Chapter 12 Men in Black

While Anna and Darin were on their way to Brytha, Elspeth came back into the room where Selenay still stood looking down at the map on the floor. "What do you think of Anna" Selenay asked her daughter.

"I don't think she's a danger, unless her gift gets away from her" Elspeth said. She knelt and carefully picked up the map and started rolling it up.

"There's little danger of that with all the mages we have here to teach her" Selenay said thoughtfully.

"What about the men who attacked you" Elspeth asked the queen.

"I don't think they were actually attacking me, I wasn't planning to be at that party at all, most of the people there didn't even know I had been invited" Selenay said.

"Why don't you go down with the guard when they are interrogating them, put the fear into them" Selenay added.

Elspeth nodded and smiled "I think I will" it had terrified her to see that her mother had been in danger, she hoped Alberich would join her when she had her little talk with the would be assassins. She looked at her mother "You look tired mother, maybe You should make an early night of it".

Selenay nodded "I think I will for once".

Derin rubbed his forehead as he sat on the ground after getting Anna's language. He closed his eyes hoping the pain would subside soon. "Thanks" he said when he felt Anna's fingers rubbing the ache from his head and neck.

"Come" she said as she stood "I have some aspirin at home, it should help".

"Jeraela, will meet us by the shed" he said rubbing his neck. He stood and took Anna's hand. He could hardly believe he had found her again, his other half. If he hadn't been so tired that first day he would have remembered to ask her name then, but it hadn't seemed important at the time he had already known her, it was only after, that he realized that he had no way to find her again.

"Is this it" he asked as they came to an old shed not far from companion's field.

"Yes" she paused then said "Could the companion's watch the shed" she asked.

"That's a good idea" Darin said. :Jeraela, did you catch that: he asked.

:Yes, I passed it on, some of the unpartnered companions will take turns watching, if anyone tries to come near the alarm will be sounded: she sent to him.

He turned to Anna "Jeraela took care of it " he said.

She sighed wistfully.

"What's the matter" he asked.

"I wish I could talk to her" Anna said.

:You can if you want to: Jeraela sent to them both.

"I'd like that" she said, smiling.

:I thought you could only talk to me: he sent to Jeraela.

:At some level she is you, or at least the both of you are joined: Jeraela sent back.

They all entered the shed, Darin holding the door open for Jeraela.

"Will you be all right" Anna asked Jeraela.

:Yes I'll be fine, I might even take a nap: Jeraela said.

"I can bring you a soft blanket from my closet" Anna added.

:Humph, that would be nice: she replied.

"Here it is" Anna pointed where the door was.

"I don't see it" Darin frowned raising his lantern.

"You're looking at it from the side, if you come this way you'll be able to see" she said pulling him to the side.

"I still don't see it" he said.

"That's because it's dark in the closet, here, reach out" she said guiding his hand through the doorway.

"Oh" he exclaimed when he felt something soft.

She reached out and felt what he was feeling, pulling it off the shelf she brought it through the doorway "see, it's one of my towels" she said showing it to him. She eased through the doorway and pulled the light cord.

"What" he exclaimed before one of the concepts he had received with her language came to him.

"It's just the light" she grinned at him, half of her appearing in midair. He closed his eyes for a moment. "Why don't you leave your lantern here for Jeraela, you won't need it in my house" she grabbed one of the blankets from her top shelf and went back through the doorway to Jeraela.

"Here" she said spreading it over Jeraela's back before coming back to Darin.