"Well," replied Chamina, gracefully getting down from her steed, then walking up to Baelisk. In a voice that was soft and mystic, she said,

"When I was young, my father hired a royal scholar to teach me; things like how to behave during a feast, how to ride a catamog like a lady, basic knowledge for a princess, I suppose. He was teaching me to be a typical noblewoman.

"But he was no typical scholar. In fact, he wasn't a scholar. He was a wizard. Not a magician from the city streets, who did tricks with cards and colored smoke, but a real wizard, like the legends speak about...like Culric.

"This is what he taught me of Silver City. He never told me about himself, but he told me that in the far north, there is a temple. A sorcerer's citadel where the Great Wizard Shao'ri Culric was buried.

"But the scholar said that more than Culric's body resides in that temple. He told me that there lies a secret--a key--to the whereabouts of Silver City. He told me that he had tried to travel there, but never found the temple. But he also said that he knew it was there; that he had not been destined to find it, but that if he passed the knowledge down to others, that perhaps one day they would find it, and along with it, the secret to the location of the legendary Silver City."

"So to find the Silver City, I must first find this temple?" Baelisk said.

"I believe so." Chamina replied helplessly. "I'm afraid that's all I know."

Baelisk took her hands in his. "It is enough, and you have helped immensely." He bowed, kissing her hand as he did. "I shall return with the Star."

Chamina smiled sweetly, then remounted her catamog. She looked down at him with a loving, sad expression. "I hope you return to me safely." Then she turned and rode back toward the castle.

Baelisk let out a breath and was silent for long moment. "I don't have time to waste." he said at length. "I shall pack provisions tonight and leave at dawn."

"Well!" Avaezal exclaimed. "you never were one to waste time, anyway."

Baelisk smiled weakly. "Yes, I suppose that’s so. But the sooner I start this, the sooner I can have it done."

Avaezal laughed. "Ya got the gift of understatement." he chuckled. "But yer not doin' it all alone, are ya?"

"I suppose not." Baelisk said, not having considered this himself. "I suppose I'll swing by Catcring and bring Shanju with me, if he's willing. I would take you, Avaezal, but someone needs to act as guard captain while I'm away. If you would."

"Sure," Avaezal replied, "by all means, don't worry about leavin' me behind." He laughed.

"Hmm," Baelisk mused, stroking his catamog’s neck, "do you suppose there's somewhere I can keep this beast until morning?"

"Don't ya have ta taker back ta th' stables?"

Baelisk laughed. "No, with the tip I gave the caretaker, I doubt he'll even miss her."