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The Par’chin nodded "You couldn’t bring yourself to kill e how I see the world Offering you the same" With that, he tossed the crown across the rooht it "Why return it toed "Don’t think you’ll leave without the spear, but I’ve drained the crown in any event Not a lot of h," he waved his hand at the s circling the roo It’ll give you crownsight, but not ed"

"So why return it to ht have a talk," the Par’chin said "And I want you to see my aura while we do Want you see the truth of th of my convictions, written on my very soul Perhaps then, you’ll come to see"

"Co written on your soul can do that, Par’chin" Nevertheless, he slipped the crown onto his head Iht, and Jardir breathed deep in relief, like the blind h the s, land that had been nothing but shadows and vague shapes a ic that vented fros held a spark of power at their core, and Jardir could see strength glowing in the trunks of trees, theto them, and every anih the grasses of the plains and, most of all, in the deai shone like beacons, waking a primal desire in him to hunt and kill

As the Par’chin had warned, his cell was dimmer Small tendrils of power drifted up the toalls, Drawn to the wards etched into the glass s They flickered to life, a shield against the alagai

But though the rooht it should be difficult to look at hilorious to behold, rich and te to Draw a touch of it to hiht sense the drain, but perhaps enough to speed his healing A wisp of power snaked through the air toward him like incense smoke

The Par’chin had shaved his brows, but the wards above his left eye lifted in an un more bemuseic reversed its flow and was Drawn back into hih he doubted it ht He could read the , and had no doubt his old friend could do the same The Par’chin was calm, centered, and meant Jardir no harm There was no deception in hiive his words fair consideration

"Tell oal is truly as you have always said, to rid the world of alagai, then why do you opposeyour dream"

"Not as close as you think," the Par’chin said "And the way you’re doing it disgusts me You choke and threaten hu the cost Know you Krasians like to dress in black and white, but the world ent so siray"

"I am not a fool, Par’chin," Jardir said

"Soreed It was a bitter tea that his old friend, whoht so much and always respected, should think so little of him

"Then why did you not kill me and take the spear and crown for your own?" Jardir demanded "The witnesses were honor-bound My people would have accepted you as Deliverer and followed you to Sharak Ka"

Irritation ran like wildfire across the Par’chin’s calet it," he snapped "I’ Deliverer! Neither are you! The Deliverer is all huave to the idea, not so back the blackness of space"

Jardir pressed his lips together, knowing the Par’chin was seeing a flare across his aura at the blaspheo he had proain The Par’chin’s aura dared him to try it now

Jardir was sorely teainst the Par’chin, and with it at his brow, he was no longer as helpless as he see else in his ajin’pal’s aura that checked him He was ready for an attack, and wouldas the world burned