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.She wasn't even sure she had choked out Carina's name before the dark-haired healer was in her arms, both of them talking and crying at once."Did you get this kind of greeting too?" the swordsman asked dryly as the others looked on in amazement.Kiara dragged her sleeve across her eyes."I'm sorry," she said, finding her voice."It's just, oh Goddess! We're cousins, and Carina's been on the road for so long—"The black-haired man stepped toward them."Then you must be Kiara Sharsequm.""How—""It's all right, Kiara," Carina said, collecting herself with a deep breath and wiping the tears from her eyes."They're friends.Come on.I'll take a look at that shoulder and at Jae.We've got a lot of catching up to do."Carina introduced Carroway, Vahanian and Berry, then went to retrieve her healer's bag from the satchels on her horse while Berry pressed a hunk of bread and chunks of meat and cheese into Kiara's hands.Jae's head thrust out of the sling, surprising the girl, who laughed and then reached for the gyregon.Kiara expected a hiss of annoyance, but to her surprise, the gyregon accepted the girl's gentle touch.Kiara carefully removed the sling, leaving the gyregon wrapped in the cloth bandage and handed him to Berry, who put a pot of water on the fire and then settled down cross-legged where she could hear Kiara's story and feed niblets of cheese to the gyregon.When the healer finished with her shoulder, Kiara found that it no longer throbbed.Jae hissed in recognition as Carina took him gently from Berry, and let the little gyregon flick his tongue along her hand in acknowledgment.After a short while, the cut along Jae's belly looked nearly healed.Between healings, Carina mixed a tea which she presented to Tris, who looked as if he were in pain.He accepted the tea gratefully.Night had fallen by the time Carina had recounted their escape from the slavers, and the detail she provided about Tris's role in obtaining their freedom confirmed that the young mage had considerably more power than he let on.She explained how circumstances had changed their course, directing them all to the Library at Westmarch instead of Dhasson.Carina even managed to tell of Cam's disappearance with a fair amount of control, although Kiara was unashamed of the tears it brought to her own eyes.Of the others' stories, Carina offered little.While she talked, Tris and Carroway made rush torches and arrows to replace the ones they had used and Vahanian refilled the bucket with pitch, ready for another encounter."I hate to break up the story," Vahanian said from where he leaned against the trunk of a tree, "but if we're riding out tomorrow, do we have some idea of where this Library of yours is?" He stretched up and back to flick off a loose piece of bark before looking at the group once more, glancing from Tris to Carina and back again."Would it help if I gave you my map?" Kiara offered.Briefly, she explained her quest, and the Oracle's directive that she seek out the fabled library."Now we're getting somewhere," Vahanian replied, accepting the old map."If this relic is true," he said after a moment's examination, "then we're within a day's ride.Of course, that assumes the Library is still there.Spook here," he added with a nod in Tris's direction, "can tell you I'm more of a seeing-is-believing kind of guy.""Maybe we should get some sleep," Tris interjected."We'll have our chance tomorrow to see if the Library is real or not."Kiara nodded, suddenly aware of just how exhausted she was."I'll help you find a spot for your bedroll," Carina offered."We stay pretty close together." She managed a tired smile."We decided that we'd give up a little privacy to stay out of the slavers' hands.""Good idea," Kiara agreed.She looked from Tris to Vahanian to Carroway."I expect to take my turn on watch," she said."First night's free," Carroway smiled."Tomorrow, you can take your turn, and mine too if you'd like," he said.Kiara tended to Wraith then carried her blankets to where Carina cleared a space for her.After so long alone on the trail, she was surprised at how great a comfort it was to fall asleep with the sounds of other people nearby.Morning came all too quickly.Carroway warmed gruel over the small fire, which they washed down with water from a spring beyond the hill.The small group had been together long enough to have a routine for getting on the road, Kiara noted, and tired as they were, they packed up the camp in record time.Kiara felt a tingle of excitement as they took to the road.Finding the Library had become a quest in itself, and she sensed the same anticipation among the others.For a while, Kiara rode with Carina, enjoying the familiar companionship.Jae hopped from her shoulder to Berry's, and let the girl stroke his scales as he made contented chirps.Mid-morning, Kiara found herself riding alongside Carroway, and enjoyed his songs and tales.By the good-natured ribbing, she gathered that his stories were familiar to the others, and Carroway explained that he often earned their night's keep by entertaining in taverns.Most interesting was the time she rode next to Tris.Taciturn at first, he opened up a little when she revealed her own limited abilities with magic, and they talked of magecraft, both experienced or rumored.She was surprised when Carina drew her away privately as they made camp that evening."What were you and Tris so deep in conversation about?" Carina asked.Kiara shrugged."We were trading theories about magic more than anything, comparing the few mages we've met, that sort of thing.""I'm amazed you're so open with him," Carina said."Considering."Kiara frowned."Considering what?"Carina looked at her carefully."You don't know, do you?""Know what?" Kiara asked."Would you please stop talking in riddles?""I didn't introduce him because I assumed you'd covered all that," Carina replied."Did he tell you who he is, or why he's out here?"Kiara shook her head."It's never really come up.I've gotten used to not asking that sort of thing on the road.I assumed you trusted him."Carina nodded."I do, completely.But there's something you need to know.Tris and his friends saw King Bricen's murder, and the murderer wants them dead.Tris was told he'd find his answers in Westmarch.""There's something else you're not saying."Carina met her eyes."Kiara, he's Martris Drayke.Of Margolan.Jared Drayke's younger brother."Kiara exhaled sharply and glanced back at Tris, who was standing near the fire talking with Vahanian."Sweet Chenne," she said.The resemblance she noted now made sense, Kiara thought, looking at Tris from a distance
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