“It suddenly makes me feel less safe knowing that I'm so easy to find.” Urake joked lightly.
“Not really. It’s only because I know who you are and have been around you so much. I think that the one that found us in the Draeld knew you somehow.”
“Aside from Brest, there was only one other telepath that ever connected with me. I relocated him, but he thought that he was better off on his own and I lost track of him. Reigns must have picked him up along the way.”
“From what I could tell, he was pretty strong. A shame really.”
“He was good except he was also reckless. Caught me when I was distracted for a moment. I blocked him out fast enough, but he had already gotten a partial fix.”
“I think Em’risi is looking for you. She has been wandering around the cave getting lost for the last few minutes.” Emeck changed the topic and had a distant expression while he observed the Princess.
“I had best not keep her highness waiting.” Urake smiled and left the room. It didn’t take him long to find the Princess wandering through a nearby storage section of the cave.
“Urake, wonderful to see you again. Balinor tells me that you are leaving us.” Em’risi didn’t waste time on small talk but came directly to the point.
“I am, not to abandon you that is. I can just be more helpful somewhere else for the time being.”
“Something about you disturbed him greatly. You have power. I can see that, but there is something else about you that I can’t quite see.” Em’risi lapsed into silence as she looked through him. Her gaze seemed focused on the cave walls behind him.
“Speaking of him, where is he?”
“Probably keeping an eye on my empty chambers. He is sure to be angry when he finds me missing. Your leaving doesn’t have anything to do with your son?” Em’risi was uncomfortably perceptive.
“It does have something to do with my son; although, not entirely.”
“Your secrets are your own to keep. Balinor tells me that we are to move south to Keom. Something tells me that he would never retreat unless it was the last resort. How bad is it really? He tells me that we are in a powerful position and that we will soon be able to destroy the usurper, but he lies… This is the reason that I am here to speak to you without Balinor at my side.”
“You are quite perceptive. I'm sure that you will give Balinor all manner of trouble. He is only trying to protect you, but he is finding that it was a bigger task than he had anticipated.”
“The war council, you were there.” It wasn’t quite a question or a statement. Somewhere in between.
“I was.”
“I'm not sure how Balinor let you in. He has nothing good to say about you.”
“Not terribly surprising. He didn’t have much of a choice about my presence in the council. You should have been there. He may never forgive me but I will tell you this. The number of men loyal to you is a fraction of the men that Reigns commands. Balinor is retreating to Keom in the hopes that the forces he leaves in the forest will slow Reigns’ advance enough that the Sea Fort can be rebuilt and the river can be held. I am leaving to work behind the enemy lines.” Urake briefly explained the situation while Em’risi listened.
“Very well. Thank you for telling me the truth. I will speak with Balinor and explain that I am not to be underestimated.” Em’risi lifted her torch and moved past Urake.
“Princess.”
“Yes?”
“The secret is the torch holders on the wall. They all lean in the direction of the central passage.” Em’risi glanced at the torch holder on the wall next to her and moved in the direction opposite her original.
“I believe that you wanted help finding recruits for your team?” Em’risi spoke over her shoulder at Urake.
“Preferably Gifted individuals.” Urake easily caught up with the Princess a moment later.
“I can see if people are Gifted and I think that I can even get an idea what their Gifts are. I'm not sure about you. Your energy is like staring into an endless pool of motionless dark water. Emeck is surrounded in strands of energy that connect with all who pass near him. The assassin that called fire was different. His energy shimmered like the horizon on a hot day. Aleest is similar to Emeck, but not