CHAPTER 31
Sherri stared at her fingers wound in the silvery mane of Quin. They had set out long before dawn. Favram was following since Eagle couldn't keep up with the Companions. Myra was as silent as a statue on her left. Kevyn, on her right, kept reaching over to touch her. Sherri still wore Ferris' uniform; no one else's clothes came anywhere close to fitting her.
She was still jumpy and had already blasted a young rabbit when it darted across their path.
"Are you ready to stop?" Kevyn asked.
"No." Sherri said shortly. She wanted to get home as quickly as possible where she could be surrounded by the familiar.
"There is a nice, quiet inn about three candlemarks from here." Myra offered. "You may be willing to ride through out the night, but we really need to sleep. We rode through out the night to reach you."
"Very well." Sherri capitulated.
"We will cleanse your room for you." Kevyn assured her.
Sherri gave him a weak smile. "I would appreciate it."
:You are starting to tense up.: Quin warned.
:Can you blame me?: Sherri asked.
:No. But when you get tense, you become more sensitive.:
:I know. But I don't want to face people right now.:
:Suggest that we stop only to get some food and sleep under the stars. The others will understand.:
"Do you mind if we make camp outside? I don't feel ready to face a mass of people." Sherri asked.
"Not a problem." Myra assured her. "We'll stop and pick up a basket of food."
Sherri relaxed somewhat and the amount of thoughts she was receiving from Quin decreased.
:Would it bother you if your True Sight was completely deactivated?:
:No.:
:Not even if it meant you could no longer see Van and Stef?:
:Don't forget Yfandes.:
:Her too.:
:I would still welcome the peace.: Sherri assured him. :I am certain you would appreciate to have your privacy back.:
:Perhaps a bit.: Quin admitted. :Does it help if you ground and center?:
:I am less likely to lose myself, but just as much gets through.:
:Let's work on your shields.:
:Trust me, they are as tight as I can make them.:
:Could that be part of your problem?:
:No. The only way a shield helps is if it right against my skin and I can't move when I have it that tight.:
:I don't know what more to suggest.: Quin admitted.
:Perhaps it would be better if…:
:Don't even consider it!: Quin insisted. :We will find a way. You die, I die, and most likely, Kevyn and Nick as well.:
:Kevyn and Nick?:
:In case you haven't noticed, you two are most definitely lifebonded. I have experience in spotting it.:
:Dirk and Talia?:
:Yes. I saw what happened to Dirk when he thought Talia was beyond his reach, the idiot was spending most of his time out in the rain catching pneumonia or dead drunk. He is even a worse patient than all your uncles combined. And she was only acting cool towards him.:
:Dirk? Drunk? He doesn't seem the type.:
:Desperation can do that to a man. Kevyn was even more desperate when he thought you were dead. If he lost you, he would lose all interest in living.:
Sherri looked over at Kevyn. :Lifebonded…is he aware?:
:I am not the one to ask.:
Sherri stroked Quin's shoulder. :Four for the cost of one.:
:Exactly.:
"Deep in thought?" Myra asked.
"A little."
"Not thinking of anything drastic?"
"No." Sherri assured her.
"Good. That information inside your head is priceless at the moment."
Sherri nodded and the silence hung in the air again. "I am going to speak to Van." Sherri said suddenly.
Before they could ask what she meant she had strapped her legs to the saddle so that she wouldn't fall off then sent her Self out.
She found herself looking at the familiar surrounding of the grotto.
"A Herald now?" Van asked when he saw her.
Sherri shook her head. "I had to borrow them. It has only been a couple of weeks since I was here last time."
Stef gestured for her to have a seat on one of the stones. "You look like you have been put through the wringer."
"I have." Sherri sat down. "When I got back to my body last time I found myself in a chest, on my way out of Haven."
:How did they get to you?: Yfandes asked.
"I was outside, in one of the gardens. They planed on killing me when they reached Karse. They wanted the War to start again."
"And they were going to kill the Queen's cousin to do it. Why didn't you just escape?" Stef asked.
"I wanted to discover who else was involved."
"And when you did?"
"I…I stayed. I should have left. I started leaving my body and haunting them until they were ready to kill each other over the bat of an eye. That was when I realized what I was doing. I have never felt so…tainted."
Van's expression darkened. "I once killed an entire keep of men, at least two were innocent. I was not completely sane at the time. It took Stef to call me back to myself. If you managed to call yourself back you are stronger than I."
Sherri studied the faces of her dearest friends. There was no condemnation, only worry, understanding, and love. "You have known me since I was little; do you think I am going mad?" Sherri asked desperately.
"No. I think you were starting to lose yourself in their darkness. You are as sane as ever." Van assured her. "They may as well have been torturing you. If they are dead, they got off lightly."
Sherri buried her face in her hands. "Gods, I wish I had just left."
"Kitten, you are not like them." Stef pledged.
:And you are certainly worthy of being Chosen.: Yfandes added, knowing Sherri's doubts.
"Are you feeling better now?" Van asked.
Sherri nodded and stood. "Thank you."
~ * ~
When she opened her eyes she found herself in a clearing, lying on a pallet. Kevyn was as pale as a ghost and Myra was looking ready to choke her.
"Have we stopped already?" Sherri asked.
"Yes. Care to explain?" Myra asked.
"I was wandering. I wanted to speak to Vanyel. He was an Adept and a powerful mage when he was living. I was hoping he could help me…sort myself out."
:Did he?:
:Yes. I may have not been entirely sane, but I did manage to call myself back. But I am never going to take a trip with out you again.:
:Promise?:
:Yes, old man, I promise.:
:Show your father some respect.: Quin teased fondly.
:I was taught to respect my elders, and unless I am mistaken, you are younger than me.:
:That is a low blow.: Quin said in mock offence.
"That's better." Myra commented as Sherri chuckled.
"Feeling better?" Kevyn offered her a hand up.
Sherri stretched slowly. "Much, actually. I am not up to a crowd, but I am more human now."
"Glad to hear it." Myra grinned and slapped her on the shoulder. "But next time, if you just drop off like that I am going to toss you in the nearest river. Am I understood?"
"Yes little mother." Sherri teased and ducked the clump of grass Myra tossed at her.
Kevyn sat with his back against the tree and watched the lighthearted teasing. It was a relief to see the pain driven from her eyes. When she had dropped into that trance he had nearly panicked. He could still see the strain around her eyes but she was more herself than before.
:She is looking better. I didn't realize she was so affected by the people around her.: Nick observed
:I didn't realize it either. Her gift must be affecting her more than even she realizes.: Kevyn agreed
:I think we should make certain she doesn't leave the Palace until it is under control.:
:I agree.:
~ * ~
The Circle, Council, and Queen listened as Sherri listed off the names of all the men involved in the treason. There was stunned and horrified silence for several minutes before the room erupted in accusations and denials. Sherri reinforced her shields as much she could and watched impassively. She hadn't even bothered changing before she presented herself here. Ferris' Whites fit poorly and were woefully gray from the dust of the road, but she felt more confident in the borrowed uniform.
"How do we know she isn't just using this to further a cause of her own?" One councilor demanded loudly.
"How dare you suggest that a Herald would be anything other than honest?" One of the Heralds present hollered back.
Avren, seated at the Lord Martial's left, never took his eyes off Sherri. "She would never betray her ethics like that. She has had this great gift most of her life and she has never used it for personal gain. You have no idea the risks she took to bring us this information. When you can stand up and honestly say that you have laid everything the line for Valdemar, then you may speak against her."
The Council room fell silent, every eye was focused on the normally silent Avren.
"You of all people should resent her, but you are standing up for her?" A lord sneered. "She steals your title, not once, but twice and you still support her?"
"She never stole my title. The title belonged to Amelie who passed it on to her. It was her right to choose her successor. Quite frankly, if she had left it to me I would have been forced to divide my attention between Sorrows and here and both my land and my duty would have suffered. As far as I am concerned, Favram is the perfect choice for the Lord of Sorrows."
Sherri hid a smile. She hadn't expected his support.
"Now, if you are through behaving like infants, we should start rounding up these men and women before they can escape, like Hulda did."
The few councilors who had been present during the affair with Hulda and her subsequent escape paled.
"Send the guard to find all of them, now." Prince Darenthallis ordered.
A secretary, who had made a list of the accused, hurried to relay the orders.
"Herald Sherri, thank you for bringing us this information." Selenay addressed her.
"It was my honor, your majesty." Sherri said formally then quickly strode from the room.
Kevyn was waiting for her in the hall. "How did it go?"
"Quite well. Avren defanged them for me." Sherri kissed him quickly. "I need a bath. I smell like horse, sweat, and mold."
"That you do." Kevyn agreed.
"Scoundrel, you weren't supposed to agree with me."
"What is the point of even a white lie when you will know exactly what I think soon enough?" Kevyn grinned down at her making her blood warm.
Sherri looped her arm through his. "I am glad to be home."
"I imagine. If you plan on wandering like that again, please do it behind locked doors."
"I will. I never meant to worry you, but I knew if I spoke to Quin he would come charging to the rescue and I would have lost the chance to discover the entire ring." Sherri searched his face for understanding.
"They found someone who may be able to teach you. She is a Hawkbrother adept. She should be arriving soon."
"I heard. Quin says she has a very weak form of the gift. Quite frankly, I am not getting my hopes up."
"She is also a Healing Adept, like Firesong. She is capable of deactivating your gift."
Sherri was nearly weak with relief. "I look forward to meeting her."