"Truly. Allia, bring Keritanima to us, if you do not mind."

"At once, Dolanna," Allia answered, and scurried out the door.

"I think they also know about me," he said. "About what I can do. Jander said that men have been going around the city, killing cats with silvered arrows. I think they're trying to pick me off, but that says that they know I'm a shapeshifter."

"Certainly it does," she agreed. "Because there are enemy agents in the Tower, we must assume that they know as much about the three of you as the Council did. That means that they have access to a great deal of sensitive information. But this is not critically damaging information. There is little they can do with it aside from try to find us."

"True, but if they know about Kerri, then they know about Miranda, Binter, and Sisska," he argued. "That means we have to hide them too."

"We must hide all of us," she said calmly. "They no doubt know about Azakar, myself and Faalken, and Dar as well. We are a rather unique group, my dear one. I think it may be time for disguises again."

"You don't think our carnival disguises are good enough?"

"No. They do not hide who we are, they just place us in a place that our enemies may not think to look for us," she replied. "Of us all, only Dar does not stand out. He is the only one that could probably move about without being hindered."

Tarrin mulled that over, and found her to be right. Faalken was too long a warrior. The very way he moved gave away his training to anyone who knew what to look for. Dolanna too stuck out like a sore thumb, because of her Sharadite features and the way she carried herself. Azakar was simply too huge, too unique to not attract attention. Dar was the only one that hadn't been trained to the point where the very sense of him seemed unusual or attracted the attention of a trained observer. With a costume and a bit of coaching, Dar alone could travel through the city without enemies singling him out.

"What good does that do us now?"

"For now, little," she replied. "But it is something important for us to know, in case we have need for an inobtrusive companion."

The door opened, and Keritanima came in with Allia. She was wearing a simple red robe, obviously over her costume, belted at the waist tightly. Her face was tight. She was obviously angry. "The other problem is with Sorcery," he continued after nodding to his sisters. "I, tried to use Sorcery to defend me and Miranda, and it was an absolute disaster."

"What happened?" Dolanna asked.

"I can't say I lost control because I never had control," he grunted. "The absolute instant I touched the Weave, I was drowned by power. I don't have any idea where it was coming from, because the strands around here couldn't support such a heavy draw. I mean it was instant, Dolanna. Usually when I use Sorcery, I can get away with it because it takes me time to charge up to that level, and I can weave together my spell and let go before I cross over into High Sorcery. But this time, it was just there."

Dolanna pursed her lips. "Perhaps it was a freak occurance," she said. "I cannot see how that could happen. But with Keritanima and Allia here, I believe that we have enough power to counter you if you were to try again."

"That's a good idea," he agreed. "If this is going to keep happening, I want to know before my life depends on using it."

"Alright, Keritanima, Allia, circle with me. I will be the lead."

He felt them join into a circle, then took a few deep, cleansing breaths. If it was going to happen again, he wanted to be ready for it. "Go ahead, Tarrin," Dolanna urged. "We are ready."

Closing his eyes, he reached out and touched the Weave, and it happened again. The instant he opened that link between him and the Weave, the power poured into him like water down a wellshaft. But this time, he was ready for it. He managed to maintain control enough to channel that power back at itself, an attempt to sever himself from the Weave, and then he felt Dolanna and his sisters push at the connection from the other side, aiding him in getting away from it.

And it worked. Their efforts met in the middle, cutting him off from the Weave, but creating a painful backlash that felt like a Giant had stepped on him. Tarrin gasped as the backlash washed through him, then he panted to regain his breath, flexing the fingers on his right paw absently. "Just like that," he managed to say.

"Strange," Dolanna said curiously. "The instant you touched the Weave, the strands you tapped expanded, becoming like miniature conduits."

"Isn't that supposed to be impossible?" he asked.

"Yes, but you are a Weavespinner, my dear one," she replied calmly. "There is no telling how your power affects things, because we do not understand completely how it works. Since you have the power to directly affect the Weave, we must assume that this expansion of strands is an aspect of your capability. If you can create and destroy strands, logic only assumes that you could also have the power to alter existing strands in just such a way."

"But that would have to come from him, Dolanna," Keritanima objected. "The strands are expanding when he touches the Weave. I think it's the Weave reacting to him, not him affecting the Weave."

"Perhaps," Dolanna pondered, tapping her chin. "Either way, this is something that must be studied before we can make solid conclusions. And I heavily suggest that you refrain from using any Sorcery until we come up with answers, dear one," she said sternly to Tarrin.

"I don't think there's a problem with that," he agreed.

"We will talk about this more in a while. Right now, I must go see Renoit and find out what we are going to do next. Until then, the three of you should stay out of sight. Do not go on deck."

Tarrin took her hand before she left, glad that she was there. Dolanna always knew what to do. After she left, he turned to Keritanima with a grin on his face. "I hear you had a conniption today," he teased.

"I'm about to have another one, Tarrin," she fumed. "What possessed you to go running off-"

"She asked, I agreed, because neither of us had anything to do. Sisska felt we were safe enough to go alone, so I think you can cut us some slack, Kerri," he cut her off. "And don't be so hard on her. She's trying to help."

"I know that," she snapped, "but I don't like seeing her put herself in danger like that."

"She used to do it all the time for you back in Wikuna," he countered. "Why worry so much about her now?"

"Because we had the upper hand in Wikuna," she almost shouted in reply. "Her risks were well known and calculated. Out here, it's alot riskier, and the risk is unknown. That makes it much more dangerous." She grabbed him by the shirt. "And I resent the implication that I just sent her out into danger without worrying about her," she seethed. "I never sent her anywhere without Sisska and others nearby to help in case she got into trouble."

"I never meant to imply that," he said calmly.

"I think Tarrin is saying that you should let Miranda stand on her own feet, sister," Allia said sagely. "That you worry for her is good, but you don't need to act like her mother."

"I do no such thing!" she snapped at Allia. "Miranda is my oldest friend. I'd yell at any friend for doing something that stupid! And you're next, boy," she pointed imperiously at Tarrin. "What possessed you to take on a small army of armed men! You should have grabbed Miranda and ran! Those legs of yours let you jump onto just about any roof you please, even with Miranda weighing you down!"

"I would have done that if I hadn't have tried Sorcery first," he replied calmly. "I tried it first because I wanted to end it quickly. But you saw what happened. While I was recovering from the backlash, they engaged us."

Keritanima seemed to analyze it, looking for any holes that would give her an excuse to rail on him, but she could find none. Snorting, she crossed her arms beneath her breasts and gave him a flinty look. "Well, just don't do it again," she huffed.