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Kaid shrugged. "It's personal."

  "I think as your Liege, I'm entitled to an answer," said Kusac softly. "Anything that could affect your relationship with the people working here is my concern."

  There was a long silence. Kusac kept his eyes on his aide's averted face. At last Kaid sighed and nodded.

  "When I had to leave the Brotherhood ten years ago, he wanted to come with me," he said reluctantly. "I wouldn't let him and he still resents it, that's all."

  Kusac frowned. "Why should your leaving affect him? I don't see the connection."

  Kaid said nothing as he swirled the dregs of his drink around the bottom of his mug.

  "Why should your leaving affect him?" Kusac repeated patiently.

  "He's my foster-son," said Kaid very quietly.

  "He's what?" Kusac was stunned. "How did that happen?"

  "He was found abandoned outside Stronghold's gates. Occasionally the Brotherhood will admit cubs, though they aren't usually left on our doorstep in the depths of winter. I agreed to bring him up, that's all," he said, looking up at Kusac as he raised the mug to his mouth and drained it.

  "That's why you were so angry when he took Vanna to Stronghold."

  "I treat him no differently from anyone else."

  "I didn't say you did," said Kusac.

  Kaid changed the subject. "Lijou will want to see you tonight to extract a firm commitment from you to join the Brotherhood. He'll also want you to go to the All Guilds Council meeting to back their application for full guild status." His ears cocked forward quizzically. "What do you intend to tell him?"

  "What we discussed earlier."

  "I wouldn't mention the Fire Margins ritual yet. The fewer that know, the better."

  The kitchen door opened and Jack, followed by Vanna, came in.

  Kusac's attention switched immediately to them. "How is Carrie? What's wrong with her?" he demanded, half rising, torn between wanting to hear what they had to say and rejoining her in the lounge.

  "Physically, she's healing well," said Jack. "But psychologically ... You and Kaid were right about that. We think that the depression she's suffering is caused by a hormonal imbalance. Her body's still manufacturing all the hormones that tell her she's pregnant, when of course she knows she isn't." Jack sat down. "Vanna and I have been studying the hormones not only of Humans and Sholans, but of the mixed Leska pairs, too. The end result we hope will be a contraceptive for the Leska females of both species so they can have a choice whether or not they conceive— and help people in Carrie's situation." He stopped, aware Kusac's parents had returned and were listening.

  "Go on, Physician Reynolds," said Rhyasha.

  "There isn't much more to add," said Vanna. "We're still only correlating data at this point."

  "This depression she's suffering, do our females suffer from it also?"

  "Not as badly as we Humans do," said Jack. "At the moment, all we can do is try and keep her spirits up and get her interested in something— anything— other than her loss."

  "Is this life-threatening?" demanded Kusac.

  "Not of itself, but it can lead to a sense of desperation where the patient can become mentally unstable and harm herself."

  "I was concerned about the state of her mind before the Challenge," said Konis.

  "It's going to take a lot of patience and care to nurse her through this because I doubt we'll have anything ready to use on her for quite some time."

  "Could putting your data through a larger comm unit speed up the process of correlation?" asked Konis. "Because if it would, the one in my study accesses the main government one. I can get permission for you to run your data through it from here."

  "That would help, certainly," said Vanna, looking more hopeful.

  "Clan Leader, if I might make a suggestion?"

  "What is it, Kaid?" Rhyasha replied.

  "There's a Healer in the village nearest to Stronghold. She's good. Send for her."

  "I didn't know any Healers lived outside the Telepath guildhouses," said Konis in surprise.

  "She isn't a recognized Healer," said Kaid.

  "Recognized or not, it won't do any good," said Vanna. "We tried Healers on both of you during the Guild tests. They were unable to tune in to either of your minds in order to work."

  "She'll be able to."

  "What could happen if we have to wait for Carrie to improve on her own?" asked Kusac.

  "It's not a question of what could happen," said Jack uncomfortably. "It's just not predictable."

  "If she continues to cut herself off from me, she'll die," said Kusac flatly. "It would put both our lives at risk and I'm not chancing that. I know to my cost just how strong her mind is. Send for the Healer now."

  Kaid looked at Rhyasha. She nodded briefly. "Have her brought here."

  "Rhyasha, she's an unregistered Healer," objected Konis.

  "Who's going to know?" she asked, her voice rising in exasperation. "Look around you, Konis. In the last few days, my home has become a high security enclosure housing armed guards, members of the Brotherhood, a Keissian Human and two kidnapped kitlings. My son has an alien Leska as his life-mate, she's just miscarried my first grandchild, and our main adviser is a renegade Brother! What difference could one unregistered Healer make?" Her ears flicked back as she got to her feet, planting her hands on the table and surveying them all.

  "Send for the Healer, Kaid. Konis, you take Physician Reynolds to my office, I'll be along shortly. Vanna, you need to sort out if Brynne needs to be moved out here for his own safety before you join us. Kusac, you go and see to Carrie. I'm going to organize Choa and the third meal!" She stopped. "Who's feeding all our security staff?" she demanded of Kaid.

  "The military are paying for our security, including maintenance of all their personnel, Clan Leader. They're completely self-contained. They even have their own caterer at the gatehouse."

  "The Gods be praised!" Rhyasha said, turning her back on them and heading for the inner kitchen area. "Something in all this mess that isn't my problem!"

  * * *

  Dawn was approaching, but not fast enough for the two desert males chosen to watch the priest. They shivered, drawing their cloaks tighter about themselves. On the cold stony ground, wearing nothing but his pelt, the priest began to move again: small, jerky movements accompanied by a repetitive low whining.

  The younger one looked nervously at his companion. "How much longer will it take?" he whispered.

  Leaning forward from his sitting position on the higher rocks, the other squinted through the blue predawn light at the outline of the priest below. "As long as it takes, lad," he growled. "First time you've sat in on a vigil?"

  L'Seuli nodded. "I've just been released from service in the Forces."

  "It's not so bad. He's been out since dusk, so it shouldn't be much longer now," said Rrurto.

  "How can he survive this cold? He's got nothing, no clothes to protect him." He shivered again.

  "He's the Sun God's prophet, that's how, lad. The fire of the sun burns inside him, protecting and warming him."

  "Is he really Kezule's prophet?" L'Seuli asked after a long silence.

  The older one's head whipped round sharply, but not as fast as the blow with which he hit L'Seuli across the head. He went spinning from his perch on the rocks, down the decline to where the priest lay. Rrurto watched, waiting while the lad picked himself up, scuttling away from the priest before climbing back up to his post.

  "The next time you ask that could be your last," he said. "You don't question the Word of Kezule. Had I been one of the Faithful, my claws would have left you permanently scarred, perhaps blinded for life. Watch your tongue, lad." Rrurto's tone was not unkind.

  "I'm sorry," L'Seuli muttered, picking up his fallen head cloth and rewinding it. This time, instead of wrapping the loose end round his neck for warmth, he tucked it up under the headband, letting the chill air cool the heated side of his face.

  Movements from the priest drew their attention.


  "He's not in our world, lad," said Rrurto. "When he's like this, he's walking with the Gods and demons. It's them he sees, not us."

  "The Gods be praised," L'Seuli said fervently.

  "Praise Kezule," corrected the other, turning eyes glittering like stones in the cold half-light toward him. "There is only one God— Kezule— and his Prophet lies before us. Remember that, and you might live long enough to sire cubs. It's all changed now, and the Faithful don't allow you a second chance. He's prophesied the return of the Cataclysm," he said, nodding toward the priest, "unless we stop worshiping the false Gods and live the way Kezule says we should."

  "The demons! The demons brought their fire raining down on us because of the mind-poisoners! They must die with the demons!" the prophet howled, his voice gathering strength as he leaped to his feet, shaking his fists at the lightening sky.

  "Kezule will punish you! All disbelievers will be destroyed by His Holy fire! See! Even now He sends it to cleanse the world anew! The demons will return because of the mind-poisoners, the disbelievers! They'll return to kill again! Kezule, protect us who serve You faithfully!"

  As the sun rose over the dunes, the priest collapsed, his body falling to the ground.

  The watchers continued to wait as the sun rose higher in the sky, its light banishing all night's shadows.

  "He'll have to come round soon," growled the older male. "The aircars fly over here looking for us. We need to get below again."

  "What do we do with the prophet? Do we wake him?"

  "The God's always wakened him in time before," Rrurto replied, his voice concerned as he shifted his position on the now uncomfortably hot rocks. He squinted up at the sky. "It's later than usual. Maybe we should fetch one of his Faithful."

  "The ones dressed in yellow? Should I go for them?" L'Seuli half rose in anticipation of the answer.

  "Wait, he's moving," said Rrurto, grasping him by the arm and pointing to the prophet.

  Down on the baking rocks below the watchers, the prophet stirred, lifting his head and looking myopically up at the sun. Momentarily, it dazzled him. At his throat, the green stone set in its collar of gold glinted. He blinked his eyes several times, washing away the rime of sand with his tears.

  Pushing himself up, he felt the heat in the stones beneath him for the first time. He'd been gone longer than usual. No matter, the God had spoken to him, he had His message for the people.

  Shakily he got to his feet, looking round for his watchers. They were already making their way down the decline toward him. The broad gold band that circled his wrist was paining him. Easing it upward, he rubbed away the grit that had gotten underneath it and waited.

  He was handed his robe first, then, when he'd wrapped himself against the heat of the day, they gave him the water. He drank deeply, letting it run down his sore and parched throat. His walks with the God tired him more each time but what he saw, what he heard! That made up for it. He alone could tell his followers what the God had shown him.

  He handed the empty skin back.

  "We must go in now," he said. His voice had returned to the usual deep tone that captivated his listeners. "It's time for the Word of Kezule to speak to His people."

  He turned and strode through the sand toward the nearby outcrop of rock. There, hidden from the casual gaze, was the entrance to their lair.

  The watchers followed, each wrapped in his own thoughts.

  CHAPTER 4

  From her chair in the shade of the nung tree, Rhuna looked him up then down. Kaid towered above her. Though his brown eyes regarded her calmly, knowing him as she did, the set of his ears betrayed his uneasiness in her presence. Hair of a darker brown than his pelt was swept back between his wide ears, falling in graduated lengths, blending with the hair at the sides of his neck till it reached his shoulders.

  Under his utilitarian sleeveless jacket, a short tunic, bordered with black, covered his torso. Below it, the well-muscled thighs testified to the fact that he'd kept in shape over the past ten years.

  She grunted and looked back to his face. "So you're wearing the Aldatan colors now," she said. "What is it this time, Tallinu? Haven't you stopped hiding from yourself yet, eh? Still ashamed of your past?"

  "You know I don't call myself that any more, Noni," he said. "I've not come on a personal matter."

  She snorted, extending her right index claw and tapping it on the arm of her wooden chair. "You never do. At least you still have the manners to come in person, unlike some of the other mountain Brothers, but not to drop those barriers." Her eyes narrowed, the ridges meeting on her brow. "Female troubles again? What happened this time?"

  He frowned, weighing in his mind whether it was worth arguing with her.

  "It concerns a female," he said at last, his tone short, "but not me."

  She snorted again, and with a flick of her ears, gestured with her hand to the lawn beside her. "Sit, sit. You're giving me a crick in the neck looking all that way up at you," she grumbled.

  He sat, and she felt his uneasiness build until he took out a stim-twig.

  "So she's with somebody else, is she? When will you learn, Tallinu? Go find a female of your own. It's about time you did!"

  "I don't want or need one, Noni," he said defensively.

  Rhuna gave a low rumble of laughter. "Sure you don't! You're not really chewing that stim-twig, are you? It's just something to hold, isn't it? You forget I know you too well! Now, who is she and what's wrong?"

  As he began to collect his thoughts, slowly a realization of the situation started to build for her. Round the arms of her chair, her hands tightened until the knuckles showed white through her fur and her claws had sunk into the wood.

  "Tallinu, do you realize what you've done? You've let her touch you— change you!" Her voice was low, vibrating from deep down in her chest. As she looked at him, flames seemed to flicker around and across his body. Beside him were shadow-shapes, two of them, their forms seeming to dance in the golden-red flames. A low sound, halfway between a moan and a howl, escaped her. She could almost feel the heat of those flames, hear them crackling— then her vision began to fade.

  "In Vartra's name, Tallinu, why her? Why choose her?" she moaned as her eyes once more focused on the male sitting at her feet. "Their fire could destroy you! Have you any idea what you've gotten involved in?" she demanded, her voice growing stronger. "Vartra's bones, boy! What possesses you these days?"

  Kaid's nose creased in worry. "Noni, I don't know what you're talking about! What did you see?" he demanded. His tail began to flick rhythmically.

  She peered at his face, beginning to nod her head slowly. "So you haven't realized the full extent of it yet. You will," she said, ears swiveling round to face him.

  "Noni, what did you see?" he asked again, his voice reflecting his urgent need to know what the future had shown her.

  "It's the Aldatan cub's Human Leska, isn't it?" she said abruptly, hoping to divert him. "I heard she'd been hurt."

  Kaid sat back on his haunches. "You don't know the half of it," he said. "She lost her cub— a Sholan cub. I need your help for her."

  "They've been touched by Vartra," she whispered. "She's been singled out by the God. You want me to heal her?"

  "I need you to heal her," he corrected. "Will you come with me to Valsgarth? She's slipping into death, Noni. She barely eats— spends her time sleeping ... We could lose both her and her life-mate."

  "I don't leave home, you know that," she said, sitting back in her chair. "Bring her to me."

  Kaid looked up at her, ears flicking. "I can't. She's too weak to travel."

  "Then I'll not see her," she said with finality.

  "Noni, Grandmother— you must," he said, leaning toward her again.

  "Must, Tallinu? There's no must about it! I will not leave here to enter the telepath town!" She pushed him back with her foot. "Bring her to me— without her Leska."

  Kaid got to his feet and began to pace round the small garden, tail
flicking every now and then.

  Rhuna watched him, narrowing her eyes against the sun. Her head moved in a tiny nod of approval. Good, his control was slipping. Now she would learn more.

  He rounded on her. "I can't bring her, he'd never allow it— especially not without him there! I thought since you know what's at stake, that you'd come," he said. "If we let them die, it could disrupt our treaties with Keiss and Earth."

  "That's not what you fear most."

  "There's the God! You said she's been touched by Vartra. We have to help her!"

  "There's that, of course," she agreed.