"That isn't how things happen, young one," Belen appeared in a flash of light. "We have many cares and we hear and see many things. I have to place a Focus upon the Saa Thalarr and their doings, similar to placing a bookmark inside a book, so I can find that place easily when it is needed. Lissa has not placed any Focus, yet. She will, in all probability, but that could happen tomorrow or in a thousand years. Time has no meaning to my kind, when we are in our natural state."

"We have no way of getting a message to her—to ask her to come back?" Gavin sat beside Aurelius. Aurelius had an unobtrusive grip on Gavin's arm.

"Send out mindspeech, she may pick it up," Belen answered and disappeared.

"May pick it up? What the hell does that mean?" Tony almost exploded.

"You do not understand," Kifirin appeared in Belen's place. "As she is now, she has no pain. Think of what that means. She has had pain all her life and now she is free of it. I beg you not to be angry with her. If anything brings her back, it will be your love for her and nothing else." Kifirin also disappeared.

Roff, who sat next to Flavio, began to weep.

* * *

"Withdraw the reward on the Queen of Le-Ath Veronis," Viregruz, the creator and head of Black Mist demanded of his underlings. He glared at them angrily, toying with the idea of killing a few of them. His brothers—all six of them, had died somehow at the Queen's hand. This had become personal for him. He wanted her death for himself, and intended to bring about that death as swiftly as possible. "I am declaring war—on the Queen of Le-Ath Veronis," he breathed. His minions cowered in alarm.

-The end-