Lar is awoken

Imin was already in the middle of the room by the time the door he had flung open slammed against the wall.

“Get up, Lar!”

Lar thought he must have been having a nightmare. His heart was already pounding when he awoke, and he was still stunned with the paralysis of dreams.

“Get up!” Imin smacked his hand against the wall behind him in impatience. “The elf Dre is here! He went straight down to see Hel!”

Lar gasped, “Dre!”

He did not think his heart would stop pounding soon. He would have to figure out what Dre could be wanting in the middle of night – and on this night – the night of the full downpour-​​moon – the last full moon of spring. They had not met since Dre had killed Dartesas.

At the same time he would have to figure out where he had left his pants.

“He was in such a state, he threw the elf Ilal against the wall when he said we should wait for you.” Imin himself was in such a state he was hopping from foot to foot. “All the way across the room!”

“Did he say what he wanted?”

“Only to see Hel. Quit your hooting, Rrana!” Imin shouted at the girl who was squealing in panic beside Lar. “I already saw you naked, and Lar knows it, too, so quit acting like innocence offended.”

Meanwhile Lar had found his pants.

“You want to stick around and give her something else to do with her mouth?” Lar asked him.

Lar did not particularly want to share, but he hoped such a distraction would keep Imin away from him and Dre. It would be trial enough to face Dre – he didn’t need the added consideration of Imin and his impressions.

“No, no, my friend.” Imin’s smile said he had guessed the reason for this unusual generosity. “I can ‘occupy’ Rrana any time. It’s not often I get a chance to see the elf Dre throw a great big elf like you all the way across the room.”