Page 65 of Gryphon in Light

:Safest place in Valdemar. It will probably take her about three years before she gets her Whites.:

“So you’re a-gonna take her there now, an’ nobody’s gonna be mean or nasty to her, an’ she’s gonna allus hev enough to eat an’ a good place to sleep.”

:And many new friends, and people she can call family. Just like you do, here. I know you were thinking that after she has cared for you for so long, it was time for you to start caring for her. I know you were worried that if you went on this quest with Nightwind, your mother would be alone again, perhaps unhappy, and perhaps these Hawkbrothers wouldn’t care for her the way she deserves. You don’t have to worry about any of that now. You’re free, too.: The Companion nodded his head vigorously, and it was only at that moment that Hallock realized he did not have a scrap of tack on him, not even a halter—where Sherris was fully tacked up, complete with saddlebags and camping kit. As a Companion on Search always was.

Just like that, Hallock watched all the tension drain out of the boy, to be replaced by a huge, relieved grin. He didn’t need to say anything; his posture said it for him.

:Can you spare a few moments from packing?: the male Companion said at last. :I think we need to leave them alone for a bit. Your mother is still sorting through everything this means, and that’s going to take some time.:

“Why are you here?” Hallock asked bluntly.

:Oh, I was asked to come along and help,: the Companion said, casually. :With Kelvren’s expedition, that is. You see, Haven can’t send a Herald, not even Shandi, without a lot of fuss and questions about why Valdemar is “wasting” a Herald on something outside our Borders.: The Companion sighed gustily, blowing Hallock’s hair. His breath smelled like honey and clover. :You would think,: he added, a little crossly, :that people would have learned from the Mage Storms. But no. Politics!: That last was said with the same vehemence and disgust that Hallock felt about the subject. :But an unpaired Companion can go any damn place the Companion wants to go, and nobody can say anything about it. So. I’m here to help. Has Serenshey gotten here already?:

:Serenshey beat you by candlemarks, hay-burner,: said the amused Mindvoice that Hallock now recognized. :Serves you right for not Gating.:

The Companion tossed his head and rolled his eyes. :You know we don’t do that.:

:Not my problem,: Serenshey retorted. :You could learn, if you wanted to. What are the Powers going to do to you? Take away your birthday?:

The Companion dropped his nose and looked sharply at the Firecat. :Huh. Do you think—:

:I think interesting times require interesting solutions. But you should know that, given your past. How many times did you bend the law until it looked like a fancy braid?:

:Quite a lot,: the Companion admitted.

“This is all very well,” Hallock interrupted them, “but am I given to understand that you are actually here to become part of Kel’s expedition?”

:Didn’t I just say that? Yes. And I have the benefit of being able to communicate via Mindspeech directly to Haven. If you stir up something that’s likely to have an impact on Haven, I can warn them. Among many other things.:

Hallock’s eyes narrowed. “How,” he asked, slowly, “do you feel about pulling a barge?”

Ammari and Sherris were gone. The Elders, confronted by not just a wing of strange gryphons and a Firecat but an unpartnered Companion, had reached their saturation point. They had thrown up their hands and declared that there was nothing more the Vale could say or do as a Vale that would make any real difference in the success of the expedition. The Vale itself was buzzing. It had been quite a day.

But the day was not yet over. Not for Firesong, and not for Kel.

“It’s about time!” Kel exclaimed, when Firesong turned up, accompanied by cat, Companion, and Vindaria. Kel would have been beside himself with curiosity about the first two, and all in a muddle over the third, except for what Firesong held in his hands.

A lightweight breastplate with a shining, gold-colored cube about the size of a fist mounted in the middle of it. The cube’s sides had been polished flawlessly. And where Firesong had found what was an apparently flawless crystal of iron pyrite that large, only he knew.

“I know, I know,” Firesong sighed. “I understand your impatience. But there is no reason to put this off any more. Especially not with three mages to help me, one of whom can bring some divine protection to bear.”

The Firecat preened a little.

:What am I, chopped radish?: the Companion objected. But before Firesong could retort, he turned his blue eyes on Kel. :Call me Jak, for Jackdaw.:

“Which is not your real name,” Kel speculated.

:It’s good enough. Besides, it’s easy to say, short, and no one else in your troupe has a name like it.: The Companion tossed his head and side-eyed Kel pertly.

“All right, Jak,” Kel responded, not taking the bait. “Can you bring divine protection to bear?”

:I can do a lot of things, and that’s one of them. Not a thing to do on a whim, but what you and Firesong are about to try is very new, and not even the gods can accurately predict what’s going to happen. So Serenshey and I are here to tilt the odds in your favor.:

“And I am here to add my strength to yours,” Vindaria said, modestly.

“Are we going to do this here?” Kel asked, looking around at the room. “It’s very flammable.”

“If things go wrong, flammable is going to be the least of our worries,” Firesong muttered. Then said aloud, “Just let’s get this breastplate on you. I’ll do the preparation work. The rest of you . . . well, you know what you’re doing better than I do.”