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greedy men and wrapped up with themselves.”

    Outside of Onath, Tahn and Lorne moved quickly. Smoke was pleased to be traveling again. The horse wanted to run, and Tahn let him have his head. Lorne on his red roan was behind, and after a while, Tahn thought it courtesy to slow down and let him catch up.
    “Vari was right to say you’re well driven today,” Lorne said as soon as he was close enough to be heard.
    Tahn reined Smoke to a stop. “I’ve never known such a quest before. How do you think I’ll manage it?”
    “I couldn’t say, not knowing what we’ll find.”
    “What was it like, when you went home again?”
    The blond young man patted his horse’s neck. “My experience hardly parallels yours.”
    “I know. I was there to see your face when you realized your father was selling you, even if it was to keep the rest of your family from starving. It must have been strange, going back, despite remembering them so well.”
    “It was strange,” Lorne admitted with a sigh. “Frightening. I wasn’t sure they’d welcome me. Maybe they would think me a burden, or a shame to them. But you know how they honor me now.”
    “You’ve been good to them.”
    “You’ve been good to them too. And if we find your family, it will be the same.”
    Tahn didn’t answer. He started Smoke at a walk again and looked deep into the trees ahead.
    “Vari was disappointed not to be coming,” Lorne told him. “He’ll be worrying for you.”
    “That’s just the trouble. He loves me too much to have the sense about him should we encounter any problems.”
    Lorne frowned. “And you don’t think I love you?”
    “You’ll keep your sense. That’s the important thing.” He glanced at his companion and then gave Smoke the liberty of some speed again.
    There were many miles ahead of them. But Tahn would move through them quickly. He could push himself and his eager horse almost endlessly and was confident enough in Lorne to push him too.
    He tossed the young man’s words about in his mind as they rode. If he found he had family, what would they think of him? Not that he was a burden. He’d never allow himself to be that. A shame? His heart pounded. That was much more likely. Even just, perhaps. Until he knew Jesus, there hadn’t been much about him that anyone could be comfortable with.
    But you had your hand on me all along, didn’t you, Lord? Tahn prayed. Even when I was so lost, so angry, you put it in my heart to care about the little ones.

    Tiarra stepped out into the street with a basket under her arm. The last of Martica’s painting things. The old woman had told her to go and sell them. She’d always held on to them before, thinking to work when she got well. But this morning she plainly said she’d never use them again. She knows she’s dying. She knows it won’t be long. The knowledge of it cast gloom over an already dreary world.
    Tiarra walked rapidly but still hadn’t progressed past the third house before children began to make their way to her. Five of them, Tiarra noticed. Maybe even more soon. Would God that they wouldn’t watch for me so!
    “Miss Ti!” a little boy called. “Can you spare bread today?”
    “Oh, Jori.” She shook her head. She rarely told them no, she so hated to see the despair in their little faces. But in truth, today she had no choice. “I’ve got nothing.”
    She watched their faces register disappointment. Two of them began to turn away. “Wait a minute,” she told them. “Come here.”
    They looked at her in question but quickly gathered themselves around her.
    “I wish I could give you all a fine meal,” she told them. “I wish I had it for myself. But there’s not much left. I got Martica medicine just days past and thought to wait till I had pay tomorrow to buy the foodstuffs. But now I don’t know if I’ll ever see that pay or any other from Vale Sade. And I fear Martica worsens. She will die soon. So I’m about the same as you are now. Just a bit