library, keep her from knowing if he was in his library, but not block anyone else from visiting the library if they had a need to do so.  He reached out from where he was and put a weave on Jesminds amulet, blocking it from making contact with his own.  He secured the weave in that peculiar manner the ShaKar had taught him that would keep the weave charged without him having to concentrate on it.  The tightness of it would keep the weave active for a few years, more than long enough for her to calm down.  That would keep her from simply using the amulet to annoy him to death, but still allow her to use it to make contact with everyone else, and allow him to contact her if it was needful.  That was the important part.  He quickly and thoroughly took absolutely everything that belonged to him out of the room, using Druidic magic to send it down into the library.  Jesmind had a bad track record of destroying his possessions, and he wasnt going to tempt her vengeful nature.  He went through the first floor of the house and made sure that everything that was distinctly his was well out of her reach.
	That done, he realized that he really had nothing else to do as far as the house was concerned.  His possessions were now secure, and Jesmind wouldnt do anything to the house, because that would tempt the wrath of the Goddess, and not even Jesmind would risk that, no matter how enraged she was.  He only had about five more minutes before Jesmind got mobile again, and there was no guarantee that she couldnt frighten the sin out Jasana with ugly threats and make her let her out of the room.  Jasana probably remembered what happened the last time she was put between her parents, but this time shed have to live with the one she was acting against.  He wouldnt blame her at all if she caved in, because Jesmind could be very nasty and spiteful against those who acted against her.
	That waseverything.  He could leave now.  Well, he could, but he didnt want to go until Jula came back, until Kimmie finished whatever she was doing with Anayi, tell them what was going on and explain things to them.  But he did have to get out of the house proper, so he retreated to his library and Whispered to Jasana that she could let Jesmind out.  She did so, and Tarrin could sense her prowling the room, seeing that everything of his was gone, and he felt her put her paws on the Ward, as if to claw through it.  But that was impossible, and the sense of her retreated away.
	Jula returned later that evening, and almost immediately came down into the library.  She was wearing an Arakite robe; Jula traveled quite a bit.  Father, whats going on? she asked.
	Me and Jesmind had a serious fight, he answered.  Serious enough to tell me its time we parted ways for a while.
	I was waiting for that, she sighed.  Jesminds been a real bitch for almost a month now.  I sorta suspected that this might happen, because its how Jesmind and Mist were acting before they got into it.  So whats going to happen?
	Im leaving, he answered.  I wont take Jasana away from her home, and that means Jesmind has to stay.  So Im going.
	But this is your house! she protested.
	Its still mine, he answered mildly.  Im just going to let Jesmind stay in it for a while.  Besides, I think its time for me to go out and see some things.  Im actually kind of inclined to the idea of it.  Just like how you travel, he said with a smile.
	But I come home every night, she told him.  Or day, or whatever.
	That wont happen too often, but I have Jesmind Warded out of the library, so this is my place, he said.  She cant get down here, and since this is where my important things are, theyll be safe and protected.
	From Jesmind, Jula chuckled.
	He nodded.  Id like you to babysit the Ward, and make absolutely sure that Jesmind does not come down here, he told her.  I remember the last time she got bitchy with me.
	Jula gave a rueful look.  Oh, yes, the room destroying incident.
	Id rather not have a repeat of that.  If she destroyed a few of the more precious things down here, I would kill her.
	Jula looked around, and nodded.  Hidden in Tarrins library were some of the rarest and most valuable examples of Dwarven art and handiwork that existed in the world.  The centerpiece of his collection was the axe that had belonged to the last of the Dwarven kings, which rested on a stand on the bookshelf that sat immediately behind his oversized desk.  The little metal cat statuette that had held his soul after destroying Val was also now on that shelf.  That was the second of his four most treasured possessions.  The other two were the Firestaff and his artifact sword, though he didnt have the same kind of sentimental attachment to them as he did to those two objects.
	Have you told Kimmie yet? she asked.
	She hasnt come out of her tower yet, he answered.  She may not until morning.
	Oh, shell be out soon enough. She has her cubs in there with her.
	Then she should be out soon.  Its almost dinnertime.
	Why dont you just call to her? she asked, tapping her amulet.
	Its not wise to interrupt a Wizard when shes in the middle of something, he answered with a shake of his head.
	True.  She looked at the stairwell as the sound of footsteps reached both of them.  He turned himself and saw Kimmie coming down.  Well, speak of her, and here she comes.
	Tarrin, whats going on? she asked.  Jasana almost got her face burned off when she came into my lab and told me to come over here.
	Without much emotion, Tarrin explained what happened.  I suggest you get your tower ready to live in it, Kimmie, he told her.  Youre next.  You might want to pull back from Jesmind for a while.
	She pursed her lips.  Thats a good point, she agreed.  With you gone, shell probably get even more short-tempered with me.  I cant leave my tower right now because of Anayi, but I can withdraw into it with my cubs and keep myself separate from Jesmind.
	You dont seem too surprised.
	I saw this happen between Mist and Jesmind, she answered.  I was expecting it.
	You could have warned me, he said in a bit of irritation, glaring at both of them.
	Triana explicitly told us not to interfere, Jula answered.  She saw this coming too, father, but she wasnt quite sure when it was going to happen.  About six months ago, she pulled us aside and told us not to say anything when it started.  She didnt want you trying to avoid the inevitable.  Those were her exact words, she added quickly.
	Tarrin fumed a bit at his meddling bond-mothers interference, but said nothing.  Even with her not there, he wasnt in a habit of gainsaying Triana, on just about anything.
	Youre leaving, arent you? Kimmie asked.
	How did you know? Jula asked.
	Hes moved all his things down here, and theres that Ward up at the entrance, she answered.  If he wasnt leaving, all of Jesminds stuff would be littered out on the front lawn.  It doesnt take much to piece it together, Jula.
	Dont rub it in, she told her friend with a bland look.
	As a matter of fact, I am, he affirmed.  I think Ill go wander around for a while.  You know, Ive never really had the chance to do that.  Outside of the period between when I left Sarraya in the desert and I got to Aldreth, Ive never really been alone.  Ive always had something else to do or something pinning me down to the house.  I think Id like to be alone for a while, without any training, any responsibilities, and any demands on me.  Just go out and live for a while.
	You still have training, Tarrin, Kimmie said flintily.  My training.
	Its going to have to wait for a while, Kimmie, he told her.
	Oh no, youre not getting off that easy, she told him adamantly.  But I cant have you in the tower with Jesmind prowling around, so Im going to come to you, no matter where you are.
	It is going to have to wait, he told her.  Theres no way youre going to be able to come to me, Kimmie.  Jula cant Teleport you because she may not have been where I might be at that moment.
	Kimmie frowned.  Alright, two days out of every ride, you have to come back to the library, and Ill teach you, she proposed.  Its going to take longer, but you owe me this, Tarrin, she said fiercely.
	I can live with that, he agreed.  Itll give me a chance to see my cubs, too.
	When are you leaving, father? Jula asked.
	Right now, he answered.  I dont think I want to try to explain this to Tara and Rina, he sighed.
	Theyre old enough to understand.
	Yes, but Taras going to blame Jesmind, Tarrin pointed out.  You know whatll happen.
	Jesmind will have Tara wrapped around her leg and with her little teeth sunk into her calf, Jula said, then she laughed helplessly.
	Thats about whatll happen alright, Kimmie agreed.  Tara can be an absolute hellion when shes upset, and Jesmind causing her father to leave the house will definitely make her upset.
	You want help defusing Tara? Jula asked.
	Kimmie nodded.  Shes more mellow with you than me, Jula.  We just have to make it clear that this was nobodys fault.  Its just part of being Were.
	Tarrin nodded in agreement.  I think Ill start in Suld.
	Where are you going? Jula asked.
	I have no idea, he said with a kind of dreamy smile.
	Well, well hold down the house for you, father.  Dont worry.
	And its not like youre going to disappear, Kimmie smiled.  Youll be back in eight days.  Youd better, she said with a teasing smile.
	Have Jula come fetch me, he told her.
	He didnt want a scene with his cubs, so he quickly stowed some clothes and necessities in a Conjured pack, then summoned Forge and Fireflash to him.  He sat them down in front of his chair and used Druidic magic to talk to them, explained what was going on, then told Forge that defending the house and protecting the cubs was now his duty, and that hed be back two days out of every ten to visit with him and make sure everything was going alright.  Fireflash absolutely declared, in an ultimatum, no less, that he would not leave Tarrin.  Fireflash was going with him, and if he didnt like that, well, that was just tough.  In actuality, Tarrin didnt mind that at all.  Fireflash was his drake, and it was always good to have a little company when traveling.
	And that was that.  Giving Jula and Kimmie hugs, ruffing Forges head, Tarrin shouldered his pack as Fireflash jumped up onto his other shoulder.  Explain to my parents, he told Jula as he set his will against the Weave, and flows surrounded him as he wove the spell of Teleportation, that would take him to the landing point in the Tower at Suld.
	It was bittersweet.  He didnt want to leave Jesmind and the cubs, but he knew that he had to do this.  If he tried to stay with Jesmind, they were going to kill each other.  But it also meant leaving his precious house, leaving his children behind, and that was what hurt.  But it had to be done, and it wasnt forever, after all.  Two days out of every ten he would be home, and he would be able to see his children, spend time with them, be with them.  For the other eight days, he would wander the world and see all those things he had yet to see.  He actually looked forward to that, even if it did mean separation from his beloved mate and children.
	The spell complete, he snapped it down and released it, vanishing from the home that the Goddess had made for him, starting a new phase of his life.  But it wasnt forever.  He would be back in eight days to see everyone and take his lessons, but until then his time was his own, with no responsibilities or duties or requirements on him.
	For eight days, he would be utterly free.

	It was close to sunset in Suld when he arrived, which made wandering around a moot point.
	He snuck off the Tower grounds effortlessly and shifted into his human form once he jumped over the fence, stamping his feet in his shoes to settle them before disappearing into the city.  Theyd managed to rebuild the destroyed sections of Suld since all that happened a year and more ago, and he passed through them on the way to his destination, wandering around in a wide arc.  The buildings were all stone or wattle and daub with slate roofs, and Arren had taken advantage of the rebuilding to make improvements.  The streets were wider and straight, until the narrow, twisting streets of the rest of the city, the layout more efficient.  Lamps sat on poles at regular intervals along the sides of the streets, illuminating fronts of stores and houses that looked pristinely neat and clean.  They had installed a better sewer system under those streets while they were built, which made this part of town actually an attractive place to live now, with its broad, well-lit streets and new buildings.  The people who had lost their homes owned most of it, having gotten much better houses when Arren rebuilt it all, so they didnt complain one bit.
	The wall expansion project was also moving along nicely.  They had the new wall about half built, which was due almost exclusively to the fact that Arren had somehow managed to strike a deal with Jenna to have Sorcerers aid in the construction.  It would expand the city by half, and people had already started building shops and houses out beyond the old outer wall, risking being on the outside of the wall for that period before it was completed, but then again, Sulasia was at peace with everyone at the moment and there werent any brigands or robbers that operated this close to Sulasias capital, and Arren had the Watch patrolling those expanding communities beyond the wall after dark.  That made it quite safe.  It would make Suld the largest city in the West, even larger than Tor, and Arren obviously had grand plans to make Sulasia even more of a major power in the world than it was now.
	His destination was Haleys festhall, which he had renamed since the last time Tarrin visited it.  Now the sign hanging outside the expanded building called the festhall The Singing Siren.  Tarrin stepped past two burly fellows at the door and walked in, and found that Haley had made some alterations.  There was a large stage on the back wall now, and it looked like hed built that stage by sacrificing the kitchen that had been back there the last time hed been in.  But the rest of the place looked more or less the same, except the bar was now a circular construction in the center of the room, well back from the stage to leave room for tables before the stage.  Haley was standing behind that circular bar with three other bartenders, which had a round stand in the middle holding jars and mugs and bottles and ewers and jugs of every kind of spirit imaginable.  The place was absolutely packed, nearly every table taken and almost every stool at the circular bar occupied.
	Tarrin had to shoulder his way to the bar, taking up a stool that let him see the stage if he leaned back and looked around the burly fellow wearing the livery of a city Watchman who sat to his left.  Haley! Tarrin shouted over the din of loud talking in the room as Fireflash jumped down onto the bar and sniffed at an empty glass sitting in front of the young woman to Tarrins right, who was wearing an expensive blue gown and had her brown hair pulled back away from her face with silver barrettes.
	Haley looked his way, then smiled and hurried over to him quickly.  I see youre slinking around, he said with a grin.  How have you been, you rascal?
	Ive been fine, Haley, he said.  I see youve fixed it up more.
	Yeah, I ripped out the kitchen and put it in the building behind this one, then installed the stage.  Its worked out rather well, I must say.  Ive got some good acts.
	Haley, more, the woman behind him ordered, shooing Fireflash from her glass with a wave of her hand.
	Certainly sister, he smiled.
	Tarrin glanced at her again, then  his eyes widened as he recognized her.
	It was Audrey!
	Audrey, the female Were-wolf who had fought with the Sulasian Rangers as they came down to Suld, then fought to protect the city from Kravon and the kizadun.  She was a sharp-featured woman with dark hair, but he certainly didnt recognize her in a fancy dress and with her hair all pulled back like that.  It made her look like a different person!
	Audrey! Tarrin blurted.
	She gave him a sharp look, then her eyes also widened.  Tarrin Kael! she blurted in reply, then she laughed.  What are you doing here?
	What are you doing here? he asked in reply.
	Visiting, she answered.  My pack likes to keep track of whats going on in Suld since the war, so I drift down every couple of years to see whats going on.  Now, what are you doing here?
	Just passing through, he answered.  I need a place to stay tonight, and Haley always knows the best places.
	Haley knows just about everything going on in Suld.  Thats why I come here, she laughed.
	Why are you wearing that gown? he asked curiously.
	You need it to get into the swanky inns, she answered.  I was curious to see how the nobles and the rich did things.
	Tarrin looked at the stage.  What happened to the brothel?
	Its in the building beside this one now, he winked.
	Where are those two giants?
	She got pregnant, he sighed.  I gave them a leave of absence.  But I did get some other rather special talent, he smiled.
	Who?
	A Siren, he answered.  Thats why I changed the name of the place.  She sings twice a night, four days a ride.  She packs the entire festhall.
	Tarrin chuckled.  Ive never met a Siren.
	Trust me, you would not like her, he grunted.  Shes a shallow, vain, self-centered, demanding, horrid, egotistical little bitch.  If it wasnt for her drawing power, Id have canned her a month ago.  She feels that shes doing me the ultimate favor to sing in my festhall.
	Is she worth the aggravation?
	On performing days, yes.  The day after, no, he chuckled.  Then again, I might be in a position to replace her soon.  There are a couple of Nymphs who are getting jealous of all the attention the Sirens are getting, and theyre trying to get me to let them come and perform dances.  That might get dangerous, he chuckled again.
	Slightly, Audrey snorted.
	Nymphs were female spirits, what some called anima, which were the embodiment of femininity.  They were all extraordinarily beautiful, sweet, charming, and had the power to infatuate any man who looked upon them, cause men to want to obey them when they heard their voices, and utterly enslave men who gazed upon them when they were naked.  There were male counterparts called Andross, known as animus to sages, who were the embodiment of masculinity, who had similar powers over women.  Strangely enough, they werent the same species, and actually hated each other.  That was probably because their powers didnt work on the other.  Or maybe it was the universal truth:  men and women would never get along.  Being the purified spirit of each gender, they probably couldnt stand each other.
	Theres also a Dryad that wants to come and recite poetry.  Im giving that one serious thought.
	Odd that so many Woodkin are coming here.
	Well, since the war, I think the Woodkin are getting curious about human civilization, Haley said seriously.  The Were-kin and the Centaurs went back with a bunch of stories, and not all of them were bad.  The Centaurs especially were impressed by the Sulasians, and the hospitality they received in Suld.  Children would come up and give them presents.
	I was a bit surprised, Audrey admitted.  Much of what I was taught about the humans turned out to be wrong.  We thought that Aldreth was an exception to the rule, that it was the only place we could go and find any measure of acceptance.  We were wrong.
	Dont let them hear you say that, he chuckled.  Aldreth has grown to depend on the trade it does with the Woodkin.
	Oh, its still our primary contact with human kind, Tarrin, she told him.  But were not as afraid to visit other cities as we were before, thats all.  She took a drink.  Why do you need a place to stay?  Dont you have that house?
	Im wandering, he answered.
	What about Jesmind? Haley asked.
	We had a fight, he shrugged.  Its over.
	Ah.  Well, Im sorry to hear that, he said delicately.
	Im not, Tarrin growled.  She was getting to be a serious bitch.
	So, youre off to see the world, eh?  Where are you going?
	I have no idea, he answered.  Me and Fireflash here were just going to go wherever the mood took us in the morning.
	Ah, I remember my wandering days, he said wistfully.  Its definitely something all of our kind should do at least once a hundred years.   He looked about to say something else, but his gaze turned towards the door, and Tarrin noticed that it was getting rather quiet in the large festhall.  Audrey turned to look behind her, and he saw her expression turn startled.  By the eternal tree, she breathed.
	Tarrin turned himself to look, and saw a solitary figure standing in the doorway.  The figure itself didnt look unusual, but it was the cloak that got everyones attention.  It was utterly black, featureless, like someone had cut the fabric of the night and laid it over the figures shoulder.  It rested on the shoulders of what looked like a tall, sleek ShaKar woman, her expression distant, imperious, with a faint but noticeable scar on her left cheek.
	Tarrin almost fell out of his chair.  It was Spyder.
	She stepped into the room as all conversation slowly dwindled to nothing.  ShaKar were rarely seen in places like this, and they were still something of a mystery in the city, despite them being here for years.  But there was something about Spyder that seemed to scream to everyone who gazed upon her that this was an extraordinary person, not the kind of person you would meet more than once in your entire life.  She floated into the festhalls main room as if she owned it, her utter black cloak swirling around her, and she was coming right to him.  He got off the stool and stood, waiting for her to arrive, then took her hand when she reached him, as she offered it.  It has been a long time, she said in that manner of hers, speaking quickly, but speaking with utter precision, pronouncing each word with exactness before moving on to the next.
	Youre looking well, he said mildly.  What brings you to me?
	Mother said that you would stand in my place for some time to allow me to rest.  I have learned from Mother that you are currently available.  I would take up your offer.  She gave him a cursory glance.  This does not suit you any longer, she said with mild disapproval.
	It prevents widespread panic, he answered with a slight smile, but he did shapeshift for her, resuming his humanoid form.  That caused some gasps, but the people of Suld were more or less used to the idea that Tarrin did turn up in the city from time to time.  Sighting him in the city was unusual, but not extraordinary.  Fireflash jumped up onto his shoulder and regarded Spyder with amiable curiosity.
	You will stand in my stead? she asked.
	For you, yes.  For them, no, he said flintily.
	I ask on behalf of only myself, she told him mildly.
	Then I will.
	You honor my humble festhall beyond all measure, my Lady, Haley said grandly yet eloquently, bowing behind the bar.  Would the Lady desire a drink or some paltry attempt to grace her pallet with a meal?
	Ever the fast talker, Haley, she said with a strange smile.  Mark well this one, brother Tarrin.  He could charm the birds away from their feathers.
	Ive noticed that in him from time to time, Tarrin said with a smile at the Were-wolf.
	Alas, Haley, I have need for certain haste.  Perhaps another time.
	My door is always open for you, grand Lady.
	She gave him a mysterious smile, then turned to Tarrin.  Come.  I have much to show you before you may perform the tasks required of you.
	Whenever youre ready, he assured her.
	Then let us go.
	So fast it made him a bit dizzy to try to keep track of it, she wrapped them in flows, formed the spell of Teleportation, then snapped it down and released it, causing the two unusual figures and the drake on his shoulder to vanish from the festhall like a dream.
	Such went Tarrins rather brief vacation.
 
Chapter 22

	Tarrin expected something amazing, something absolutely breathtaking, something incredible when Spyder Teleported them to her home, the mystical, legendary wedge of flat forest between two mountain ranges and the sea on the continent of Arathorn, a place eternally shrouded in a light mist that was known as Haven around the entire world.
	He was decidedly disappointed.
	Spyders home was a rather modest manor house that slowly appeared out of the thin mist that shrouded ancient hardwood trees, close enough to the sea to hear the waves lapping against the shore.  It stood on a slight rise that came up from the beach of rocks and pebbles rather than sand, looking out over a narrow inlet that was littered with any number of jagged rocks.  It was surrounded by a low wall of gray stone that enclosed a neat, tidy and very orderly garden.  It was a three story affair, strangely small, made of the same gray stone as the wall, with large windows on the side that he could see.  There was a simple pair of double doors on a raised porch, reached by a pair of sweeping staircases that flared out from each side of it and curved back towards a gravel path that wound from the walls gate to the manor.  The manor house had a flat roof, which was something of an oddity outside of Yar Arak or Saranam, which didnt quite fit its Western architecture.  It almost looked like a Giant had come along and pulled off the roof.
	But there was much more here than met the eye.  The low stone wall was a physical border, but it was also the anchor of a massive, powerful Ward, so powerful that hed felt it the instant they arrived, some league distant from the house itself, and felt it only grow stronger as they walked towards it.  It was a weave of staggering proportions, not for its size, but for its raw power.  The Ward was designed to stop absolutely everything, and its raw power would ensure that nothing could force its way through it.  It was something so vastly complicated that only a god or Spyder could have made it.
	Haven, Spyder said in an earthy kind of way, stopping at the gate.  My home.
	I thought it would be bigger, Tarrin said honestly, looking at it.
	It suits my needs.  Why would I have more space than I require? she asked simply.
	Well said, he said with an agreeing nod.  Since we walked all the way here in silence, are you going to start explaining things to me now, or wait until we get into the house?
	There is actually little effort involved in this task, Tarrin, she answered as she waved her hand before the gate.  It opened, and what was more, a breach formed in the Ward to allow them entry.  He had no sense of anything at all in that; whatever she did, it wasnt Sorcery.  Mostly, it requires your patience.  That is all.
	My patience? he asked as she led him within.  The air inside was fresh and warm, which surprised him since the Ward also prevented air from flowing through it, and smelled of flowers and grass from her garden.  It was also absolutely still, not even the faintest breeze.  Fireflash jumped from his shoulder and streaked out over the gardens, wild with curiosity, and quickly disappeared.  Tarrin paid his drake little mind; he would return when he wanted to return, and he was more than able to take care of himself.
	You will not stand vigil over the gate at all times, she told him with a slight smile.  Were that necessary, you would never see me outside of its chamber.
	Hed never thought of that.  Well, how do you know when to be there?
	I will give you a charm, she answered.  An item of magic, ancient in its making, crafted by the hands of the Elder Gods.  She reached into her black tunic and withdrew her amulet, then turned it over.  Affixed to the back of it was a golden inlay with strangely compelling runes that glowed with a faint white light.  The charm endows you with certain benefits, and will warn you when you must return to the gate chamber to cast out that which comes through.
	Benefits?
	While you are the Guardian, you will not sleep, she told him simply.  Ever.  I have not slept for nearly ten thousand years.
	He tried to grasp the concept of it.  He wouldnt sleep, day or night, day after day.  Ten thousand years of unbroken monotony, aware of the passing of every single second?  Goddess, that was a torture, not a benefit.
	She studied his face, and nodded.  You see the silent curse of it, she affirmed.
	Why did they set it up that way? he asked.
	To ensure that something did not come through while I slept, she shrugged.  Given that I am mortal, and they still do not entirely understand the aspects of my limitations, I assume they felt that even for me to sleep was too much of a danger.  Rather than simply setting the charm to wake me, they set it so I would never require sleep, nor ever feel the urge to do so.  So long as you have your charm, you will never even feel drowsy.  You will be incapable of sleeping.
	That was a creepy thought, but he put that aside as they moved through her garden, which was meticulously manicured.  Given she had every second of the day and night, he understood why it was so neat.  Spyder probably had any number of hobbies to occupy all that time.
	You will get used to it.  Eventually, she added darkly.  The requirements of the task are simple.  When a being enters the gate from the Astral, the charm will warn you.  Shellar, the god of Time, has placed a spell which causes time to slow for those within the gate, slowing their progress and giving you time to prepare for their arrival.  When you get the warning, you will have ten minutes to return to the gate chamber.  Your task once they arrive is to send them back through the gate and warn them of the dangers of returning.  The Elder Gods have decreed that we will not kill those who have come through the gate only once.  We must eject them physically, if necessary, but we may not kill unless they have not heeded our warning and returned.  But this is not a mandatory requirement, and there is one exception, she told him.  The exception are