The late June moon was visible in the early evening light and storm clouds were gathering off in the distance. The farm in Trindar, Algoma, was quiet. Two mares and a foal relaxed in the green pasture beside the house. A young girl stood leaning against the fence, watching the horses with her large brown and white dog.

Vell Nir, known by those connected to the Spirits as Vellizara, watched her mare graze as her colt nursed. Vell remembered the first time she’d met the mare almost a year before. She had been awed by the mare’s deep golden color. After a time she’d named her Sparkra. The foal had been an unexpected gift the week before. Vell and her parents were unsure about who the sire was. The best they could tell was that Sparkra had been pregnant when Vell had gotten her from the Sisterhood of the Temple.

The colt was uniquely colored. He was golden-gray with black points instead of white. Vell had named him Rett as soon as she saw him. It had just come to her when he had looked at her for the first time.

A year before, Vell had been called to the Temple of the Spirits to help save it, though she hadn’t known that at the time. On her way to the Temple Vell had met another Spirit Speaker, Senarivi. He had been on his way to the Temple as well after receiving a similar plea for help from the Brotherhood of the Temple. They had both started traveling together and quickly became friends. Senar had saved her life when her old mare, Fira had slipped off a cliff along the way. That was why the Sisters had given her Sparkra.

Senar and Vell had worked together to save the Temple. The evil that had been taken from the Witch powers the year before had been contained in a huge vase within the Temple. Someone had put a crack in it to release the evil. With the help of the Spirits, Vell and Senar had been able to return the evil to the vase and repair it, bringing their relationship closer.

Vell looked down at the pendants around her neck. The larger one Tied her to the Spiritesses. The other, smaller one, Tied her to Senar. It was the Eternal Bond, something that existed only between Speakers. It ensured that their relationship, whether friendship or love, stayed for all time. Once formed, the Bond could never be broken, only strengthened. She smiled as she remembered how the Bond had formed between them; the first time they’d kissed. Thinking of that made her miss Senar more. They hadn’t seen each other in almost a year, but she knew she’d see him again. That was the reason for the Bond.

Being Tied to Senar had a part that had surprised Vell at first. All her life she had been able to verbally communicate with the Spiritesses. Since the time she became Bonded to Senar, however, Vell had been able to do the same with some of the Spirits. It had taken some time for her to adjust to it, but she was now comfortable Speaking with them.

Resting her chin on her folded arms on the fence Vell forced herself to stop thinking of Senar. She instead thought of her upcoming birthday. In two weeks she would be fifteen and it would mark the second anniversary of her becoming a full Speakeress.

Vell was so lost in thought that she didn’t notice the dog, Thor, get up and bound away. She never heard the footsteps approaching from behind. She did, however, feel the hands grab her shoulders and spin her around. It took a moment for her to realize what was going on and who it was that was now kissing her lovingly. When it dawned on her she threw her arms around him and returned the kiss.

After a moment they pulled away to look at each other. Vell knew only one person with black hair that shone dark blue and midnight blue eyes. “It is you,” she whispered. “I’m so happy to see you again, Senar.”

He smiled. “I know how you feel. I’ve thought about you everyday, Vell.”

“I missed you,” she added, leaning her head against his shoulder.

“I did, too,” Senar whispered, holding her close.

They stood together in each other’s arms for a few moments until the sound of approaching footsteps caused them to separate. Vell’s parents stopped before them as Thor sat nearby.

“You must be the Senar we’ve heard so much about,” her mother said warmly, appearing pleased to meet him.

He nodded. “I am.”

Vell couldn’t read the expression on her father’s face. It seemed to be a cross between happiness and fear.

“Well,” her father said, “it’s good to have a face with the name.”

Senar nodded again and glanced at Vell. She nodded, knowing that he was asking silently if they were her parents.

“I’m Nir, Vell’s father,” her father went on.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Senar said politely, shaking his offered hand.

Her mother smiled at him. “I’m her mother, Rea.”

He shook her hand as well. “I’m happy to meet you.”

“Vell talks of you constantly,” Rea went on, making Vell blush, “even now that she has Rett.”

Senar looked at Vell curiously. “Rett?”

She smiled. “I’ll introduce you to him.” Turning to the fence she let out two short whistles. Sparkra lifted her head and trotted over to her, Rett following. Vell climbed over the fence and greeted the mare and foal. She turned and motioned for Senar to join her.

He climbed slowly over the fence so that he didn’t spook the horses. When he was inside the paddock he held his hands out for the mare and foal to sniff. Sparkra seemed to accept him and Rett began nibbling on his shirt sleeve.

“I named the mare Sparkra,” Vell told him. “Last week she had Rett.”

Senar seemed very interested in the colt. “Who’s his sire?”

She shook her head. “We don’t know. All we know is that Sparkra was pregnant when the Sisters gave her to me.”

“I can tell you who the sire is,” he said with a grin.

“Who?” she asked, looking at him curiously.

Senar turned and pointed behind her. Looking, Vell saw that he was pointing at his own horse, his black stallion, Kintec.

“How do you know?” she asked.

He smiled. “First of all, his color. Every foal Kintec’s ever sired has had black markings, no matter what color the mare was. Also, you can tell that Rett will be stockier in build than Sparkra. Kintec is also stocky. When the Sisters gave you Sparkra they put her in the same paddock with Kintec. They probably didn’t realize he was a stallion. Remember how I stayed at the Temple longer than you last year because he was too hard to handle?”

Vell nodded. How could she have forgotten?

“I didn’t think too much about it at the time, but Kintec gets that way whenever he’s around mares that are ready to breed or he’s been bred. Rett has to be his.”

She stared at him. “I never considered that it could be Kintec. I should have though. You’ve got to be right.”

“Of course I am,” he said teasingly with a smile.

Vell returned the smile. “Thank you.”

“So the mystery’s been solved?” Nir asked. They both nodded.

“That’s good,” Rea told them.

“So why did you come?” Vell asked Senar as they climbed back over the fence.

He shrugged. “I had to see you again. To tell you the truth, I have no idea what I planned to do once I got here.”

Vell looked at her parents. She hoped her father wouldn’t make him leave already. Nir saw her look and took a deep breath. “Senar,” he began, “you are welcome to stay for a few days.” Vell gave him a thankful look.

Senar smiled. “Thanks.”

She was glad that they’d be together for a few days after being apart for so long. Maybe her father would get to know Senar and feel better about him.