Then a change. An essence of darkness, a shadow within even the Galactic void caressed its cold surface. Something had moved--between one heartbeat and the next the tranquillity of this timeless place had altered forever. It slid past, huge and silent, a shark in the night sea's of space, heading directly for the galaxy beyond. It had purpose and where it passed unnumbered shoals of tiny slivers of danger followed in it's wake. The Shadow past, the dead world drew it's first and only breath. A light pulsed in its heart a warning scarlet red. The radiance grew beaconlike--frantic in it's pulsing urgency until the whole moon was suffused with the warning light. And then in one glorious burst of sacrificial effort it exploded, throwing its heart-energy to the universe. A wave of fiery light swept away into space, but it was the unseen faster than light message on which the celestial body had spent it's true force. That message sped ahead, ahead of the shadow, outstripping the light racing to the distant galaxy in a desperate urgency of speed.Not long after Trath entered, a young man came in, dressed in the garb of a member of the nomadic zralta riders. He threw Zarador a grin as he sat down. "Jalen Del Rayar," chuckled the king. "Reminds me of myself at that age. He speaks for the riders, who are too nomadic to have a real system of government beyond clan loyalties. His sister rides scout for their clan, much to the scandal of half the grasslands. He'll almost certainly be on our side." Ashley eyed Justin once more. It was hard to tell in the car but he seemed a bit taller than he had been last spring, and his hair was cut in short spikes instead of the shaggy little boy look he had once favored. His clothes were as foreign looking as Cassie's were nowadays, and she couldn't help wondering if everyone was changing but her.

"I'll go," she agreed at last, bracing one elbow against the back of his seat as she gave him a mock-glare. "But you'd better tell us everything, Justin Stewart. And I mean everything! Where have you been? You didn't even go to graduation! What was the point of finishing school early if you weren't going to celebrate?"

"I did celebrate," Justin answered, a grin in his voice. "By getting away from there as fast as I could. Getting through high school was one of the most boring things I ever did. When Storm Blaster came for me last spring, I didn't think I'd ever make it to June. But I did, and you did, and here we are."

          More nobles followed, and Jamie carefully filed the names away for future reference. Altogether, there were seven members of the court: six nobles from various provinces and Jalen of the riders. Chardin was an old friend of Zarador's; the two men were of the same age and a similar outlook. Jamie took one look at the white-haired, silver-eyed man and had liked him immediately.
          Sneris of Gant, on the other hand, she immediately pegged as trouble. Young, with rusty hair and brown eyes, he would have been rather attractive if he didn't resemble someone who had just bitten into a lemon. Every time his gaze fell on Jamie, the puckered expression grew deeper. She had to fight very hard to keep from crossing her eyes at him.