“Lyra!” the farmer’s wife exclaimed with obvious relief. “They haven’t found you then. Come in and be welcome.”

Lyra went straight to Aguara and looked over his bruises. “Sorry for my entry,” she apologized. “I wasn’t sure if all of them had left. We have been watching and waiting for hours.”

“You are always welcome,” Aguara winced with pain.

Lyra put her hands on Aguara and gave him the benefit of her healing magic. “That should ease your pain a little,” she declared. “Give me a few moments and I can speed the healing of your wounds although I cannot heal them entirely.”

Lyra spent a few moments on Aguara, checking his bruises and using her magic to speed the healing process. The cuts and abrasions were not serious although the raiders certainly had given Aguara a beating. No bones were broken and he did not appear to have any internal injuries. After doing what she could for the farmer, Lyra sat at the table.

“Those raiders were only a small portion of the band,” she explained. “Over a hundred of them attacked the Academy this morning. They killed everyone they could find and kidnapped Master Malafar. Rhodella is dead. Master Caulder is dead. Only four of us escaped. I came to warn you and to ask the villagers to see that the bodies are properly buried. I cannot stay and do it because they are searching for me. Will you see that they are given a proper burial?”

It took a moment for the shock of her words to register, but Aguara nodded his agreement. “I thought something terrible had happened,” he sighed. “They rode into the village earlier in the day, probably right after the attack on the Academy, although we did not know about the attack then.