Destiny

"That's what you think," Driff told him with a small laugh. "Until I found out how strong a healing ability I had, I felt exactly the same way. But the question still remains: Do you think you can explain how you do that shielding thing?"

"I don't know," Edmin replied, the delight fading. "I've been doing it for so long that it's become pure habit. I'll have to think back to when I first developed the shield, and try to remember exactly what I did."

"I was about to offer the help of a High in Spirit magic," Driff said, his own good mood disappearing as he remembered their most serious problem. "Gensie would have loved to get involved, but she's as unliving as every other High. But that does remind me: I'll have to have someone check on that residence for the disturbed that some of the Highs were running. We can't afford to have those people walking around without supervision."

Issini seemed about to comment or ask a question, but that was when Idresia came back into the room and closed the door behind her.

"It certainly does help to be prepared, but it will be a while before we know how much it helps," ldresia commented. She'd apparently been about to return to the stove, but seeing Issini coming with a plate of food for Driff sent Idresia to the table instead to sit with the others.

"We've been waiting to find out what that man wanted," Driff said, nodding his thanks as Issini put a plate of cheese omelet in front of him. "And once you tell us your news, we'll tell you ours."

"There's definitely news," ldresia agreed, her expression puzzled as she looked around to see that all of her companions were amused. "But what news can you possibly have?"

"We'll tell you later," Driff said around a mouthful of eggs. "You first."

"Since the first part of this is really important, I won't argue about going first," Idresia said after the briefest of hesitations. "It looks like our renegade noble is starting to make his move."

"What is he doing?" Edmin asked at once, speaking the words Driff would have used if his mouth hadn't been filled with food. "Is there any indication of what his objective is?"

"He's started to send his men out from those other locations in groups of three, six different groups of three to be precise," Idresia answered. "Two of each group are fairly large in build, but the third is either short or slender or both. You remember that I added to the number of people watching Noll's men when we heard about the Highs being in trouble. I assumed that the Middle Blending helping us would be needed elsewhere, and I didn't want us to be caught short. I had twenty of my people in place, so twelve of them paired up and followed each of the renegade's groups."

"For pity's sake, Har, stop dragging it out and tell us what happened," Issini protested. "Or don't you know any, details yet?"

"Four of the groups went to taverns, and the last two went to dining parlors," Idresia replied with an apologetic shake of her head. "I'm sorry to drag it out so badly, but the story is worth telling in detail. One of the two big men of each group went into the tavern or dining parlor alone, and a few minutes later the second big man joined the first. One of my two shadows was already inside the place, having gone in after the first man.