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“This is where I left Farmer Brigg’s wagon, Dar.”

She stood beside the bustling road and stared across the valley at the beautiful city of Vendela. Metta and Gymn flew around her head in excitement. They touched down on her shoulders, only to take off again, chittering to each other and turning loops in the air.

Spring had come and gone. The approaching Summer Solstice Feast Day had brought many travelers to Vendela, capital of Amara. The sun sparkled on the city’s sheer white walls, shining blue roofs, and golden domes. Spires and steeples and turrets towered above the city in a vast variety of shapes and colors. More than a dozen castles clustered outside the capital, and more palaces were scattered over a hilly landscape on the other side of a wide river.

“This time I’m going in,” said Kale to her companions. “This time I’m not afraid of the proddings in my mind that say there are too many new things in Vendela for me to even count.” She felt again the pulse of the city, the many minds filled with their own thoughts and spilling into her consciousness. She easily blocked the torrent, controlling the flood of humanity and retaining her own identity. Her mindspeaking talent no longer made her uneasy.

“This time I’ll be able to ask questions and get answers. I’ll learn about Wulder and Paladin, and I’ll learn more about me as well. I may even learn about the Allerions.”

She put her hands on her hips and sighed with pleasure. “We’re almost there.”

“Almost there is not there. Come on, let’s go,” Dar said as he walked back to Merlander. “This time tomorrow you’ll have your leecent uniform.”

“Leecent? What’s leecent?”

“The lowest rank in Paladin’s service. Not that you’ll be treated badly for being the lowest, not in Paladin’s service, but—”

“Wait. Are you saying I’ll be Leecent Kale?”

“Sure.”

“And Lee Ark? The Lee means…?”

“Highest rank. Actually, he is General Lee Ark, higher than Major Lee or plain Lee.”

“Leetu?”

“Two steps down from Lee. Didn’t you know that, Kale?”

Kale shook her head slowly. Master Meiger was right. I don’t know anything.

She grinned at her doneel friend. “But I’m learning!”

Tonight she’d sleep at The Hall. Tomorrow she’d wear a leecent uniform. There was a festival to see, and she had teachers to meet, classes to attend, a life to live.

Kale ran across the little hillside and jumped onto Celisse’s saddle. “Let’s go!”

GLOSSARY

Amara (ä’-mä-rä)

Continent surrounded by ocean on three sides.

armagot (är’-muh-got)

National tree, purple blue leaves in the fall.

armagotnut (är’-muh-got-nut)

Nut from the armagot tree.

Battle of Ordray (ôrd’-rā)

Historic battle where Bisonbeck army threatened to overcome kimens. Urohms, aided by wizards and dragons, fought to save them. Ordray is a province occupied mostly by urohms in a southeast Amara, a wedge of land between the Morchain mountain range and the Dormanscz volcanic range.

beater frog (be’-ter frôg)

Tailless, semiaquatic amphibian having a smooth, moist skin, webbed feet, and long hind legs. Shades of green; no bigger than a child’s fist; capable of making loud, resounding boom.

bentleaf tree

Deciduous tree having long, slender, drooping branches and narrow leaves.

bisonbecks (b’-sen-bek)

Most intelligent of the seven low races. They comprise most of Risto’s army.

blattig fish (blat’-tig)

Freshwater fish often growing to a length of two to three feet, voraciously carnivorous, known to attack and devour living animals.

blimmets (blim’-mets)

One of the seven low races, burrowing creatures that swarm out of the ground for periodic feeding frenzies.

The Bogs

Made up of four swamplands with indistinct borders. Located in southwest Amara.

borling tree (bôr’-ling)

Having dark brown wood and a deeply furrowed nut enclosed in a globose, aromatic husk.

bornut

Nut from borling tree.

brillum (bril’-lum)

A brewed ale that none of the seven high races would consume. Smells like skunkwater, stains like black bornut juice. Mariones use it