"When the Eld come," he advised, "don't rely on the lessons of the past to guide you. Their attack may come from anywhere, with little or no warning. Possibly even from within the city itself." He didn't have to explain. Lord Teleos had been in Celieria City when the Eld launched their attack at the Grand Cathedral of Light.

"The Fey who accompanied me from Teleon have already taken that into account," Dev replied. "They've already evaluated the city's defenses and spun protection weaves over everything. If the Eld open a portal anywhere in Orest, we'll know about it."

"Kabei." He'd already received the same report from his men, but Orest belonged to Devron Teleos. He eyed the shining Fey steel Dev wore and saw the familiar name-marks on the pommels. "Shanis would be proud to have you wear his blades, Dev." He clapped a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Now we'll teach you how to use them. I know I promised you safe escort to the Academy in Dharsa, but circumstances being what they are, I've instead brought the Academy to you. Tajik, Rijonn, and Gil will train you and your men in the basic forms of the Cha Baruk. How many Orestians wield magic?"

"Quite a few."

"Gather them. Any adult or child over the age of sixteen who is willing to learn is welcome. If the Eld attack as boldly as I fear they might, Orest will need every advantage." Rain looked out over the verdant, mist-and-rainbow-wreathed city, wondering where and when the first attack would come.

Chapter twenty

The Fading Lands ~ Dharsa

Nothing.

Nothing, nothing, and again nothing.

Ellysetta shoved the pile of useless scrolls away from her in frustration. Since Rain's departure a week ago, all the shei'dalins and healers in Dharsa had continued searching for a way to accelerate the kitlings' hatching. The search had expanded from the Hall of Scrolls to every private library and collection of healing texts they could lay hands upon. Even the women in Tehlas and Blade's Point had joined the search, but still they found nothing.

Steli had ferried Ellie and Marissya between Fey'Bahren and Dharsa every day to spin on the kits each new healing weave the shei'dalins had discovered, hoping it would bring them closer to hatching. But although the kitlings' bodies were much stronger and larger than they had been when they'd begun, the shining lights that were the marrow of their souls were still as fragile and thin as they had been the night Forrahl died.

Ellysetta was at her wits' end. According to every document they'd scoured in their extensive search, what Ellysetta needed—what the kitlings needed—couldn't be done.

She scowled and pushed her chair away from the table. Irritation aroused her magic. Tiny sparks of escaping power danced around her like fairy-flies as she stood up and paced between the tables where the other shei'dalins were still diligently poring over text after text. She thrust her fingers through her hair, yanking at the tangled curls.

What did the authors of all these scrolls know anyway? According to them, restoring a dahl'reisens soul couldn't be done either—yet she'd managed it. She could find a way to help the kitlings survive, too.

Somewhere, someone or something must have the answers that would tell her how to do it. After all, she was the reason the Eye of Truth had sent Rain to Celieria. She was the one the Eye had said could save the tairen and the Fey.

Ellysetta stopped in her tracks.

She whirled around and ran up the stairs of the hall. Ignoring the startled calls of the shei'dalins, she rushed out into the fresh, bright beauty of Dharsa and raced up the fragrant footpaths towards the palace at the top of the hill.

There was one source Ellysetta hadn't consulted yet. Once source that held answers even the Hall of Scrolls did not.

Shei'Kess. The Eye of Truth.

Celieria ~ Teleon

Den Brodson hummed the melody of his favorite Celierian drinking song—a bawdy little ditty about roosters and cats—as he tucked a blanket under his arm, grabbed a lunch pail in one fist and picked up a large cloth-covered basket in the other. Humming turned to cheerful whistling as he set off across the grassy plain south of the Teleon outpost. The guards on the tower walls returned his wave as he walked by.

Since arriving at the outpost, Den had assumed his most affable demeanor in order to befriend the guards stationed around the small fort. A ready smile, quick wit, and willingness to lend an ear or offer a free pint had already made him a welcome guest among the common soldiers. He'd used those friendships to explore the nooks and crannies of the outpost and secret two dozen chemar in well-concealed locations: buried in the corners of the bailey, tucked into a slit in a mattress in the soldiers' barracks, dropped into the corners of the guard towers.

Den was careful not to rouse suspicion as he'd roamed, but he made note of all entrances and exits and the location and counts of all guards, mortal and Fey. He also tracked the comings and goings of the five Fey shei'dalins and let the amber crystal tied around his neck carry his observations back to Master Nour in Celieria City.

The only task he hadn't yet completed was discovering the whereabouts of Ellie Baristani's young sisters.

The pressure was mounting. Lady Darramon's unexpected pregnancy had forced the shei'dalins' healing to go more slowly than anticipated, but the great lady was already looking far stronger and more robust than the walking corpse she had been when they'd arrived. Den expected to receive word any day that the Darramon party would be departing Teleon.

He knew the twins couldn't be far away. The two Fey who had greeted Darramon's party when they arrived were the same ones Den remembered guarding Ellie and her sisters so closely back in Celieria City.