Intrigues by Sharon Green Read Free Book Online Page B

started, with one voice rising above the rest.
    “We didn’t think you’d be able to give up our help so soon,” a man called out. “Are you sure you aren’t rushing things?”
    “You’re right, we’re not ready to give up the help of our link groups,” Vallant said with a nod for the man. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t start lookin’ around and maybe even gettin’ together and startin’ to practice. Once people know what they can and can’t do with their talents they’ll be formin’ Blendin’s, so there’s no reason for all of you to wait.”
    “And every reason not to,” Rion added in a more serious way. “Until we have a solid core of Middle talent guardsmen trained to keep the peace, we'll need High talent people to prevent any accidental – or not so accidental – disasters. Some people are bound to get drunk on the Blending experience and do something foolish, and we’ll be responsible for making that foolishness possible.”
    “So we’ll also be responsible for keeping the damage to a minimum,” Wilant Gorl said with a sigh and a nod. “It looks like interviewing servants really will be the easiest job any of us faces. But what’s this about the possibility that you won’t be Seated? If anyone thinks there’s a stronger Blending around than yours, they can take our word that there isn’t.”
    “Strength won’t be the problem,” Vallant said after exchanging glances with Rion and Lorand again. “Okay, it’s time we told all of you somethin’ you don’t know about us. We’ll be announcin’ it tomorrow night to everyone, but you have the right to hear it first.”
    “What Vallant means is that we won’t be a Seated Five,” Rion took up the explanation with something of a smile. “You all know my lady Naran, but what you don’t know is that she isn’t simply my lady. She’s become part of our Blending, a full part.”
    “You’ve doubled up on one of the aspects?” Wilant Gorl asked with an incredulity echoed by everyone else. “How did you do that, and which aspect is it?”
    “No, we haven’t doubled up,” Rion answered with a small cough. “The truth of the matter is there’s an aspect no one has been aware of until now, and it’s one that the rest of you can also add to your Blendings. Naran has what we call Sight magic, the ability to see a short way into the future.”
    This time Lorand noticed that the stunned silence did contain what looked like shock. It would have been nice to have Jovvi’s help to soothe everyone down, but in her absence words would have to do.
    “The people with Sight magic kept their existence a secret because the first Fivefold Blending tried to enslave them,” Lorand supplied, speaking gently and calmly. “They’ve told us they know we won’t do the same, so they’re finally coming out into public view. None of you has met the members of Naran’s link groups, but you might want to take the time to do just that.”
    When Lorand gestured to the people sitting at the back of the room, there was a small hesitation before everyone else turned around to look. Their mild distress and confusion was met with friendly and merry smiles and waves from the people in Naran’s link groups, which went quite a long way to calming people down.
    “That’s right, they’re not three-headed monsters,” Rion said with a touch of amusement. “They’re just as human as the rest of us, and most of them are as willing to join a Blending as Naran was. Is there anyone here who wants nothing to do with them?”
    “You’ve got to be joking,” Wilant Gorl responded with a snort after exchanging soft words with the members of his Blending. “This is the most exciting thing we’ve heard since we learned to Blend. Is the meeting over? We’ve got some introducing of ourselves to do.”
    “In a little while,” Vallant answered with a laugh, obviously as relieved as Rion looked and Lorand felt. Most of the others had laughed aloud and agreed