He stopped next to a small ornamental waterfall, sitting back on his haunches. "Purple indicates focusa"the ability to hone and control both your physical self and your spiritual gifts above average. Usually it is a supporting gift for the other vyala indicated." He gazed up Adesina intently. "Gold is raw energy, without tangible form. It is a gift rarely seen. Two or three L'avan in a generation may have it, but no more."

She was confused. "But, L'iam said that things like my knife throwinga"

Ravi nodded soothingly, still explaining. "More unusual than having gold eyes is seeing it coupled with purple. In fact, I have not heard of it happening since the days of the Serraf. They all had purple and gold eyes. Under normal circ.u.mstances, all it would mean is that you can focus energy either coming into your body or going out of it. Had you been raised by the L'avan, your gifts probably would not have amounted to much."

"Why?" the young woman inquired.

"Because the L'avan have been raised with the belief that one's gifts are limited to only what is immediately apparent. Instead of being told what was possible, the Shimat taught you to seek and achieve the impossible."

Adesina still didn't quite understand, and Ravi could see that.

"You were taught to believe that anything was possible if you focused hard enough, and therefore, your vyala believes it as well. When you focus correctly, the raw energy you wield becomes any kind of vyala you wish it to be. You have at your command all L'avan giftsa"something that hasn't been seen in the history of the race. Something the Serraf were able to do, but never their children."

Her eyes were fixed on the water flowing in the small stream in front of them. "So, you are saying that I should not be able to do the things I do?"

Ravi shook his head. "No, I am saying that you are able to do things that other L'avan cannot. That does not make you wrong or abnormal, it simply means you are gifted."

Adesina sat down heavily, hugging her knees tightly. "So what does it mean for me?"

He leaned gently against her, warming her chilled skin. "Nothing."

She was startled by this answer. "Nothing?"

"We have discussed this before, Ma'eve," he reminded her, "there is always a choice. The prophecy only means something to you if you choose to make it so."

Adesina's voice was low in hopelessness. "Then how can it be called a prophecy?"

"If you are not the Threshold Child, then someone else will fulfill the role. The prophecy will happen no matter what, but it is still your choice whether or not to take part in it."

She processed this for a while before speaking again. "There is something that does not make sense to me."

"What, Ma'eve?"

She gestured vaguely. "This *threshold' thing."

Ravi took a deep breath, thinking his words over carefully. Adesina had the feeling that he knew more about the subject than most.

"I like to think of the pa.s.sage of time as a maze."

Adesina laughed softly. "You think of everything as a maze."

He chuckled, but did not change his a.n.a.logy. "There are sometimes unexpected twists and turns, but it is fairly predictable which direction one is headed. In this particular maze, however, each section is part.i.tioned by a gate or doorway. These part.i.tions separate the pa.s.sage of time into ages. When something largely significant happens, it often leads to a new age. This can be an action, a discovery, or the arrival of important people. The Threshold Child is the one standing on the edge of that new age, ready to lead the way into a world different than the one in which we currently live."

She snorted. "You think that I am that person?"

Ravi gave a half smile. "Only if you choose to begin on that path. None of us are now what we will eventually bea"but if we begin on the correct path, we change into the person we are meant to become."

They sat in thoughtful silence for several minutes, and Adesina considered how much her life had changed in the past couple of years. If she had seen then where she was now, she never would have believed it. Was it so difficult to accept that the following years would change her just as much?

With a quiet sigh and a heavy heart, she asked, "When do I need to decide?"

He leaned a little closer, lending her his strength. "When you are ready, Ma'eve. Not a moment before, not a moment after."

She smiled wryly at her companion. "At least I can always count on your irritatingly cryptic answers."

He nodded calmly. "Yes."

They both sensed that it was time to go, and got to their feet. Adesina spoke quietly as they walked back. "Ravi, would you ask them not to say anything to anyone else? I do not want people staring at me with some sort of misguided hero worship."

Ravi gazed at his young friend kindly. "Of course, Ma'eve."

E'nes was waiting for them by the entrance that led from the palace to the gardens. He watched their approach with uncertainty, half expecting his sister to declare her intention to have nothing to do with any of them. Adesina didn't speak, but allowed him to put his arm around her and lead her home.

The next day, E'nes informed her that he had some mandatory training to attend. Curious about L'avan training methods, Adesina asked if she could come along.

He gave her a teasing scowl. "Why? So you can criticize us?"

She shrugged. "Perhaps."

Her brother laughed and beckoned for her to follow him out the door. And, as always, they were followed by Ravi.

The L'avan Protector training facility was next to the palace. The gray stone of the building shimmered slightly in the clear morning sun. The dark wood of the door was polished and had the detailed carving of an ornate sword along its length. E'nes pulled the door open easily, and Adesina followed him inside.

The interior was well lit and filled with L'avan of all ages. There were doors leading to cla.s.srooms, an entire section belonging to the smithies, and a large opening at the far end of the main room leading to the training yard. E'nes made for that archway.

The training yard was large, with stables on the far end. There were obstacle courses, target ranges, sections where one could practice horsemanship, and so forth. Everywhere Adesina looked there were L'avan training. The atmosphere was much less rigid than what she was accustomed, but there was still a very clear sense of order.

E'nes smiled as he watched his sister taking everything in. She was more visibly at ease here than he had ever seen her anywhere else. He touched her elbow briefly. "I must go report to my leader. Can I leave you here for now?"

She nodded absently, a.n.a.lyzing the movements of two L'avan who were sparring. E'nes chuckled as he walked away. She wasn't bothered by his apparent amus.e.m.e.nt, and continued her study. She was surprised when she felt a gentle touch on her forearm, and turned to see K'eb at her side.

"I apologize if I startled you."

She forced a smile and shook her head. "You did not startle me."

K'eb seemed unsure. He paused for a moment while searching for the right words. "I was wondering if I could trouble you for some a.s.sistance."

Her brow furrowed. "What kind of a.s.sistance?"

He took a breath and rushed forward with his request. "On our journey here you told me that a flaw in my fighting was that I a.s.sumed everyone was as honorable as myself."

Adesina knew where he was going with this. "Yes."

"I am not certain how to apply that to my training, and I was hoping you could show me."

She shook her head. "It would be no trouble at all."

He smiled gratefully and led her to the far corner in the training yard, where they would have a measure of privacy. Ravi took a seat to the side of the ring, a small smile playing at his lips.

K'eb pulled out two practice swords and handed one to Adesina. She twirled it experimentally, noting that it felt quite a bit different from a real sword. She made a mental note to mention it to E'nes later. A warrior's tools for training should be as close to reality as safety would permit.

Adesina and K'eb stood facing each other, practice swords in hand. She began her slow circling, gazing at him in disdain. K'eb began shifting his weight nervously, and Adesina stopped.

"Do not do that."

He was baffled. "What?"

She pointed to his feet. "Do not move unnecessarily. Every move you make should serve a purpose. Otherwise, you are wasting energy and letting your enemy know your uncertainty."

K'eb nodded and took a defensive stance again. Adesina smiled faintly. "K'eb, do you know why I circle you with a sneer on my face?"

He shook his head, once again looking confused.

"Because it intimidates you," she answered simply. "If I can shake your confidence, I have already won the battle. The physical fight is easy once I have conquered the mind."

He nodded, taking in every word she said.

"If I start a fight like this," Adesina continued, taking a defensive position, "it tells my enemy that I am cautious and afraid. An enemy can easily use that fear against you. On the other hand, if I present myself in a way that shows I am not concerned by my enemy's attacks, it will give my enemy pause. That being said, you must also never underestimate your opponent. Appear confident, but do not become careless."

She walked over to him to show him a new grip on his sword. "If you hold your sword like this, you can bring it up faster."

K'eb whipped his sword up and grinned in amazement. Adesina smiled in return. "Let us try again."

They began circling each other slowly. She suppressed a short laugh. "You are trying too hard to look casual. Relax, take deep breaths and make sure that your sword hand is always ready for action."

He did as he was instructed and Adesina nodded in approval. She allowed her guard to drop slightly, and K'eb moved forward eagerly.

Adesina sidestepped him and brought her wooden sword down across his back. He winced, and lowered his own sword.

She raised an eyebrow. "What did you do wrong?"

"I let you get past me."

Adesina laughed quietly. "Yes, that is a problem, but there was an even bigger mistake that led up to that."

He thought about it for a moment. "I perceived an opportunity that did not exist."

"Exactly. You did not even consider the possibility that I might be tricking you. Therefore, you did not prepare what to do if I was."

Adesina moved toward him slowly. "If I attack like this, I have to account for every possible action you might take. Based on how you are positioned right now and what I know of my attack, I can think of five different reactions you might have. Not only that, but I know what my reactions will be according to how you choose to move."

K'eb frowned, but nodded to indicate that he understood.

Adesina went on, "You always have to be thinking several steps ahead. If you are prepared, then you can act much more quickly and efficiently."

They began again, and Adesina was glad to see marked improvement. She still defeated him easily, but commented that he did much better.

"I still lost," replied K'eb, but he was pleased with her praise.

Adesina moved to re-create one of the positions they had been in while fighting. "What did you do in response to this counterattack?"

He repeated his defensive move and paused. She nodded. "What would have been better?"

K'eb studied the situation and named two other options, both defensive. Adesina inclined her head and urged, "There is one more thing you could have done."

He studied the situation again, but he could not find what she meant.

Adesina pointed to her side. "I left my flank wide open, K'eb."

She lowered her practice weapon, shaking her head. "You are stronger than me, but you do not use that power. I leave open a weakness, but you do not take advantage of it. This is what I was talking about in the forest, K'eb. Battle is not a tidy sport. Sometimes you have to do things that you would rather not."

He suddenly looked apprehensive. "If you are suggesting that I must do whatever it takes to wina"

She shook her head. "I know that you are a very moral individual, and I am not asking you to go against your conscience. I am merely saying that situations are rarely ideal, and sometimes compromises must be made."

K'eb didn't look convinced, but did not argue. Adesina smiled to herself, imagining what his reaction would have been if she had told him the Shimat views of the road to victory. That included not only doing whatever it takes, but doing things that would not even cross the mind of your opponent.

They went on with the lessons until E'nes came to find them. He and Ravi exchanged a few words, but then fell silent. E'nes watched for a little while before reluctantly reminding Adesina that Wren'na was probably waiting for them.

K'eb thanked Adesina for her help and asked if she would come again the next day. Adesina was pleasantly surprised by this request, and agreed.

As they walked home, E'nes gave his sister a sideways glance. "You are a gifted teacher."

She snorted softly, but her brother shook his head adamantly. "No, I am serious. In the short time we were apart, you taught K'eb things that it would take others days to teach."

She frowned incredulously. "Days?"

E'nes nodded seriously. "I think the L'avan are accomplished warriors, but our training is not nearly as accelerated as that of the Shimat."

Her gaze was captured by a group of children playing in a park. They were laughing and shouting, their glowing faces free from care.

Adesina's voice was tinged with the regret she felt. "That is not a bad thing. I have been training constantly ever since I was five years old. Even before that, there were apt.i.tude tests and preparatory exercises. I never really had a childhood."

He reached down and took her hand. Adesina's other hand rested on Ravi's back, her fingers nestled into his smooth black fur. Her brother looked at her sympathetically. "I am sorry, Adesina. It must have been very hard for you."

She shrugged. "I suppose. It has always been like that, so I never really knew what I was missing."

Until now, she added silently.

In spite of the regret she felt, Adesina had a hard time staying solemn for very long. It was as if the very air of Pevothem lifted her spirits. She was constantly surrounded by people, things and situations that could not help but give her the same happiness that they themselves possessed.

Over time she settled into a sort of daily routine. Every day she would go with E'nes and Ravi to the training facility, where she became a sort of impromptu teacher. At first she was just giving recommendations to K'eb and E'nes, but they were soon joined by several spectators. They watched silently until one brave soul summoned the courage to ask a question of his own. After that, Adesina was flooded with requests for advice, opinions and training tips.

Her evenings were spent at home with E'nes and Wren'na. Sometimes they would talk together or teach each other different things about each other's experience. Sometimes the hours would pa.s.s quietly as each found an amus.e.m.e.nt on their own: reading, painting, embroidering, carving, and so forth. Every once in a while, E'nes and Wren'na would tune their instruments and give a modest concert for Adesina, singing old folk songs that had been pa.s.sed down through the generations.

She had never felt so happy with her life. She had never known so much love or fulfilling purpose. She awoke each day and couldn't help but smile at the sunlight creeping through her window.