Magic's Promise

'You know, I haven't been back in - ye gods, not since I checked you all for Mage-Gift! My Familial Visitation is more than overdue.'

'But - you're a Guardian - ' Hope rose in him. If only Savil would be there, he'd have one kindred soul in the lions' den! He had no doubt she was more than up to the trip; he could feel her strength even as he leaned on it.

'Won't take me but a day to set my focus in the Web and then I can Guard from Forst Reach as easily as from here. It's only a matter of Sensing threat and sending the alert, you know. It's not as if I actually had to fight anything. And it's only because I need to keep that little corner of my mind tuned to the Web waking and sleeping that I don't have a protege - ten years ago I could have done what Jays is doing; Guard and teach three.' She nodded. 'This is no bad notion. Provided you don't mind having me there-'

“Mind?” He seized her hand and kissed it.

'Then expect me in about - oh, two weeks after you arrive. It'll take Kellan a little longer to make the trip than you youngsters.'

'Savil, if you only knew how grateful I am - '

'Pish. I'm selfish, is what I am.' A smile started to twitch at the corners of her mouth. 'We can guard each other's backs this way. I'm counting on you to save me from Withen as much as you are counting on me to save you.'

He rose and kissed her forehead. 'I don't care what you say, it's the most generous, unselfish thing anyone's done for me in a year. And you just may save this visit from becoming the legend of how Herald Vanyel went berserk and left his entire family tied to trees with rags stuffed in their mouths! About what time is it? I'm all turned round about from being so far south.'

She checked the angle of the sun coming in her window. 'I'd guess just after Court.'

'Good; I have to catch Randale and Shavri and say

good-bye. He promised if I didn't come when he was being 'official' he wouldn't find something for me to do.'

'Then off with you, ke'chara, and I'll see you at Forst Reach-and thank you for thinking of me,' she finished, touching the stone on the table beside her.

“Because you think of me, love.'' He kissed her cheek, then her forehead again, and left her suite.

He stopped first at his room to change back into a set of Tran's Whites and put on the soft, low boots Heralds wore indoors; not as comfortable as going barefoot, but they beat the riding boots hands down. And if he didn't change, he might not be let into the King's quarters - every time he came back, it seemed fewer folk knew his face.

That accomplished, and now every inch his usual neat self, he headed down to the oldest part of the Palace, the extensive set of rooms shared by King Randale; his lifebonded and King's Own, Shavri; and their daughter.

He had scarcely crossed the threshold of the sparsely furnished audience chamber-his unfamiliar face giving a moment's apprehension to the two Guards posted at the door-when a six-year-old, curly-headed, miniature whirlwind burst through the farther door and flung herself across the audience chamber at him, evidently blithely certain he would catch her before she fell.

Which he did, and swung her around, up and over his head while she squealed with excitement and delight. 'Uncle Van!' she crowed at the top of her lungs. 'UncleVanUncleVanUncleVan!'

He started to put her down, but she demanded a hug and a kiss with the same infectious charm her 'father' Randale could display whenever he chose. Vanyel hoisted her into a comfortable carrying position and complied without an argument, thinking as he did so that it was a good thing that she was still so tiny.

'Now how did you know I was coming?' he asked her, as her bright brown eyes looked solemnly down into his.

'Felt you,' she said, giving him another hug. 'Felt you in my head, all blue - glowy and swirly.'

He nearly dropped her in shock. That was surely the most vivid-and accurate-description of his aura he'd ever heard out of anyone but another high - ranking Herald-Mage.

'Or a Healer,' said Shavri, coming up beside him as he gaped at the child, and Jisa giggled at the face he was making. 'Healers see you that way, too, Van. And no, I wasn't eavesdropping on your thoughts-they were plain enough from that poleaxed look on your face.' There was strain and fear under Shavri's light tone, as if she walked a narrow bridge above a bottomless chasm. “Besides, you aren't the only one she's 'felt in her head' during the last three months. Let's start this greeting over; hello, Van, have you a hug for me?'

'Always.' He was already bracing himself for trouble; with that look on her face