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then, Gwena had been in daily contact with Rolan, by order of Elspeth’s mother, Queen Selenay. The order had sounded less like an hysterical mother, however, and more as if it had come from Her Majesty the Queen. An hysterical mother was not something Elspeth could handle, but duty to the Queen and Realm was the first order of any Herald’s life. Since Falconsbane’s banishment into the Void between Gates—and highly probable death—life at k’Sheyna had been much less eventful, it was an easy order to fulfill.
    The shaft of sunlight faded; still bright but no longer illuminated like the gods’ own Avatar, Gwena surefootedly made her way around the pool to where her Chosen was soaking. Elspeth had been spending a great deal of time with the Kaled’a’in as well, not only to learn magic, but to learn new fighting skills. They had a number of barehanded combat techniques that could allow one who was skilled in them to take on a fighter with a weapon in his hands. Useful techniques for someone who had already faced one assassin.
    But occasionally painful to learn. . . . :It wasn’t entirely gossip, dear,: the Companion said, in Mindspeech pitched only for Elspeth to catch. :Although we’ve been doing more of that than exchanging any real news lately. Things haven’t been all that interesting around Haven or k’Sheyna Vale.: She chuckled mentally. :I haven’t even had to edit for your mother’s consumption once during the last two weeks!:
    Elspeth laughed out loud. “Just remember, heart of mine, that ‘may your life be eventful’ is the worst curse the Shin’a’in know!”
    Iceshadow looked over at her quizzically.
    â€œOh. I was talking to Gwena. She said things weren’t as interesting around here as they used to be.”
    â€œAh. Indeed,” Iceshadow agreed. “I will be glad, after all, to see this Gate built to the new Vale, and find myself living in times much less interesting!”
    He climbed out of the pool; before he had done more than stand, a little lizardlike hertasi appeared with a speed that was close to magical. Iceshadow nodded his thanks, and accepted the thick towel the lizard handed him. Again, Elspeth was forced to confront how much she had changed.
    Not only in accepting something that looked like an overgrown garden-lizard as an intellectual equal, but in other ways as well. Iceshadow wore nothing more than his long hair; in fact, no one soaking in this pool seemed terribly body-shy. A year ago she would have blushed and averted her eyes. Now she was so much more aware of what each of the Hawkbrothers and Kaled’a’in here were , their bodies were simply another garment for the spirit within.
    Iceshadow wrapped the towel around himself, and the hertasi looked down at Elspeth. The little lizard-folk who had come with the Lost Clan were much bolder than the hertasi native to k’Sheyna: she hardly ever saw the latter, while the former bustled about the Vale, undoing the overgrowth of nearly a decade, as oblivious to watchers as a hive of bees, Except, of course, when someone needed something. They seemed to thrive on tending others. Silverfox had said something about that being “part of” them, but hadn’t elaborated except to say that it was due to their “recovery” from a long-ago trauma. She wished she knew more; there was such knowledge to learn, and so little time!
    â€œNeed towel?” it said to her. “Need drink?” While the hertasi seemed to have an instinctive ability to anticipate the needs of the Tayledras and Kaled’a’in, they were at a bit of a loss with her. Gwena and Darkwind had both tried to explain why; she was still at a loss after both explanations. The Lost Clan lizards were perfectly willing to talk to her, sometimes in Mindspeech, and often in audible speech. Even if their speech was a little difficult to understand, if they didn’t