SHADOW LEADER, page 41
And across the desert, where the wind tumbled summer clouds over Randonnen peaks, two riders topped the pass that led to a mountain village. People gathered to watch them, and someone ran to the forge to get the blacksmith as they recognized his son in the pass. A woman rode with the man, but she could not be his twin, the healer—where was her wolf?
Kheldour watched them come in silence, ignoring the murmur of the growing crowd. The riders' clothes were clean but stained and battle worn, proof of a difficult Journey, but the two rode proudly with no hint of sadness in the gait of the dnu. Kheldour searched his heart for his missing daughter. He had felt fear for them so many times, waking in the night to the sound of distant swords and faded fighting, stopping his hammer when the ringing metal broke into his thoughts like battle, and praying to the moons as his daughter and son reached out across time and distance to one who could hear but not answer.
The murmuring rose, and Kheldour squinted more closely at the woman who was riding alongside his son. Two bright spots of color, purple and blue, marked her hands, and as they drew near, he realized that they were flowers. The Flowers of Promising and the Flowers of the Waiting Year. He felt his heart expand, and he drew in a breath as if to hold that sudden joy in him forever. Had it been only the Flowers of Promising, then his son would have mated; had it been only those of the Waiting Year, then he would have known that Dion had chosen her mate. No, this woman who rode so straight beside his son held two bouquets. Then his daughter and his son were both Promised.
“A double blessing,” he told himself. And Kheldour strode to greet his children home.
Balefanio, SHADOW LEADER
