energy, but as Sorcerers your magic is tied to your energy..." He heard the clanking of armor and footfalls from the stairs signaling his companions' return, "...Feel that energy and magic. It should be calm and steady while you do this. If it isn't then take as long as you need to gather it along your centerline. Imagine that it is calm and steady. What does that feel like to you? It doesn't matter how others feel it. It's your energy and you will feel it in your own way-"

"It's warm..." someone whispered.

"tingling..." another described.

"heavy..." a third breathed. 

"Cold..." Emma's voice whispered so quietly that Shon was sure he only heard her because he was focused and she was right in front of him. He resisted opening his eyes to look at her. 

Someone at the rear coughed. Tristen? Shon ignored it and continued. "You should do this every day. Start with ten minutes. As you get better at staying focused increase it to fifteen minutes, then to twice a day. Continue to increase your practice as you improve, twenty minutes, then twenty-five, then try to fit it in three times a day for half an hour or more." 

"What is he doing?" Oswall whispered only to have one of the females, probably Alena, shush him.

Shon continued, "This is your baseline, your calm center. As you live your lives your energy will move, flaring or condensing, wavering with your emotions. When you notice you're feeling a particularly strong emotion, anger, fear, even joy, try and take a moment to feel your energy and examine what it's doing. Return it to calm center. Your ability to control your energy, and thus your magic, during such times of high emotion, is what the Mages Guild tests for clearance-"

"Shon!" Ranito exclaimed, and many of the kids jumped in surprise, "That is confidential. The entire point-"

Shon didn't open his eyes, but he did raise his voice a fraction, "Focus." he let one eye crack ever so slightly to see the Sorcerers turn back to him and close their eyes once more. He took one relaxing breath and continued as Ebonwing shushed the indignant Mage, "You should check your center throughout the day. Pick a trigger. Maybe every time you see a particular color, or every time you walk through a door, you'll take a moment to check your energy and center it if necessary.

"Focus will give you control. Discipline will help it stick. And practice will make you proficient." He opened his eyes, "Do this and you will earn your clearance in time. But take your time, just like meditation, don't rush. Train as long as necessary, and test yourself before you ask the Mages to test you. You only get three tries."

Shon stood and the Sorcerers collectively opened their eyes, watching him then rushing to follow suit. It would have to do for now. They weren't on the path to becoming Monks. 

"Well I'll be damned," Oswall said loudly, grinning from the stairs over the Sorcerers' heads, "We leave you alone for a few minutes and you take up teaching?"

Shon shrugged, then flinched as the move hurt his shoulder. Alena squeaked, weaving her way between the Sorcerers to reach him. 

Shon answered Oswall, "They won't know if no one tells them." He scanned his companions, meeting Tristen's eyes to ask, "Lily?"

Tristen opened his mouth but Oswall shouted over him, "Bloody woman jumped off the damn tower and ran off!" 

Shon blinked at him, then sighed, shaking his head. "You're not surprised?" Ranito asked. 

Shon shrugged with only one arm, "She was trained by Master Velona." if she had planned the jump then she had planned the landing. He could do the same. A good number of the more shallow scars on his back and one of the times he'd broken his leg were from the training Veon-Zih had given him jumping off of progressively taller cliffs.

He stepped back instinctually as Alena reached for him, then forced himself to still, clenching his jaw tight. She opened the tears in his shirt to get better looks at the deep cuts on his ribs and shoulder, hissing and glaring up at him, "You idiot. You should have let Ebonwing take care of these right away. Take your sword off." 

Shon complied, slipping his shoulder sheath awkwardly off over his head with his good arm, but then tried to step back again as Alena ripped his shirt, tearing it to shreds to reach the wounds. "Hush you," she snapped at him, though he hadn't said anything, "it was ruined anyway." she continued to grumble under her breath, "Tristen should order you to wear armor... then you might actually listen." 

That had Shon rolling his eyes. Some of the Sorcerers gasped at the Cleric's rough treatment, others giggled, and more than a few, mostly the girls, blushed and turned away as Alena finished tearing his shirt off. 

"I'm going to have to hold these closed while they heal," Alena whispered as a warning. She looked up, waiting for Shon's nod before she touched the skin on his side, pushing the cut ends together before she started praying. She had to take a moment to warm her hands before moving for his shoulder. 

Meanwhile, Tristen and Ranito were explaining the plan to the Sorcerers. 

"We will be taking you to the capital of Shutha. From there we will contact your family with all haste." Tristen told them. 

Ranito picked up, "You will be transferred to the nearest Mages Guild to your home for training should you choose..."

"I can't afford it!" one of the girls interrupted with a wail. 

"Are they going to seal us? Just like the Warlocks?" a boy cried. 

Ranito looked to Tristen, and Oswall cursed under his breath before trying to address the kids, "They won't-"

"I'll pay for it," Shon said, silencing them all.

"Master Sergeant?" Tristen asked, furrowing his brow. 

Shon took a moment to roll his shoulder, then continued, "I will pay for those whose family can't afford it." 

"You can't possibly-" Oswall tried, but stopped when Shon just shook his head. 

"I'm not spending it on anything else anyway," he said. The Sorcerers all turned to him again in speechless awe.

"Damn man," Oswall shouted, "Are you a dragon too? Keeping a horde of treasure hidden away?" 

Shon rolled his eyes and didn't answer. Tristen cleared his throat and announced, "That won't be necessary, Master Sergeant. The kingdom will pay for these Sorcerers' training, and for their family to stay with them for as long as they wish." The kids swiveled around to watch him, and his lips twitched in a grin as he tried to maintain his professionalism in the face of their wide eyes, "It is the least we can do after your ordeal." 

Shon nodded in approval, and the teens exchanged stunned looks with one another. "We're going home..."

"We're free..."

"It isn't a dream..." 

A few of them started crying, and some hugged each other in joy and relief, while others whooped and cheered. Alena and Ebonwing smiled warmly at them, Ranito and Oswall exchanged looks and shrugs, and Tristen cleared his throat once more, eyeing the team while the Sorcerers ignored him and continued to celebrate. He sighed, leaving them to it but starting down the hall, weaving between them to join Shon and Alena at the door, the others close behind. 

Once they were all together, Tristen asked Ranito, "How long will it take you to cast a gate, Archmage?" 

"A spell I'm not particularly proficient with and don't have prepared? A few hours," The Mage answered. 

"So about as long as all your spells," Ebonwing said, trying to stifle a yawn. 

Ranito didn't get a chance to snap at her before Tristen raised a hand to stop him, "That's fine." He said, "Use the broken lab room, Ebonwing and Alena can stay with the Sorcerers," he turned to the two women, "make sure they are whole and healthy, and give their familiars a once over as well." He nodded at Oswall, "You can guard the Warlocks-" Oswall huffed, and Tristen pinched the bridge of his nose, "I thought it might give you a chance to smoke. Since there's a hole in that room." Oswall's grumble turned to a smile. 

"I," Tristen continued, "Will do a preliminary search of the tower while our Archmage works on that gate. Master Sergeant..." he turned to Shon but then hesitated. Shon arched an eyebrow as Tristen closed his eyes, as if praying, then opened them again and said, "You search outside. Make sure there are no other corrupted guards or anyone else out there..."

***

Shon waited until the front door was closed behind him to sigh. Lily would be long gone. Why else would Tristen send him out here? Shon was grateful nonetheless. The hall was crowded with people, he would enjoy a few hours alone outside. As much as he enjoyed anything these days. 

He replaced his sheath over his bare chest, indifferent to the winter's cold, and started walking around the forest's edge. Ryuuko flew ahead, weaving between the nearest trees as he made a full round of the tower with nothing more than wind rustling the branches. Not surprising. He started a second round anyway.

Shon had just made it out of sight of the door when a stick cracked in the forest. He drew his sword and nodded for Ryuuko to investigate as he stalked closer. 

The little dragon disappeared behind some underbrush, then winged right back, chittering madly at him and sending an indistinct image of a shadowed figure slinking behind a tree. Didn't most Warlock towers have two Journeymen? Was Rose mistaken and the greater organization had already replaced the one she'd said was lost?

Shon braced himself, taking a steady breath, then sprinted into the brush. He grabbed the person by the throat, pinning them to the tree and lifting his sword. 

Lily smiled up at him, completely unbothered by the chokehold he had around her neck. Shon stood in shock, and Lily lifted her hand, letting the backs of her fingers trail up his arm. "Mmmm," She hummed, her voice husky, "You know I like it when you hold me down. Though I could do without the sword." He dropped it immediately, cupping her hot cheeks with both hands and leaning down to kiss her. Trying to prove to himself that he wasn't imagining things.

Ryuuko whistled in satisfaction from the tree above, then took off to keep an eye on the tower door. As glad as Shon was that it did so without prompting, he cursed at it anyway, Damn pest. You knew. The little dragon just twittered its animalistic giggle in his mind. 

"Lily..." Shon breathed against her lips. She rubbed her hands up his chest, taking a moment to pull away to lift his sheath off and toss it aside with his sword before lacing her arms around his neck and pulling him closer once more. It didn't matter. He was more dangerous without the weapon in most situations anyway. He returned his lips eagerly to hers but tried to ask, "What are you-"

"How long do we have?" she interrupted him in a whisper, letting her head fall back away from his lips. 

Shon didn't want to stop kissing her again. He scraped his teeth down her chin to her neck, growling against her skin, "Never long enough. A few hours." But they were too close to the tower, and he couldn't move too far away in case the others came looking for him. 

Lily moaned, her fingers reaching into his hair and balling into fists under the tie, "I'll take what I can get..." She pulled his head back, but only far enough for her to reach his lips once more. 

I can't let this go too far, Shon told himself. But Lily was fast, and Ryuuko was keeping watch... Just a little more. A little longer... He let his hands trail down over her shoulders and squeezed down her sides, wanting to touch all of her.

Lily moaned again, "Don't stop..." It was the same thing she'd begged the first time. They couldn't possibly do that here. But he could go a little further couldn't he? Ryuuko was watching, and Lily was fast... 

His hands reached her hips and he squeezed hard, then lifted. Lily wrapped her legs around his waist eagerly and he had to tilt his head up to continue kissing her. Lifting her up meant he had a better reach to her slender neck, so it wasn't much more risky to kiss that instead. Was it?

He let his lips trail down to the junction of her neck and shoulder, kissing and then biting. Shon was no longer afraid of being too rough with her. They'd moved past that. She trusted him not to go too far, and he trusted her to let him know her limits. Though he hadn't found them yet. She hadn't only accepted him and all his darker desires, she reveled in them.

Lily gasped, wiggling her hips against him. Gods... Don't do that... He thought. It was hard enough to control himself as it was. It had been a year. A year without feeling her pressed against his bare skin. A year without her wrapping around him, enveloping him in her comforting heat, her scent more intoxicating than ten bottles of cinnamon liquor. But with a hangover that would leave him feeling whole and complete.

His hands seemed to move on their own. releasing her with one to come up and pull the neck of her tunic down while the other lifted her higher so he could kiss down her chest, feeling her line of scales as it looped around her right breast. Her neckline was far too low... It didn't take much pulling or lifting to reveal one modest breast. He locked his lips around her hard nipple. It wasn't that dangerous... Ranito said it would take a few hours. And he could still let her go. To sprint away from the others, who couldn't possibly keep up. Even Ebonwing was too tired to give real chase in her fastest animal form... 

"Shon..." Lily whined, pulling his hair and causing the tie to fall free from the small ponytail. He moaned against her nipple, nibbling enough to make her wiggle and moan. They both wanted this. Needed it. It had been so long... Just a little more. 

She brought her hands to his cheeks, forcing his head up and sliding down to kiss him again. He sighed into her lips. A part of him knew that he should spend this limited time just talking to her, being with her. Their relationship wasn't all about lust after all. And yet they'd never needed many words between them. This was so much more intimate. And Lily obviously wanted it as much as he did. She'd always been insatiable. 

Shon returned both hands to her backside, squeezing and making her whine once more. He'd never heard such lovely music. Letting his fingers trail up to her waist Shon curled his fingers under her belt and Lily brought her legs down to stand once more. She tilted her head back to breathe again, but kept her hands in his hair, presenting her neck to him. "Don't stop..." she whispered again, then echoed his thoughts, "Just a little more... a little longer..." 

They had a few hours Ranito had said... Oswall was on guard duty, Alena was watching the Sorcerers, Ebonwing was too tired, and Tristen was exploring the entire tower alone. They wouldn't come out to check on him... Shon let his lips trail down her neck, starting to kneel and letting his lips and teeth run down her chest before lifting her shirt so he could kiss down her muscled abdomen. All the way down. She tugged his hair, but not to stop him. He pulled on her belt, glad she wore it loose, working it down inch by careful inch.

He hadn't made it to the goal before someone cleared their throat behind him. 

Shon spun up to his feet, scooping up his fallen sword and crouching at the ready, facing... Rose. 

She stood with arms crossed, tapping her foot below her long skirts, and rolled her eyes at him. "Really? Here?" she asked, "You know there is a time and place right?" 

Shon let his sword tip fall. "Damn it, Rose!" Lily shouted, pushing past him to glare at the woman, her pants hanging loosely from her hips. "You sound like the damn Masters." Lily snapped, "We're long done with all their time and place, crap."

Rose rolled her eyes again, "You'll never be done with that. There is a time and place for... what you were about to do. And outside a Warlock tower full of kingdom representatives, in the process of calling more, in a dangerous forest, isn't one of them."

She was right, of course. Shon had known the entire time that it was foolish for Lily to be anywhere near here, even if she wasn't being thoroughly distracted. Where neither she nor Tristen had the threat of collateral damage to protect her. Ashamed and embarrassed, he bent to pick up his sword strap, sheathing the weapon and putting it on to avoid looking at Rose. He'd let himself get carried away, again. He should have better self-control than that. But Lily always challenged his discipline, and usually won.

Lily didn't have enough shame to be embarrassed at being caught with her pants nearly down and continued to argue, "This forest isn't any more dangerous than any other time we were on the road together." though she didn't argue about the tower full of people wanting to catch her.

Rose opened her mouth to counter, but Lily turned her back on the dragon -making Rose scoff in indignation- and focused on Shon. She tilted her head at him, but her question seemed to come out of left field, changing the subject, "What happened to your shirt?" 

Shon felt himself smile despite himself, "Alena ripped it," He gestured to his side, still stained with dried blood. 

Far from being concerned for his health, Lily snickered, "Sure... it was for the wounds..." Her eyes sparkled with the sarcasm, and she continued, "Woman has good taste. Remind me to thank her. After she knows about us of course." 

Behind her, Rose sighed, shaking her head, "Are you two quite done?" 

"We would be nearly there if you hadn't interrupted," Lily answered over her shoulder, making Shon blush and look away.

His face was turned back by Lily's hot hands on his cheeks. She pulled him down to rest his head on hers and sighed, "Tell me again that it'll be soon?" 

Shon rested his hands on her waist, keeping his head against hers, "Sooner now that we've taken this tower." Then quieter, "Thank you..." 

"You two are ridiculous," Rose grumbled.

Lily turned away from him long enough to stick her tongue out at the water dragon but immediately turned back. "The Paladin said you could stay with me in the Mages Guild. That we could be together..." She whispered. 

Shon shook his head, "I would never ask that of you, Lily."

She looked up at him, searching his eyes, "But you want it..." 

He cupped her face, rubbing her cheeks with his thumbs, "What I want is for you to be free. No matter the cost. Because it matters to you." He let one hand come down to tilt her chin up, "Just because I've sworn my life away doesn't mean I expect the same of you. Especially like this."

Lily wrapped her arms around him, holding him close and nuzzling into his neck, "I love you..."

"I love you, Lily. More than anything..." Shon answered.

When Rose spoke, it was soft and lacked her previous condescending tone, "We should go, Lily. I've already called my Journeyman and he's waiting with his gate open. We need to be far away from here when the other Warlocks find out about this." 

Lily whined, but let her hands come back around to rub his chest, leaning against him. "Soon..." She breathed, though if to him or to herself, he wasn't sure. She looked up at him again, and managed a strained smile, "I found Sasha by the way. She's agreed to give you my letters, though only once a month and it's ridiculously expensive."

"Lily..." Shon started warningly, stroking her cheek. 

But she just shook her head, "I won't include anything you'll need to tell the team. I'll give those messages myself." Then her grin turned genuine. And sinister. "I think I'm going to take up the sling as a ranged weapon."

Shon chuckled, "Did you really have to hit a Hengist Paladin with a rock?" 

Lily shrugged, "It worked. I'll aim for the Slayer's lot next time. They do deserve it more." 

"Lily. We have to go. He can only hold the gate open so long, and if it closes we'll have to wait a full day for him to cast it again." Rose said. 

Shon sighed, lifting Lily's chin once more, "Be careful."

Lily giggled, standing on her toes to give him a quick peck on the lips before stepping back and punching him in his injured shoulder, "I'm not the one getting themselves hurt in every damn fight." Shon flinched, it was healed closed but still sore.

She came back in for a real kiss, saying again against his lips, "I love you. Soon..."

"Lily," Rose said. 

Lily let her lips slip from his slowly. He wanted to reach out and grab her. Pull her back against him and hold her forever. He didn't. And Lily rolled her eyes, looking over her shoulder, "I'm coming!" she shouted, then grumbled, "Or I would be if you hadn't..." she trailed off, turning back to Shon with a grin. "Next time. I'll find a way to get you alone if I have to tie up all our friends to do it. And then you'll be all mine." 

Shon grinned down at her, "As promised."

She clasped her hands behind her back and took a few steps backward before spinning around. "Just remember, if you fall for anyone else, you have to tell me."

"There is no one else..." Shon said softly. Lily just giggled, skipping past Rose, who rolled her eyes one more time before turning to follow.