:If they try, they will be captured too, Auraya told them. They can’t get close enough without being caught themselves. Her heart ached. This is my fault. I should have gone with them. I should have gone instead of them. I could have been there and back in less than—

:No, Auraya, Juran said firmly. If you had gone, we would have lost a White instead of Tireel.

:He’s right, Auraya, Mairae added.

:We did not know these birds would be there, or that they would see Tireel and be able to alert the sorceress to his presence, Dyara pointed out.

:I know it is hard to watch, but we must know what Tireel reveals, Rian said. Keep the connection, Auraya.

She focused on Tireel’s mind. His vision was blurry. He was losing a lot of blood. The sorceress was beside him. She took his hand and drew it closer to herself. The movement stretched his wing membrane and sent fresh rips of agony through him. He felt something sliding from his finger.

:The ring! Dyara exclaimed in dismay. She is taking the ring.

:It is a loss that cannot be helped, Juran murmured. But perhaps worth it if we glimpse her thoughts…

As the ring left Tireel’s finger, the sense of his mind disappeared. In its place came a feeling of regret tempered by a ruthless determination. The Siyee chose to ally with the heathens, the woman thought. Best remember that. What is this, then? A trinket, or something more? Perhaps a magical device. What if I…? No!

The sense of her thoughts disappeared as she threw the ring away. Auraya opened her eyes. For a moment she stared at the grassy hills around her, disoriented. Dyara stood beside her.

:Did we learn anything useful? Mairae asked hopefully.

:No, Juran replied wearily. At least not from her. Tireel has shown us much that we did not know. The size of their army. How close they are to the pass. We will have to hurry, if we are to meet them there. Then there is this new threat that these birds pose, especially to the Siyee. There is much to discuss tonight. I will send your Bearer back for you, Dyara. What about you, Auraya?

:I will fly.

:Then I will see you both soon.

As the other White broke their link with her, Auraya looked at the line of mountains to the east and sighed.

“I had not thought the first death would be a Siyee,” Dyara murmured.

“No.”

“Would you like me to tell Speaker Sirri?”

Auraya glanced at Dyara, then shook her head. “No, I will tell her.”

Dyara nodded. “Then go. I will be fine walking alone. In truth, I’ll enjoy—relatively speaking—a bit of solitude. I’m sure Juran won’t mind if you take your time, too.”