Leesil held her eyes with his. "I swear."

Domin Tilswith removed the ribbon and took up the incense. Blowing its tip to a coal, he lit the two outside candles, their wicks lightly dipped in clear oil.

Magiere picked up one candle and Leesil the other, and together they lit the center candle. They blew out the candles they held and set them aside.

"Two lights are now one," Domin Tilswith proclaimed. He held up the single candle. "Leesil and Magiere are one."

The warehouse filled with cheers.

Wynn kept stumbling sideways every time she took a step. Maybe the common room had not been built on level ground.

The celebration in the Sea Lion Tavern had broken into… well, a celebration. She had never taken part in anything like this.

Bieja had outdone herself with the feast, and now poured wine straight from a cask into large mugs and tankards, passing them around like water. Domin Tilswith had finished two already, and even Osha held a mug.

Wynn had tasted wine before, on special occasions and in small amounts, but she most certainly was not drunk. Besides her, Leesil was the only one sober, as he sipped on spiced tea.

The common room had been half-cleared of tables and chairs, and Bieja had abandoned the bar to dance with Karlin. The pair dominated the floor with their girth and energy, until Leesil pulled Magiere out to join them. After that, Wynn tried to teach Osha a few steps, but she did not know much about dancing herself. She stumbled into a chair, nearly taking him with her. The floor was definitely uneven. Yes, that was the reason.

The Sea Lion was packed with people, who all seemed affectionate with Leesil and Magiere, but Wynn hardly knew anyone. She noticed Osha's wary glances at the only other elf present, but oddly, these two avoided each other.

"Magiere said his name is Loni," Wynn shouted to Osha over the din.

"He is not an'Croan," Osha answered.

Loni's hair was light brown, and his eyes were amber brown. He was not as tall as Osha, but his facial structure, slanted eyes, and oblong pointed ears clearly marked him as fully elven. He seemed just as determined to ignore Osha. But his differences from the an'Croan left Wynn wondering.

She had heard Leesil and Magiere speak of Loni once or twice, but in seeing him for the first time, Wynn thought he looked much more like the elves from her own continent. So what was one of them doing here, so far from home?

"At least people here are so accustomed to him that they do not find you strange," she said to Osha.

Or she thought she had said it. Some of the words did not sound right, but that was because of all the noise. Before she could repeat herself, she noticed the room's awful tilt and felt as though the chair beneath her might fall over.

It was too hot in here.

Wynn had tried not to dwell on the conversation in the kitchen with Domin Tilswith, especially the part after Leesil ran out after Magiere. She had promised herself to wait until after the wedding before telling Magiere or Leesil the domin's unsettling news.

Today was about them, their day of joy, and she would not spoil it for anything.

"Let us go outside," Osha said. "It is too warm."

Thank goodness someone else noticed, thought Wynn, and she followed as he waded through the crowd for the front door.

The night outside was better-cooler. Rather than stand about before the tavern windows, they walked as far as the nearby stables. Osha half-crouched, leaning back against the stable's outer door, and Wynn stood before him, watching him weave a little before her eyes.

"I am… dizzy," he said and wiped his brow.

He had fallen back into Elvish. Obviously Osha could not hold his wine. Wynn giggled before she could stop herself.

"I fear the Anmaglahk would not approve of a single thing you did today."

His slanted eyes grew serious. "No, they would not, and that thought is sad."

Wynn lost her own humor.

"Today was good," Osha went on, "and humans are nothing like I was taught. Even Sgailsheilleache, who spent so much time in these lands, knew little of them… Then you came." He glanced away. "Sgailsheilleache should have stood with Leshil today-not me."

"No, Osha," Wynn said. "Leesil mourns Sgaile, but he was glad to have you with him."

He looked at her, his face intense-lonely-and hungry in moonlight.

Wynn teetered so much she stumbled. She grabbed the stable door near his shoulder. With his face so near hers, Wynn's muddled head flushed with a new heat.

She wanted to feel what Magiere and Leesil had, to know that closeness with someone she cared for. Wynn realized, standing there, that she could make Osha fall in love with her. Just kiss him on those soft… thin… tan lips.

She shoved off the stable door, growing too warm again.

With all they had been through together, she loved Osha-but was she in love with him? Their paths would soon diverge, and perhaps that was best. She took another step back.

Osha studied her until she could not bear it anymore.

"We should go back inside," she said. "Magiere will wonder what became of us."

His mouth tightened in puzzlement, or was it disappointment?

He stood up. "Yes, we go back now."

Chap lay by the hearth watching everyone around him drink, dance, and laugh. More than once he had quickly scooted aside before someone stepped on his tail.

Wynn slipped in the front door, flushed and staggering as she looked about.

When she spotted him, she wove among the crowd and dropped a bit too hard beside him. She buried fingers in his fur, rubbing his back, and it felt good. He wondered why she was no longer joining in the festivities.

Osha came through the front door.

He scanned the room and spotted Wynn. Before he could make his way over, Aunt Bieja hauled him off to where Karlin had collapsed into a chair. Osha seemed happy enough, or perhaps even relieved to sit with them.

That young elf will never be Anmaglahk, Chap projected.

"I hope not," Wynn mumbled, still rubbing his back. "Though he wants it so much. Osha knows more about humans than most of his caste. Perhaps that will make a difference."

She sounded so sad-and drunk-that Chap raised his head. What is wrong?

"You, Magiere, and Leesil… cannot stay here… long, will you?"

He sighed through his nose, settling his head on his paws once more.

Tonight is for them, but tomorrow… no, we cannot stay. We must leave and get as far from Most Aged Father's reach as we can. Even that will only be a delay.

Wynn took her hand away.

"Domin Tilswith was… overwhelmed by the texts we brought back. Translation at our barracks in Bela is not possible. We do not have the reference materials needed-and he cannot leave. There is still too much to be done in Bela in starting that little new branch of our guild."

Her silence was too long and too easy to read on her sad face.

You are going home… taking your find to Malourne, and the guild's founding branch.

Wynn did not seem surprised that he knew. "Someone must take the texts to them… to those more experienced in translation. Domin Tilswith thinks this best, as I will be needed for what I learned on our travels."

Chap shifted closer to her. In truth, he had known this day would come. And now he worried again for Wynn's safety… from those who might seek the texts to learn more of the orb Magiere and Leesil bore-and from his own kin.

You are part of this now-and no safer than any of us. It is best that you leave this land as well.

"What am I to do without you?" she whispered.

Tears formed in her bleary brown eyes. But Chap knew she would be safest in one of her guild's communities, though not safe enough.

Once you arrive, stay where many are around you. My kin do not want to be known by mortals. They will shy from manifesting where they might be noticed.