Alisi laid her hand on his shoulder. “It’s very sad,” she agreed.
“Why? Andi isn’t sad.”
Her parents exchanged puzzled looks. “Milly, Andi’s gone,” her mother explained gently, “with all her people.”
“No, she isn’t. I hear her.” The child went back to staring into the tank. The pebbles of Oud rolled into a line in front of her.
Tap Tap stood nearby. “Milly hear others?”
A careless shrug. “When I want. They’re all busy, busy. Happy busy.”
The little Oud dropped, tiptoed closer, then rose again. “And Sira? Best is? Hear Sira?”
Pauvan held his breath, felt Alisi’s hand tighten.
Another shrug.
“No.”
Epilogue
THE ’FRESHER CLEANED ME of dust and debris. I stepped over the clothes I’d dropped on the floor, too tired to fuss with them.
Foam ran down my spine. I reached around, feeling a soggy mass. How odd. My hair dried itself. Didn’t it?
The cabin was as it should be. Leaves and flowers covered every possible space. One section was unfinished, and I wondered what it would become. They were always a surprise, his paintings.
His—
I sat on the bed, running my hand over the blanket. I didn’t need one, usually.
He—
Forget me, Witchling.
“Morgan.”
But he wasn’t in here. He wasn’t with me. How odd. Why?
I went to the door, cued it to open.
It stayed shut. It stayed shut because he wasn’t on the other side. The way the com wouldn’t fill with his voice.
The way my mind was now empty of his.
Forget us.
I sat on the bed, running my hand over the blanket.
Let go and live.
“Never.”
The Great Ones moved in their endless dance, AllThereIs bending and flowing and forever part of it, while singers flew and sang.
The Watcher waited.
Not her duty, this vigil. Nor was she alone in it.
The buds of Between shone and grew, those within them closer and closer to coming home. To becoming what they had been, again. Eager loved ones flew past and around, singing their anticipation.
Some shriveled, hanging loose. A warning those within would take longer to be free, caught in a dream of their own making. No matter. They’d loved ones, too, here.
None were her concern.
This was, for it was . . . new.
A single bud, armored in darkness that boiled and hissed and would allow no approach. Violent flashes of light illuminated it without touching, revealing something—someone—inside.
The Watcher waited.
She feared in vain.
The Clan
M’HIRAY
Ahur sud Vendan, Chosen of Sennis, Healer
Andi sud Prendolat, child, Birth Watcher
Arla di Licor, brother of Asdny, Looker
Aryl di Sarc, once Chosen of Enris, great-grandmother of Sira, inhabits her unborn
Asdny di Licor, brother of Arla
Barac di Bowart, Chosen of Ruti, former First Scout, cousin of Sira
Celyn sud Lorimar, Chosen of Kele
Cha sud Kessa’at, Chosen of Deni, died on Cersi
Degal di Sawnda’at, Chosen of Signy, Sona Council Member
Deni sud Kessa’at, Chosen of Cha, died on Cersi
Elba sud Parth, Chosen of Lakai
Enris di Sarc, Chosen of Aryl, great-grandfather of Sira, died on Stonerim III
Ermu sud Friesnen, Chosen of Oseden
Holl di Licor, Chosen of Leesems, mother of Arla and Asdny, scientist, Healer
Inva di Lorimar, Chosen of Bryk, Council Member
Illis sud Friesnen, child
Jacqui di Mendolar, Chooser, Birth Watcher
Jarad di Sarc, father of Sira, died on Garatis 17
Jorn di Annk, Chosen of Risa, father of Noson, Healer Apprentice to Ahur
Josa sud Prendolat, Chosen of Nik, father of Andi, scientist
Kele sud Lorimar, Chosen of Celyn
Kita di Teerac, Chosen of Vinar
Lakai sud Parth, Chosen of Elba
Lees di Annk, Chosen of Susi, father of Rasa
Leesems di Licor, Chosen of Holl, father of Arla and Asdny, scientist
Luek di Kessa’at, Chosen of Nyso
Nik sud Prendolat, Chosen of Josa, mother of Andi, Sona Council Member, scientist
Noson di Annk, child, son of Risa and Jorn
Nyso di Kessa’at, Chosen of Luek, (went by Gersle Nape as Human)
Oseden sud Friesnen, Chosen of Ermu
Ped di Serona, Chosen of Vidya
Pirisi di Mendolar, Chosen of Ru
Rael di Sarc, sister of Sira, died on Deneb
Risa di Annk, Chosen of Jorn, mother of Noson
Ru di Mendolar, Chosen of Pirisi
Ruti di Bowart, Chosen of Barac, formerly of Acranam
Sennis sud Vendan, Chosen of Ahur
Signy di Sawnda’at, Chosen of Degal
Sira di Sarc (Sira Morgan), Chosen of Jason Morgan, former Speaker, Sona Keeper
Susi di Annk, Chosen of Lees, mother of Rasa
Tle di Parth, Chooser, Sona Council Member
Vidya di Serona, Chosen of Ped
Vinar di Teerac, Chosen of Kita
OM’RAY
Alet di Uruus, Chooser, Tuana Clan
Charo di Nemat, Chosen of Ruis, Rayna Clan
Dama di Lorimar, sister of Tal, Tuana Clan
Destin di Anel, Chosen, former First Scout, Sona Clan
Dre di Eathem, child, son of Gricel and Oluk, brother of Yanti, friend of Andi, Amna Clan
Eand di Yode, Chosen of Moyla, former Council Member, Healer, Sona Clan
Ecra di Annk, Chosen of Hap, Rayna Clan
Elnu di Anel, Chosen of Destin, Sona Clan
Eloe di Serona, unChosen, Tuana Clan
Ghos di Eathem, Chosen of Worra, father of Gricel, Sona Council Member, Healer, Amna Clan
Gricel di Eathem, daughter of Worra and Ghos, mother of Dre and Yanti, Amna Clan
Gurutz di Ulse, Chosen of Merr, Scout, Sona Clan
Hap di Annk, Chosen of Ecra, Sona Council Member, Rayna Clan
Japel di Rihma’at, Chosen of Odon, mother of Noil, Sona Clan
Klor di Edut, Chosen of Nyala, Sona Clan
Kunthea di Mendolar, Chosen of Nockal, Sona Council Member, Tuana Clan
Merr di Ulse, Chosen of Gurutz, Sona Clan
Moyla di Yode, Chosen of Eand, former Council Member, Sona Clan
Nockal di Mendolar, Chosen of Kunthea, Adept, Tuana Clan
Noil di Rihma’at, unChosen, son of Odon, Sona Clan
Nyala di Edut, Chosen, former Council Member, Sona Clan
Odon di Rihma’at, Chosen of Japel, father of Noil, Sona Council Member, Sona Clan
Oluk di Eathem, Chosen of Gricel, father of Dre and Yanti, Amna Clan
Ruis di Nemat, Chosen of Charo, former Keeper, Healer, Rayna Clan
Taisal di Sarc, mother of Aryl, Speaker Yena Clan, died on Cersi
Tal di Lorimar, brother of Dama, Tuana Clan
Tekla di Yode, Chosen of Ures, Sona scout, died on Cersi
Teris di Uruus, Chosen of Vael, Sona Council Member, Sona Clan
Ures di Yode, Chosen of Tekla, died on Cersi
Vael di Uruus, Chosen of Teris, Sona Clan
Worra di Eathem, Chosen of Ghos, mother of Gricel, Amna Clan
Yanti di Eatham, daughter of Gricel and Oluk, sister of Dre, born on Sona
HOVENY
Alisi Di, Heart-kin of P
auvan, mother of Milly, Seesor
Aracel Dis, edican
Emelen Dis, Goesen’s Sanctum Keeper, Sect of the Rebirth
Gerasim Su, Emelen’s helper
Koleor Su, Historian
Lemuel Dis, Director, SysComPrime, Hub
Milly Su, daughter of Alisi and Pauvan
Nermein Dis, Senior Tech, Brightfall Comm
Oncara Su, Emelen’s pilot
Pauvan Di, Heart-kin of Alisi, father of Milly
Sorina Din, Head of Reclamation, Raynthe (moon)
Susibou Di, Lemuel’s scantech
OTHER SPECIES
Jason Morgan, Human, Chosen of Sira
TapTap, Oud, Oud-Key Prime
Thought Traveler, Tikitik
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