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and glittering. Aware of Iseult's gaze, he looked up and touched his fingers to his corrugated brow. Although he smiled, his face did not lose its tinge of melancholy.
    At last Meghan and the Celestine returned from their intent conversation. Meghan's face was bright, her black eyes soft with pleasure. "Come, let us eat o' the flesh o' our mother and drink the water o' her body and let us rejoice, for the seasons have turned and the green months are upon us," she intoned, then her voice thrilled with a deep joy. "And let us rejoice, for Isabeau is alive and on her way to Rhyssmadill!
    Cloudshadow has seen her, and though Isabeau was sore hurt, she healed her at the turn o' the tides. She gave Isabeau the Saddle o' Ahearn to help her make haste to the blue palace. She says the portion o' the Key which Isabeau carried is safe still. Such a dark load off my mind!" Meghan turned to Cloudshadow and made the low humming noise in her throat which seemed to be the Celestines' language. The Celestine trilled back, and came and sat by Iseult's side, eagerly breaking the bread and biting into a piece of fruit.
    Greetings, Iseult NicFaghan ...
    Iseult looked up and around, but Meghan and Lachlan gave no indication they had heard anything. Then she realized the Celestine was smiling at her and humming gently in her throat. Her eyes were clear and translucent as water.
    We of the Celestine do not have the same sort of vocal cords as you humans. We cannot speak your language and it is the rare human who can learn to mimic our sounds. Meghan is the only one I have ever known to have managed it, and it took her centuries. Some of us can speak into your minds, though, if you are receptive. You have the blood inheritance of the Khan'cohbans in your veins. They are cousins of a sort to the Celestines, and so that makes it easier for me to speak to you thus.
    "What did ye call me?" Iseult asked.
    Iseult NicFaghan. I could just as easily have called ye Khan'derin daKhan'lantha, for both are your names. You are the offspring of the ill-fated union of Faodhagan the Red and Khan'lantha of the Fire-Dragon Pride, many hundreds of years ago. Although your ancestors bred but rarely with Khan'cohbans, you have still inherited some of their qualities — your clear eyesight, your fighting spirit — but 1 call you by your human name, for that is where your destiny lies. But I am heir to the Firemaker! Unconsciously Iseult answered without words. And heir also to the witches' tower. It is time for the descendants of Faodhagan to take their place in human society. A thousand years your family has dwelled apart from their kin. It is time to be united . . . I have met your twin sister, you know. You are much alike, more so than I expected. She has a hard journey ahead of her, hut then, I think the cost of your destiny will also be high. You have difficult choices to make, and more depends on your decision than you can be aware of. Do not be afraid, though. Although there is sorrow ahead, there is also great joy. I do no' understand what ye are talking about.
    Always I find it difficult to communicate with humans such as yourself. I have studied your thought and emotion patterns and yet always there is this gap between what I know and what I can say. I am always surprised by how muddled your thinking is, and how vague your emotions. I do no' think I'm muddled . . .
    Amusement rang clearly through the Celestine's mind-voice. No, of course you do not. Humans never do. I have encountered few races more arrogant, especially when so many are so stupid. Still, the best of you have great minds and hearts, and I try hard not to judge the few by the many. Thank you ....
    The Celestine gave a high trill, causing Meghan to look up and smile.
    Humans always surprise me. I forget how lightly you
    live. It is true your lives are short. I fear the Celestines take everything too seriously, Meghan says we lack a . . . sense of humor, if that is the right term. An odd expression,