I stopped, mainly because I’d run out of air. Mychael didn’t say anything, but I could tell he was wavering.

“You can link to a victim through objects?” he asked.

“Yes, I can link through objects. It’ll be like I’m inside the girl’s head.”

For a seeker, one of the best ways to find a missing person was to hold an object that belonged to them. The closer the person was to that object, the better. Before I’d picked up more magical mojo courtesy of the Saghred, my seeking talents were good, better than most, but still pretty basic. I could use an object to track the person who owned that object, but most of what I got were just impressions, not a direct link. I could then use those impressions—and some good old-fashioned footwork—to find the missing person. Thanks to the Saghred, what’s normal for me now is unheard of for most seekers. I can link directly to the person. Last week, I got a murder victim’s final moments in full color, sound, smell, and touch. I felt like I was being murdered right along with him. Not pleasant, but neither was being murdered. That was the first and only time I’d done it. I assumed it would work even better with a living subject. I wasn’t about to tell Mychael that I’d only done it once. Show no doubt, know no refusal.

“Can any seeker on your city watch do that?” I asked quietly.

From his silence I knew none of them could. I waited.

“I’ll get you her hairbrush.”

An hour or so later someone knocked on the door to my room. I expected a hairbrush. It was Riston.

“The paladin would like to see you in his office.”

When I got there, Mychael wasn’t alone. I took one look at his guest and I think my mouth fell open.

The man’s robes were a riot of silk and color. Red, orange, amber, gold—every color that flame could be at one point or another in its capricious existence—this man managed to wear them all at once and wear them well. It was nothing short of a stunning fashion achievement.