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He looked at me and shook his head. “Silver hurts them, which is why the better the weapon the more silver it will have but I never thought it would repeal them by its self. I can just bet you did test it. Still it seems any unnecessary risk. Yet there is a tradition in a lot of lands of wearing silver. Here it is shocking not to have it on hair combs. They all have a bit. I never thought of why. Now though, it is the case that the ladies have less trouble with the tiny ones, and they would find the long hair attractive, given how they will take to strings or yarn. Might be worth looking into hang some charms up in the towns, if the combs work making some bigger pieces will cut down some of the others.” Good, now it was his idea, that would do a lot better than us telling a border Nation what to do. I wonder just why that got lost here.

Roland said, careful not to look at me as he knew it was one of the points I had wanted to make. “You know. That might explain why the farms don’t get hit as much. Most have weather vanes that were made from old scraps and a lot of that is going to have silver, given how common it is in our lands.”

Steve said. “That could be a part of why it is so common and why so much has going into learning how to mix it with other materials. It did seem strange that they had invested so much into that research when rebuilding after the second war. Funds were short, but that ones one of the lines that didn’t get budget cuts. I need to get some looking into just what was done then that we stopped doing. Clearly it is more important than I thought.”

Daren said. “There are reasons something become tradition, after all. Say would you like to go for a ride?” there was some coughing and few looked outraged, and alarmed. “I need some time in the air and Gravle wants to hunt. I’m not sure just where we are going, but we will put down in a clear area and then they will go hunt. It will be just a few hours away.”

Steven said. “I had better not, given how I can get dizzy in the towers I don’t think I have any business in the air. Looks you’re your brothers are interested though, given how they are nodding.”

Mike said. “They will take riders? Can I come? I didn’t think bonded dragons would take those not a part of their crew.”

I smiled a bit. “It is fine with me if you come, but I don’t know how your father feels about it. I thought we would go to the old Hill ruins and poke around as the dragons hunt. Most will take riders if asked and a few truly enjoy it. Say maybe we should offer riders at the games, might be a way to get more to see they don’t need to be worried about dragons. The way things are going there is likely to be more around. I know this area is not as safe as we are at home, but with all that will be here a few short flights shouldn’t be too much risk for nonfighters.”

Mike looked at Henry, who shook his head. “Rides are a good idea as I can bet it is going to be all over in five minutes that you said you would give them, and so you all are going to be getting ask regardless.” He looked at Mike. “I don’t want to even think of what your mother is going to say, but yes you can go with them. They know what they are doing and this way you won’t talk one of the cadets into it.”

Dev came up to hear that and said. “Dare I ask?”

I shrugged. “We are going to the hill to look at the ruins and a few of the boys want to come along.”

Dev said. “That is. Wait your not walking are you? So you take passengers? I didn’t think bonded teams would unless it was an emergency.”

Grath said, smiling a bit. “They will,  but so many are scared that we found it best to stop offering and so it most here have forget they will. I bet I can get some of ours to join in on offering the rides. I don’t know that it will help with the fear, but anything is worth trying.”

I shrugged. “Ryder loves it when I take others and has been known to beg people to come.  Dev you are welcome to come as well. We will be back in time for lunch, if that helps.”

Dev shook his head, as the dragons landed. “I will pass, but Grant and Heather would like to go, if you don’t mind.” He shook his head a bit. “I know it was in the middle of a fight, and was the best choice, but I still don’t know how you managed to jump onto him that first time.”

I smiled a bit. “Sure, like I said anyone is welcome. You don’t have to ride with me, if it is his size. Once in the air you will forget how big he is. I was just thinking of what was needed to kill them, not what I was doing. Then to the place I was standing was as stable as I thought, so truly jumping off was the safest thing as one of the others was starting to hit the building. However if there had of been time to think I never could have done it. Come on and Oliver will help you get settled, or if Ryder is to big now that you have seen him, I am sure  Rick won’t mind if you join him on Lucy. However Ryder is insisting that you must at least let him give you a ride on the way back.” Smiling a bit the three of them started over. Dev’s people didn’t look scared at all, mike was a bit.

Mike said. “He is larger than I expected, but I am not going to let that scare me off. I bet Lacy is going to want to go, but Greg is going to be a horrified as mother and Irirs.”

Dev said. “It is not the size, and I will be willing to another time sis.” I saw Steven looked at that and winced, but I had no control over what he said. “It is just that some more are coming from home and if Fred doesn’t see me when he gets here he is going to be even more upset with me than he is. Bond-mates don’t like it when they you safe at home and then you are not there when they get back.” He ignored the choking and went on. “Never mind that it is not my fault he got held up, he is still grumpy. At least he did know that I was coming here and couldn’t delay. That helps a bit. Still he doesn’t like knowing exactly where I am, even though he knows there is more than staff with me.”

I smiled a bit and nodded. “I know how that goes. At least you weren’t off fighting a demon when he got in. Quin didn’t see the problem if he was the one that was out, but didn’t care for me going off without him. After all he felt it was his place to watch me. That is part of being a holder, as you are learning.”

Daren said. “Hum. You know we might just have to have two over soon. I want to know more about who you ended up with.” Steven shook his head smiling, clearly getting what Daren meant. “I seem to recall telling you that you had a bond out there, and you insisting that it wasn’t what I thought. That it wasn’t for you to hold. Go on, the servants will help you mount.” The boys started walking.

Dev said. “That could be interesting, we will have to talk about it when there is more time. I have to admit you saw truer than I thought. This is not something I expected, but here I am. I could see that Sis had ties yet to find, but didn’t think I had. You have a fun flight and I will see you when you get in.”

I smiled a bit. “That is the way bonds are. See you later and don’t worry they will be fine.” I went over and swung up settling easily into the saddle.

Steven said. “I’m not worried, and Martha won’t be either. Just know the young ones are going to want their turn. Now go on before those two find another way to choke everyone.”

I smiled a bit. “I fear that won’t stop it, knowing Daren as I do he is already plotting more ways after the reaction he got last night.”

Daren said. “That was just an accident. I just didn’t think, to used to it being known that we are a bonded unit, and what that means. I forgot that they are not as common here and that folks might not even know I am in one if they know what it is.” I laughed.

Dev said. “I on the other hand do indeed have thoughts as to getting some wigs raised. After all it is clear they have forgotten just who I went for. I a bit disappoint they can’t at least remember rose garden. I thought that story at least would last long than this. You look good there, but it is strange to see you on a dragon. I never expected to see you close enough to one to touch it.” I shook my head and just told Ryder to lift off. Anything I said to that would just make it worse, as that was getting some looks at him then me. The others weren’t far behind us and shortly  we were out of easy sight and the rest fell in around us.

Once we landed and were all off I said. “That area there is all wild and few hunters come this far, so go have fun, just know we need to be back in time to change for lunch or they will worry.” The dragons all took off and I turned the others. The ruins here don’t get much traffic but should be safe so explore. Just yell if you see something exciting. There should be nothing here that is troubled by spells so feel free to try some you have been wanting to. If it goes wrong there are enough here to fix it.” That got a lot of the others to scatter.

Mike shook his head. “Dev is right this suites you, for all it is odd. I thought you belonged in the army, but never expected to see you there. Dad should have known that Dev wasn’t going to let you hide who you are, sis. Even if the titles kept them from realizing it.”

I said. “I wasn’t planning on hiding. Just think that it would be best to give him the chance to be the one to bring it up. I knew from the start it would come out, but he needs time to adjust to who I am now as well. It isn’t easy. I don’t think he was expecting Dev and so is still trying to work out what to do.”