Voice of the Gods

attacking them now?”

“Auraya’s resignation? Are they blaming Dreamweavers for that?”

“I doubt it.” He looked at her closely. “I can see no connection, though that doesn’t mean others won’t. Have you seen any in people’s minds?”

She frowned. “I should confront the next crowd of protesters at the hospice and try a bit of mind- reading.”

“Yes, but that won’t necessarily help you understand your adversary. You need to read the mind of those inciting the protests, or planning to murder a Dreamweaver. Since the mind-reading abilities of the White are well known, I doubt the people you want to find are going to be at a protest.”

“So how can I find them?”

“They must visit the area around the hospice from time to time, or send someone else to scout the area and select victims. If you were there, watching, concealed from sight, you might catch them at it.”

She nodded slowly. “Yes. Though... it will be time-consuming.” She sighed. “I wish ordinary priests and priestesses could read minds. We’d find our murderers and conspirators faster if more of us were looking.”

“If mind-reading was a Gift that priests and priestesses could possess, it would also be a Gift non-Circlians could have - and use for great evil.”

She looked at him appraisingly. “Yes. You’re right. Any other advice?”

He nodded. “There is a man in Jarime’s prison who murdered a Dreamweaver a month ago. I believe Dyara read his mind to confirm his guilt. If you read his mind you may learn to recognize the mind of a killer more easily from among the general populace.”

Her eyes widened. “Read a murderer? I... I hadn’t thought of that.”

“Would you like me to come with you?” he offered.

“Do you want to? It could be unpleasant.”

He shrugged. “I once accompanied Auraya on a similar visit.”

Ella’s eyebrows rose. “Why did Auraya visit the prison?”

“A Dreamweaver was accused of manipulating someone’s dreams.” Ella watched him unblinkingly as he explained. Bemused by the sudden intensity of her interest, he considered and dismissed the possibility that it was the Dreamweaver’s story that aroused such interest. No, he thought, she’s curious about Auraya. “She found him innocent,” he added.

She straightened abruptly, her manner suddenly composed.

“Could you arrange for me to visit this murderer?” she asked.

“Of course,” he said. “Would you like me to do that now?”

“Yes.” She nodded, then rose to her feet and rubbed her hands together. Standing up, he followed her to the door. “What time would be suitable for you?”

She considered. “Tomorrow morning?”

“I will see what I can do.” He made the sign of the circle. “Good day, Ellareen of the White.”

He stepped outside and started down the stairs. As he descended he considered Ella’s interest in Auraya. There had been more than curiosity in her manner.

Perhaps jealousy, he thought. But what does she have to envy? She has everything that Auraya had... except the ability to fly. He smiled, remembering her obvious discomfort at the view from the Tower window. I doubt she covets that.

If it wasn’t jealousy, what was it? She had been frowning. Surely it had not been disapproval. What reason did she have to disapprove of Auraya?

He shook his head. Now I’m reading too much into her manner. If I start thinking in that direction I’ll end up like the city gossips, believing every rumor of scandal in regard to Auraya.

Ellareen was merely curious about her predecessor, that was all.

“That’s it?”

Auraya stared at Jade in disbelief. The woman smiled, her green eyes glittering with amusement.

“What did you expect?”

“I thought you would teach it the same way Mirar taught me to heal - through a mind link.”

Jade laughed. “If only that were possible. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to see into a shielded mind, so I can’t show you what I do to shield mine.”

“So I’ve just got to work it out for myself? I don’t need anyone’s help?” Auraya frowned. “Then why am I here?”

“You need someone able to sense your thoughts to tell you if they’re hidden or not.”

Auraya nodded. “But you can only read my mind while mind-skimming. Are you planning to spend the entire time in a dream trance?”

“All immortals can sense emotions,” Jade told her. “When I can no longer sense your emotions, I’ll attempt to skim your mind.”

This was a new and interesting piece of information. Mirar must be able to sense emotions, too. He hadn’t been able to sense hers when she was a White, but he would be able to now. And she couldn’t read his mind any more.

How the tables have turned, she mused. It’s just as well he isn’t here.

“As I said,” Jade continued, “imagine drawing a veil across your mind. You can see out but nobody can see in.”

Auraya tried. She pictured the veil over and over, even pictured a heavy sack over her head, but no matter what she did Jade could still sense her emotions.

Soon she was feeling such strong frustration she knew even a Giftless mortal would have detected it. The hours dragged past. Eventually Jade sighed and put down the basket she was weaving.

“That’s enough for tonight. It is late. Get some sleep.”

Auraya smothered a smile at the woman’s dismissive manner. She lay on her bed and listened as Jade walked to the back of the cave and began rustling among the supplies.

For a while she lay there, worrying. Tyve had told her that the priests in the Open had tried and failed to contact her through her priest ring. She had explained that hers was not working properly, though she didn’t tell him that the void was the cause.

I have to hope that none of the White try to contact me, she thought. The sooner I can leave here the better.

So... a veil over my mind, she thought. Sleep is sometimes described like that. So is it like falling asleep? She closed her eyes and let her thoughts wander. Slowly she relaxed and felt the tension of striving with her mind fade away. I’m more tired than I thought I was. It’s so good just letting my mind rest.

:Auraya.

The voice tugged her reluctantly back toward consciousness. For a moment she felt only annoyance, then she realized she knew the voice.

:Mirar?

There was a pause.

:How are you faring?

:You’re dream-linking... how is that possible? My priest ring doesn’t work in the void.

:I don’t know, but I guess the ring must require unbroken magic between itself and another. Or perhaps the ring relies on a link to the gods to work.

:So dream-linking and mind-skimming don’t require unbroken magic?

:No. So, how are you faring?

:If you mean at shielding my mind, then not well at all. I don’t know how I’m supposed to just stumble upon it by myself in a few days. She felt the frustration of the day shift into anger. Do you realize the risk you’ve forced me to take? The position you’ve put me in? The gods allowed me