You think you’re going insane? Mirar injected. Living inside your mind is enough to drive anyone mad.

If you don’t like it, go away.

“Leiard?”

He looked up. Arleej was frowning at him. He sighed and shook his head.

“I can’t link with Jayim.” He turned to regard his student. “I am sorry. You should find another teacher. One of the Somreyans will surely—”

“No!” Jayim exclaimed. “If what Ar—Dreamweaver Elder Arleej says is true, you’ll go insane without my help.” He paused to catch his breath. “Whatever secret you have, I’ll keep it. I won’t tell anybody.”

“You don’t understand,” Leiard said gently. “If I tell you this secret you can never link with another Dreamweaver. I would not restrict your future that way.”

“If that’s what it takes to save you, then I’ll do it.”

Leiard stared at Jayim in surprise. When, in the last few months, had this boy become so loyal?

Arleej made a small, strangled sound. She let out her breath in a rush. “I don’t know, Jayim. That is a heavy price for you to pay.” She turned to Leiard, her expression tortured. “How…how long would Jayim have to keep this secret?”

Forever. Leiard looked away and shook his head. It was unfair, but he could not unlive the past.

You know this affair can’t last, Mirar whispered. Eventually it will be discovered so you may as well tell Jayim.

Why do you want me to stop? You seemed to enjoy dream-linking with her.

She is one of the gods’ pawns. I enjoy the irony. In fact, next time I might have a little play with her myself.

Leiard felt his stomach turn. Could Mirar interfere with the dream link?

I might show you a few things you thought you didn’t know.

You wouldn’t dare. If Auraya knew you had this much control…

She would do what? Kill me? But that would mean killing you. I suppose that might not be so hard if she knew her lover could turn into the hated Mirar at an inappropriate moment.

Leiard sighed. What do you want me to do?

Leave Jarime. Find somewhere remote where Auraya won’t find you. Train Jayim in mind-linking.

If Arleej is right, it will mean the end of your existence.

I don’t want to exist. This is the Age of the Five. My time is in the past, when there was a multitude of gods, and immortals roamed freely—what they now call the Age of the Many—and perhaps the far future, but not now.

Leiard was amazed by this admission. If this shadow of Mirar did not want to exist, why was it so concerned about Leiard’s safety?

The other voice did not answer.

Very well, he thought. But I will join the Dreamweavers going to the war first.