“She also maintained she’d spoken to her father and given the name Lena when he asked for hers,” said Raelene.
“You don’t actually believe that was Vindrake in person who came into the healing house today?” Bardamen questioned.
“No,” Raelene responded. “But perhaps Vindrake is truly aware of the girl and is somehow using others to conduct his search. I must say, although he had no evil aura and no bondmark, I still did not care for the man from Waenshire. He left an unpleasant taste in my mouth.”
“I would agree with you, wholeheartedly,” said Laethan. “Being in his presence gave me an angry disposition.”
“I didn’t notice any change in your temperament.” Bardamen quipped, and Raelene rolled her lips in to keep from smiling.
“Did he ever give his name?” asked Laethan, apparently choosing to ignore the barb.
“None that I recall,” said Bardamen.
“Do you think the expedition should continue?” asked Darielle. “It is almost time for me to make first contact with the group. I can only give an impression, but Graely will know if I’m asking them to turn back.”
“No,” Bardamen said gravely. “I fear the expedition may be our only hope. I wish we could somehow warn them Vindrake is likely aware of the girl.”
“After speaking to Alora and Kaevin for a short time, I am convinced the girl lives beyond the mountain pass. We need to expedite the search party, sending them straight for the passage without detouring to look in the nearby shires.”
“If they moved with haste, they could reach the pass in a seven-day, rather than a fortnight,” said Bardamen.
“I have no way of passing on that information,” said Darielle.
“I could do it,” said a muffled voice in the back.
Raelene turned to look behind her. Emerging from a crouched position behind a table, Jireo stood up and faced the remaining council members. “I could ride fast and catch them by tomorrow night.”
“How many years do you have, Jireo?” asked Bardamen.
“I have seventeen years.” He raised his chin. “I’m old enough.”
“Don’t you have other obligations?”
“No. I was assigned to a local search group with Kaevin. Obviously, that group will no longer be needed. So, I’m available to ride to the expedition group.”
“Had you not been eavesdropping,” Laethan commented, “you wouldn’t even be aware of that fact.”
“I wasn’t eavesdropping. I was only hoping for a chance to speak to my best friend. I didn’t know he’d been transported again.”
“But you are too young to be expected to use your gifts in the event of an attack,” reasoned Bardamen. “You can’t join the expedition.”
“But I can bring a message to the group and return alone. I commonly go on hunting trips of three to four days duration. This will be no different,” Jireo reasoned. “My horse is fast, and I’m gifted in direction. I won’t lose my way.”
Bardamen caught her eyes, and Raelene nodded assent. Laethan and Darielle agreed, though Laethan never dropped his customary scowl. “Very well, Jireo. Ready quickly for your journey, and we will send you on your way at once. Graely will be heartened to know we’ve seen his son alive.”
*****
“Where are we?” Kaevin asked.
She had no idea how they’d transported, but she knew exactly where they’d arrived.
“We’re in my bedroom.”
A sigh escaped his lips. “I’m simply glad you didn’t take us back to the lake.”
She realized how easily she could have done just that. Every mistake she made had the potential of ending their lives. She remembered falling in the freezing water. And Kaevin trying to save her. And him falling through the ice with her. And she remembered the pain of waking up with lungs full of water. The image of Vindrake coming toward the door with his hand on his sword, replayed in her mind. And she thought about Ringo, mewing pitifully on the ice as the hawk circled overhead.
She couldn’t help herse