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“He daet hilad He and the others, were they angry?”

“No they orried I was angry”

Nortah’s sht, almost wary “Did you coaze squarely “I knew you wouldn’t let ht And now?”

Vaelin pointed to the estured for him to hand it over Nortah hesitated briefly then took out the s the chain over his head and tossing it into Vaelin’s pal the chain around his own neck “Since you unwisely fled into Lonak territory weakened by your wound Having fought off several Lonak attacks you sadly fell victie beast known to dwell near the fallen city” He touched a hand to the nise your remains but for this”

Will they believe you? Sella asked

Vaelin shrugged “They believed what I told the’s belief that matters, and I suspect he will choose to take ation”

“So you do have the King’s ear,” Nortah mused “We always suspected Did the Battle Lord live?”

“So it seems The Realm Guard have returned to Asrael and Lord Mustor is now installed as Fief Lord in the Cumbraelin capital”

“And the Cumbraelin prisoners?”

Vaelin hesitated He had heard the story from Brother Artin and wasn’t sure how Nortah would react to the news, but decided he deserved to hear the truth “The Battle Lord is popular with the Crows, as you know After what you did to hihtered to athen”

Sella reached over to clasp his hand briefly Not for nothing, her hands told hiot to his feet “I should hunt” He planted a kiss on her cheek and shouldering his bow and quiver “We’re running short of meat, and I suspect you both have much to discuss”

Vaelin watched hie of the city After a side hi, Sella said when he turned back

“You touched him,” Vaelin replied

Not how you think, her hands insisted You have so inside his collar for the silk scarf she had given hi oddly reluctant It had been his talis

Sella sers tracing over the delicate gold thread pattern Mother wore this all her life, she signed When she passed it cae is precious to those who believe as we do See She pointed at the sigil woven into the silk, a crescent encircled by a ring of stars The n of calm reflection, from where reason and balance are derived Here She pointed to a golden circle ringed with flaer traced to the tree in the centre of the scarf We exist here, between the two Grown froht Your brother’s heart had been pulled too far into the realret Now he has cooled and he looks to the uidance

“By his own choice or by your touch?”

Her smile became shy I feared hi We found hi with fever from his wound The others wanted to kill him but I wouldn’t let them I knehat he was, a man with his skills may have been useful to us, and so I touched hi happened For the first time, no rush of power, no sense of control A slow flush crept up her cheeks I can touch hirateful, Vaelin thought fighting a pang of envy “He does not do your bidding? He is not…” he fuht words, “enslaved?”

Mother told me it would be this way One day I would meet someone ould be iether It is always this way for those with our gift Your brother is as free as he ever was Her s her eyes More free than you, I think

Vaelin looked away “He told e of subject “All the people here are touched by the Dark are they not?”