PARTIAL ELEMENTAL, THOUGH FEMALE AND LINKED TO EVIL. I DID NOT WISH THE END OF MY SISTERS IN THIS WAY. I WILL FIND THE WITCH AND SHE WILL PAY DEARLY, SO YOU NEED NOT CONCERN YOURSELF WITH REVENGE, SMALL ONE, FOR I WILL SEEK IT FOR BOTH OF US. YOUR DUTY NOW IS TO YOUR DRAGON AND TO THE SURVIVAL OF EARTH AND NARMA. YOUR PATH IS CLEAR, AS HAS BEEN LONG FORETOLD.”
“And yours?” George asked.
“I WILL SEEK THE WITCH IN NARMA, WHERE LOGIC DICTATES SHE SHOULD HAVE ALREADY FLED. IN ADDITION TO THE RECKONING TO ME AND TO YOU THAT IS DUE, WORD OF ME OR OF THE EGG BEING HERE CAN NOT BE ALLOWED TO SPREAD TO THE DARK ONE OR HIS HORDE, OR WE ARE ALL DOOMED.”
“What of me?” Mary asked. “What of us?”
“I DO NOT YET NEED YOUR HELP IN NARMA, MY CHOSEN ONE. YOUR KNOWLEDGE IS OF EARTH, NOT NARMA. FOR NOW I ASK THAT YOU STAY HERE AND PROVIDE WHAT AID YOU MAY, WITH THE POWERS I GAVE YOU AND WITH YOUR OWN. ABOVE ALL KEEP THE HATCHLING SAFE AND A SECRET AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. I WILL RETURN AS SOON AS I MAY.”
The crow regarded George critically. “YOUR UNCLE WOULD BE PROUD OF WHAT YOU HAVE DONE HERE. WERE THEY TO KNOW OF THESE EVENTS IN NARMA, THERE WOULD BE REJOICING OF MANY. WHERE YOUR OWN FOLK TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND, YOU WOULD BE HONORED AS A GREAT HERO. BUT THE HATCHING MUST REMAIN SECRET FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. YOU HAVE MUCH TO LEARN, YOUNGLING, MUCH TO GROW, AS DOES YOUR DRAGON, BEFORE YOU CAN TOGETHER FACE THE DARK ONE OR HIS HORDE. KNOW YOURSELF, AND YOUR DRAGON. LISTEN TO THE TROLL, YOUNG HUMANS, AND TRUST FULLY NO OTHER. BE CAUTIOUS AND DO NOT UNDULY DRAW ATTENTION TO YOURSELF OR YOUR DRAGON TO THOSE OF NARMA IN
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