Chapter 27

Ratu set down the drum next to Opal’s tub and then transformed into her human form. When she finished her transformation, she collapsed onto a nearby sofa, huffing and puffing. Cerulea flew over to the chair and turned her back to Ratu, then fluttered her wings to create a cooling breeze.

“You’re overdoing it.” Dana shook her head. “You’re supposed to be taking it easy.”

Ratu shrugged, then held out her arms to reveal that some of her scales were cracked and bleeding.

“I have not gotten this far in life by taking it easy. My recovery has been a long journey already.” Ratu turned her face into Cerulea’s breeze and sighed. “Yet I fear it will be several months yet before I am back at full health. Usually Asterion helps me with these barrels, but he has been notably absent recently.”

“Do you need my help bringing any more up?” asked Dana.

Ratu shook her head. “No, this is it. But I will need to go to my room and rub some salve into these lesions to keep th