#21 Winds of Change by Mercedes Lackey

Author:Mercedes Lackey [Lackey, Mercedes]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Fiction, General, Fantasy - General, Epic, Fantasy fiction, Fantasy - Series, Fiction - Fantasy, Valdemar (Imaginary place)
ISBN: 9780886775636
Publisher: DAW Books
Published: 1993-08-01T19:31:41.098000+00:00

Chapter Twelve

Trevalen closed his eyes and narrowed his consciousness, pulling his concentration within himself until he was aware of nothing but himself. A moment only, he paused, finding his balance and center, and from deep within - he stepped out. Onto the Moonpaths, into the spirit realms.

By virtue of their close bond with the StarEyed, any Shin’a’in could walk the Moonpaths; provided that it was at night, under the full moon, and he sought the place with unselfish intent and enough concentration. Any Swords worn could walk the Moonpaths on any night; and call and be answered by the leshy’a Kal’enedral, the spirit-warriors sworn to the martial aspect of the Goddess.

A shaman could walk the Moonpaths into the spirit world at any time he chose, and call and be answered by any spirit that lingered there, if the spirit he sought was willing. . . .

That knowledge brought no comfort, only doubt and trepidation. And that is the question, indeed. Is Dawnfire willing ?

Dawnfire. Of Tale’edras, but called by the Shin’a’in Aspect of the Goddess, to serve in a form a Shin’a’in would recognize - the emblem of one of the four First Clans. He had called and spoken with her on several occasions now, but each time he called, it was with questioning and fear deep in his heart. Fear that this time she would not answer.

Questioning his own motives.

Kra’heera had ordered him to remain at k’Sheyna Vale to learn the Star-Eyed’s motive and purpose in creating a Shin’a’in Avatar out of one of the Hawkbrothers. Never had She created an Avatar before, much less one from a child of the Sundered Kin, the magic-users. If Kra’heera had speculations, he kept them to himself. Tre’valen had no | guesses at all.

He had learned nothing of Her motivation in all the time he had dwelt here. He had, however, learned far too much of his own heart, a heart that ached with loss, and yearned for one that he could not touch. Ironic that he should discover the love of his life and his soulmate only after she was - technically at least - dead. But was that not like the Goddess, to create such ironies for Her shaman?

Keep to the journey, traveler. The Moonpaths are peril enough without your wandering off them. He walked the Moonpaths, dream-hunting in the spirit world; keeping safely on the trails meant for the living, and sending his call out into the golden mist beyond where lingering spirits lived. Golden mist, for he hunted by daylight; at night, the mist would be silver. This was not wearisome for a shaman, though one who was not so trained returned to his body weary and drained if he dared to venture here. And as a shaman, he knew that time meant very little in this realm, so he walked onward with patience, waiting for the sign that would tell him that Dawnfire was coming - or not.

One moment he was alone; then she was there, before him, in her hawk-form, hovering above the pathway on sun-bright wings.

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