Chapter 1
Elspeth sat with her arms wrapped around her love, Darkwind. She was simply content to sit like that forever.
:Sorry love, but we need to go to the Council Meeting.: He pressed the thought into Elspeth's willing mind.
"You're right," She responded to him verbally with a sigh.
"Of course I am. I'm always right," Darkwind said, with a grin for his love.
With a regretful sigh, Elspeth peeled herself off of Darkwind and got up off the bench where they were sitting. Darkwind followed the same suit.
Vree swooped down and landed on the now empty bench. :Stay here: Vree told the both of them. :Stay outside.: The images that came with the simple words were ones that signaled that the one to stay outside was the forestgrye.
Firesong strolled up with Aya balanced to his shoulder. Aya hopped onto Firesong's wrist and was launched up into the air. As he turned to the two others, he told them, "Come on. The Heraldic Circle is waiting for us adepts to get there before they start." His lips adjusted themselves into a sweet smiled for his two former pupils.
Dakwind and Elspeth strode back through the gardens to get to the Council chamber, Firesong trailing them all the way. While they strode, they wanted to get the meeting over with as quickly as possible so that they could get back to teaching another lifebonded pair of mages concert work.
When they got to the chamber, they went to the three seats that were reserved for the three senior mages near where the Queen sat. Selaney smiled at her daughter when the three mages arrived at their seats.
Kyril, seeing that the mages had now arrived, said, "I called this council since there have been some strange occurrences that have happened near the Eastern Border. Some of the Foreseers have seen an event which you might talk about must never leave this council." Kyril looked around to see nodding head of all the Heralds. "They have seen a bright light exploding out from Iftel to consume Hardorn and parts of Valdemar."
A wave of gasps followed this serious, and strange, announcement. The Heralds were stunned into silence from this revelation.
Elspeth looked at the other two mages.
"How many have seen this event?" Firesong asked, breaking the silence that had descended among all the Heralds.
"Ten in all," replied Kyril. He looked at the flamboyant Hawkbrother mage. Hoping that something could be done, he placed his trust into the three Adepts that were also included in the Heraldic Circle.
Firesong nodded at the old Herald. "I'm sure we," he indicated himself, Darkwind, and Elspeth, "can do something about it with enough information and time." He looked to his fellow adepts. They nodded back at him reassuring him with their positive thinking.
Firesong's statement revived the chatter of the Heralds that reanimated the meeting. Several other questions were asked of Kyril. The ease that was a part of the Heraldic Circle was restored. Firesong leaned back into his chair and started to think of what these predictions might entail.
Elspeth was feeling tense and getting tenser by the moment. Darkwind touched her back, but it didn't loosen up. "What's up?" He asked her. "I'm not sure," she whispered back. "I think something is going to happen today, soon." Darkwind gave his love a glance of confusion.