“Mama, when are we stopping?�E Lelem asked.

“As soon we get to Camelyn, dear.  It’s not too long.�Elt;/span>

“How long?�Elt;/span>

Salen answered, “About an hour.�Elt;/span>

Lelem sighed.  Raven smiled and gently took the child’s round hands.  “Here, I’ll teach you some hand games.  My friend taught them to me when we were kids.�Elt;/span>

“Yay!�Elt;/span>

*              *              *

“Three days,�EDanica whispered.  “Three days she’s been missing and we have no idea where she is.  Well, maybe we do, but it’s not like we can get there.  Three days only and it’s like forever.�Elt;/span>

Kiren rubbed her shoulders, saying gently, “We’ll find her.  Don’t worry.�Elt;/span>

Rakesh shook his head.  “It’s hard not to worry.�Elt;/span>

“Yeah.�Elt;/span>

“What do you think, Enmed?�EYash queried, his voice unusually subdued, with none of its teasing.

Enmed, cool and reserved as ever, looked to him away from the window he stood by.  “I still feel she’s in Falshad, wherever that may be,�Ehe replied quietly.

“That doesn’t do us any good,�E Skye said.  “Like Danica said, we have no way to get there.�Elt;/span>

“I don’t know,�EDanica whispered.  “I just don’t know.�Elt;/span>

*              *              *

“Buy our wares!  Caso’s wares!  The finest anywhere!�Eamp;nbsp;

Laughing, Raven joined in the chorus.  “Come buy Caso’s wares!�Eamp;nbsp;

When they’d first entered Camelyn two days ago, she had been so amused by the attitude that the general public displayed towards her �Eone of awe and curiosity and near-disbelief �E that she’d agreed to help with sales.  Tenme remarked that in well over a decade they’d never had such success selling wares in Falshad’s capital city.  Raven was wearing a special version of the family’s outfit: a black tunic and loose black pants, both sprinkled with silver stars, and over that a white robe with the family’s symbol in silver.

Tenme tapped Raven on the shoulder now.  “Your shift yelling’s over.  You and Desem go eat lunch now, all right?  Be back in three hours or so.�Elt;/span>

Raven smiled in thanks as the other woman placed some golden okals in her hand.  “No problem.  Thanks.�Elt;/span>

“You two have fun now!�ETenme called after them as Raven and Desem walked away from the stall.  They waved in response, then plunged into the crowd.

Desem was a rather tall, well-built boy with thick, golden-brown hair, his mother’s radiant green eyes, and a cheerful, open manner.  He turned to Raven.  “So you come from�Ehere?  Something starting with ‘P�E�Elt;/span>

“Oh, a little nothing town named Sugar in a place called Pennsylvania.  Pennsylvania’s a state in America, which is the country I live in.�Elt;/span>

“America�E Desem repeated slowly.  Then he frowned.  “What is a state?�Elt;/span>

“Oh.  A state’s like�E region.  There are fifty states in America.�Elt;/span>

“Interesting.  Tell me, is your home anything like this place?  Here?�Elt;/span>

Raven shook her head emphatically.  “It’s very, very different.  Nothing like this place.�E She looked around wistfully.  “I like this land.  In a way, the life here seems so free.  You can travel beneath the open air and not choke on smog, and there’s so much natural beauty.  I mean, I love it at home, because it’s home and all, but there are tall steel and glass buildings everywhere �Eeven in my nowhere town �E and everyone’s more or less expected to attend 22 years of school, and society’s so rigorous.  If you don’t conform to a certain extent, you’re pretty much a freak.�Elt;/span>

“Ah.  I see.�Eamp;nbsp; Desem cocked his head, then suggested, “Well, then, let’s not talk of it now.  Let me take you to a little caf�E  It’s unknown to most, but the food is amazingly delicious, and it’s in the open, which is nice.�Elt;/span>

“All right.�Eamp;nbsp; Raven followed the boy’s lead.  Desem led her amidst the numerous stalls and the throng in the city’s open-air market to a small building squeezed on either side by a massive structure.  The sign read simply “Open-air Café”.  Desem walked right in, Raven close behind. 

Is this some kind of joke? she wondered.  This hardly looks open-air to me.  Then she spotted the glass-paneled door in the back.

“How many?�Easked the young waiter, liveried in simple black and white.

“Two, please,�EDesem said.

“Right this way.�Eamp;nbsp; The waiter opened the door, and Raven couldn’t help but gasp in amazement.

The door led to a virtual paradise.  The tables �Eshe couldn’t tell how many there were �Ewere painted white and carved exquisitely and covered with lacy white tablecloths.  The chairs, carved in the same manner as the tables and curved just so for comfort, held fat black cushions.  There were blossoming trees and plants in abundance, and around each table was a white trellis frame, over which crawled luxuriant flowers.  Here and there, vivid splashes of color, were songbirds.  She could just hear water trickling.  There must be a fountain somewhere.

“This is just�Eust�Encredible.  No, that’s not the word �Ethere are no words for it,�ERaven said softly in awe to Desem as they followed the waiter.

Desem grinned rather shyly at her as the waiter stopped at a table right by the purported fountain.  “Thank you, sir.  Isn’t it, though?�Elt;/span>

“Yes.�Elt;/span>

The waiter placed two menus on the table, told them, “I’ll be back in a few minutes for your order,�Eand quickly disappeared.

Raven looked around her in fascination.  It seemed that she couldn’t get enough of it all; she avidly drank in her surroundings.  The water cooled the air around them; birds chirped and trilled; the scent of flowers drifted to her on a delicate breeze.

“Do you want to eat something?�E Desem asked her after several moments, chuckling.

She joined him in laughing at herself in amusement.  “I should pick something, shouldn’t I?�Eamp;nbsp; She scanned the menu, then looked across the table at her companion bemusedly.  “But it all sounds so good!  How do I choose?�Elt;/span>

Desem laughed again.  “I’ll pick something for you, then, how’s that?�Elt;/span>

“All right.�Elt;/span>

*              *              *

Sleepily, Danica opened her eyes, then started.  “How long have I been asleep?�Elt;/span>

“Not long,�ESkye said.  “Just a few minutes.�Elt;/span>

Danica yawned.  “You should have woken me up.�Elt;/span>

“I figured you needed the sleep.  You lie awake worrying about Raven, don’t you?�Elt;/span>

“You do too, Kiren.�Elt;/span>

Kiren shrugged.  “Well, whatever.  Anyway.  It’s been a goddamn week and there’s still no sign of her.�Elt;/span>

“Do you still have that feeling, Enmed?�EYash asked.

The blue-haired boy shook his head mutely.

“You don’t anymore?�Elt;/span>

Enmed chose his words deliberately.  “I don’t feel it anymore.  I know.�Elt;/span>

“What do you mean?�EYash questioned skeptically.

Enmed shrugged.  “I just do.�Elt;/span>

Rakesh threw up his hands.  “We’ve already gone over this.  If that’s where she is, then’s it’s no good for us because we can’t get there!�Elt;/span>

Danica laid her head in her hands.  Raven, wherever you are �Ecan you hear me?  Raven!

*              *              *

Drowsy and contented, illuminated in orange by the dancing fire, Raven yawned.  “It’s been a nice day.�Elt;/span>

“Yeah,�ERakev agreed.  She stretched her arms, her auburn hair tumbling down over her shoulders, and yawned also.

Desem gently pulled Raven close to him, resting her head on his shoulder.  Seeing this, Tenme shared a warm, affectionate smile with her husband across the flames.

“Your cooking was delicious,�E Desem said softly to Raven.

“Was it?�Elt;/span>

“Yes.�Elt;/span>

“I’m glad.�Eamp;nbsp; The dark-haired girl smiled sleepily up at Desem.

The entire family sat around the fire, tired after a brisk day of sales as Solan, the eldest, played his harp and sang a slow melody.  Raven found his voice, low and compelling, very lulling.  She yawned again.

/–en.  Raven!/

“What?  Danica?�Eamp;nbsp; Raven sat up, shocked.  Solan paused in his playing; everyone looked at her.

/Yes!  It’s me, Danica!  I have no idea how but I managed to reach you.  Come back!/

/How?  How do I get back?/

/I�E don’t�Eait!  How much do you want to come home?  I mean, you want it a lot, right? /

/It’s nice here�Eut I want to be home, I want to be home now!/

/Then think of nothing but coming home!  Kiren and I are waiting here for you!  We all are!  Imagine us in your mind!  Can you see us?/

/Yeah�Eeah, I can�Elt;/i>/

Quick-thinking Rakev had scooped up a screaming Ensan in her arms and was dragging Lelem along by the hand.  Desem was standing firm and holding up cupped hands.  He shouted, �Elt;i>Dumensan kashpe!�Eamp;nbsp; Blinding sun!

Perhaps surprised that a human boy would stand up to it so defiantly, the deistex was caught off-guard and received the full force of the spell.  Screeching, it instinctively clawed at its eyes, which made it scream all the louder.  It plummeted a good distance before it awkwardly righted itself just several feet off the ground, spreading its great wings with a loud snap.

Tenen ran forward, forming in her mind the words to summon a kershetep.  Please, please, let one be near enough to come in time!

*              *              *

“…and the food was just amazing.  Delicious, exquisite �Eall those kinds of words.  And Desem was so cheerful and kind and sweet.�Eamp;nbsp; She smiled a little to herself.

“Falling for someone, are we?�E Kiren suggested slyly.

“Oh, bite me, Shazo �Eah!�Eamp;nbsp; Raven doubled over, clutching her head.  “Ah�Etop it�E  Suddenly, she stopped, her head fell forward onto her knees, and her arms fell limply beside her legs, fingers grazing the floor.

Kiren shook her shoulder urgently; she slumped sideways onto the sofa.  “Raven!  Wake up, damn it!�Elt;/span>

After several moments, just as abruptly as she’d passed out, she jerked up.  “Lelem!  Ensan!  Desem!  Rakev!  Solan!  Tenen!  Wait!  Watch out!�Eamp;nbsp; Then she blinked.  “Oh.  I’m here.  At home.  Right.�Elt;/span>

Skye looked at her quizzically.  “What was that about?�Elt;/span>

“I just had a dream, sort of�E

“About what?�EDanica asked.

“A dream saying that the Caso siblings was in danger.  They were being attacked by something, a big black thing.  But hells, I can’t do anything!  Why’d I have the dream?�Elt;/span>

“Maybe they’re in danger right now, right this moment, and you had that dream ’cause you know them?�EYash suggested.

Raven shrugged.  “Dunno.  Whatever.�Eamp;nbsp; All the same, she sent up an invisible wish in her mind: Please, watch over them.  Please, somebody, save them.  Save them.  There’s nothing I can for them do myself.

*              *              *

Tenen whirled in astonishment as she heard the clarion tone of something like bells colliding with rock.

Before her stood a kershetep �Especifically, a ru’kershetep �Ethe largest and most beautiful specimem she’d ever seen in her nine or so years of summoning.  Its coat was a gleaming, satiny white, and its mane and the tuft of hair on its tail were the same frosty color.  The lines of its body were clean and delicate, yet it somehow gave the impression that it cloaked tremendous power.  Its cloven hooves were an indefinable shade of silver-blue, and they rang whenever they struck a stony surface.  The horn on its forehead was a scintillating spiral of silver and blue.

The kershetep blinked its large, wide eyes at Tenen; they were the same hue as its hooves, but much more radiant, filled with light.  Like the moon, she thought.  She couldn’t help but stare at in awe for a moment. 

Then its deep, gentle thought-voice filled her mind.  /I have been called here, little one, by you and one other, and I have come.  What is it that you require?/

“Oh!  I’m sorry, I was very rude just now.  Is it in your power to make the deistex leave us?�Eamp;nbsp; Tenen pointed at it.  It was now sitting quite still, attempting to use its other senses in compensation for its lost sight.  She prayed it would not find Rakev, who was sheltering the two youngest ones, or Desem, who was not very far away.

The kershetep appraised the deistex for a long, unnerving moment.  Then it nodded.  /I believe I can./

“Oh, thank you!�Elt;/span>

The kershetep stepped toward the deistex; the deistex immediately raised its head, sniffing and straining to capture any sound indicating a prospective victim with its ears.

/You will not find any victims here, deistex,/ the kershetep said sternly.  /I will give you a chance to leave before I must attack you./

The deistex considered its options.  Normally, when challenged, it would have flung itself into the fight without delay.  However, it had lost its sight.  In addition, it seemed that the kershetep it faced was rather wise, experienced in fighting.  The deistex was rather juvenile and hadn’t had any real combat with a foe.

Being juvenile, though, it also thought it could win this fight without much struggle, and so the deistex flew straight at the kershetep.

The kershetep sighed.  /I warned you./  It wheeled out of the path of the incoming enemy.  The deistex braked abruptly and turned to locate the kershetep again.  However, the wind had shifted, carrying the kershetep’s scent in the opposite direction, and for several moments the deistex hovered in the air, unsure.

The kershetep charged at it and swiftly disabled one of the deistex’s hind legs with a well-placed kick; the bird-like creature squealed in pain, loud and shrill, then decided to leave very, very quickly.

Tenen called, “Rakev!  It’s all right now!  It’s safe!�Elt;/span>

Her younger sister, with the two youngest of the family in tow, materialized out of the underbrush of the trees lining the road.  “Thank the gods.�Elt;/span>

“Well, I did a bit of summoning.�Eamp;nbsp; She turned to the kershetep.  “What’s your name?�Elt;/span>

/My name is Quintis./

“I’ve never seen such a wonderful ru’kershetep as you,�ELelem said earnestly.

The kershetep’s soft chuckle reverberated briefly in their minds.  /Why, thank you./

“Thank you very much for saving us,�ERakev said.

“Yes, thank you,�Eall her siblings echoed.

“Quintis,�ETenen began hesitantly, “when you came, you said you’d been called here by me and one other.  What do you mean?�Elt;/span>

/Well, someone else wanted me to come here too./

“Who?�Elt;/span>

/I don’t know./

“Did it make a difference?�Elt;/span>

/Tenen, whenever you try to summon a kershetep, which kind do you usually get?  A ka’kershetep or a ru’kershetep like myself?/

She was puzzled by the question, but she answered, “Well, usually a ka’kershetep.�Elt;/span>

/This other person who also wished for me to come here.  I am one of the most powerful ru’kershetep in this area, and this other person is the reason I in particular came.  If you alone had called, you probably would have been answered by a powerful ka’kershetep.  And there’s a possibility that you would have been answered by a ru’kershetep weaker than myself.  But this other person wished so strongly for you to be saved, and she’s�Eaffiliated, for lack of a better term, with the ru’kershetep.  That is why I, instead of a ka’kershetep, came./

The Caso siblings were all silent for a moment, contemplating that.  Then Ensan said, “I got a question.�Elt;/span>

Rakev tousled his hair.  “What is it?�Elt;/span>

“What’s the difference?�Elt;/span>

“The difference between what?�Elt;/span>