Waithe urged his horse closer to Ceres. "So, my young charge, did you enjoy the kiss?"

Ceres jerked her head up. Scarlet hues erupted on her cheeks. "Waithe, did you watch?"

"Aye, but only from a distance. I still be your protector, my Lady Ceres. And dangerously close we still be to a host of angry Medice Guard." He grinned. "Although, Alden may need protection from you."

"Waithe!"

"You need not my approval to kiss him, but if you would ask, I would give it. Alden be a good man."

She smiled. "Then in answer to your question, my wily protector, my good friend Lady Sharm did say my first true kiss would be wonderful. And so it was."

A part of Waithe wanted to remind her of the seriousness of her quest, the dangers that lie ahead, and the risk of crushing heartbreak. But this was not the time. Let her have this moment. He changed the subject. "Where go we from here?"

"It be written in the Medice Journal that only a Tau may reveal the location of this Shadow Spellbook. I must consult the Book of Tau to see how that be done."

*****

Ceres sat alone with her eyes closed on a huge flat rock that overlooked the stream not far below. Waithe climbed the hill toward her with a grinning Eira sitting on his shoulders. The red sandstone blended well with the yellow and orange hues of the sunrise behind her. It all seemed so peaceful. The new day gave Waithe a touch of confidence, that they would ultimately defeat the Darkness like the sun defeats the night.

Ceres opened her eyes and sighed. She did not seem so confident right now. Waithe said, "Not so good?"

Ceres shook her head. "Aon does not respond, but then the Time Spirit rarely ever does. Jealous of her Magic she is, but we need it to locate the Spellbook. As a Tau, I had hoped she would appear to me." She smiled at the sight of the squirming little girl above. "But I see you were more successful, already have you captured this little wild spirit." She reached up and tickled a bare foot that dangled down.

Waithe flung Eira off of his shoulders, catching her fall just above the flat rock, all to her grinning delight. "What say you, my wild spirit, that we call Aon for the Lady?"

Eira nodded vigorously enough that she bounced in Waithe's arms. He set her down and sat beside her.

Ceres rolled her eyes. "Oh, Waithe. Aon is the most fickle of Spirits. She would not come."

He dropped his jaw in faux surprise, then transitioned to a half-grin. "My dear Eira, the Lady Ceres challenges us! Already have you called Anu and Phy. How hard could the Spirit of Time be?" He took hold of Eira's hands. "Be you ready?"

Eira nodded and closed her eyes. Waithe closed just one eye and winked with the other to Ceres. A smile came to her face in return, but it suddenly disappeared, replaced by a wide-eyed shocked expression. This puzzled Waithe, but when he looked up, he understood.

A clear sphere hovered above Eira. The rising sun reflected strangely from the surface, creating moving patterns of colored light. Even space itself seemed to twist and bend around it. All motion around them stopped. A pair of birds hung in the air and the cooking fire flames at the camp lost their flicker. Alden, who walked up the hill to join them, stood motionless with one foot extended. Waithe recognized the sphere, it was the one that accompanied the Woman of Light when she appeared to him. So this was Aon.

Eira opened her eyes and looked up at the globe, seemingly unaware of the astonishing achievement it was to call the Time Spirit. She held out her hands and Aon settled into her palms. Ceres' mouth opened wide, but no words came out.

Waithe smiled. "My dear Lady of the Order, now be the time to make your request of the Spirit Aon."

She nodded and closed her eyes. Aon circled slowly above them for a few moments, then disappeared as suddenly as she appeared. The flow of time around them resumed as if nothing had happened.

Eira bounced into Ceres' lap. Ceres hugged her. "You be wondrous, my little Spirit caller."

Waithe raised an eyebrow. "Well?"

A smile erupted on Ceres' face. "Aye."

*****

Waithe could see the conflict in Lady Jenn's misty eyes, this outward swirl of emotions unusual for such a strong and sure woman. She had raised her sons to be men of noble principle and to find their true place in life. But Alden was her youngest, the last to leave the nest, and the path he chose was a particularly dangerous one. Her embrace seemed to nearly suffocate him, both physically and emotionally.

She came next to embrace Ceres. "May the Spirits be with you, my brave Lady. Send word if you are in need of anything. For now, take this." Jenn placed a purse heavy with coin in Ceres' hands. "Consider it a sponsorship for your quest."

"And you Waithe, stay out of trouble and keep them safe." She hugged him, holding on for several moments.

He embraced her in return. "Aye, my dear old friend. That be my highest purpose."

Jenn smiled and ruffled Eira's hair. "You, little one, you look after them all."

The four watched Lady Jenn and her soldiers ride off to the east, leaving a lazy cloud of reddish dust behind them.

Alden turned toward Ceres. "So we go west into Kust, towards those who would harm you?"

"Aye. It is not too late to change your mind and return home, Alden. I would not fault you."

"Nay, my Lady, I go with you. But strange that the Dark Shaman of the North Lands would abandon the Spellbook in Kust, so far away from his home."

"Not so strange, I saw it in the vision from Aon. After he was defeated by the combined armies of the Lands, he fled. He hid the book in the mountains of Kust, hoping to retrieve it later, but met his demise instead. It lies near the base of a simmering volcano that overlooks a barren wasteland, an area also cursed by the Darkness. We know of only one such place."

"Well I suppose that would be a fitting home for a lost book of dark spells. Still, I wish he would have left it on a pleasant beach beside warm blue waters, someplace far away."

She grinned. "If only, my friend."

Alden glanced over at Eira, who sat, meticulously sorting her prized collection of marbles by size and type. "Ceres, you told me Eira's destiny is with you. That I see clearly now. What will come of her?"

"For someone so young, her abilities to call the Spirit Magic be far beyond extraordinary. The makings of a powerful Shaman she has. I shall begin to train her in the ways of Magic. It concerns me, though. Such power may lead to corruption, and from that to the Darkness." Ceres dipped her head. "Now she is innocent, but what of later? I know not if I am up to the task."

Alden took up her hand. "My dear Ceres, I think it no coincidence that the Spirits led you to that lost little girl. No one else would be better than you to raise and train her."

"I pray to the Creator God that your words be true. But I need something from you, an oath."

Alden pulled back and looked into her eyes.

She continued, "I know not what my fate may be. If I am to be a sacrifice to our cause, so be it. Should that be, I wish you to swear to look after Eira and see to her well being, to protect her as Waithe protects me."

"Ceres, I would not let you come to harm!"

Her eyes moistened. "Harm may come regardless. The fate of the world is more important than me or you. Please, Alden."

He bowed his head. "Very well. I do so swear, my Lady."

Ceres pulled in to an embrace. Waithe closed the saddlebag buckle on his horse and then put a hand on the shoulder of each Ceres and Alden. "Let us be off. Whatever it may be, our destiny awaits us, my dear friends."