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letting tissue knit to tissue, flesh to flesh, layer upon layer, up to the surface of skin, joining as if it had never been parted.
    Finished at last, Zedd had only to escape her mind. That was as dangerous as entering, and his strength was nearly gone; he had given it over to her. Rather than wasting any more time worrying about it, he released himself into the flow of agony.
    Nearly an hour after he had begun, he found himself on his knees, hunched over, weeping uncontrollably. Jebra was sitting up, with her arms around him, holding his head to her shoulder. As soon as he was aware he was back, he managed to bring himself under control and straighten. He glanced around the hall. Everyone had been pushed back a goodly distance, beyond earshot. None had any interest in being near a wizard when he was wielding magic that left people screaming as Jebra had done.
    “There,” he said, at last, with a modicum of restored dignity, “That wasn’t so bad. I believe all is well now.”
    Jebra laughed a quiet, shaky laugh and hugged him tight. “I was taught a wizard couldn’t heal a Seer.”
    Zedd managed to get a bony finger in the air. “No ordinary wizard can, my dear. But I am Zeddicus Zu’l Zorander, Wizard of the First Order.”
    Jebra wiped a tear from her cheek. “I have nothing of value to repay you with, except this.” She unhooked the gold chain that ran through her hair and brought it down, putting it in his hand. “Please, except this humble offering.”
    Zedd looked down at the chain with the blue stone. “That is very kind of you, Jebra Bevinvier. I am touched.” Zedd felt a pang of guilt for having planted the impulse in her mind. “It is a fine chain, and I will accept it in humble gratitude.” He used a thread-thin stream of power to separate the stone from its mounting. He handed the Stone back; he only needed the chain. “But the chain is payment enough. Keep your Stone; it is yours by right.”
    She closed her fingers around the Stone with a nod and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He accepted the peck with a smile.
    “And now, my dear, you will need to rest. I have used a good deal of your strength to put things right. Maybe a few days of bed rest, and you will be as good as new.”
    “I fear that you have not only left me healed, but also without employment. I must find work to feed myself.” She looked down at the bloody, shredded rip in her green dress. “And to clothe myself.”
    “Why were you wearing the Stone, if you were the servant of the Lady Ordith?”
    “Not many know what the Stone signifies. Lady Ordith didn’t. Her husband, the Duke, did. He wanted my services, but his wife would never have allowed a woman in his employ, so he had me placed as her servant.
    “I know it is not the most honorable thing, for a Seer to place herself covertly, but there is much starvation in Burgalass. Those in my family knew of my ability and closed their doors to me, afraid of the visions I might have of them. Before my grandmother passed on, she put her Stone in my hand, saying if I wore hers she would be honored.”
    Jebra pressed the fist with the stone to her cheek. “Thank you,” she whispered, “For not accepting it. For understanding.”
    Zedd felt a renewed pang of guilt. “And so this Duke had you taken in and used you for his own purposes?”
    “Yes. Maybe a dozen years ago. Because I was Lady Ordith’s body servant, I was almost always present at any meeting or function. The Duke would come to me later and I would tell him what I saw of his adversaries. With my help, he made more of his power and wealth.
    “Virtually no one anymore knows of the Stone of a Seer. He disdained people who ignored the old knowledge. He mocked his opponents’ ignorance by having me wear the Stone openly.
    “He also had me keep an eye to the Lady Ordith. It prevented her from succeeding at making herself a widow. So she now contents herself with being absent from the Duke’s house whenever she can.