His ice blue eyes met hers for one piercing moment; then he nodded. "Bas'ka, then have a seat and open your mind to me. My Spirit weaves need to feel as close to the reality of summoning and weaving Azrahn as possible, which means I need control of your thoughts and senses."

Drawing a deep breath, Ellysetta sat down on the hard, rocky surface of Su Reisu and tore down the strong barriers that encircled her mind. "I am ready. Show me the weaves."

Gaelen sat before her, legs crossed, his hands covering hers in skin-to-skin contact. Spirit gathered and swirled around him in lavender flows. The weave enveloped her, and with a silent whoosh, Gaelen's magic sank into her skin, and his consciousness joined her own in a way she'd never trusted the shei'dalins enough to allow.

«Azrahn exists in us all,» he whispered in her mind. «It is the soul magic, the Unmaker, the source and the destruction of all life's essence. It is a power far greater than the Fey allow themselves to wield. It is not, as the Fey believe, inherently evil, but it is beyond a doubt the most dangerous magic there is.»

«I understand,» she assured him.

«Then let us begin.»

Celieria ~ Orest

Rain stood on the battlements of Upper Orest, looking northward across the falls of Maiden's Gate and the Heras River into Eld. A grayish haze hung over the dark-forested land of his enemies. The cooler months of fall always covered Eld in rain and mist, but the sight still made him uneasy. The last time he'd seen Eld, it had been shrouded in a similar gray haze, only weather hadn't been to blame. The fires of Koderas—the great sel'dor forge of the Eld—had belched smoke into the air day and night as the Eld war machine churned out weapons and armor for its soldiers and allies.

He sniffed the air. The breeze carried no hint of smoke, but he still couldn't shake the sense of unease. His tairen instincts were roused. He could feel its claws unsheathing inside him, digging deep in preparation for attack.

«Ellysetta …» He spun her name on a thread of Spirit. They'd spoken last night, but he needed to hear her voice again.

When she didn't answer, he frowned and called her on their bond threads, but she still didn't respond. Growing concerned, Rain sent a private weave to Bel. «Bel? I cannot reach Ellysetta.»

There was a silence. Then, «Ellysetta's in Fey'Bahren, Rain.»

Hope flickered in Rain's breast. «She has found a way to save the kits?»

There was another silence, longer this time. «She thinks she has.»

Rain closed his eyes in relief. It was the best news he'd heard in days. «Thank the gods. What is it? Some long-forgotten healing weave? How did she find it?» Bel's third long silence made Rain frown. «Bel?» he prodded.

The Fading Lands ~ The Feyls

Rain raced across the peaks of the Feyls like a dark comet streaking against the twilight sky. He flew parallel to the northern section of the Faering Mists, careful to avoid dipping even a wing tip into the radiant cloud of magic.

The Mists had challenged him again when he'd flown through over the Veil, but this time he'd been in no mood to stand for their torment. After a brief, unpleasant few chimes, he'd answered the challenge the way any aggravated tairen would: with a blast of tairen fire. The spirits in the Mists had gone silent then. Perhaps because they'd realized that if they'd tried to stop him, he would have scorched them out of existence. Whether a single Tairen Soul could destroy the Faering Mists was not at all certain, but if they'd continued to stand in his way, he would have found out.

Screaming ropes of Spirit shot out ahead of him, calling to Ellysetta on their private path. When she did not answer, he nearly set the threads of their bond afire with his furious shout. «Ellysetta! By the gods, you will answer me now!»

At last, she did, and her voice sounded hesitant. Startled. «Rain, beloved, what is it?»

Fire exploded from his muzzle. «You are weaving Azrahn? You would do that to us? To me?»

Shock rippled across their bond. And guilt. «How did you kn—» Her voice broke off. «Bel.»

He didn't bother to confirm it. «You will stop this madness immediately! I'm coming to Fey'Bahren. If Gaelen is still there when I arrive, I will kill him.»

«Rain! Wait! It's not what you think. I'm not weaving Azrahn. I wouldn't do that to you. I learned my lesson at Chakai. What choices we make, we make together, shei'tan. Please, you've got to believe me. I'm only—»

Whatever else she had to say was lost when he cut the connection of their bond threads. He powered the energy of his Rage into his flight, and he raced across the sky faster than he ever had before.

It was full night when he reached Fey'Bahren, and the campfire on Su Reisu shone like a beacon in the night, illuminating the slender figure of Ellysetta and the tall, dark warrior in her company.

Vel Serranis.

Rain's wings tucked in tight. He put on a last, powerful burst of speed and shot towards the ground like a meteor.

Ellysetta must have sensed both his presence and his intent, because she leapt in front of vel Serranis and flung her arms out protectively. "Rain, wait!"

He didn't slow a bit. He simply Changed. The rainbow mist of his magic swept over Ellysetta and Gaelen like a hard wind and gathered together into his Fey body behind them. He hit the ground in a tucked roll and came up in attack stance, teeth bared and snarling.

"Rain!" Ellysetta cried again. "It's not what you think!"