“But Kris—” her voice broke. “Kris isn’t here to See for you—no, wait—” she said, kneeling next to him as his hope crumpled. “I can See. I’m not trained, but I’ve got the Gift. It came on me early—it’s been getting a lot stronger since I was Chosen and I know I’ve got more range than anybody else I’ve talked to. Will I do?”

“Yes! Oh, gods, yes!” He hugged her shoulders and they rose together and stumbled through the dusk to her tent.

Elspeth slipped inside the tent and tossed two cushions out for them to sit on. Dirk set his hands lightly on her wrists and calmed his own thoughts as best he could. He tried to pretend to himself that this was just another student he was training in her Gift, and began coaxing her into a light trance. The last of the light faded, and the stars grew brighter overhead, while they sat oblivious to their surroundings. She was silent for a very long time, and Dirk began to fear that her untrained Gift would be useless against all that distance, despite the power of the emotions fueling it.

Then, abruptly, Elspeth whimpered in fear and pain and her own hands closed convulsively on his wrists. “I’ve found her—oh, gods! Dirk, they’ve done such horrible things to her! I—think I’m going to be sick—”

“Hold on, imp. Don’t break on me yet! I need you—she needs you!”

Elspeth gulped audibly, and held. He followed her mind to where it had reached, found his target, took hold, and pulled with all his strength.

He could not tell how long he strove against the weight of it—but suddenly pain rose in a wave to engulf him, and he blacked out.

He found himself slumped over, with Elspeth shaking him as hard as she could.

“All of a sudden—you stopped breathing,” she said fearfully. “I thought you were dead! Oh, gods, Dirk—it—it’s no good, is it?”

He shook his head numbly. “I tried, Goddess save me, I tried. I found her all right, but I can’t pull her here. I just don’t have the strength.”

He felt hot tears splash on his hand from Elspeth’s eyes, and decided they would make a second attempt. He knew with conviction that he’d rather die in trying to bring Talia back than live with the knowledge that he wasn’t brave enough to make the second trial.

But before he could say anything, the matter was taken out of his hands.

:Man,: said a voice in his mind. :Dirk—Herald.: