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forward by his good arm. "The Brotherhood wants to get full guild status. To do this, they need to recruit you and any other mixed Leska pairs. They have the facilities and staff to train you there."

"Why would the Brotherhood have facilities for telepaths?" Then realization dawned. "The missing talents!" Kusac stopped in his tracks and looked at Kaid with the beginnings of understanding.

Kaid nodded.

"You're the people the Telepath Guild has missed— the ones with the minor Talents!"

"Some of us have more than a minor Talent, Liegen," said Rulla mildly. "We just aren't telepaths."

"All along, the Brotherhood's been gathering in those people. Why, Kaid?"

"That's what we are," said Kaid. "Every one of us."

"Every one of you? Then telepaths who can fight aren't new."

"Yes, you are," said Kaid. "That's why Stronghold wants you. They have no telepaths among their active members."

"They want to recruit us?"

"You and Carrie— perhaps. Vanna and Brynne, definitely. They think they can control them more easily than you."

Kusac gave a short, derisory laugh. "They don't know Vanna!"

"No, they don't," said Kaid, his mouth opening in the ghost of a smile.

"Dzaka is the one who took Vanna to Stronghold," said Rulla.

"He'll regret it," said Kaid, his voice barely audible.

Kusac gave himself a small shake, trying to dispel the chill Kaid's comment had caused. He started walking again.

"Stronghold wants full guild status so they can challenge the Telepath Guild's power in the World Council," said Kaid. "They can't achieve guild status unless they can prove they have a skill that is unique to them."

"Us."

Kaid grunted in reply as they emerged into the cold predawn air of the park. An aircar, its engine gently humming, was waiting for them. He passed his rifle to Rulla, clambering into the pilot's seat that T'Chebbi had just vacated.

Kusac joined him in the front, leaving Rulla to accompany T'Chebbi in the rear passenger area.

"I won't be used by the Brotherhood any more than by the Telepath Guild," said Kusac in a low voice as Kaid took off, heading northwest for the Dzahai Mountains.

"I know, but the Brotherhood mustn't realize that yet," said Kaid, equally quietly.

Kusac looked thoughtfully at him. He touched the edges of Kaid's mind with the usual result: a quiet stillness. Carrie was the only one who really sensed Kaid, and then only on their Link days when their abilities were enhanced. Now, thank Vartra, she was asleep, but her help would have been useful.

"You can't break formally with the Telepath Guild unless you have the protection of Stronghold," said Kaid. "Esken won't tolerate it; he can't afford to. If you still intend to follow the path of En'Shalla, you need to buy time, to wait until Carrie's recovered. It's dangerous enough when you're healthy."

"I know," said Kusac, his tone short. Putting their lives in the hands of Gods he barely believed in and certainly didn't trust would not be an easy step for him to take.

"If you turn down Stronghold's offer, you'll be placing my people in a dangerous position."

"Explain."

"If you refuse Ghezu and Lijou, they'll recall all the Brotherhood members I've got guarding you," said Kaid, banking to the right to compensate for the gusting wind.

"The threat to our lives is over now though, isn't it, Kaid? Surely we don't need so many people."

"I think we do. Let's just say I prefer being overcautious. Also several of them wish to break from the Brotherhood and join you and your people. If they're recalled, they'll have to disobey Stronghold and we aren't ready for that yet."

"The showdown you were discussing. I don't understand why they'd want to join us in the first place."

"Because of Kaid," said Rulla, leaning forward. "You only know one side of him. Before he was 'retired' from the Brotherhood, he had quite a following, especially when it came time to elect the new Leader."

"Enough, Rulla," said Kaid sharply, banking the vehicle against the wind and