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Martin’s voice wasn’t soft enough, and Henry shouted, “That little shit tried to eat me!”

“As I said, you have history.” Martin defended his position.

“And you defended yourself quite admirably,” Tabitha chimed in. “I do not believe Little Fang will soon forget the lesson.”

Henry splayed his fingers, showcasing his minuscule claws. “She didn’t expect her meal to fight back.” Henry cackled as if it had all been in good fun.

Before Henry could regale us with the tale, Tabitha stepped closer to Martin and reached for his free hand, squeezing it within her weathered fingers. “It is very good to see you in this form, Martin.” Going up on tiptoes, Tabitha pulled Martin into a hug.

When Tabitha pulled away, Jima hollered, “My turn,” before practically leaping into Martin’s arms. Henry gave a shout of displeasure and held on to Jima’s hair for dear life. A string of curses spewed from his mouth.

Ignoring Henry, Martin gave Jima a good squeeze before releasing him. “Thank you. It’s good to be back in this form. I love my oaken body, but⁠—”

“What are you all doing out here?” Keir’s confused voice cut off whatever Martin was going to say. “You should all be resting, not…whatever this is.” He waved his hand around, careful of the wyvern eggs bundled within a swath of cloth that was draped over Keir’s shoulder like a swaddle.

Henry made an incredulous noise. “What does it look like we’re doin?”

Keir’s eyes narrowed. “It looks like you plan on going with me, which we already discussed is completely unnecessary and⁠—”

“And nothing.” Martin returned the favor and cut Keir off. “Don’t act so surprised. You know us better than that.”

Tabitha nodded. “Just like we know you well enough to count on you cheating and heading topside before your twenty-four hours are up.” Tabitha wagged a scolding finger in Keir’s direction. “Shame on you, going back on your promise.”

Keir’s bowed head and pink cheeks indicated he felt somewhat ashamed. “I wasn’t planning on going back on my promise. I just thought I’d start heading that direction a little early. None of us are getting out through the main entrance. Of course, there’s more than one exit, but I’m not sure if those paths are clear or not.”

“Fair point,” Jima said, giving a firm nod.

I looked up at Martin and said, “Martin’s courtyard is still open to the sky.”

“It is.” Martin’s fingers cinched down on mine. “As long as Tabitha, Jima, and Henry don’t mind a lift from my branches, we should be able to get everyone out.”

Keir could transform into his gryphon form, and I could easily head up in my wisp form. By way of agreement, everyone turned and began heading back down the hall. Only Keir stayed behind. “We aren’t finished discussing this,” he stubbornly said.

“Oh, but I believe we are,” Tabitha answered. “Wouldn’t you agree, Elvira?”

“I would agree that Keir is being exceptionally obtuse,” Elvira answered. I could only see her from her knees up, her lower legs invisible to my eyes.

Keir rumbled something that sounded like a growl but began following, nonetheless. “Stubborn. The lot of you are nothing but stubborn.”

Henry taunted, “Takes one to know one.”

“What are we, toddlers?” Tabitha clucked her tongue.

Chuckles were heard all around, but soon our passage became silent. I, for one, used the time to contemplate our choices. Martin had damn near sacrificed himself to create a barrier that would protect everyone. It seemed beyond stupid to throw that sacrificial attempt away now. “Martin, do you remember what you thought when you created the barrier?” I asked as we continued walking toward Martin’s quarters.

Martin flinched, a sure sign of his discomfort. “What do you mean?”

“Magic can be very specific,” I verbally mused. “Especially protective magic like this.” I waved a hand in the air, indicating the barrier covering the compound. “Intention is everything. What did you intend when you created the barrier? Exactly who or what did you mean to protect?”

Martin’s footsteps faltered, coming to a stop. Our small entourage followed suit, each pair of ears attuned to our conversation. Eyebrows pulled low and lips little more than a thin line, Martin took the time to contemplate the question. “I… It’s a little fuzzy.” He swallowed hard. “It all happened so quickly.”

“I know,” I answered, even though I didn’t have a clue what Martin had truly been through. “But it’s important that you try and remember.”

Eyes slipping closed, Martin concentrated, a deeply grooved V forming between his brows. “I remember thinking that I needed to protect my friends and family—everyone associated with the Magical Usage Council and the home we lived in. I didn’t want anyone getting through that could hurt them. That wanted to hurt them or you.”

A smile lit up my face. Grabbing ahold of Martin’s cheeks, I laid a wet, smacking kiss on his lips. “That’s my honey-boo.”

“Ugh. Barf.” Henry made a gagging noise.