The Sentinels we travelled the wide oceans, heard many call your name

she came to give him kisses; he laughed and pretended to fall beneath her loving onslaught. his heart soared with love for little deirdre, and for emaleth; he lay back upon his back and gathered her into his arms, close to the cadence of his heart beneath the dark fur. and there he rested for a moment, the swift hummingbird-beat of her little soul fluttering against the steadiness of his own spirit. such moments were these! they must be cherished, they must be treasured, sanctified as they were now in opposition to the wicked cruelty of the outside world.

his witches would be educated in glen-tongue and julien's french; they would have their mother's knowledge of herbs, casmir's adventurous tutelage, eilidh's loving guidance. in this would they thrive, but lasher knew he could not control their fates, nor alter them. such would do a disservice to the individual and independent characters of his dark witch and his light, which he knew to be strong only by way of their parentage. 

he was quiet, contented.