The Heralds were very like the Kal'enedral in another way; for as each had his Companion, so each Kal'enedral had his leshya'e Kal'enedral, the spirit-teacher that drilled him in weaponry and guided his steps on the Star-Eyed's road.
And the Heralds themselves were blissfully unaware of the fact.
If they didn't know-and the Companions chose not to tell them-he was not inclined to let the secret slip. 'It is not wise to dispute the decisions of the Powers,' he thought, wryly quoting a Shin'a'in proverb. 'They have more ways of enforcement than you have of escape.' The decision to set Elspeth on a predetermined path was probably less a 'decision' than a 'plan.' Another Shin'a'in proverb: 'Plans are always subject to change.' He found himself making a decision of his own; when all this was settled, he would teach her himself. He would find a teaching- Adept, perhaps in another Clan, like k'treva, and as he relearned, he would teach her. He had the feeling that she respected what he had done, and she would continue to respect him for going back to pick up where he had left off.
Besides, as Tayledras had learned in the past, those who were in the process of learning often discovered new ways and skills, just by being unaware that it 'couldn't be done.' Perhaps they would discover something together.
But that was for the future; now there was a rescue to be staged.
'We have decided,' he said, as Skif reclaimed his boulder, and Nyara seated herself near it. Not quite at his feet, but very close. Darkwind suppressed a last fading twinge of jealousy. 'We think we have a plan that will work.'
'It's going to need a lot of coordination, though,' Elspeth added.
'It's going to involve more than just us. Skif, can you get Cymry listening in on this? I just called Gwena.'
'Cymry?' he responded, sounding confused. 'Uh-sure-'
'They don't need to be with us to be in on conferences,' Elspeth said in an undertone to Darkwind. 'The Herald-Companion link is even closer than a lifebond in many ways; no matter how weak your Gift of Mindspeech is, your Companion can always hear you, and, if you choose, listen to what you hear.'
'And right now they need very badly to be eating,' he supplied.
'Indeed, the dyheli are so, after a long, hard run'.
He felt her smile, though he could not see it. 'Why don't you start, Darkwind, since this was your idea.'
'What of me?' Nyara asked in a small voice. 'Should I-'
'You are going to be inside the Vale by midmorning,' Darkwind told her. 'I am going to tell Iceshadow something of your past, and put you in his custody, asking him to keep you always within the shields of the apprentice's working place, where my father is. If your father can break the Vale shields and the working-shields, he is merely toying with us, and anything we do is trivial against him- I am going to ask you to answer all of Iceshadow's questions about my father's captivity, no matter how painful they are to you.'
'Why?' she asked, huddling a little smaller.
'Because you will be helping Iceshadow determine what was done to him, and so break the bonds Falconsbane placed upon him,' Darkwind told her, letting the tone of his voice inform her that he would grant her no more mercy than he granted himself. 'That much, at the least, you owe him.' Skif made a little movement, as if he wanted to leap up and challenge Darkwind, but wisely kept himself under control.
'I will then summon the nonhumans that Dawnfire worked with,' he continued. 'They will help be our diversion; tervardi and dyheli, they will concentrate on a place where you, Heralds, will be. In the neutral area, as if you had passed across Tayledras lands and were going westward.
It will look to Falconsbane as if you have summoned them, and he will assume it is through your sword, Elspeth.' Elspeth took up the explanation where he paused. 'All he can tell is that it's magic, Skif. That's probably why those things were chasing us across the Plains. He wants it, and he hasn't got a clue that he can't use it.))
'oh, he could try, I suppose,' the sword said dryly. 'But he doesn't know I'm in here. It's quite likely that it would be impossible for him to make any real use of me without destroying me.'
'I suspect he will decide that it is one of the ancient devices used to control the nonhumans in warfare.' Darkwind rubbed the bridge of his nose. 'I can tell you that if he thinks that, he will be mad to have it.
And he will be equally determined after his last failure that he Will not leave the task in the hands of others.'
'So he'll come in person,' Skif stated, and he was plainly not pleased with the idea. 'Where does that leave us?'
