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I can’t tell the others about the lights, the whispers, orused I want to, but whenever I try to share my fears, my lips seize up I’m unable to speak, or else everyday babble spills out and we end up talking about so in the sand of the oasis, but ainst ht I ined the whispers or the influence they’re exerting over us Now I’hts did-do-control us They must have planted a hidden command inside ivings

While I struggle to break through the spell, the others argue about what to do next Beranabus wants to hunt the Shadow, pick up where we left off Dervish is against that He’s detero after Juni, to settle old scores

I stay out of the argu his clai we ht be able to torture Juni to find out inforhts pulse and the air huo after Lord Loss directly-he’s too powerful," I find h I know these aren’tused like a puppet, I can’t stop "But we can target Juni Lord Loss didn’t show hi on his behalf She roup in Carcery Vale too If more assaults on the Disciples are planned, she’ll possibly act as the go-between again, conveying Lord Loss’s orders to their allies If we can trap her, we can find out what she knows about the Shadow"

Beranabus thinks that hts make him think it-so he tells me to focus on Juni, track her movements, and let him knohen she slips out of Lord Loss’s real toyed with, butI have at the spell, to no avail In the end I do as Beranabus bids I retire to one of the fake trees-the oasis is dotted with trees luhts on Juni Swan

As days pass, the others recuperate Beranabus and Bec fashioned new legs for Sharmila out of the bones and skin of the trees e arrived, and she adapts to the on her healing powers, doing what she can for his faltering heart Neither he nor Shar as they stay in this universe of ic they can function almost nor, sharpening their reflexes, testing their skills Magic is all about trial and error Even after thousands of years, Beranabus is still discovering new aspects of hi on what’s thrown at him

I’d like to join theiven a task and Beranabus doesn’t take it kindly when one of his assistants disobeys a direct order So I keep toon Juni Swan and her master

It’s difficult because of the whispers The , not as strongly as at the hospital, but distracting nonetheless I can’t stop thinking about the spell they’ve woven Is it the work of the Shadow? Unlikely-if the creature could exert such influence, it would turn us against one another

The Kah-Gash? A weapon that can destroy universes and distort the laws of ti a few humans to its will But the Kah-Gash would surely have wanted ether, to unite so it could be reassembled

If not the Shadow or the Kah-Gash, who can be controlling the lights? Are they self-conscious, so them I’ve doubted my sanity in the past Maybe this time I’ve cracked for real

Finally, after a week of self-tor Lord Loss’s world

"She’stheir latest duel

They crowd around o?" Beranabus asks

"Earth," I say after a brief pause to confirm her location