Vell spent as much of the evening as she could with Senar. As thunder rolled in the distance Nir made her go to bed. She reluctantly left Senar to sleep in the sitting room and took Thor to her room with her. The big dog was unfazed by the storm as he climbed up beside her in bed. Vell had the feeling that Nir didn’t completely trust Senar yet. Something told her that her protective father would be watching them.

“Worry over nothing,” she muttered to Thor as she closed her eyes.

The Temple was cracked and beginning to crumble. Jatin was deserted. The sky was cloudy and lightning lit the area eerily. Thunder rolled and rumbled, sometimes so loud that Vell had to cover her ears. She stood alone on a hill that overlooked Jatin, but she could also see the Temple. High waves lapped against both the Island shore and the Jatin shore.

Someone called her name and she looked to see Senar now with her. They both knew that something was very wrong. Rain began to soak them before they suddenly found themselves standing somewhere within the crumbling Temple.

“It’s hopeless, Roel,” the High Sister, Kalinisia was saying.

“No, Kali,” Roelandi, the High Brother argued. “There’s still time. It’s not over yet.”

“It is!” Kali yelled. “Can’t you see that? Without them we can do nothing. The Temple is falling apart, including us. I can hardly stand to be around you anymore! It’s just like before. Remember that? Roel, there’s nothing we can do to stop this.”

Roel seemed to bite back anger. “I know what’s going on. That doesn’t mean that there isn’t hope. We still have time for this to be reversed.”

Kali wiped tears from her eyes. “I know, but that time is running out.”

Vell looked at Senar. He looked shocked and concerned. She fought her own confusion and fear. Whatever was going on was tearing the Temple apart.

A bolt of lightning appeared to hit the Temple and she felt herself fall backwards.

Vell sat up in bed, upsetting Thor. She took a few deep breaths to control her fear. Lightning lit up her room and the thunder followed soon after. Shaking from the dream, Vell stood up. She had to talk to Senar.

Thor followed her to the sitting room. Senar was standing by the window watching the storm. He was breathing heavily and Vell walked over to him. “Are you all right?” she asked quietly.

“You had the dream, too.” He said it more than asked it.

“Yes.” She was still shaking a bit.

“We need to go,” he told her quietly. “We have to get to the Temple.”

“Soon,” she added.

“I’m not sure how long it is until dawn,” Senar went on, “but that’s when-”

“Go back to your room, Vell.”

They both jumped and turned to the doorway. A flash of lightning showed Nir standing there.

“I can’t, Father,” Vell said.

“And why not?” he asked sternly.

“I’ll explain if you’ll go get Mother,” she replied. “Please.”

“I have a bad feeling about this,” he muttered more to himself than to them as he turned to leave.

“I knew he was watching us,” Vell told Senar. “Trust him to do that.”

“Do you think he’ll let you go to the Temple again?” Senar asked.

She shrugged. “With Mother’s help he might.”

Nir soon returned with Rea. They lit a few candles as lightning flashed in the sky. After a moment Vell began. “Father, Mother, I must leave again. Senar and I need to go to the Temple.”

“Why?” Nir questioned.

“Something is wrong there,” Senar answered.

“We both just had the same vision,” she clarified. “It was very frightening.”

“Senar can’t go alone?” Nir asked.

Senar shook his head. “If they had only needed me, Vell wouldn’t have had the vision too.”

“I see,” Nir said thoughtfully. “But I’m sorry. I can’t let you go, Vell.”

She bit her lower lip to keep her temper under control. “Why? Why won’t you let me leave? Don’t you understand? This isn’t something one Speaker can do alone. The Temple needs both of us. What are you afraid of?”

“I’m afraid of you getting hurt,” he said angrily. “I’m afraid you’ll do something stupid, that you won’t be thinking straight and end up in trouble where I can’t help you.”

Vell buried her face in her hands.

“It’s not like she’ll be alone,” Rea finally spoke up.

“That’s part of what I’m worried about,” Nir muttered.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Vell asked, looking up at her father.

“You both know what I mean,” he replied. “You can’t tell me you’re not that much in love.”

She sighed in frustration and buried her head again. She was beginning to see this as hopeless if her father was concerned about that.

“What if we promise we won’t let that happen?” Senar asked, straining to stay calm.

“Promises are often forgotten,” Nir answered.

“Not by a Spirit Speaker,” Senar argued. “A promise made is a promise kept. You can trust any Speaker to keep a promise.”

Vell uncovered her face and nodded.

“My word is true,” he added.

Nir looked at them carefully as Rea put her hand on his shoulder. “Let’s hear it then,” he sighed. “From both of you.”

Senar thought a moment. “I promise to keep her alive, bring her back unhurt and without her and I making love. If my promise is broken, may I be stripped of my Blessed status.”

Vell was impressed with his choice of words. Looking her father in the eye, she repeated his promise, only making the change of “her” to “him”.

Nir sighed. “I suppose you’re leaving at dawn?”

“Thank you, Father,” she said quietly. For a while she had been truly afraid that she wouldn’t be able to go.

“Go back to bed, Vell,” Rea told her. “Get some sleep and I’ll pack for you.”

“Thank you,” she replied and yawned. When she returned to bed she fell right back to sleep. Rea moving around her room didn’t even bother her.