Keisara Fideima sat listless at the breakfast table, dark rings under her eyes, her shoulders slumped. She hadn’t slept well the past couple of nights.

Neither had Sitara. She awoke feeling exhausted and unsettled each morning after completing a fresh wave of whispered attacks on the keisara's mind. The physical toll was becoming so great that she barely functioned well enough to avoid detection. When she did doze, unsettling dreams tormented her sleep and left her feeling unrested.

Still, she caught glimpses of progress. Yesterday the keisara had visited the audience hall while the emperor and ruling council held court. Outwardly she appeared normal, but Sitara noticed her scanning the crowd more intently than usual.

Had she been looking for Junian?

Luckily the man was not in attendance, for actually seeing him would have shattered the carefully crafted illusion Sitara had built around him in the keisara's mind. Sitara hadn’t considered that risk, and she wondered if she should try to influence the keisara into avoiding the audience hall.

If only Bajaran were there to guide her. He'd trained her thoroughly in how to infiltrate the emperor's tower, but she was exploring aspects of her power she'd barely touched before. She needed his help to plan for consequences she hadn’t anticipated.

That morning, the keisara seemed unusually withdrawn. She frowned into her tea and snapped commands at Sitara. She never even glanced out the window, despite the dramatic vista of the inner palace and the northern flank of the Great Dome.

Sitara maintained her place near the keisara's left shoulder and watched. The woman was clearly struggling to withstand the effects of Sitara's secret assault, but could she? The agony of anticipation kept Sitara tense, filled with doubts.

The door opened and a maid entered the private breakfast room, situated on the same level of the tower as the keisara's bedchamber. The maid curtsied, "Pardon, my lady, but Healer Ithai has come to visit."

Keisara Fideima's face lit with a smile. "Please, show her in."

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Sitara clasped her trembling hands over her stomach. She forced her expression to remain calm despite the panic bubbling in her heart.

Ithai was the keisara's personal healer, who had served her since her childhood. She possessed a remarkably powerful healing gift, and none boasted her experience. Would Ithai sense Sitara's manipulations?

The thought set Sitara's already knotted stomach twisting further until she felt she might vomit. I should have planned for this, she wailed silently. Only with great effort did she remain in her appointed place.

Despite her great age, Ithai still walked with a firm stride. She stood somewhat shorter than Sitara, but her bright blue eyes made her appear taller, and wispy gray hair floated around her head like a tarnished halo.

Keisara Fideima rose from her seat and hugged Ithai warmly. "It is so good to see you. How are you?"

Ithai smiled as she gazed intently at the keisara. "I am fine, my dear. But the question is, how are you?"

Fideima managed a rather forced laugh. "I’m fine." She returned to her seat and motioned Ithai to sit as well. Sitara set a plate in front of the old healer and offered tea and an assortment of breakfast pastries. Ithai accepted the cup without taking her eyes off the keisara.

"Young lady," Ithai said a little sternly, "you are clearly not fine. Lady Elva mentioned you were looking a little peaked yesterday. I am glad she did. Now tell me what is bothering you."

The keisara shrugged, but tears gleamed in her eyes. "Just some troubling dreams."

Sitara found it difficult to breathe. Her legs felt weak and she leaned against the table to keep from staggering. Luckily no one noticed.

"Dreams, eh?" Ithai frowned and shuffled her chair closer. "We'll see about that." She reached out and touched the keisara's forehead with a hand that began to glow with a soft, pure white light.

Sitara forced herself to stand straight, despite a tremor that shivered up her legs all the way to the base of her skull. Bile rose in her throat till she could barely keep it down. Still, she watched Ithai's glowing hand with hungry intensity. Her own magic used to feel like that: pure, white, and beautiful.

Ever since it had fled from her in the emperor's apartments, forcing her to embrace the power of darkness, she had difficulty calling upon it. It came slower and didn’t penetrate to her core like it used to.

Instead of filling her with bounding joy, it seemed reluctant and tarnished, hovering just under her skin as if unable to penetrate deeper. The sentinels must be corrupting the magic at a faster rate than Bajaran had suggested.

Ithai gasped and surged to her feet. "What in the name of the accidental gods?" She placed both hands on the keisara's head.

"What's wrong?" the keisara asked.

"Hush, child." The glow of Ithai's gift flared bright, and blinding. Sitara glanced aside and blinked away tears. Fear burned unfettered through her soul.

Ithai knew.