Free The Dragons of Ice and Snow by J.J. Thompson

we believe in you. And your cause. Yes, good people have died
in this war. And yes, more good people will die before it is done, if it ever is. But you cannot blame yourself.
There's enough guilt in this world to go around. Don't burden
yourself with more than your fair share.”
    Simon
stared at the little figure in wonder. Aeris had never said anything
like that to him before and it took him a moment to absorb it. When
he did, the wizard had to admit that the elemental was right, mostly.
Blaming yourself for things you couldn't control was stupid. But he
had set up the meeting with the paladin and her people. He had to
take some responsibility for the tragic results.
    “ Thanks,
Aeris. You...make some good points. Still, these people need our
help.” He picked up the mirror and watched as Liliana began to
walk around the inside perimeter of the building, stepping over
fallen masonry and blackened timbers.
    When
he saw that the paladin was some distance from the others around the
fire, Simon took a deep breath and said her name.
    “ Liliana?
Can you hear me?”
    She
stopped dead in her tracks and a sword appeared in her hand like
magic. She had drawn it faster than the eye could follow.
    “ Who
is that?” she asked tightly, her eyes searching the area around
her. “Where are you?”
    “ It's
me, Simon O'Toole.”
    Liliana
stood still a moment longer and then sheathed her blade. She seemed
to relax slightly.
    “ Simon?
You're alive?”
    “ Obviously,”
he replied, trying to sound upbeat. “I'm happy to see that you
and your people are too.”
    The
paladin's smile lit up her face and her eyes brightened.
    “ But
this is wonderful! After we were attacked and withdrew, I was afraid
that the dragon would return to our rendezvous point and pounce on
you as well. I'm so happy that I was wrong.”
    “ You
weren't wrong,” Simon told her ruefully.
    He
explained what had happened when he'd Gated to their meeting place
and the paladin listened, a scowl replacing her smile.
    But
when Simon told her of the death of one of the dragons, the smile
returned, grim with satisfaction.
    “ I
am sorry you lost your staff, my friend. But to kill a dragon is an
amazing feat! Worth the sacrifice, in my opinion.”
    Simon
shrugged unconsciously.
    “ Perhaps,”
he said. “I'll miss it. Right now I'm more worried about the
spell-book I lost. In the wrong hands...”
    Liliana
was nodding.
    “ Yes,
I understand. Not to worry. I will retrieve the book for you.”
    The
wizard sat up in alarm.
    “ No,
don't do that! You've lost enough already. Don't risk your life for a
stupid book. It's quite possible that it will never be found anyway.”
    The
paladin grinned slightly.
    “ I
choose when and where to risk my life, sir wizard. Not you. And don't
worry. I won't be returning to that part of the city any time soon.
When I do, the dragons will, I'm sure, have moved on. Their patrols
change periodically and whole sections of Moscow are safe from them
for weeks at a time.”
    Simon
wanted to object again but reminded himself that Liliana was not even
an ally yet. He certainly had no right to try to dictate to her. Not
that she'd listen anyway, he thought.
    “ You
know best. But for the present, is there anything I can do for you?
If you'd like, I can Gate to your location, bring you all back here.
Clara, the cleric we talked about before, would welcome you and your
people to her town. They are a good bunch and you'd probably be a lot
safer than you are in Moscow.”
    He
watched the paladin move to stand next to a large window and stare
out into the night. The glass was long gone from the opening and a
breeze blew her long dark hair back off of her face.
    “ Thank
you, my friend, but no. I do not need to ask my people to know that
they would not leave. Moscow is our home. I know we look battered and
broken, but we are not. We have supplies, food, everything we need in
caches all over the city. This,” she gestured back toward the
fire,