Rinnie tugged at his sleeve. aI think Gura is enough to scare off anyonea"you know how he is with strangers. And how often do people come here?a Lehr clenched his jaw. aI havenat seen Jes this morning,a he said.

aHe spent the night in the woods,a Seraph replied. aI expect heall be back this evening. If you see him, you might tell him Iam baking bread today.a aHeall be home then for sure,a said Rinnie. Shead already collected cheese and crackers in a cloth and was busy tying it together. aCome on, Lehr. If we donat get out soon, the fish wonat bite.a His resolve broke. He kissed Seraph on the forehead, grabbed his sisteras arm, and made for the barn, where they stored the fishing gear.

Seraph smiled after them and turned back to wash up after breakfast and begin mixing dough for bread.

aArenat we going to the river?a asked Rinnie, lifting her skirts to scramble up a rise behind Lehr. It wasnat often that she got to join in on fishing expeditions. Usually it was just Lehr, or sometimes Lehr and Jes. When she went, she had to go with Papa and Mother.

aNot first. I thought wead try the creek. Jes showed me a good place where he says the trout like to sun. I havenat tried it yet, buta"a aBut if Jes says itas good, weare sure to catch something,a replied Rinnie happily.

The soft leather sole of her shoe skidded on a rock, and Lehr turned and caught her shoulder to steady her before she fell.

aBe a little more careful,a Lehr said sternly. aThe rocks are still wet with snow runoff here. I donat want to bring you back with too much damage.a Rinnie made a face at him behind his back then paid strict attention to her feet so he wouldnat have to help her again. He wasnat a bad older brothera"if head just quit trying to be Papa.

Rinnie watched her brotheras back as he navigated the zigzag route through old downed trees. Hard muscle filled last yearas shirt and stretched the shoulders taut. Head need a new shirt soon. She sighed; she knew who would get to sew that shirt. Mother could sew, but she didnat like it.

She wondered when theyad meet up with Jes. Shead never gone out in the woods without him that head not come upon her sooner or later. Lehr liked to say it was the most dependable thing about Jes.

Jes worked hard, but he was as apt as not to leave the plow in the middle of the field, horse and all, if the whim took him. He was always worse in the springtime. Papa said it was because the winter snows kept him too confined. By midsummer Jes would cut down his treks to once a seannight or so, rather than every day. Last year at harvest head worked almost the whole time.

Ahead of her, Lehr turned off the deer trail theyad been following and started down the steep side into a ravine and began skidding downhill. About halfway down he had to slow and pick his way through the underbrush that lined most of the lower ground. The branches caught at Rinnieas skirts until she fell some distance behind Lehr, who was already off the slope and starting up the valley. She tried to hurry and ended up with her hair tangled around the thorns of a wild rose.

aWait up,a she called, and began working the errant strand free with impatient jerks that did as much to worsen the mess as to free her.

aWait up?a said an interested male voice from the ridge opposite the one she and Lehr had traveled to get here.

She jerked her gaze up to see Storne, the milleras son, with a couple of the boys he ran with peering down at her. Papa always said that the miller gave Storne too little to do. Leave a young man without a task, and heall make mischief instead, head said.

Then Papaad looked at her and told her to stay away from Storne when he had other boys with him, no matter how polite he was when they met at the mill, for a boy out to impress his friends will do things he wouldnat do on his own. The boys Storne had with him today were no prizes: Olbeck, the stewardas son, and Lukeeth, whose father was one of the wealthier merchants from town.

Rinnie drew the knife out of her belt sheath and cut her hair, stepping out of the bushes. She made no move to leave, because you never run from predators. The knife she kept in her hand as if shead forgotten about it.

aRinnie?a Lehr called impatiently. He must not have heard Storne, whoad spoken no louder than he had to.

aHere,a she called.

She didnat want to start trouble by implying that she was worried about Storne and the boys who watched her so she didnat say anything more, but something in her voice must have alerted Lehr because he came crashing through the trees at a run. His eyes roved over the strands of hair dangling from the rose bush and traveled uphill to Storne and his friends.

aShould have tied your hair up,a he snapped.

Relief gave way to hurt that he would criticize her in front of such an audience.

aWell, if it ainat the little Traveler boy,a said Lukeeth, sloe-eyed and slightly taller than Storne.

aDoes your father know you walked out on your tutor again?a replied Lehr with such mildness that Rinnieas jaw wanted to drop, especially after the nasty way head blamed this on her. Lehr had Motheras quick temper and over the last couple of years, aboya had become an epithet.

aMy tutor wouldnat dare tell him,a Lukeeth laughed. aThen Iad tell Father what the silly ass keeps in his water flask and head be out like the last one. That your little sister? Another Traveleras brat, just like you.a aPretty thing,a said Olbeck casually.

Rinnie began to get really worried. Lehr was tough; her father had taught him a few tricks, and her as well for that matter. But Olbeck was almost a foot taller than Stornea"who was as big as Lehra"and he didnat have that soft look that most of the village boys had. She couldnat read his tone, but it sent the other boys off into laughter that sounded more predatory than happy.

aIad heard youad taken to running with scavengers, Storne,a chided Lehr before turning to the ringleader. aOlbeck, I thought youad decided to stay out of the woods after you ran into Jes that time last fall.a A flush rose in Olbeckas face. Lukeeth snickered but subsided when Olbeck glanced at him.

aPredators, not scavengers,a said Olbeck. aYouare just disappointed that Storne decided head rather hunt with the wolves than graze with sheep like you, Traveleras brat,a he sneered. aAs for your brothera"if Iad realized he was crazy Iad have just slit his throat that day, a mercy killing, like Iad do to any other poor beast.a Until Olbeckas words reminded her, Rinniead almost forgotten that Storne and Lehr had once been best friends. But something had happened several years ago, Lehr wouldnat say what, and head even quit going with Papa to the mill.

aIall tell Jes youad like to meet him again,a said Lehr pleasantly. aIall relay your exact words to him. Iam sure heall be impresseda"since youave never so much as gutted a cow. Rinnie, why donat you go home and let us talk a bit.a aNo, Rinnie,a said Olbeck. He smiled at her, aI think youad better just stay there. The two of us can have a conversation after weave finished . . . conversing with your brother.a Lehr turned to her and whispered, aRun, Rinnie, now. Donat stop until you get home.a Knowing that without her there, the other boys wouldnat be as interested in fighting, she fled back up the hill as fast as she could without looking back, the small knife cold in her fist. Home wasnat so far away. If she could get within hearing distance she could call Gura. Even a grown man would think twice before taking on the big dog.

She heard the dull thud of fist on flesh before she topped the ravine. But she couldnat worry about the fight now because at least one of them had gotten past Lehr and was trailing her up the side of the ridge. She could hear him crashing through the brush like an ox.

When she reached the trail and her footing was more certain she glanced back and saw that it was Olbeck whoad taken up the chase, and she stretched out to run as fast as she ever had.

With Olbeck following her, Lehr had a chance. Storne was the only one of the boys who had enough muscle to give Lehr a real fight. Her brother was tough as an old wolf; head use the rough terrain to his advantage.

The trailas upward slope robbed her legs of speed and her chest of breath, but she didnat dare slow down. Her eyes were focused firmly on the ground in front of her. When someone reached out and snagged her off her feet she thought it was Olbeck.

She kicked him once, before she realized it was Jes and stilled, gasping for breath. He set her down gently, the expression on his face different than shead ever seen it. She didnat have time to understand what the difference was before he stepped in front of her and turned his attention to Olbeck.

aThought I told you stay out of my woods,a said Jes, only it didnat sound like Jes at all. Menace clung to his voice and promise. The familiar singsong softness was gone as if it had never been.

aThese arenat your woods,a said Olbeck, whoad stopped a few lengths down the trail, though he didnat sound intimidated. aMy father is steward for the Sept. If these are anyoneas woods, they are mine.a Safe behind Jes, she couldnat see the expression on his face, but Olbeck blanched.

aRun, boy,a purred Jes. aSee if you can outrun your nightmares.a Rinnie tried to step around Jesas shoulder, but he stepped sideways, keeping her behind him. Showing the whites of his eyes like a spooked horse, Olbeck turned and ran.

aThereare still two fighting Lehr,a Rinnie rasped and then threw up.

It was messy and nasty, as she had to gasp for air between convulsions. Jes gathered her hair out of the way and waited for her to finish.

aRan too fast,a he said. aLehras down that way?a She spat to clear the taste out of her mouth. aYes. Toward the fishing hole you showed him in the creek,a she said. aItas Storne and Lukeeth.a Jes looked at her, and the oddness was still therea"a sharpness she wasnat used to seeing. aAll right, now?a aYes,a she said.

He nodded and took off at a jog. It took her a moment to recover her breath. As soon as she knew she wasnat going to be sick again, she scrambled to her feet and headed down after Jes. Somehow with Jes there she wasnat afraid of the village-boys anymore. She wouldnat have thought that Jes, of all people, could make her feel safe.

Going down the trail was less demanding than her run up it had been. She made it to the place where Lehr had originally left the trail just as Jes was finishing a controlled slide to the bottom.

Rinnie looked down, half-afraid of what shead see. But Lehr was safe. He held Storne in some sort of mysterious wrestling hold, and Lukeeth was lying unconscious nearby with blood running from his nose.

aIs Rinnie all right, Jes?a said Lehr.

aFine,a answered Rinnie for herself. aJes scared Olbeck. From the expression I saw on Olbeckas face I bet he wonat leave his house for a week.a aGood,a grunted Lehr as he held on while Storne struggled with renewed energy. He waited until the other boy was still. aYou drink too much,a Lehr said calmly, aand you think too little. Just because Olbeckas father is the steward doesnat make him invulnerable or someone you should listen toa"youare smarter than that. And to try andaa"he paused and looked at Rinnie for an instant before changing what he was going to say. aYou heard Olbeck. He likes to ahave conversationsa with children now? My sister is ten years old, Storne. You are better than that.a It was strange hearing Lehr lecture someone else besides her or Jes. She could see that Storne felt that quiet voice cut through his skin, too.

Lehr stepped back and let Storne up. The milleras son brushed off his clothes and, with a wary look at Jes, turned to leave.

aArenat you forgetting Lukeeth? If you leave him here he might never find his way out of the forest,a Lehr said.

Storne hefted the other boy across his shoulders without a word, and started up the hill.

aYou take care of your friends, I remember that,a said Lehr softly. aBut the question is, would they have taken care of you? Olbeck left you to us.a Storne spun around, almost overbalancing. aAt least they can keep their tongues from wagging too freely. Unlike some I know.a aYou idiots were going to get yourselves killed,a said Lehr explosively, as if it was something head kept bottled for too long. aSwimming at night is a foolas gamea"and there are things in the rivera"a aThings.a Storne spat on the ground. aSo you went whining to your father who ran to tell mine. Let me tell you something, Traveleras brat. You donat know half what you think you do. Youad better just stay out of my way.a Jes put his hand on Lehras shoulder, but no one said anything until Storne was at the top of the ridge.

aIs that why you arenat friends anymore?a asked Rinnie. aYou told Papa they were going to go swimming in the river at night?a Lehr shrugged. aThat was the excuse. But Storneas friends didnat like that he ran around with a Traveleras brat. He would have dropped me sooner or later.a aStorne traded you for Olbeck?a she said, knowing how much it hurt him. She knew exactly how much it hurt; there were girls in town who wouldnat talk to her because Mother was a Traveler. aHe is stupider than I thought.a aThey are dangerous in a pack,a said Jes. aIf Rinnie had been alone . . .a Lehr gave a jerky nod. aWhen Papa gets back, Iall talk to him about this. Heall know what to do to see that they donat hurt anyone.a He reached up to pat Jesas hand, which was still on his shoulder. aLetas go home,a he said.

Jes released his hold and picked up the fishing rods that lay scattered about on the ground where Lehr had dropped them. aFishingas still good,a he said.

Rinnie looked at him, but the air of danger that had surrounded him was gone, and he looked and sounded as he always did except for a certain lingering crispness to his voice.

Lehr touched his reddened cheekbone tenderly. aI suppose theyall not bother us anymore. Mother will be safe enough with Gura.a He took a close look at Rinnie. aYou look pale.a Rinnie smiled at him and tried to look less pale. aIam fine. Maas counting on a fish for dinner. You always bring one back; she wonat have anything else ready.a So they went down to the creek and fished.

Seraph heaved a sigh of relief. The harness collar that fit Skew had been neglected, but the leather was only very dry, not cracked. If it had cracked theyad have had to wait until Tier got back with Frost before starting the plowing.

She oiled the collar carefully until the leather was butter-supple under her fingers. Then she turned her attention to the harness. She untied the leather strings that kept it together and oiled each piece as she went, carefully organizing the straps on the freshly swept floor of the tack room so she could put the harness back together when she finished. Broken down, the harness looked like random scraps of leather.

The first time she and Tier had taken it apart and oiled it, she thought theyad never get it back together correctly. Even Tier had been all but stumped. A grin pulled at the corners of her mouth when she remembered the look on his face when shead called him in for help. Maybe if he had been the one whoad taken it apart head have stood a better chance. Theyad finally taken Skew out and put the harness back together on him one strap at a time.

From his loose box in the stable, Skew snorted at her. He was frustrated that one of his people was near enough to see, but not near enough to give him the attention that was his due.

aDo you remember the look on the stewardas face that first year when he came and saw the furrows wead plowed?a Not the current steward, but his uncle, who had been a kind man. aNo two lines anywhere near straight. None of us had ever plowed a field before.a The steward had come by the next morning and worked side by side with Tier for the whole day. Head made a point of stopping by now and again throughout the season to lend a hand and dispense a bit of advice.

Skew wickered a soft entreaty at her, so Seraph set down the cropper and wiped her hands off on her skirts before rubbing Skewas face. The dark oil would clean off of her skirts better than it came off of Skewas white patches.

aHow the old steward hated seeing you in that plow harness,a she told the old gelding. aHe offered to buy you from us, did you know? Offered two horses trained for farm work because he thought it disgraceful that a gentleman of your breeding should pull a plow. Tier said that a good soldier hates war, and you were a good soldier so farming would be all right with you.a She rubbed the ridge just in front of Skewas ear and smiled when he tilted his head sideways and closed his eye in pleasure. aYou didnat mind the plow anymore than you minded pulling my wagon, did you?a She smiled again. aTier says the best warhorse is one whoall do what heas asked.a Skew rubbed his head against her, knocking her back a step.

aSo what do you think?a Seraph asked softly. aAm I seeing problems that donat exist? How much of a threat is one misguided priest? If I tell my children what they are, itall change them forever.a aI should have told them a long time ago,a she whispered. aTier told me to. But they deserved a chance at . . . innocence.a She closed her eyes and rested her face against the old horseas neck, breathing in the sweat-straw scent of his skin. aI think itas time, though, old friend.a She stepped away. aThey need to know what they are. I have no right to keep it from them, and the priest is a good excuse.a She nodded her head briskly. aThank you. Your advice is always correct.a She finished the harness, inspected the plow and found no significant damage from its winter in the barn, then returned to the cabin and started shaping her risen dough for loaves, putting some aside for fry bread as an after-dinner treat. Shead just taken the loaf of bread out to cool when Jes, Lehr, and Rinnie came in the door with three fat trout, cleaned and ready to cook.

Seraph took a good long look at the bruise on Lehras face, the rips in Rinnieas clothing and the place where her hair had been hacked short. Only then did she take the fish Lehr held out to her.

aJes and Iall set up the smoker and weall smoke these two,a Lehr said hastily and retreated outside with his brother.

With hard-won forbearance, Seraph set the trout on a baking tile, salted it, and filled the body cavity with onions and herbs. After wrapping it tightly in leaves, she used the peel to set the tile on the coals of the fire below the oven. She put the tool where it belonged, dusted off her hands, and turned to her daughter.

aNow,a she said. aJust what happened today?a Rinnie took a washing rag and began to clean the table. aWe ran into a little trouble with Storne and his friendsa"Olbeck, the stewardas son, and Lukeeth. I got caught up in some thorns and I had to cut my hair to get untangled. But Jes showed up and the other boys took off.

aMother,a Rinnie said, staring unnecessarily hard at the surface she was cleaning. aThere was something odd about Jes. I mean, he didnat do anything and Olbeck took off like a startled foolhen. Has Jes ever hurt anyone?a Seraph took off her apron and rubbed her cheeks, hot from the work with the ovens. It was indeed time for a few truths, she thought, but not right now.

She gave Rinnie part of the truth. aFor all that our Jes is different, heas strong and accurate with his fistsa"your Papa saw to that. Olbeck came out poorly in an encounter with Jes not too long ago.a After dinner, thought Seraph. Weall talk after dinner.

aThis is as good as anything youad find on the Emperoras table,a declared Rinnie, finishing the last of her fish.

aThanks to the fearless fishing folk,a agreed Seraph, already up and tidying.

Shead tried so long to let her children fit in with the life of the village, and had hoped theyad be happy here, free of the never-ending quest to protect people who feared and hated the Travelers more than the things the Travelers fought. Tonight that innocence would be overa"but it wasnat fair to keep their truths as her secrets either.

aRinnie,a Seraph said, abruptly impatient to talk. aGet the basket of fry bread with a jar of honey. I think weall take a walk and find a good place to talk.a aItall be dark soon,a said Jes, sounding subdued.

Seraph gave him a straight look. aI think that might be just what is needed. I have some things to discuss with you all that will be easier to do in the meadow above the farma"and a few of those things will be more believable in the darkness of the forest than they will here.a aMothera"a began Lehr, but Seraph shook her head at him. aNot now. Letas take a walk.a Jes was right; by the time they got to the meadow the sun had sunk behind the mountains. There was still plenty of light, but Seraph was glad of her warm cloak in the evening chill.

At her direction, her children sat in a rough semicircle and divided the fry bread, consuming it like voracious wolves, even Lehr. Sweets were not a common treat for any of them.

aI havenat told you much about my family,a Seraph began abruptly.

aThey were Travelers,a said Rinnie. aEveryone but your youngest brother, Ushireh, died of plague brought by a Traveler they took in for the night. And when Ushireh was killed, Papa rescued you when you were a little younger than Lehr and Jes. And you blew up the bakery and Papa said you were married to each other before you really were to save you again. And I know about the Wizard Ancestors, too. They called up the Stalker and then killed everyone who lived in the city to contain it. But it didnat work as well as theyad hoped. So from that time until this the Travelers have had to fight the evil that leaks from the city.a Seraph laughed. aRight. But there is more to tell you.a She looked at each of her children in turn. aUnderstand that this was my decision, not Tieras. I didnat want you to know about my folk. I wanted you to fit in with your fatheras people, but . . . there are things that you need to know.a She took a deep breath. aYou know I am a mage.a aBut you donat do any magic, Ma,a said Rinnie suddenly in tones of complaint. aAunt Alinath says that there are no such things as mages, just people who are good at making others see magic in ordinary sleight of hand.a Jes began to laugh. It wasnat his usual full-throated, joyful laugh, but something low and unamused.

Rinnie looked up at him and shifted a little away from him.

aJes, itas not her fault,a Seraph chided gently before looking at Rinnie. aIam afraid your aunt is wronga"and she knows better, too. She was there when I blew up the bakerya"your father was there as well. And despite what youave heard, not all Travelers are mages, nor are all mages Travelers.a aRemember the stories Papa told us sometimes, Rinnie,a said Lehr, aabout the mages in the army?a aRight,a agreed Seraph. aBut I am a special kind of magea"a Raven.a The cool power slid over Seraphas skin like a loveras caress as she lit a mage fire in the palm of her hand. When the magic stabilized she took Lehras hand and put the light in his palm where it flickered cheerfully.

aLet me tell the story from the beginning,a Seraph said. aThere once was a great city of wizards who were arrogant in their power. In the blindness of pride, they called into being the Stalker, a great evil. To contain that evil they sacrificed the entire city, all of the non-wizard residents of the city, man, woman, and childa"including their own wives, husbands, and children.a She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, trying to hear the cadence of her fatheras voice so that she didnat leave anything out. aWhen the wizards sacrificed their city to bind the Stalker, the cost of the magic they wrought killed all but a few of the most powerful mages and most of the very weakest. The survivors had virtually nothing but the clothes on their back. At first, they thought that would be enough, but the world is not kind to a people who have no place. As the years passed and the people dwindled, the remnants of the wizards of Colossae discussed what could be done.a She smiled a bit grimly. aArrogant in their knowledge and power, even with their city sealed in death behind them, the wizards still meddled where they would. The Stalker was caged, but as time passed the bars of that cage would loosen. The wizards decided that their descendants, not having Colossae to nourish and educate them, would not be able to stand against the thing they had created, so it was decided to change their children and give them powers less dependent upon learning. They created the Orders.a aIam a mage,a she said. aThere are other Traveler mages who are much like the Emperoras mages who helped Tier fight against the Fahlar. But I bear the Ravenas Order. I donat need complex spells, I donat need to steal power as other mages do. I can do things that have not been written in a book and memorized. But the Raven is only one of six Orders bestowed upon Travelers.a Jes had withdrawn from the family until his face was hidden from the light of magefire. Seraph rose to her knees and stretched until she could touch his arm lightly.

aPeace, Jes,a she said. aItas not just youa"and Iam sorry I let you think it was. Your gift is just more difficult to hide.a Jesas gift was so terrible that there had been nothing she could do to shield him as she had the other children.

When he settled reluctantly where he was, she sat back down and said, aI am Raven. But there are also Bard, Healer, Hunter, Weather Witch, and Guardian. But, like Mage, we call the Orders by the birds who are symbolic to each Order because it is less confusing. Ordinary wizards are also called mages, but Raven always means the Order of Mage. The other five Orders are thus: Bard is Owl; Healer is Lark; Hunter is Falcon; Weather Witch is Cormorant; and Guardian is Eagle.a She watched them closely, but they seemed to be following her words so she continued. aMy father told me that once the Orders were far more common. Among my clan, in my generation only three of us were Order-bound, Raven, Eagle, and Falcon. Other clans fared less wella"and I knew of only one Lark still living when I left the clans, and she was very old.a Seraph drew a breath and wondered how to say this next part. aImagine my surprise, then, when all of you were born into Orders.a Lehr passed the light across the basket of fry bread to Rinnie and rubbed his hands on his thighs. aBut thereas nothing different about any of us,a he said. aExcept Jes. And his oddities are surely nothing that would have served the purposes of the Travelers.a aNothing different about you? Isnat there?a asked Seraph softly. aHave you ever come back from a hunt without game, Lehr? Have you ever been lost, my Falcon?a He stared at her scarcely breathing. aFather taught me how to track, and to remember things so I wouldnat get lost,a he said tightly.

aDid he?a she said. aThatas not what he told me.a aWhat am I, Mother?a asked Rinnie eagerly, staring into the light she held. aCan I make a light like this?a Seraph smiled. aNo. You are Cormoranta"Weather Witch. Not everyone knows when a storm is coming, Rinnie.a aWhat about Jes and Papa . . . and Aunt Alinath?a asked Rinnie eagerly. aLehr is Falcon, and that makes him a hunter, right? What do Falcons and Cormorants get to do if they canat build fires?a aPapa and Aunt Alinath arenat Travelers,a said Lehr.

aWeare only half, and we have Orders,a Rinnie defended herself hotly.

Seraph held up her hand. aHold a moment. Letas see. Uhm. Yes. Lehr is right, the Orders belong only to Travelers. Or thatas what I always thought until I met your Papa. Tier is Owla"that means Bard. Iave thought about it a lot over the years, but the only explanation I have is this: the old Raven who was my teacher told me that the Orders cannot be bred for as we breed for certain traits in horses. They attach to someone suitable to their purposes at the moment of birth.a She smiled to herself. Her old teacher, Arvage, would have been outraged at the mere suggestion that an Order would attach itself to someone outside the Traveler clans.

She cleared her throat and continued, aIn the Traveling clans, the Owl is responsible for keeping the history of the clans because one of their talents is for memory. But the Owl holds music, tooa"and music has always been a part of Tier.

aYou had some more questions.a Seraph clucked her tongue to her teeth as she checked her memory. aFalcons track and have some affinity for weaponry. Cormorants can predicta"and, if they are careful, control the weather. There are more things, but I donat know them all. Some things vary from person to person; these things you will have to discover for yourself. Othersaa"she shruggeda"awe might eventually have to find someone to teach you.a aWhat about Aunt Alinath?a Rinnie asked again.

aYour aunt is exactly what she appearsa"a solsenti baker.a aWhat does solsenti mean?a asked Jes abruptly.

aStupid people,a said Rinnie with smug wisdom. aEspecially Aunt Alinath.a Seraph said, aQuit snickering, Lehr. In Traveleras speech solsenti means someone whoas blind or crippled, but most of us use it to refer to anyone who is not of Traveler blood. Now, what else did you ask, Rinnie?a aJes,a said Rinnie.

aJes is Guardian.a aAnd Guardian is furthest from human,a Jes broke in bitterly. aThey took the spirit of a demon and bound it to their will. In the night I am this.a He stood up and let his cloak fall so he stood before them all, revealed in the light Rinnie held. For a moment he was as human seeming as any of them, but then his shape flowed and darkened. A panther the size of Gura stood before them, his eyes gold flecked with an eldritch light.

It was the speed of the change that Seraph used to gauge whether what she saw was illusion or real. This time she was pretty certain the panther was solid and not created of her fears.

aThe Guardian is the caretaker of the clan,a said Seraph calmly. aWhere danger threatens, in the forests, in the darkness, he adapts to protect us. No magic works on him except his own. In the daytimea"and Iam not talking about just when the sun is up, but in safetya"the Guardian sleeps, taking part of Jes with him.a Rinnie gave the light back to Lehr and walked all the way around Jes with wide eyes. Seraph could see her son cringe under that steady gaze, though he moved not a haira"but she had more confidence in Rinnie than Jes did.

aYouare beautiful,a said her daughter in awe, reaching out to touch the grey-black coat.

Lehr watched the cat narrowly, then laughed. aWhat, did you expect us all to shriek and run away, Jes? No one raised around Aunt Alinath could be afraid of a mere demon.a aI donat get to turn into a panther either?a asked Rinnie plaintively as she sat down next to Jes.

aNo, only Jes,a replied Seraph.

Lehr frowned. aIf Iad known about this, I wouldnat have gotten so mad at you when you took off for the forest all the time,a he said to Jes. aI suspect itall take a few days for all of us to understand what Motheras told us tonight.a He paused, then said the important thing. aI think you need to know that Iam glad you are my brother, day or night.a aDonat I even get fangs?a asked Rinnie.

The cat let out a huff of laughter and shifted back into a more familiar form. aNo, Rinnie. No fangs for you.a He reached over and ruffled her hair. aBut donat worry. If you want me to bite someone for you, I will.a Jes settled back on his heels, though he didnat relax enough to sit. aPapa told me I should tell all of you, but I didnat want to. I didnat want you to be afraid of me.a Seraph frowned at him, aYou know better than that,a she said. aNo matter what they really think, theyare going to be a little afraid.a Turning to the rest of them she explained, aDread is one of the gifts of the Guardian. If he wants to, he can panic horses or wild game. But just his very presence will make people nervous. Itas not that you are afraid of him, but that he triggers your fears.a Seraph smiled at a sudden clear memory. aMy oldest brother was Guardian,a she said. aHe had a wicked sense of humor. He used to stalk people through the forest. Theyad arrive at our camp panting in fear and trying not to show it, because there had been nothing to be afraid of. My grandfather used to scold him so.a She shook her head in amusement at the memory of the bent old man shaking his finger at her brother, so fierce and large. He could have broken the old man with a single blow, but instead head stand there, head bowed as his grandfather chastised hima"and a few weeks later another terrified wanderer would approach their camp.

aThatas why Olbeck ran,a said Rinnie. aJes really did frighten him away.a Seraph nodded. aIf it was only the dread, heall remember that he ran, but not why he was afraid. Itall make him angry. Heall have to prove himself. Be careful.a aMother,a said Lehr. aWhy are you telling us about the Orders, now?a aItas that priest the new Sept brought back from Taela,a Seraph said.

aI donat like him,a said Jes abruptly.

aHave you met him?a asked Seraph, surprised; Jes hardly ever went into the city.

aI saw him once riding with the new Septas hunting party,a he answered. aI donat like him.a aGood,a she said. aIad like you all to avoid him if you can. Thereas something . . . odd about him.a aWhat?a asked Lehr with a sudden grin. aDoes he turn into panthers or call light out of nothing?a She smiled back, but shook her head. aHe worries me.a She explained what the priest had told her about his beliefs.

Lehr shook his head when she was done. aYou mean a whole bunch of solsentia"possibly solsenti wizards, from the magic theyave used to light their templea"have started a religion based on the Travelersa Orders?a She nodded. aI thought you ought to know the truth of what you are before he managed somehow to corner you and feed you the muddle he and his religion have been brewing.a She hesitated. aI should have told you soonera"and thereas one other thing. Iave never worried over it before because Travelers donat believe in fate the way those who live here do.a And because Tier had always made her feel as if no evil could ever befall them. aFor generations the Orders have been fading from the Travelers. Yet, from the marriage of Traveler and an Ordered solsenti, the first Ordered solsenti Iave ever heard of, comes three Ordered children? My grandfather said, aWhere great gifts are given great evils come.a I want you all to be careful.a Jes flowed to his feet, all of his attention toward home. aMother, thereas someone riding into the farm.a