"If I had a soul bond with Sarad Nukpana, I would know it."

"You might know it, but would you admit it?"

"Not only would I admit it, I would do everything in my power, yours, A'Zahra's, Mychael's, and Justinius Valerian's to rid myself of it. I do have pride, occasionally too much, but I am no longer too proud to ask for help when I need it."

Kesyn didn't respond. I glanced over at him.

My teacher was smiling. "Again, I knew that. I was just checking."

"I wish you would stop doing that."

"Maybe one day I will." His eyes searched my face. "You'll have to bear with me, son. I only recently got you back. I'm just assuring myself we're not going to lose you again."

"We?"

"Me, your family, A'Zahra." He paused. "Imala."

"Are those the members of the Tam intervention team?"

"Those are the people who care about you and don't want to see you fall again."

I clenched my jaw against a swell of emotion. I didn't have time for that now. "Thank you, sir. If that's the case, then I suppose I can give you permission to continue being annoying."

Kesyn grinned. "That's good, because I wasn't going to ask your permission. Why should I start now?" His grin vanished. "Think back over the dream, Tam. Are you sure it was on Aquas?"

I thought back over the dream.

"I was on an outcropping, almost a cliff," I said. "I'd never seen it or anything around me ever before."

"A cliff? Not a good choice for a dream that includes Sarad Nukpana."

"He pointed that out. I didn't pick the location or recognize it, but I have a feeling it was Aquas, or what my subconscious thinks Aquas will look like." I described it to him.

Kesyn nodded slowly. "Sounds about right."

"He said he was in my dream because Raine's dreamscape had been locked against him."

"Perhaps we should think about doing the same to yours."

"No, I want him there." I explained why-Sarad was lonely, bored, and had information that we needed. "If I can keep him talking, I'm counting on getting some of that information. He did tell me that the location of the Heart of Nidaar is in Rudra's book. Sarad said it's hidden, but it's there. So as little as I like going to sleep knowing that Sarad is lurking in my subconscious, I need to keep myself unwarded."

"I'm sure he threw that in just to keep you on the hook."

"I'm certain of it, but I'm equally certain that he's not lying. The next time he visits, I've thought of something I'd like to try."

"Such as?"

I told him.

Kesyn chuckled. "Got room for a third in that dream of yours? I'd like to watch that."

"If it works, I'll tell you all about it." I paused, remembering something. "Is the name Bricarda familiar to you?"

"No. Should it be?"

"That's the name of the mage you took on in the street the night before we left."

"The demon zombie queen."

"That's her. Sarad said that's the name she's using now. He said when you've lived as long as she has, you become bored using the same name. If you haven't heard of her, I thought I'd contact Mychael about it. Perhaps Sora Niabi, the chairman of the college's demonology department, might be able to enlighten us about her."

"Good idea."

"And if he is to be believed, Sarad did more than ask Agata to help him find the Saghred. He claimed he courted her, and in his words, 'expended some of my best seduction techniques on that young lady, promising her riches and sensual delights beyond her imagination.' Did you know anything about this?"

Kesyn's eyes hardened. "Not one word. Aggie always considered her personal life her own business. She kept her nose buried in her books, so I never worried about her that much. I believe that time has now passed. If Sarad is bored and looking to disrupt this expedition, Aggie as our gem mage would make an irresistible target. Raine didn't read the book and Sarad made an attempt to contact her. He could very well try the same with Aggie. The bastard could be infesting her sleep as we speak."

"I wouldn't put it past him. He found me, and he knows Agata is here." I hesitated. "Since you know her better, you go first and I'll back you up. Be careful of the rocks. She has a pile beside her bed."

Kesyn grinned, fully showing his fangs. "Who do you think chipped this fang?"

Chapter 30.

Once below, we were met with the sight of Talon picking the lock on Agata Azul's cabin door.

"Talon!" I shout-whispered.

He yelped and jumped straight up.

Kesyn caught him by the scruff of the neck before he landed in a heap on the floor. "What the hell are you doing?"

"She's having a nightmare," Talon said. "A bad one."

I swore and gripped the latch, intending to unlock it by magic, and if that didn't work...

The latch turned.

"It's not locked," I said.

Talon flashed a grin in the darkness, holding up a picklock. "I'd just finished picking it."

From inside the cabin, came the sounds of a struggle. Agata called out.

I flung the door open and ran inside.

The next thing I knew I was picked up and thrown out the door, across the passageway, and slammed into the far wall.

I dimly heard Kesyn say, "What happened to you letting me go first?" At least I think that was what he was saying. I had ringing ears to go with the spots in front of my eyes.

"Aggie, it's me!" he shouted.

The next instant, a glowing crystal the size of my fist hit the wall where my head had just been.

"Sir, I don't think she cares that it's you," Talon noted.

Agata Azul was sitting up on her cot, mostly fully dressed, covers on the floor, hair in disarray to put it mildly, clutching a blazingly bright crystal in each fist.

She was furious.

"Son of a bitch!" she shrieked.

Kesyn nodded. "Yep, that's Sarad, all right."

When Sarad didn't find me asleep, he went looking elsewhere for company.

I don't think he got what he expected.

Agata Azul's dream had taken her to the same place I had been.

A barren, desolate landscape.

With rocks.

Lots and lots of rocks that Agata made good use of.

Sarad Nukpana had not had a nice time.

I really would have liked to have been there.

"You think you brought enough crystals?" Kesyn was asking her. "It's a damned miracle you haven't sunk the ship."

The small cabin was filled with angrily pulsing crystals. They were on the floor, arranged around her cot, and filling what few shelves the cabin had.

Agata glared at him. In fact, that's about the only expression she had right now. Her crystals seemed to share their mistress's mood. Agata was sitting crosslegged on her cot, covers pulled up around her waist, seemingly as angry with us as she had been with Sarad.

Beneath that anger I detected fear.

"What did he say?" I asked quietly.

"He was most interested in the pendant," Agata said. The slice of the Heart of Nidaar was now hanging on its chain outside of her shirt, its sharp flickers indicating it liked seeing Sarad about as much as Agata had. I was glad I'd quickly turned my ring away from his view when we'd met in my dream.

Agata went on. "When I refused to give it to him, he attempted to take it." Her mouth curled in a smug and gratified little smile. "He paid for that-immediately and dearly."

A low growl came from the corner of the cabin.

Talon.

"That was when the three of you barged in," she said.

"That was it?" I asked.

Her color heightened slightly. "Yes, other than I think it's been a while since he's seen a woman. However, I could be mistaken, since that was usually how he behaved around me."

Talon growled again.

Kesyn rolled his eyes. "Boy, do you have something caught in your throat?"

Talon ignored him. "Isn't there anything we can do to stop him from coming after her again?"

"Yes," I told him. "And we will." I glanced around at the crystals. "Can any of these be used for reinforcing wards?"

"What do you think I was using them for?" Agata shot back.

"Were you warding your sleep?"

"And my body. He got through both. Why do you think I'm so pissed off?"

"We can fix that so it doesn't happen again."

"Would those be the same wards you used for yourself? I hear I wasn't the only one Sarad visited."

"I didn't ward my sleep," I told her. "And I don't plan to for the foreseeable future."

Talon was incredulous. "You want him in your head?"

"No, but I need information. Information that Sarad has."

"Well, if he gets grabby," Agata said, "don't be shy about using rocks. It worked for me. I hit him right in the eye." Her dark eyes shone with a wicked glint. "And other places."

Agata's wasn't the only sleep we would be warding. I didn't want Sarad Nukpana in Talon's head, either.

"Are you sure you haven't had any dream with Sarad Nukpana in it?" I asked him.

"I think that would qualify as a nightmare," Talon retorted, "and yes, I'm sure. I think I would have remembered that."

We were back in the captain's cabin while Kesyn helped Agata give her crystals an extra surprise for the next time Sarad came knocking. I knew he would; it was simply a matter of when.