Disclaimer: Valdemar, Heralds, Companions etc … none of that belongs to me, it's all the property of Mercedes Lackey. I'm just borrowing the characters for a while … apart from Aline who is most definitely mine : )

A/N: Hey – I'm SO sorry that this chapter is a week too late but for the first time ever in writing this story, I struggled to find inspiration. I knew what I wanted to say but I couldn't work out how to say it, which explains the wait that you've had for it.

Anyway, I'm back on track now and I promise my updates will be as regular as clockwork from now on!

Thankyou's are at the bottom of the page as usual, and this chapter is dedicated to

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After the Storm

By: JoeyStar

Timeframe: Set a year or so after Owlknight

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(Palace – Secure Room)

The throwing knife was a mere breath away from Ventar's unprotected back when it exploded in a burst of fiery light. Elspeth watched in disbelief and growing anger as the molten remains of her knife dripped onto the stone floor.

'Why did you do that?' she snarled furiously, turning on Darkwind.

'Elspeth – what were you thinking?' Kero demanded as Skif gaped at her and Talia bent to check that Ventar was unscathed.

'Why did you do that?' Elspeth shouted, hands balled into fists as she glared at her partner.

'Elspeth I –'

'Damn you Darkwind!' she cried, tears in her eyes as she fumbled for her second throwing knife. Darkwind was there before she could even grasp its hilt this time, pulling the weapon out of her grip with ease, his face tense and worried. She jerked away from him, bristling like an angry cat. 'Give it back.'

'No.'

'I said: give it back!'

'Elspeth –'

She lashed out, the flat of her hand catching him across the cheek. 'How dare you!' she screamed, all the hate, fear and helpless anger she had been feeling, rising to the surface.

'How dare you!'

'Elspeth, calm down!' his voice rose to be heard above her.

'No!' she yelled, face red with exertion, emotions overflowing. 'Do you know what he did, Darkwind? He killed my brother! And he put my sister in a coma! He treated them like – like … like animals! He slaughtered them like animals!' She shuddered. 'There was so much blood …'

'Elspeth, ke'chara, I know,' Darkwind assured her. He reached out to take her hands but she resisted, drawing back. 'I know how you are feeling – how you long for some kind of revenge –'

'You don't know anything!' she spat back at him. 'You have no idea how I'm feeling!'

'No?' he arched one silvery eyebrow, acting nonchalant but desperate to stop her from doing something dangerous. 'And when Dawnfire was killed by Falconsbane, do you think I did not feel as you do now?'

Elspeth's expression turned ugly. 'Dawnfire wasn't your sister. She was just another in your long line of casual lovers.' The words were designed to hurt and Darkwind flinched backwards.

'And what about my father?' he demanded.

'He wasn't killed!' she shouted. 'Kris is dead, Darkwind! There's no coming back from that and there's nothing you can say to make it better! Kris is dead! He killed my brother!' Deprived of a physical weapon, Elspeth struggled to her feet and lashed out with as much magical power as she could muster.

Once again, Darkwind prevented her attack by hastily erecting a shield around the oblivious Ventar while the watching Heralds stepped back in alarm. This time however, Darkwind wasn't about to let the attack slide. He grabbed Elspeth by the shoulders and shook her, carefully – so as not to hurt the baby.

'Elspeth, you have to stop! I will not let you become a murderer over this – this piece of filth!'

'Let go of me!' She struggled against his vice-like grip but Darkwind easily overpowered her.

'Elspeth, if you do this, then you will loose yourself. You will have murdered in cold blood – and you may just have ruined any chance that we have of finding out who is behind this! I love you ke'chara, and I can't stand back and watch you ruin your life.' He gazed beseechingly into her eyes. 'Please, don't do this. If not for me, then for the baby.'

The words seemed to deflate Elspeth. She stared hopelessly up at Darkwind for a few long moments, her posture rigid and her eyes full of pain, and then she collapsed against him. Her face twisted and she began to beat weakly against his chest. 'He deserves to die … he deserves it! Oh God, Darkwind … he killed my brother!'

With those words, Elspeth finally broke down and allowed herself to cry. She clung to Darkwind, sobs shaking her delicate frame as all her grief, pain and anguish rose to the fore again, engulfing her. Darkwind wrapped his arms tightly around her and simply held her silently, providing a stable presence for her to latch onto and not compounding the situation with unnecessary chatter.

'Why don't I take her back to your rooms?' Talia suggested gently, rising from her precarious position by Ventar's side.

Darkwind raised his head. 'I would rather – '

'I need someone to close the wards,' Kero cut in apologetically.

Darkwind closed his eyes briefly and then looked down at Elspeth once more. 'Ke'chara,' he murmured, gently touching her chin. 'Will you go with Talia?'

All the fight had drained out of Elspeth and she nodded compliantly, allowing Talia to lead her from the cell and leaving Kero and Darkwind alone.

Darkwind sighed and rubbed his face with his hands. Kero glanced at him. 'Are you okay?'

The Hawkbrother smiled briefly but the expression was forced. 'I'm tired,' he admitted.

'We all are,' Kero agreed, looking across at Ventar, who was still blissfully unaware of all that had transpired, wrapped up as he was in his madness.

After a moment more of awkward silence in which Kero continued to study Ventar, Darkwind cleared his throat. 'Kero … are you finished here?'

'What – oh yes, sorry. Somehow, I don't think we're going to get anymore out of him.' She strode towards the door, Darkwind trailing. She closed the door behind them, drew the bolts and waited patiently as Darkwind re-sealed the wards.

He peered through the small grate. 'What will happen to him now?'

'Ventar? He'll face the Queen's justice,' Kero told him, following his gaze. 'You've never seen Selenay angry, have you? Some part of me almost feels sorry for him.' Her face hardened. 'Of course, then I remember what he did and my sympathy drains away.'

'Do you think I did the right thing?' Darkwind asked suddenly. 'Stopping Elspeth from killing him?'

Kero laughed shortly. 'Darkwind – I'm a mercenary. And if I had been in Elspeth's position then I would have killed him before he could draw breath." She held up a hand as Darkwind opened his mouth to speak. 'I think you did the right thing. Elspeth didn't need another tragedy to deal with – especially in her condition.' Turning from the door, she clapped Darkwind on the shoulder and led him from the room.

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(Palace – Royal Suite)

When Eldan had taken it upon himself to speak to the Queen and Prince Consort about the progress of the investigation, he had momentarily forgotten the few other times that he had ever seen Selenay angry.

Like her fiery daughter, Selenay became very volatile when anger overtook her and as Eldan entered the royal suite, his queen turned away from the window, face pale and arms folded stiffly across her body.

Eldan had barely enough time to notice that Daren had also looked up at his entrance before the Queen was bearing down upon him.

'You had better be bringing me some news Eldan or I'll damn well go and find Kero myself!'

Eldan smiled gently, trying to placate her. 'That's why I'm here Selenay. And in fairness to Kero, she wanted to get all the facts straight before she troubled you with them.'

'Troubled me with them?' Selenay returned sharply. 'What right does she have to keep them from me? This has nothing to do with her!'

In truth, Eldan knew that Selenay wasn't really angry with his partner, she was simply furious with her inability to aid the investigation. Kero had put her foot down when this whole mess had begun and ensured that the investigation would proceed without Selenay's input – as was the correct procedure. Unfortunately, Selenay hadn't agreed with that opinion and it was evident that time hadn't stilled her temper.

'This concerns my family, Eldan, and I'm being treated like some kind of fool!' Selenay continued angrily. 'Tell me what is going on!'

It sounded like a royal command and Eldan treated it as such. 'Yes, your Majesty,' he replied, bowing his head slightly. When Selenay made no move to invite him to sit down but simply stood with her arms folded and a resolute expression on her face, Eldan glanced at the chairs where Daren was still sitting, watching them. 'Could I prevail upon you for a seat?' he asked civilly, diffusing the situation by distraction, as only a trained diplomat could do. 'I'm not as young as I used to be.'

'None of us are,' Daren commented from his position, pushing a chair in Eldan's direction. 'Help yourself.'

Faced with the polite interaction between the two men and the fact that Eldan was settling himself comfortably, Selenay had no choice but to join them. She sat stiffly, her posture telling them that she would much rather be elsewhere but wasn't prepared to move until she had the information that she wanted.

Before the Queen could ask anymore anxious questions, Eldan smoothly launched into the long awaited explanation of events, leaving as little out as possible. When he reached the part in which Ventar had finally been captured and was currently imprisoned in her dungeon, Selenay's hands wrapped so tightly around the end of the chair's armrests that her knuckles shone whitely.

'He's here? In the palace?'

Eldan nodded. 'We have the young Healer, Keisha, to thank for that.'

'And he's been here … how long?'

Eldan caught the dangerous flicker in her eyes. 'Now Selenay –'

'A day? A week? A month?' she interrupted him. 'How long Eldan?'

'Well I can't say –'

'Stop being so bloody diplomatic and tell me the truth! How long has my son's murderer been under this roof?'

Eldan sighed inwardly, suddenly regretting having volunteered for this job. It wasn't that he didn't want to have to face Selenay's anger; it was that he hated his words for hurting her. 'Several days, your Majesty,' he admitted finally.

Selenay's sharp intake of breath sounded impossibly loud in the silence of the suite. She stared at him. 'Several days?'

'Yes.'

Her voice developed a dangerous edge. 'And no one told me? Why?'

'Selenay – you know why.'

'Dammit Eldan!' she slammed her right hand down on the arm of the chair, face flushed. 'How dare you and Kero take such liberties with the truth? I have a right to know what goes in inside my own palace! He – he killed my son for Haven's sake!'

'Which is precisely why we didn't tell you,' Eldan broke in gently, eyes pleading with Selenay to understand. 'The investigation needed to proceed unhindered; your involvement was too personal.'

'This monster almost ripped my family apart and you think I'm being too personal?' Selenay demanded angrily. 'Of course it is personal! It's personal to everyone – to all of the Heralds – so don't you try and tell me that I have been refused information because it's too personal. What you have done in this case is not only a disgusting abuse of my trust, it's also a denial of my rights.' She raised her chin mulishly. 'I've half a mind to bring you up on charges with the Heraldic Circle.'

As Eldan tried to digest this new attack and formulate a diplomatic response, Daren sat forward in his chair and took his wife's hand in his. 'Selenay,' he said softly, 'think about what you're saying, love. You know Eldan and you know Kero too. Would they ever do anything to purposefully hurt you?'

Taken aback by her husband's intervention, Selenay faltered. 'Of course not.'

'Then you should trust their judgement in this matter as you have in every other situation before this.' Daren squeezed her hands supportively. 'I know it's difficult, my love, but Kero has experience in these matters. If she kept the truth from us then there is a good reason for it.' He looked up and met Eldan's thankful gaze. 'Right Eldan?'

'Yes,' the dark-haired Herald agreed, picking up the proffered thread of conversation. 'Selenay, Kero was trying to protect you by keeping this information from you. She knows that you would have sought revenge and our best chance of finding out who is behind this is to keep Ventar alive.'

'Ventar,' Selenay murmured, turning the name over in her mouth.

'He will face trial once Kero has finished questioning him,' Eldan assured her. 'He will be punished for his crime.'

Selenay finally raised her head and looked straight at Eldan, her eyes brimming with tears. 'That won't bring Kris back though, will it?'

Eldan shook his head slowly. 'No, Selenay, it won't. He is at peace in the Havens now and no amount of revenge will bring him back. Elspeth … Elspeth learnt that the hard way.'

'Elspeth?' Selenay looked stricken. 'Is she –?'

'She is fine now,' Eldan promised. 'She is working through her own grief as you work through yours.'

'I have not seen her … for some time,' Selenay realised slowly. 'I have been so consumed with the need to punish someone … that I have been neglecting my – my remaining children.'

Eldan rose and smile down at her. 'Go Selenay – go and be with your children. And rest assured that Kero and I will bring the perpetrators of this crime to justice. We –'

:Chosen!: Ratha interrupted him hurriedly, speaking in a collection of words and images. :The man …:

:Ventar?: Eldan returned.

The Companion sent a feeling of assent. :Yes. Chosen …:

:What?: Eldan demanded, alarmed by Ratha's urgent tone.

: … He is dead.:

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(Palace – Secure Room)

'How could this have happened?' Kero asked the air disbelieving, staring at the still, silent body of a man that, a fraction of a candlemark ago, had been living and breathing.

Ventar's death had been reported by the guard who had returned to his post outside the door, once Kero and Darkwind had departed. The fellow, a middle-aged man with a red face, had noticed the absence of the usual mutterings and had drawn back the grate to inspect the prisoner. Fearing the worst, he had quickly raised the alarm and, with Darkwind's aid, the cell door was soon open. It was mere moments later that the guard's diagnosis was confirmed by Healer Devan.

'The door was locked, the magical wards were in place …' Darkwind shook his head. 'This does not make any sense to me.'

'The Queen will be most displeased,' Talia murmured, a frown between her eyes.

Kero looked at her as if she had grown horns. 'Displeased? Displeased? Selenay will be catatonic! And there's no chance of keeping this from her – not now all the Companions know.' The Herald Captain looked across at Devan, who had risen from the body and was wiping his hands on his robes. 'What's the verdict?'

Oddly enough, Devan shot Talia an uneasy glance before answering Kero's question. 'Well, I'm not exactly sure but I think – it could be –'

'Devan – stop hedging,' Talia urged him with a weak smile.

Devan sighed and ran one hand through his greying hair. 'It was argonel, Talia,' he said frankly, looking apologetically at the Queen's Own. 'He took argonel.'

A flicker of half-remembered fear shone briefly in Talia's eyes and she lowered her head quickly to hide her reaction from the others. Once she had composed herself she looked up again, expression pleasant and eyes clear. 'A most effective way to escape from life.'

'Indeed,' Devan agreed solemnly but Kero shook her head.

'It doesn't make any sense!' she declared. 'This room was kept locked at all times. There is no possible way that Ventar could have come into the possession of this argonel.'

'Even the most secure prison can be overcome,' Talia injected quietly, remembering her own salvation at the hands of Evan, the Valdermaran trader.

'Not this one,' Kero disagreed. 'One of the first things I did when I came to Haven was to access the conditions down here. There isn't a single chink in the brickwork that I don't know about and not one of those tiny faults can be found in relation to this cell.'

'Then perhaps one of the guards –' Darkwind began reluctantly but was interrupted when the red-faced man that had alerted them to Ventar's death stepped forward, his spear clanging loudly against the stony ground.

The man stood his ground, even when he came under the scrutiny of the Heralds, Healer and Hawkbrother. 'Beggin' your pardon me lords, ladies, but I've been standin' guard since you me lady and the good lord,' he nodded to Kero and Darkwind, 'left not 'alf a candlemark ago. No one 'as come down 'ere since then, I can promise you that.'

Even without Kero or Talia invoking the truth spell, it was clear that the guardsman was speaking the truth. His whole body quivered with indignation at Darkwind's remark and the courteous Hawkbrother inclined his head towards the guard. 'Then I apologise for my remark and it seems we must look elsewhere for our explanation.'

'What of the wards?' Devan wanted to know, looking at the mage.

Darkwind looked dubious. 'I can check them … but either Firesong or I would have felt it if the wards had been breached.' He turned away and rested the flat of one hand against the door. As the others watched, his eyes became distant and unfocused. After a moment he stepped back and lowered his arm. 'They are untouched.'

Kero threw her hands up in the air with a heavy sigh. 'So we're back at the beginning again.'

'Maybe not,' a voice hailed from behind them. Everyone turned to see Skif clattering down the stairs. He was grinning widely and waving a piece of paper like a flag.

'You've been busy,' Talia observed.

Skif waved the paper in front of her face. 'And look what I've found!'

Kero snatched the object out of his hand and scanned it quickly. 'Well, well, well … our elusive letter.'

Skif pulled a face at Kero. 'Now you've gone and spoilt my surprise.'

'The one that Ventar spoke of?' Talia ignored Skif and peered over Kero's shoulder. 'Well this certainly seems conclusive.'

'What does it say?' Darkwind asked.

Seeing as Kero and Talia were still reading the letter, Skif answered the Tayledras's question. 'It's a letter. From Orthallen to Ventar. Seems old Ventar was one of the Orthallen's most trusted servants and it also seems that Orthallen planned for every eventually. I don't think we'll ever know how Ventar got his hands on this after Orthallen's death but it reads much like a will.'

'It details Orthallen's wishes,' Talia put in, glancing up from the paper. 'Concerning Selenay, Elspeth, me, Dirk … anyone who ever crossed him.'

'I suppose this closes the case then,' Devan said slowly.

Skif nodded enthusiastically. 'We finally know who was behind all of this.' He sobered. 'Not that it's any consolation to Elspeth or the queen.'

'At least we can give them assurance that nothing like this is every going to happen again,' Talia said positively. 'And at least we have seen an end to this horrible situation.'

Kero straightened decisively. 'We should take this news to Selenay. Devan – if you could see to Ventar?'

The Healer nodded wearily and ducked back inside the cell. The Heralds moved off towards the stairs but Darkwind remained where he was, thoughtfully gazing at the open iron door of the cell. He had the feeling that they had overlooked something in their haste to find a culprit. There were still so many unanswered questions connected to Ventar's mysterious disappearing magic and how a bottle of argonel had appeared inside the cell when the door had been locked and the wards firmly in place.

Magical questions … who better to ask than his old teacher? After nodding a farewell to Devan. Darkwind swept up the stairs, intent on finding Firesong.

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(Palace – library)

'Here,' An'desha said triumphantly, drawing a thick, heavy tome from one of the wooden bookshelves and placing it carefully upon the table. He made to open it but Firesong put his hand on the book's cover, fingers tracing the faded lettering.

'What language is this?'

'I believe it to be an ancient form of Kaled'a'in,' the half-Shin'a'in replied, pulling out a chair and sinking into it. He drew the book over to him and began flicking through the faded pages carefully, as Firesong and Silverfox looked on from their respective seats.

An intense look of concentration fell over An'desha's face as his eyes scanned page after page, searching for something that only he could recognise. Firesong shifted restlessly in his chair, Aya squawking his disapproval and abandoning the Hawkbrother's shoulder for a far safer perch on top of one of the bookcases.

As An'desha continued to scan the thick book, Firesong began to beat a tattoo on the desktop with his fingers. The half-Shin'a'in ignored him, seemingly immersed in his search but Silverfox glanced across at him, humour in his dark gaze. Firesong continued to drum unconsciously, the sound echoing loudly in the quiet air of the library, until Silverfox reached across and laid his hand over the mage's, stilling his fingers. Firesong looked up sharply, as if the movement had surprised him and Silverfox grinned.

'Found it!' An'desha exclaimed before his friends could continue their silent conversation any further.

Firesong heaved a gusty sigh of relief and leant across the table so that he could see what An'desha was referring to.

The younger Adept tapped the page with one finger. 'I knew that I had read about this phenomenon somewhere before. Look here,' he bent over the book, reading aloud: ' 'removing of such a gift is said to be dangerous and fraught with troubles but an attainable status should the Adept be strong enough. The vessel of this power must be a willing recipient and must possess no such power themselves. The transferral is long and arduous, and should not be undertaken without correct supervision. Many Adepts have performed the ritual incorrectly and stripped themselves of their gift for eternity; very few have achieved a complete transferral.' '

'So to put it in more simplistic terms, such a process is long, rare and incredibly dangerous?' Silverfox surmised.

An'desha nodded. 'What is written next leads me to believe that this … this transferral as the book calls it, requires an incantation of some kind – as some of the old magics do. However, there is no sign of it within the pages of this text.'

Firesong frowned thoughtfully. 'How old is that book?'

An'desha shrugged helplessly. 'I know not. There are books in the library that pre-date any I have ever seen before. I believe the Valdemaran's original Baron must have brought them with him when he fled the Empire.'

'But they did not know Kaled'a'in,' Silverfox pointed out. 'This book must be from Urtho's time at the latest.'

'That would explain why none of the modern Adepts know of it,' Firesong said, justifying his own lack of knowledge. 'What of Ma'ar? Did he ever use this spell?'

An'desha considered the question carefully, eyes becoming distant as he quickly scoured the memories left behind by Falconsbane's reign in his body. After several long moments, he shook his head slowly. 'If he did then the memory is lost to the mists of time. I do believe however, that he knew of it.'

'He knew the incantation?' Firesong pressed.

An'desha nodded slowly. 'I believe so. Though I cannot be sure. His memories … it is still difficult to delve too deeply into them.'

'But surely it doesn't matter if Ma'ar knew them or not,' Silverfox said, looking from one Adept to the other. 'Firesong, you destroyed Falconsbane in such a way that it prevented Ma'ar from ever returning. There is no way that he could have had a hand in this.'

'Not unless he reached from beyond the grave,' Firesong remarked moodily, his good mood fading rapidly as he realised that in truth, their discovery yielded limited explanations.

An'desha shivered. 'Please do not even joke about that Firesong!' the young man responded, his voice tight. 'If such a monster had lived inside of you, you would realise what an alarming and unwelcome thought that is.'

Firesong blinked and cleared his throat uncomfortably. 'You're right An'desha and for that I apologise. The comment was … uncalled for.'

'Firesong being humbled,' Silverfox laughed in an attempt at brevity, 'there's something I never thought I'd see!'

Firesong shook his head good-naturedly; An'desha smiled and the atmosphere of the room relaxed once more.

Just as Firesong was about to continue the conversation by requesting to see the book himself, the door to the library creaked open and a familiar figure poked his head around the doorframe.

'Darkwind!' Firesong called brightly, realising how long it had been since he had had a proper conversation with his fellow Adept. 'Come and join us!'

Darkwind stepped into the room and closed the door behind him, looking relieved. 'Vree told me you were here,' he said by way of a greeting, walking across the room towards them as Vree flew up to join Aya on the top of the bookcase, a situation that didn't please the fussy Firebird.

'You've been looking for us?' Silverfox asked.

'Yes – well, Firesong to be more exact.' Darkwind sunk into the chair next to An'desha and it was only then that they could see how weary he looked. His normally golden skin was pale and there were dark shadows underneath his eyes.

'You look ill,' Firesong told him bluntly, his directness bringing a weak smile to Darkwind's face.

'A lot has been happening.' He rubbed his hands over his face and sighed. 'Many things … that do not make sense.'

'How is Elspeth?' Silverfox enquired politely, hoping to take Darkwind's mind of whatever was troubling him.

The Tayledras smiled ironically. 'Therein lies one of the problems. She tried to kill Ventar.'

'What?!'

'Hush Firesong,' Silverfox cut in, non-too patiently. The kestra'chern turned his attention back to Darkwind. 'What happened?'

Feeling as if he needed someone to talk to, Darkwind found himself telling them everything that had transpired since Elspeth's attack upon Ventar, including the fact that the man in question was now dead.

Firesong blinked. 'It appears that we've missed a great deal of activity while we've been chasing magical myths.'

'The Heralds believe they have solved the case,' Darkwind admitted.

'But you don't?' An'desha asked, looking at the other man curiously.

Darkwind opened his mouth to respond and then faltered. 'I don't know,' he said finally, 'but it seems to me that there are too many unanswered questions.'

'Questions that relate to magic,' Firesong finished for him, following his thoughts. 'Therefore you came in search of me.'

Darkwind nodded. 'How did a bottle of argonel get into a locked and shielded cell? And what about the servant's disappearing gift? I cannot understand how the Heralds can overlook such things.'

'They wish to appease Queen Selenay,' Silverfox said. 'Their haste is understandable.'

Firesong slapped his hand down on the table. 'That does not excuse such neglect,' he said firmly, 'though I think we can shed a little light on the matter of the disappearing gift. An'desha?'

The half-Shin'a'in obligingly read the passage aloud again as Firesong and Silverfox watched Darkwind, gauging his reaction. The older Hawkbrother's eyes narrowed as An'desha finished and he looked thoughtful.

'To have achieved such a state …' Darkwind spoke carefully, '… someone else must have performed this spell. Someone with great power.'

'Someone with power enough to break through my wards,' Firesong agreed grimly, adding as an afterthought: 'Though that still does not explain the bottle of argonel.'

'These are serious conclusions,' Silverfox told them, sharing a worried glance with An'desha. 'Do you know what this means?'

'It means that Lord Orthallen was simply an excuse,' Darkwind stated. 'It means that the attack was orchestrated by someone else. And it means that whoever did this … is still unaccounted for.'

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Dun, Dun, DUN!!!!

So there you have it, another spanner has been thrown into the works! Oh, incidentally, I've just realised how one of the lines in this chapter is the same as a line in the Star Wars film AotC … so if anyone spots it – have a cookie : )

And here are the thankyou's:

Hildi-chan: yup yup – the investigation is proceeding at full speed! I think we're nearing the end of it now … but I'm not gonna give anything away

G. Zan: I got the paperback books – hardback is toooo expensive! Got to say that the ones about Vanyel are probably my favourite ML books but I like all the ones you listed too. Hope you like the angry Selenay!

Owl: aha – but Ventar wasn't killed by Elspeth!!! Fooled you! I agree it would have been poetic justice but she's been through so much already, I didn't want to stick another murder on her conscience. Thanks for the words about my exams and here's hoping I get my uni place!

etcetera-cat: phew – I'm glad you liked the manipulative Elspeth because I put a lot of thought into that section of the chapter. And as always, thanks for nitpicking – you're generally the only one who does and it's always useful : )

Lizai: hmm … interesting point about the abdication. I'm not sure about that – have to have a think about Lyra's position in this story.

phoenixfeather: wow – you put off eating dinner to read my story? I am amazed!! Hehe – sorry the update has been a long time in coming – I'll try and be more regular from now on.

Pyrinsomniac: yup – you've got to love Firesong. He's a lot of fun to write. And yes, I am proudly upholding the English flag here in fanfic … we English writers seem to be a dying breed : )

Shadowfax: I LOVE Angel!! I just wish they would show it at more reasonable times here in England. It's on at 12.50 at night … and I keep forgetting to record it … oh well – glad you like the chappie and welcome back to the land of the internet connection!

faeborn2930: thanks for the correction on Tylendal's name – I KNEW it didn't look right! Elspeth can be a bit of a pain in the butt something but hey, she's going through a hard time so I guess we have to be a little understanding : )

Next chapter:

- Conclusion of the investigation

- Darkwind/Elspeth moments

- Selenay's blindness

As always, read, review and enjoy : )