"I still say it's not fair to call us teries," she said. "We're not! We're people!"

He smiled at her sadly. "My poor little Adriel. I indulged you and spoiled you, and now I've had to tear you away from all the luxuries I worked so hard to give you. I'd give anything to make things right for you again."

Adriel fought the tears. She missed her house, her clothes, her room, her bed, her friends, the shops, the marketplace in the square, people who talked.

Her father sighed and changed the subject. "I don't think Rab is coming."

"Maybe Rab is right here in this camp and we don't know it," she said, hoping to buoy his spirits.

Komak opened his eyes and raised himself up on one elbow. "Not possible. I don't know how to explain it to you but…but once you've communicated with someone via the Talent, you'll always recognize him again. Rab isn't here."

"Maybe he's Tlad, then. We don't know anything about him."

"But Tlad doesn't have the Talent. You said so yourself. And you should know — you're the Finder."

Yes, she was the Finder, all right. Sometimes she wished she weren't.

"Still, there's something about that man I don't like, don't trust."

"Don't trust? He's never harmed you or any of us. As a matter of fact, he's been a good friend to us."

"Perhaps ‘don't trust' isn't exactly what I mean. I don't know. He's sneaky. He always seems to be watching us. Maybe he's working for Kitru, spying on us."

"If that was his plan, my dear, he could have led the troops here long ago. And don't forget how he acted on behalf of the tery here — no man of Kitru's would do that."

But Adriel would not allow her suspicions to be put to rest.