Dragon Defense (Heirs to the Throne Book 3) by Diane Rapp

research, but he’d learned to block absorbing a patient’s pain into his own body.  This particular illness was too severe.  
    “Radiation sickness?”  Lance blinked.  “What causes it?”
    “Radiation is invisible rays, like heat from the sun.  Do you have patients with mild symptoms, tiredness, weakness, and anemia?  Young or elderly patients are most susceptible.”
    Lance nodded and rubbed the bridge of his nose.  “I treated six patients in the last four months with similar complaints.  What does it mean?”
    “We’ve got a serious problem.  I must assemble a team to investigate, so be prepared to leave in an hour.”
    “I can’t leave my patient,” Lance said. 
    Nodding, Dr. Alexander combed long fingers through his thinning white hair. “But we need you to help us pinpoint the source of the radiation.” 
    “All my patients recently visited the shrine of Asbohar,” Lance said.  “I’m sure you’ll find your source at the shrine.”
    Dr. Alexander frowned.  “All of them?”
    “Many of my patients come from the desert tribes.”
    “I’ll confer with Donovan and find a guide to take us to Asbohar.”  Dr. Alexander was already moving out the door mumbling, “Radiation!  I should’ve searched for the source after the death of King Halder.  When I found no other patients with the symptoms, I thought…” 
    He nearly ran over Andrew in the hallway.  “Oh!  Andrew, just the man I need to see.  Organize a pack team for immediate departure to the desert.”
    Andrew smiled.  “Are you taking another foray into the wilds for medicinal herbs?”
    Dr. Alexander frowned.  “No, my boy, it’s much more serious.  Don’t tell anyone about the journey, but I need a guide to Asbohar.”
    “I’ve been through the desert several times, running horses.  Could I help?”
    Dr. Alexander looked relieved.  “You’re a wealth of knowledge, my boy.  I’m off to see Donovan, would you see to preparations for the journey?  Oh!  Please tell Maggie that she must go along.  She’s our expert in radiation.  That’s a good boy.”
    Andrew watched the doctor rush down the corridor.
    Dr. Alexander barged into the king’s private office, unannounced.  He said, “Donovan, we’ve got a severe radiation leakage that’s already caused deaths.  You remember the painful death of King Halder and these new cases prove the situation is getting serious.  I need to go find the source and tend to victims.”
    Donovan coaxed his lanky friend into a sturdy chair near his desk.  “I don’t like you taking risks,” Donovan objected.  “You can’t handle radiation on your own.” 
    Alex nodded.  “I sent for Maggie since she’s our radiation expert, and we’ll fetch radiation detectors from the spaceport cache.” 
    “The spaceport is too close to the desert for safety.” 
    Dr. Alexander’s thin smile made him look like a doddering old professor keeping secrets. “The source of the radiation is the Shrine of Asbohar.”  
    “No! It’s too dangerous!”  Donovan pounded his fist on the desk, knocking over an empty tankard and scattering papers.
    Alex winced but knew he couldn’t back down.  It was his fault they hadn’t looked into the source of radiation sooner, well he’d had a lot of problems, but now he must act quickly.
    He modulated his voice to sound convincing.  “I’ve already devised a plan, Donovan.  As an emissary of your court, I’ll accompany Tamarind back to her father in Asbohar.  I’ll be safe.  Escorting the princess gives me a logical reason to visit the spaceport to fetch a gift for the mullah.”
    “Sounds like a good plan, Alex,” Krystal said.  She entered the office just as Donovan got ready to object.  “You should take a detachment of Samurai women as guards.  Maggie can pass for a Samurai, and the desert riders are terrified of them.”
    “Oh, really?”  Donovan sounded genuinely surprised.
    “Yes, haven’t you heard?  Desert