Time flies when things are going well and before Serali knew it, summer had ended and autumn was well underway. Nearly a year had passed since she had left home. One morning as she was having breakfast, she broke the subject of a possible visit home with Janus.

"Janus, it's been nearly a year since I saw my family. Do you think that I could visit them?"

Janus looked surprised. "Has it really been that long?"

"Yes, it has. I'm enjoying myself here, but I do miss my family sometimes."

"I was planning on having you come with me when I pass through Land's End next summer."

"That's almost another year from now, Janus. I don't want to wait that long. I miss my family."

A wistful expression crossed Janus' face. "I forget how much family can mean sometimes. My own family..." he trailed off, then shrugged. "Yes, you can go Serali. But you must be careful, a woman traveling alone is not safe."

Serali laughed. "I'll go in dragon form. Flying is faster in any case."

Janus shook his head. "I have managed to remember that you are a dragon now, but the repercussions of that continue to surprise me, though I should have thought of that one. I suppose it means that the trip will not take six weeks then."

"I should hope not. I think I can make it in just a couple of days, actually."

"Being a dragon is very handy, it seems." He smiled at her. Then his expression turned more serious. "Eventually you're going to have to tell that young man of yours, you know."

Serali sighed. "I know. But I'm afraid that once he knows he won't see me anymore. I really do love him, you know. I'd hate to lose him."

"But are you doing him any favors by not telling him? One way or another he'll find out eventually, and the longer you leave it, the worse it will be."

Serali stopped and really though about it for a minute. She knew that she might lose Galen when she told him, but to keep him in that dark just so that she could be with him that much longer... "You're right. I've just been trying to ignore it, but it's not going away. I'll tell him when I get back."