“Auraya?”

Recognizing Danjin’s voice, she moved to the tent entrance. In his arms was a squirming, struggling ball of fur. She sighed with relief.

“Thank you, Danjin.” She beckoned him inside. “Now, Mischief, where have you been?”

“Owaya. Owaya. Bad man. Take Msstf away. Bad.”

She looked at Danjin, alarmed by the words. He grimaced and let the veez squirm from his arms and bound into hers. Mischief curled up around her neck.

“Not so tight,” she gasped. She looked at Danjin. “What happened?”

His expression was a mix of concern and guilt. “At dinner a servant came to tell me Mischief was gone. It’s taken me hours to find him. Or rather, he found me.” Danjin sighed. “He’s been saying ‘bad man’ over and over. I fear someone may have taken him.”

Auraya could feel the veez’s heart racing. Stroking his back, she gently probed his mind. Memories flashed through his thoughts. A human face, the lower half covered with something. The cage opening and a hand grasping the veez’s neck. Scratching, biting, the taste of blood. Being trapped inside something. Chewing through and the relief of freedom.

Bad man! he said into her mind. She started. He’d never spoken to her telepathically before.

“I think you’re right, Danjin,” she said. She looked at him and sensed guilt again. Surely he hadn’t…

She looked closer and was relieved to see the true source of his guilt. Mairae had asked if she had a lover days ago and he had forgotten about it until she had posed the question again tonight. He felt ashamed of himself for speculating about her private life. Then Leiard’s name flashed into his thoughts and she felt her relief evaporate. Danjin believed she was merely visiting Leiard out of friendship, but suspected Mairae thought there was more to it.

Her whole body went cold. She knew Mairae was inclined to speculate about such things, but she hadn’t thought the woman would go so far as to lure her adviser into considering possible lovers. If Mairae was prepared to do this, how much further would she go to satisfy her curiosity? It would only take a few hours’ riding and a little mind-reading for speculation to become known fact. Her heart began to race. Mairae might already be riding toward the Dreamweaver camp.

I can’t take that risk. Leiard has to leave now. Tonight.

Unwinding Mischief from around her neck, Auraya handed him back to Danjin.

“Stay here. Keep him company. He’s had a fright. I want to find out what I can. Which servant told you to look for him?”

“Belaya.”

She nodded, then strode out of the tent. Her heart was pounding. She glanced around with both eyes and mind, but detected no watchers. Drawing magic, she sent herself up into the sky, created a wind shield and drove herself through the air.