As her fingers began to tingle, Nineve gazed up and watched as a tall column of blue-white light exploded upwards to pierce the heavens. In that moment, she experienced a rush of awakening and understanding, it was as if a veil had been removed from her mind and her spirit's tasks and destiny lay spread before her once more.
* * *
The meal had been wonderful and the bed of straw above the stables the most comfortable place either Usher or Cal could ever remember passing a night. The sun was already high over the horizon when Usher placed a hand over Cal's mouth to wake him. Cal jerked away from the hand, and then stretched, making a satisfied moan as he did so.
'Shhh,' cautioned Usher. Cal's eyes flew open. Usher touched a finger to his lips, and then indicated that Cal should join him
