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petty and irrelevant in the presence of such a wise being, someone who had experienced the wrath of our enemies even more than I had. He understood the fierce loyalty I had for Jaria, just as he also perceived the deeper knowledge within me that Jaria itself had grown detached from the rest of society. As much as I hated to admit it, there was more to the current conflict than Jaria and Reltland alone.
    The heartbeat continued slowly, in time with Ciera’s own heartbeat. The chorus was both poignant and uplifting and I felt a deep satisfaction each time the song built to the chorus. I found myself holding my breath waiting for it and then breathing out slowly when it played in Ciera’s mind. The emperor skyearl held me quietly until my emotions subsided.
    ‘What was that?’ I asked him.
    A sense of love and hope flowed from him, enrapturing me. I waited long moments for his reply, the song still echoing between us.
    ‘It is Halduronlei,’ he replied, using the waves with me for the first time, ‘meaning “weatherstorm”. It is my soothing song, a focusing song I use to calm myself when the battle-fury is upon me; to learn to weather the storm of my emotions. All skyearls have a soothing song and it is usually their Sleffion who must make the music for them, not the other way around.’
    His rebuke, though gentle, chastened me. Throughout my childhood, many in Jaria had complained about my temper, which was part of the reason I preferred solitude. Perhaps I did lack self-control.
    Ciera turned my attention back to himself. Understanding and respect flowed through me and I realised I had a lot of learning to do before Ciera and I could properly bond. I also sensed that the emperor’s desire to help my people was almost as strong as my own. Even if the king of Tanza refused to ally with Jaria, Ciera would try to persuade him to do what he could to win their freedom. Perhaps Tanza could buy their freedom—the Zeikas’ greed for gold and gems was legendary—or send someone to quietly get them out without connecting the rescue with Tanza.
    ‘We will do what we can for the survivors from Jaria when the time is right,’ he acknowledged.
    Hope flowed through me.
    Hearing the squeak of leather behind me, I glanced back. Sarlice stood behind me with her arms folded, looking up at the huge skyearl. Kestric and Rekala stopped in front of her as if to shield her from danger. Their tails twitched nervously and in the paradoxical manner of cats they exuded both wariness and ferocity. Rekala’s uncertainty coursed through the waves and Kestric’s lip curled up in a menacing snarl.
    Ciera hunkered down so his head was on their level and said, ‘I’m pleased to meet you Rekala and Kestric.’
    His words reverberated strongly through the waves as well as out loud. Unlike wild animals, skyearls were sentient, so they could use the waves with each other from birth, but this was the first time Ciera had communicated with Rada-kin. As expected, he had access to my wave abilities and was now able to converse with all Rada-kin. Even though Rekala understood, a rough growl rumbled from her throat at the unfamiliar voice and the enormous physical presence of the skyearl. Her logical mind was not yet developed enough to overcome the instinctive rejection of something so alien. Kestric’s ears flattened tight to his skull and he lifted his claws to strike. Ciera took hold of the tigers through the waves and sent such an overwhelming sense of peace that the Rada-kin flopped into the grass looking puzzled. Their stripes shivered as if they were being bitten by flies.
    ‘Greetings Tiaro and Fyschs,’ Ciera said to the earring and the sword respectively. Each item sung back to him on the waves, emanating the pleasure and relaxation that was left over from the skyearl’s Soothing Song.
    ‘It is a pleasure to meet you,’ Tiaro said, her fascination with his vast experience in the waves apparent. She perceived that even the skyearls’