intrigued.
“Well, first you pick out the people who are good. That part’s pretty easy. Then you pick out the ones who work, even though they’re already good. And then you look for someone who really wants to be the best.”
“Oh? And what do you want to be best at?”
Barthelmy tossed her head, sending witchlocks of black hair flying in all directions. “I’m a demon-friend,” she said defiantly. “And someday I’m going to go to Varna and make them let every one of their sklathran’sy go free.”
Kayl laughed in spite of herself. “All by yourself?”
“Of course not. I’m not stupid !” Barthelmy said. “That’s why I need to be part of the best Star in the whole Sisterhood.” She looked at Kayl anxiously. “Well? Will you at least come meet Varevice?”
Kayl hesitated, then nodded. She felt warmed by Barthelmy’s interest, and it couldn’t hurt to go along with her now. It would be two years before any of them were assigned to permanent Stars.
“Good!” Barthelmy said. She linked elbows with Kayl and did a little skip-kick as they started walking. “Now all we have to do is find the best healer, and we have our Star!”
Kayl sat beside the narrow window, grinning broadly and swirling the wine in her cup as she watched the others. All four of their tiny lamps were burning scented oil tonight in celebration.
“We did it!” Barthelmy crowed, raising her cup high.
“You’ve said that at least eight times since Mother Anaya told us we could be a Star,” Varevice pointed out, but she raised her own cup to join the salute.
“Well, I haven’t tired of hearing it yet,” Kayl said, joining them. “Come on, Evla, you too!”
Evla rose. Her slanted green eyes narrowed in amusement as she raised her cup. “How could I not? Someone must uphold the quality of our Star Cluster, and I would not leave that task to you humans!”
Kayl laughed with the others. Evla had faultlessly imitated the aloof and occasionally superior tone adopted by many Shee when speaking with the human inhabitants of Lyra.
“To the best Star in the Sisterhood!” Barthelmy said, and drained her cup.
“To the success of two years of hard work,” Varevice said with satisfaction as she followed suit.
“To the friendship that brought us together, and the work that will keep us so,” Evla said softly, and sipped at her wine.
“To all of us,” Kayl said. She looked at their familiar faces and felt a lump rise in her throat. “To all of you. My family.” She held her cup aloft a moment more, then drained it dry.
“You’ve made quite a name for yourselves in the last three years,” Mother Anaya said. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you, Your Wisdom,” Evla said for all of them.
“Normally we wouldn’t ask you to go out again so soon, but this is… rather special.” She paused. “You do have a choice.”
“Special in what way?” Kayl asked. She was their strategist and warrior, as Evla was healer and Varevice sorceress.
Mother Anaya’s mouth wrinkled in distaste. “For one thing, there will be several Varnans traveling with you.”
“Varnans!” Barthelmy said angrily. “But—”
“I know, child, but there’s no help for it,” Mother Anaya said. She sighed and sat back. “There’s something odd going on in the Windhome Mountains. Varna still lays claim to parts of that area; if we send a Star to investigate without their permission, we run the risk of starting a second Wizard’s War.”
“What sort of goings-on require the attention of a Star so urgently?” Varevice asked quietly.
“Magic. Something old, powerful, and very well hidden. The Elder Mothers discovered it by accident; some kind of echo effect in one of their spells.”
Varevice looked intrigued, but she had sense enough not to ask for the details and the theory of the spell immediately. Mother Anaya glanced at her sharply, then went on, “If it’s as powerful as the Elder Mothers think, I don’t have to tell you
“Well, first you pick out the people who are good. That part’s pretty easy. Then you pick out the ones who work, even though they’re already good. And then you look for someone who really wants to be the best.”
“Oh? And what do you want to be best at?”
Barthelmy tossed her head, sending witchlocks of black hair flying in all directions. “I’m a demon-friend,” she said defiantly. “And someday I’m going to go to Varna and make them let every one of their sklathran’sy go free.”
Kayl laughed in spite of herself. “All by yourself?”
“Of course not. I’m not stupid !” Barthelmy said. “That’s why I need to be part of the best Star in the whole Sisterhood.” She looked at Kayl anxiously. “Well? Will you at least come meet Varevice?”
Kayl hesitated, then nodded. She felt warmed by Barthelmy’s interest, and it couldn’t hurt to go along with her now. It would be two years before any of them were assigned to permanent Stars.
“Good!” Barthelmy said. She linked elbows with Kayl and did a little skip-kick as they started walking. “Now all we have to do is find the best healer, and we have our Star!”
Kayl sat beside the narrow window, grinning broadly and swirling the wine in her cup as she watched the others. All four of their tiny lamps were burning scented oil tonight in celebration.
“We did it!” Barthelmy crowed, raising her cup high.
“You’ve said that at least eight times since Mother Anaya told us we could be a Star,” Varevice pointed out, but she raised her own cup to join the salute.
“Well, I haven’t tired of hearing it yet,” Kayl said, joining them. “Come on, Evla, you too!”
Evla rose. Her slanted green eyes narrowed in amusement as she raised her cup. “How could I not? Someone must uphold the quality of our Star Cluster, and I would not leave that task to you humans!”
Kayl laughed with the others. Evla had faultlessly imitated the aloof and occasionally superior tone adopted by many Shee when speaking with the human inhabitants of Lyra.
“To the best Star in the Sisterhood!” Barthelmy said, and drained her cup.
“To the success of two years of hard work,” Varevice said with satisfaction as she followed suit.
“To the friendship that brought us together, and the work that will keep us so,” Evla said softly, and sipped at her wine.
“To all of us,” Kayl said. She looked at their familiar faces and felt a lump rise in her throat. “To all of you. My family.” She held her cup aloft a moment more, then drained it dry.
“You’ve made quite a name for yourselves in the last three years,” Mother Anaya said. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you, Your Wisdom,” Evla said for all of them.
“Normally we wouldn’t ask you to go out again so soon, but this is… rather special.” She paused. “You do have a choice.”
“Special in what way?” Kayl asked. She was their strategist and warrior, as Evla was healer and Varevice sorceress.
Mother Anaya’s mouth wrinkled in distaste. “For one thing, there will be several Varnans traveling with you.”
“Varnans!” Barthelmy said angrily. “But—”
“I know, child, but there’s no help for it,” Mother Anaya said. She sighed and sat back. “There’s something odd going on in the Windhome Mountains. Varna still lays claim to parts of that area; if we send a Star to investigate without their permission, we run the risk of starting a second Wizard’s War.”
“What sort of goings-on require the attention of a Star so urgently?” Varevice asked quietly.
“Magic. Something old, powerful, and very well hidden. The Elder Mothers discovered it by accident; some kind of echo effect in one of their spells.”
Varevice looked intrigued, but she had sense enough not to ask for the details and the theory of the spell immediately. Mother Anaya glanced at her sharply, then went on, “If it’s as powerful as the Elder Mothers think, I don’t have to tell you
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