In the days of turmoil and disrespect, the Goddess shall summon her children home and the Vedi will be named.--Transcribed by Elder-Gypsy Siri Nebarin from the Teadai Prophesies, section II of The Book of the Goddess, Scroll of New Beginning, shelf VII, archive IX.

Makrilon bustled with people from all over Cragrilon Prefecture as the city hosted its harvest celebrations, allowing Haranda cover to move about without suspicion. She feigned searching for a runaway, which got her admission into any establishment in Makrilon. She had ducked in and out of places in what seemed an endless hunt for a girl whose name she didn't know, but she could sense the familiar presence of a youngling, a female. The girl's essence tapped against her senses in the erratic fashion of younglings, and this one was close to harnessing the Goddess Energy. Haranda had exactly two days until the harvest moon shone full. Two days to find this girl, get out of this city, and herd her new gaggle of younglings toward home before someone discovered them. An image she had fought so hard to forget filled her mind and she pushed down sorrow as she vowed to the Goddess she wouldn't lose another.

Haranda set her jaw in determination against her grief. She weaved in and out of crowds and pinched her nose as various and sundry smells assaulted her from alleyways and passing horses. A man retched in front of her and she averted her eyes as she hastened past the mess on the sidewalk.

Goddess, please let me find this last youngling and get out of this bloody city in one piece. Her nerves were frayed and an ache had formed behind her temples.

Boisterous laughter and applause came from onlookers who watched a juggler and an acrobat, middlings all, ignorant of that which flooded Haranda's senses. The Goddess Energy. Like a second skin, comforting yet invigorating, imbued with power that frightened many who didn't understand its potential. But something dangerous invaded the Energy and pricked at her like a hundred thorns. Something enormous was happening, something to do with the Prophecies.

It took all her reserve not to flee this place and head straight for a life circle that would lead her home to the Land of the Goddess. A summons hadn't happened for centuries, longer even, and that need pulled at her through the Energy with a strength bordering on pain. But she had to wait a little longer. Just a while longer. With regret, she pressed those needs down and focused on her task again.

Her Energy awareness wasn't potent enough at this distance to give her the exact location of those she sought, only the vicinity, which could encompass an entire town and a slew of bodies. So many emitted heat against her senses that she broke a sweat in her attempts to sift through the throng. Only when she was close to the youngling would her awareness reveal more. Soon, not more than a few sunrises from now, the calling would be upon this girl, and she would be a threat, even to herself.

And Haranda needed to get back to the others, those she had rescued from their middling homes and hidden away outside the city. For some reason, the Goddess had decided all her rescues thus far would be female, and she'd been saddled with several young women. Three highborn girls who thought the sun shone for them alone, and one who preferred men's breeches to skirts and had a mouth like a drunken sailor.

She shook her head as she walked on, keeping to the shadows when she could, and wishing her kin could have accompanied her. But there were so many younglings to locate and too few Gypsies to wrangle them all. Everyone had a task and Haranda's was here in Makrilon, a bawdy city in the same Prefecture where she'd been born. Thankfully, not the same city.

Her head ached and she fought to keep her composure when two middlings stepped from the alley and flanked her. Not now, idiot boys. She held the Energy, preparing to use it only as a final option. This wasn't the place to let anyone know she was a Gypsy. Not if she preferred her limbs still attached to her body. She fought a shudder and pushed away an awful memory.

A boy barely into adolescence drew close. "How's about a little roll in the hay, pretty woman?" His breath smelled of wine. His friend made an agreeable comment. Despite their youth, they were almost as tall as Haranda. The first one snagged her cloak and tried to pull her into the alley.

She planted her feet, using the strength of the Energy to hold her place. The boy seemed confused as to why he couldn't topple her. Drunk as he was, she hoped he wouldn't remember much in the morning.

Forcing her voice low, she leaned toward his ear. "If you don't release me, I'll scream for a guard." Festival nights were the only occasions women could safely walk the streets of Makrilon after dark. The only time the city put extra guards on the streets. Merchants here made a lot of money at festival, and the city collected a good amount of taxes. The sun had set and the waxing moon shone overhead, threatening to grow to full pregnancy by tomorrow night.

The boy laughed and tried to pull her into the alley again. She shifted her weight, twisted her arm out of his grasp, grabbed him by his soiled collar and flung him into the wall. He bounced off with a cry and stumbled before righting himself again, cradling his arm. At the very least, she had bruised it, but he wouldn't feel the full effects until his drink wore off. His friend started toward her but she had her belt knife out before he could take three steps. Her two assailants seemed to sober up quickly. They also decided she was too much trouble and hurried off in one direction, only to see a guard coming their way. They backpedaled and sprinted down the next alley.

Another delay. Haranda cursed under her breath and sheathed the knife. As she willed her nerves to quiet and her hands to stop trembling, she smoothed her cloak and pulled her hood into place. From the position of the moon, she guessed Mistress Lane would soon be preparing night meal. At middle night, she would send the girls to the Flindering farm alone.

Most likely, Eletha would have no trouble making the trip. But the rest were young and pampered. I can't let them go alone. And I can't leave this youngling here. Goddess, curse these superstitious middlings.

She let her awareness guide her again, grateful she hadn't needed to use her Energy on those boys, and uttered a relieved, "Thank you," to the Goddess for that one. She added a silent thank you to her Gypsy kin, who had taught her to defend herself, something her root parents never would have done.