Sorry this took so long to put up.  I have been having a hell of a time getting near a computer, and then when I was, I either had writers block or I was too tired to write.  But finals and all that crap are over, so I can get back to my writing.  Also, my family got a new computer, which I'm still trying to get the hang of.

Anyway, I hope I don't get injured or flamed too much for this chapter.  It was necessary.  Just like JK Rowling killing off you-know-who in the fifth book.  So sad.  Anyway…Oops, I said that twice in a row.  That's pretty bad for me.  Amusing.  For once I have actually found stuff to talk about in my A/N's.  Cool.

Disclaimer:  The illustrious Mercedes Lackey invented Valdemar, and I wish I could make as much money as her.

"Blah"-Speech

:Blah:-Mindspeech

Thoughts are in Italics

~~~~~

If blood will flow when flesh and steel are one

Drying in the colour of the evening sun

Tomorrow's rain will wash the stains away

But something in our minds will always stay

Perhaps this final act was meant

To clinch a lifetime's argument

That nothing comes from violence

and nothing ever could

For all those born beneath an angry star

Lest we forget how fragile we are

On and on the rain will fall

Like tears from a star

Like tears from a star

On and on the rain will say

How fragile we are

How fragile we are

                                    --"Fragile" Sting

Talia walked the mazelike halls of the old palace, following the knot of pain, self-doubt, and despair.  She had first felt it on her way back from a Council meeting.  She had Sent Rolan to let Dirk know where she had gone, and went in search of the source of the emotions.  Though probably, she thought, it's some love-sick teenager who got turned down.  She didn't know this part of the castle much, but she was confident that Rolan could lead her back out.

A few more turns, and Talia was in a part of the castle she had never been in before.  No one had ever mapped the Palace.  No one had tried.  Due of the constant state of building in the castle,  The Palace complex was a twisting maze.  It reminded Talia of the story she had read as a child about the widow who constantly built her house to confuse the spirit of her late husband, so that he would never leave her.

The molding was cracked and peeling, the gold gilt tarnished.  The walls were pitted and cracked with age.  I really must talk with Selenay about possibly refurbishing the old Palace to accommodate more guests, she thought.

She jumped suddenly when a rat ran in front of her.  She grimaced slightly.  Why would anyone come here? She wondered.

Finally she stopped at the door where she felt the empathic emotions emanating from.  She paused for a moment to compose herself, then opened the door.  The room was fairly small, and obviously had once been a bedroom.  The bed frame was still there, thought there was no mattress, and a bookcase stood in one corner, collecting dust.

Behind the bed sat a young man, about 17, his hair disheveled.  His shoulders shook with sobs as he cried onto his knees.

Talia approached the boy, trying to walk calmly and quietly.

"Go away!" the boy said petulantly, his voice muffled by his legs.

"It's all right, I'm here to help you." Talia said, walking around the bedframe.  She knelt down beside the teen.  "What's wrong?" she asked, reaching out to stroke the boy's hair.  "Are you all right?"

Suddenly, before Talia could react, the boy grabbed her arm, then drew a blade stained blackish-green across her arm, making a shallow cut.  Talia stood back in surprise, putting a hand on the cut, which had begun to bleed sluggishly.

"I'm fine," the boy said as he stood, his form shimmering away to reveal a tall man with black hair and black eyes.  "But you're not."

"What…" Talia started to say, but faltered and fell against the bookcase, sliding slowly down to the floor.

"What did I do to you?"  the man said.  "I cut you with a blade that was dipped in a poison there is no cure for.  You're dizzy now aren't you?  You feel hot and cold at once.  Soon the pain will come, and then the hallucinations."

Talia could feel Rolan trying to reach her, and she shunted to him everything she could about this strange man, along with all the love she had for him, then sent Dirk, her beloved, her only, all the love she had in her heart for him as well.  She tried to form another word with foaming lips, her hands shaking uncontrollably.

"How?" he asked, as he casually cleaned his fingernails with the poisoned blade.  "How did I trick you?  Simple.  I too, have the Gift of empathy, as does every other person in my homeland.  I merely Projected false emotions, and you walked right into my trap."  He crouched down, looking intently at her face, watching the face contort with pain.  "It's interesting that although you have an immensely strong empathic gift, you know little offensive techniques.  All the better for me then."

He watched as fear appeared in the empath's eyes, and she balked into the corner, whimpering with fear.  Talia could feel her mind slipping away as the walls seemed to ooze and drip, and tried to hold onto her shields as long as she could, knowing her emotions unshielded might wreak serious havoc on the city.  I just wish I knew who this man was!

"Good." the man said.  "The hallucinations are right on time.  It won't be long now."  He caught her last stray thought and smiled.

"Who am I?"  he asked.

"I'm your murderer."

))^^((#%#))^^((

It was now two weeks since Devina had started at the Collegium, and she anticipated the next week eagerly.  She had found out that she had to take some mathematics last week, and had been quite pleased.  When she'd gone to school as a child, mathematics had been her best class.

Her favorite class though, by far, was Weapons training.  It was hard, and she often went back to her room bruised and battered, but she loved every minute of it.  Kerowyn often commented that Devina seemed to have an uncharacteristically happy nature.

So far, Cy was the only one Devina had told or had guessed her secret.  The teachers gave the excuse that she and he Companion had a very tenuous bond, and needed private Equation training.  Devina of course, did not have a Companion, but instead got more training in her empathy from Talia.

Today was a rest day, and Devina Cy, and Jemmie were taking full advantage of it, deciding to have a picnic in Companion's Field.

Devina smiled as she listened to her friend's banter.  Cy and Jemmie had hit it off right away when Devina had introduced them, and now the three were nearly inseparable. 

Just then, on the edge of her Empathic range, she Felt something.  She Reached, and found a little knot of negative emotions.  She was about to reach out to the person, when she Felt Talia's prescence near the person.  She pulled back and sighed.  She was hoping she might help someone soon.

Cy glanced at her at her sigh.  "Why the long face?"  she asked.

            "Oh…nothing." Devina said, and smiled.  She took a sip of her fruit juice.

Cy giggled with no apparent reason, as usual, and picked up her glass.  Suddenly her eyes went blank and unfocused, and the glass fell from her hands, the juice spilling onto the blanket they had been sitting on, staining the blanket red.

"Time for the show."  Cy whispered, then her eyes rolled up into her head, and her eyelids closed.  Devina reached out and caught Cy's hand, and Cy gripped it tightly, her fingernails leaving impressions in Devina's skin.

"What's wrong?" Jemmie asked in alarm.

"It's her Farsight."  Devina said, teeth clenched from the pain in her hand.  The day after Devina had met Cy, she had had a vision of an injured Herald.  An hour later, a trainee fell of his Companion and broke his collarbone.  Cy's visions always showed something that would happen within an hour, sometimes even something happening at that precise moment.

"It's…Herald Talia, in the Old Palace," Cy said, her brows knit with concentration.  "A boy.  He's crying.  Talia's walking toward the boy, she's reaching out…the knife, can't she see it?…Oh no… she's bleeding.  She fell… oh gods, that man, he hurt her.  She-she's twitching and…"  tears were falling down Cy's face.  Then her eyes snapped open, and her grip on Devina's hand lessened.  She stood, and Nivan trampled out of the trees, followed by…Rolan?

Nivan immediately went to Cy, who threw her arms around her Companion, burying her face in his mane. :Nivan!  I couldn't tell when it will happen!:

:Rolan says it's happening right now.:  Nivan said gently to her.

:No!: Cy said, pulling away and looking her Companion in the eyes.  :I have to help her!:

:Cy, you can't.:  Nivan said, :The one who is killing her is much to powerful for you.  And you'll all have other things to worry about when her shields break.:

"Oh gods," Cy whispered.

Meanwhile, Rolan had run up to Devina.  He seemed distraught and disoriented and snorted and pranced.  Devina Projected calm onto the Companion, and he stopped, his sides shaking, eyes rolling wildly.  Timidly, Devina reached out, and touched the horse lightly.  Immediately a huge amount of information was shoved into her head, and her vision was filled with black sparkles, then her sight cleared, and she suddenly knew everything. 

Talia was dying. There was nothing she could do.  She was in the old palace, and Devina knew the exact location.  She could catch the killer. But then she felt an inexorable pull, calling her into the heart of Companion's Field, and she knew that she had to go.

She started running, disregarding the others and everything else.  It was as if she was detached from the world, and from herself as well.  She tripped and started to fall, but strong hands pulled her up.  She turned her head and saw Jemmie, running as well, a distant look in his eyes.  They ran together, time not seeming to matter.  Then they were at the Grove, the heart of Companion's Field.  And it was then that Talia's shields collapsed.

))^^((#%#))^^((

Dirk had just sat down on the couch in the quarters he and Talia shared with Jemmie when he Felt a sudden pain in his chest. He put a hand on his chest, his face contorting in pain.  Then he Felt a sudden rush of love, the likes of which he had never felt, since, since…

"Talia!" he said through his pain, both physical and emotional.  He knew in his heart of hearts that she was dying, but his mind didn't want to accept that Talia, his lifebonded, his greatest love, was dying, and he could do nothing. 

"Talia!" he cried out again, then fell to the floor on his hands and knees as the wave of emotions caused by Talia's collapsing shields hit him.  He Reached out to Ahrhodie, and found that she was just as upset as he was.  He Sent waves of calm toward his Companion, and as his heart slowly cracked, he waited for the end to come. 

))^^((#%#))^^((

The wave of emotion hit everyone in the Palace complex.  Heralds all over Haven dropped where they stood, immobilized by the force of the pain, fear, and sorrow.  And others with no Gifts fared no better.  Court ladies fainted,  the strongest men leaned against the stones of the Palace for support.  No one was spared.

For Devina, it was like she was drowning.  When it hit her, she fell to knees instantly, her palms pressed against her temples.  Her shields, still not yet fully steady, broke on impact, and she could suddenly feel everyone, everything, all at once.  She couldn't find herself in the maelstrom of emotions and thoughts.  She felt Talia's pain anew through others, and so felt it twice as badly.  Everyone was hurt, everyone was in pain, everyone was suffering, and she just… she just wanted it to stop.  Needed it to stop. She could feel the fire starting to burn, starting to rise to the surface, and she struggled to keep it within her, to keep herself.  No!  I can't let it happen again!  But she was losing it, losing everything, she couldn't hold on-

:Yes you can.:  Said a voice.  Suddenly it was only Devina again, and she raised herself shakily.  Bright light caught her eye, and she looked up, but quickly turned away, for the light coming from the grove was a blinding white.  She kept her eyes shut until she saw the light against her eyelids lessen, then she opened them.  She could see a shining white figure walking towards her.  With every step the glowing entity solidified until a silvery Companion stood before her.  The stallion was huge; the only Companion she had seen that size had… been…Rolan.

Devina's chin wavered, and she looked down at the grass.  "No, not me!"  she cried as she avoided the Companion's eyes.  "You can't want me!  I can't!  It's too much!  Please!"  A huge sob choked her throat.  :I can't be Queen's Own.:  she whispered mentally.

:Yes, you can.:  The voice said again, his voice gentle, but laced with steely tones.  Devina looked up in surprise, and then found herself drowning again, this time in a deep sea of sapphire.  But this time she remained herself, and she had no fear.  :My name is Taliesin.:  he said.  :And I Choose you.: 

))^^((#%#))^^((

Jemmie was not having any better a time of it.  He could feel his own mother dying in agony.  He stood as if frozen, tears coursing down his cheeks, his lip bleeding where he had bitten through it.  My mother is dying, he thought over and over again.  Then he realized that his father, lifebonded to his mother, would probably die too.  No! he thought, and started to lurch in the direction of the Palace.  I can't lose them both!  But at the same time, the coldly logical part of his brain whispered If you keep him alive, he will be miserable for the rest of his life.  When your lifebonded dies, it's like a hole inside yourself that threatened every day to swallow you whole.  Keren almost died because of it.  She only lived because she had Sherril.  Dirk has no one else.

A fresh batch of hot salt tears fell down Jemmie's face.  It was selfish, to want your father to live in such misery.  But shouldn't every child be allowed to be a little selfish about their parents?  And he could never get to his mother in time, but his father could be helped.  He wanted to run to his family's quarters, grab his father and tell him, "Live! Live! Live for me."  But if he did save his father, if he kept him here, what would there be for him.  Soon Jemmie would be an adult, and though he would make promises and set dates, chances were that he would forget about his father.  If he let Dirk go, he would go to the Havens.  He would be with Talia, and with their friend Kris they had known so long ago.  He would be happy.

Jemmie's brain continued to come up with pros and cons, but in his heart he had already made up his mind.  He would be selfless.  He would let his father go to the Havens, instead of cursing him to a lifetime of torment.  He would let his father die.

:You made the merciful choice.:  said a voice behind him.  :And now I must make my own choice.:  Jemmie turned to see a young Companion mare.  He knew this one.  It was one of Ahrhodie and Rolan's children.  Her mane and tail were unusually long, and they looked like spun silver.  Then he looked into her eyes, and as he seemed to fall into them, he saw that they were a sapphire so dark they looked violet.  :My name is Eris,: she said. :And I Choose you.:    

))^^((#%#))^^((

Devina didn't know how long she fell into Taliesin's sapphire eyes, but all too soon she was back in her own body.

:Devina.: Taliesin said.  :We have a job to do.  We have to shield Talia and Rolan.  They are not long for this world, and they could take the entire Palace Complex with them when they die.  Can you do it?:

:I'll try, but-:

:I'm sorry, heart sister, but there is not time to answer your questions.  I will answer any questions you have after this is over, but for now we have only time to act.:  He tossed his head.  :You were taught how to build shields, were you not?  There is still power left from when I entered this world.  Use it to build a shield around Talia.  I will deal with Rolan.  I'll have to drop the shield I've put around you, but I won't let you go.:

:I'm not sure I can do it.:  Devina said.

:Dearest, you are the only one.:  Taliesin said, sadness and regret tingeing his mindvoice. 

Devina swallowed.  :Then I'll do the best I can.:  She closed her eyes and forced herself to take deep breaths, putting herself into a trance.  Then she built her shields around herself, beneath the one Taliesin had built.  She built them strong, and built many of them.

:Are you ready?:  Taliesin asked, his voice sounding slightly distant.  Devina Sent her assent, and within a breath the shield Taliesin had built had dropped.  Devina felt only the barest whispers of the thoughts of others, and mentally congratulated herself on her shields.  Then she sobered, and sent her awareness out.  Suddenly she stopped, as if pulled back by a leash.  The shields are holding me back,  she thought, not without a certain amount of fear.  With trepidation, she lowered her shields until the thoughts around her were a dull roar.  She was able to go farther, but she still couldn't get to where she knew Talia was.  She grimaced inwardly, and dropped her shields altogether. 

At first she was disoriented by all the thoughts, then she got her bearings and Reached to the place that stuck out in her mind.  As she reached, she felt a Reaction headache begin, but she ignored it and kept going.  Then she finally sensed Talia, and started to surge forward, but stopped short. 

Talia was not alone.  Devina would have missed the man with Talia if she had not been using her Thoughtsensing as well.  This man had no feelings, and his thoughts were disturbing.

:Not much longer…I wonder why she lingers…her death is inevitable…funny, I've never seen one twitch like that…:

Rage flared up inside her, and she could feel the fire inside her uncurl, malcontent in its heart.  Devina quickly threw a shield around Talia as strong as the one Taliesin had set around her.  Then she turned to the man.  She called upon the fire and it answered her willingly, surrounding the man in a sheet of flame.  For a moment she had a sensation that the fire was impatient, and wanted to know why she held it back, then it passed, and she shook it off.

:Who are you?:  She yelled, anger almost obscuring her words.

:Not that it is of any concern to you,:  he said.  :But my name is Torment.  I am one of the Rewytha.:

:Why did you do this to her?:  she asked.  The man hesitated, and Devina immediately set his hand on fire.  :Answer me or you will lose your hand.:

:I was paid to assassinate the Queen's Own.:  Torment's voice held little inflection.  She let the fire on his hand die.

:By who?:

:I know not.  They used a middle man.  However, I was to leave a message.  I was to leave it on the Herald's corpse, but I will tell it to you.:  The man sent a twisted smile.  :The Li'Kathao are coming.  They cannot be stopped.  They will sweep this land and leave only embers and dust.  You have been warned.  The Li'Kathao are coming.:

It was then that Talia died. 

It was almost as if someone had flipped a switch.  One minute she was there, and the next…she was gone.

Devina couldn't think.  Talia, her teacher, the one who'd helped her so much, was…gone.  The shield she had made collapsed like broken glass around the Herald's still form. The fire around the man sputtered and died.

She's…dead, she thought numbly.  Suddenly a million horrible images were shoved into her head.  She screamed in horror and returned to her own body. 

"No!"  she screamed, tears running down her face.  She turned, and saw Jemmie staring at her.  "She's dead." She said, sorrow contorting her face.  She took a step toward him, then her skull seemed to split open.  Her brain took it for a moment, then it shut down.  Her eyes rolled up into her head and she collapsed.

In the silence that followed, the Death Bell began to ring.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Hides behind computer* 

Please don't hurt me! I had to do it!  I'm sorry, I really didn't want to!

Sigh.

Reader Response

cat:  I will, oh faithful reader!

Aristel:  I'm so glad everyone likes Cy!  I hope I didn't keep you in suspense for tooo long…

Herald Mistylenna:  I just really appreciate that people review my stuff.  And I'm sorry I took so long again.  I just couldn't find a place to end the chapter.

LeopardDance:  I think the one will be enough.  And look!  More plot twists!

Fireblade:  I'm glad you're enjoying it!  I am a slight pyro myself.  Fire pretty, tree, uh…

lazy dragon(AKA RonethDragon Tiamat):  Definitely not as long as the last time… I think.  And Cy is cool.  I like ForeSight.

Kalyra Shadowdancer:  That's funny, cause I do too!

Owleyes:  *Blink blink*  ookay Linda…

Tsukinoko: They're uh…special.

Dream Keeper:  Okay, if you didn't get it, never mind.  Just think of the reputations that Heralds have.  In regards to…ahem…intimate relations?

Cerulean Sky:  I'm not telling,  you just found out, I'm not telling.  Does that answer your questions?

Firedance Swiftknife:  I'm glad I have someone on my side.

Oh, and since I'm sure some of you were wondering, this is after the Mage Winds and after the Mage Storms.  Actually, this takes place around the time of the second book in the Owl series.  Owlsight, I believe.

See you next update! (Which will be much sooner than this one was!)