Even in tairen form Rain sensed her emotions, because his wings suddenly spread wide to slow their flight and his great tairen head twisted around so he could fix one glowing, pupil-less eye upon her. «Ellysetta? What is it? What is wrong? »

Already the icy feeling had diminished and strength was returning to her limbs. «I'm fine,» she assured him. «It's nothing. Just another ghost treading on my grave. »

« That seemed much worse than before.»

With the knot of fear still lodged in her throat, she couldn't lie. «It was.» Much worse, in fact, as if some previously existing buffer had been peeled away so the frightening sensation could access her more directly.

Rain's tairen face took on an expression she could only call grim. «Hold on, shei’tani.» He waited just long enough for her fingers to tighten on the saddle; then his wings tucked in and he plummeted the remaining distance directly towards the small, bricked garden at the back of her family's home. He Changed in midair while she, with a little cry of surprise, slipped down a slide of Air into the waiting arms of her quintet.

"I want twenty-five-fold shields around this house all hours of the day-and around her whenever she goes out," Rain commanded the quintet as he strode the short distance to her side. "The wandering soul attacked her again." To Ellysetta, he added in an equally unequivocal command, "You will tell us whenever you feel this thing again. Something is hunting you, shei’tani, and my instincts tell me these wandering souls of yours are somehow related.”

"All right." She met his fierce gaze and wondered how much of her fear showed on her face. Always before, she'd dismissed the shivery feelings as frightening but inconsequential episodes-nothing nearly as troubling or terrifying as her nightmares or seizures. But after last night's terrible dream, she couldn't hide behind that self-deception anymore.

You'll kill them, girl. You'll kill them all. Gooseflesh prickled El-lie's skin as the Shadow Man's mockingly triumphant declaration echoed in her ears.

What if she wasn't demon possessed as Mama feared, or some Fey foundling hunted by the Mages as Rain believed? What if the Shadow Man had been telling the truth-that she was an unwitting carrier of some malignant evil-and all the recent events were just signs of that cursed seed within her finally corning to life?

All her life she'd sensed a dark, fierce something deep inside her, a terrible something that frightened her even more than the Shadow Man. She'd battled it from earliest childhood when the terrible seizures and visions consumed her. Even now, she could feel it, crouching, a subtle tension coiled deep and tight, waiting for an opportunity to spring.

"Oh, Ellie, good, you're back." Mama's voice drew Ellysetta away from her dark thoughts. She looked up to find her mother standing by the back door. "Master Fellows is here.”

"Thank you, Mama." Ellie forced a smile to her lips. "I'll be right in." She took a deep breath, lifted her chin, and headed inside to greet the queen's Master of Graces.

When Rain would have followed Ellysetta inside, Bel put a restraining hand on his arm. "A moment, Rain," he murmured. He waited until the door closed behind Ellysetta before speaking. "I've not heard from the two warriors I sent to Norban.”

Rain's spine stiffened. "Sian and Torel?”

"They've not checked in since yesterday afternoon, nor answered my weaves.”

Rain knew the two Fey. Both were responsible men and good warriors. Not likely to miss a scheduled report-and even less likely to ignore their commander when he called. "Keep trying. Torel's brother is with us in the city, is he not?

"Aiyah, Tiar is here.”

"Have Marissya go to him." If Torel was alive, Marissya would sense feelings along the link where even brothers could sense only thoughts. If there was nothing, Tiar would need the comfort of a shei'dalin to help him control his grief until he returned to the Fading Lands where he could deal with his loss properly. "And dispatch a quintet to Norban to look for them.”

Rain joined Ellysetta inside. Master Fellows, the queen's elegant, impeccably dressed Master of Graces, was already there, murmuring his approval as he circled Ellysetta and eyed her saffron gown with a critical eye.

"Not bad, my lady. Not bad at all. Some might say the clothes don't make the queen, but as I've always maintained, they certainly do help her radiance to shine." Gaspare Fellows tutted over the dagger at her waist. "That, however, I recommend you do without.”

Ellysetta's hands closed around the hilt of Bel's bloodsworn Fey'cha. "No." The denial popped out before she could stop it, and she took an instinctive step backwards, closer to Rain.

He laid a calming hand on her shoulder. "It's a Fey queen you're training, Master Fellows. The blade stays. It's a symbol of great honor and an invaluable protection.”

"I see.” The Master of Graces frowned but gave in. "Well, the dagger stays, then, of course. All cultures should honor their customs." He cleared his throat. "And how did last night's dinner go?”

A betraying blush flooded Ellysetta's cheeks, and she cast a desperate glance up at Rain.

Master Fellows pressed his fingers to his lips. "Sweet Lord of Light. That badly?”

"Ellysetta did very well." Rain took Ellysetta's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "Any ... difficulties . .. were outside of her control and did not reflect badly on her.”