Disclaimer: I do not own these characters – they belong to Trudi Canavan.

Foreboding

It had been another dreadful day. Lorlen was beginning to think that every day would be dreadful from now on. It had started when news of Rothen's return had been brought to him. Lorlen and the Heads of the Disciplines, who had also been summoned by the Healers, were shocked as they saw him lifted from the cart and taken inside. He was in great pain, and looked terrible, the makeshift bandages soaked with blood and the rough splints drawing attention to his other injuries.

It was some time before Lorlen and the others were allowed to see him. By then, Rothen had been Healed and looked much better, although still worn and tired. As he told them, falteringly, of the fate of Yikmo and his Warriors, he became more and more distressed, often stopping to wipe tears from his eyes. When he finished, Balkan looked grim. All those Warriors wiped out, a real loss to the Guild's defences and one from which they would not easily recover. Above all, the loss of Yikmo, a superb tactician and highly skilled Warrior, was a severe blow.

Later, seated around the table in the Administrator's office, Lorlen, Balkan, Vinara and Sarrin silently considered the implications of Rothen's news. The more they thought about it, the more they felt disheartened.

"I can't believe that Yikmo was defeated so easily," Balkan said. "The work we are organising improving the defences around the city is wasted effort if they can blast buildings to dust in a few seconds. So much power! There can be no doubt now that the images from the Fort were utterly true and have not been misinterpreted."

"No word from Akkarin, Lorlen?" asked Vinara.

"No," he replied, "We have continued to call but there has been no response. I am beginning to think that perhaps he has been captured, or worse."

As soon as he spoke those words, Lorlen began to feel that they were indeed the truth. Akkarin was gone and they were on their own. He felt in his pocket and slipped on the blood ring.

Akkarin?

Akkarin?

For pity's sake, ANSWER ME!

But it was no use. Nor had it been any use the half a dozen other times he had tried earlier. There was no sense of any mind-presence, no indication that anyone would ever answer again. Lorlen made a decision. It was time to tell the others about the blood ring. He slowly reached into his pocket again, but this time pulled the ring all the way out and placed it on the table.

Sarrin, who had spent the last few days studying the black magic books, looked at it strangely for a moment, before turning his gaze on Lorlen's face.

"I have had another means of communicating with Akkarin, through this ring," Lorlen admitted. "It is a thing of black magic, but it allows the maker and the wearer to talk to each other without being overheard by anyone else. I have been trying to contact Akkarin through it for several days now. I have no sense that he can hear me and this also makes me think he is gone."

The others looked horrified at Lorlen's confession. Balkan picked up the ring and examined it closely. It looked like an ordinary silver ring, set with a red stone, quite innocent, so it was difficult to believe it an evil artefact of black magic.

"Did you get it from Akkarin?" Balkan asked.

Lorlen nodded, hoping that no one would ask how long he had had it. "I didn't tell you because I thought it might be useful to have another means of contacting Akkarin if the need arose without others listening in. I believe that he can tell when I put it on and so would be able to answer me. I have tried several times, as I said, but he has not answered."

Sarrin took the ring from Balkan, "I have been reading about these things, they are made from the blood of the wearer and are called blood gems. They used to be quite common in the days when black magic was practised in the Guild. I read that the maker can sense all the thoughts of the wearer as well as hear conversations the wearer might be having. Is this true, Lorlen?"

"I think the maker can sense surface thoughts, but no deeper than that. I am not sure about hearing conversations," Lorlen lied. He was beginning to have second thoughts about revealing the existence of the blood ring. Perhaps if they think it merely a means of communicating, I may keep it, he thought.

Balkan glanced quickly at everyone around the table and then said, "I don't think you should wear the ring again, Lorlen. We don't know enough about what Akkarin might be able to do with the link between you. He may discover things the Guild may wish to keep secret. You may inadvertently give him knowledge of some decision, which could disadvantage us. And, of course, we are still not completely sure Akkarin told the entire truth at the Hearing. He may still have another purpose which we have not discovered yet. I do not think he should be privy to any more information about the Guild and its actions."

"You can't destroy it, Balkan, we may need it – it may be our only way of getting in touch with Akkarin." Lorlen was anxious to preserve the ring and afraid of what Balkan might do.

Balkan gave Lorlen a shrewd look and was silent for a moment. "Yes, I can see that there may come a time when it would be helpful to contact Akkarin, if he survives. However, you should not have access to it without the rest of us knowing about it. We must choose a hiding place for the ring, known only to us four, and you must swear an oath that you will not use it unless we are present."

The others nodded their agreement and after a second or two, Lorlen nodded as well. At least the ring is not to be destroyed, he thought. There may be an opportunity to use it again.

A hiding place in the Magician's Library had been agreed and Lorlen duly swore the oath the others insisted on. Balkan took the ring away, leaving Lorlen feeling strangely naked without it. Somehow, he had felt the link the ring provided some form of security and reassurance. Now it was gone and Lorlen felt completely alone. That's really stupid, he thought. Akkarin has not answered you for days – where's the reassurance in that? Quite the contrary, in fact!

Lorlen got out the bottle of wine and poured a large glass of Anuran Dark, there was not much left now and for a moment he forgot. I will have to get more in or the next time Akkarin comes for a chat…. Then he remembered, Akkarin was gone.