I know little of what transpired next except what I have been able to piece together from what others said. I only know that when I awoke in the home of woman named Dell who was perhaps Olivya aunt or mentor.

I heard the woman asking, "why did you help her, what could you possibly gain by bringing the wrath of the Wraiths down on yourself." Olivya responded softly, that she had acted rashly but that she had wanted to raise the child as her own. From the snatches of conversation I remember as I drifted in and out of painful consciousness, it seems that the soul of the child was trapped within a large gem and the Kindred had taken it to Wraiths, and that the woman had helped Olivya to keep me alive so I to could be returned to them.

I awoke once more with Olivya pulling me to my feet, "come" is all she said as she firmly grasped my arm. Weak and heart-sick all I could do was follow. "It is for the best, child, return her and you may perhaps be able to avoid some of the reprisal for your actions" Dell said to Olivya as she opened a portal for her. As we stepped through, at the sight of the Wraith's tower appeared before me I made one valiant effort to break free of her grasp, but weak from the loss of blood and grief she easily dragged me into the tower.

Garzaia turned his red eyes burning into my soul, "so the Priestess returns," he leered, "well I have little use for you now, for I have all I need to bargain with." And as he stepped aside I saw Adara bound and almost unconscious, and next to her the gem pulsing with the life force of my child set upon a table. Instinctively I tried to reach them both, hot tears streaming now my cheeks, but Garzaia with a wave of his hand and the words, "be gone" I found myself standing on the tower steps beating hopelessly upon a locked door.

I slowly made my way to the nearby town of Corwyn. There at the tavern everyone had gathered to try and make some sense of what had happened. After piecing together what had transpired so far, its seems upon discovering my attempted escape Garzaia had tricked Adara back into the tower telling her he would exchange her for me. It wasn't until it was too late that everyone realized they had been tricked, and they were told that I was dead but that Garzaia now held the soul of my child and Adara as hostages.

After much debate, reluctantly and with great sorrow, Don Martin rose to speak, "It appears we have no choice. The lives at stake are too precious to allow such evil to hold them. I will take them what they ask for. May the Virtues guide us that we may one day be able to recover the artifact."

A few protested, others simply stared in disbelief. With tear-filled eyes I looked around the room, at the good friends who had fought so bravely. I knew they would continue to fight the battle no matter how overwhelming the odds. On the one hand, I dreaded the consequences of giving one of the sacred artifacts to the Wraiths would bring to the world, and on the other the life of my child and a good friend were at stake. I nodded my agreement to Don, and with that he left to make arrangements for the exchange. "Have faith," I offered those around me, "we may have lost this battle, but we have not lost the war. We shall fight again, and the Scales of Balance will be returned." The encouragement rallied everyone's spirit a bit, and we to return to rest back in Paxlair where we would await word of the exchange.

The minutes crawled by like hours, but eventually Don returned. He helped Adara to sit down and placed the gem containing the soul of my child within my hands. Trembling with sorrow and relief I carefully placed the gem within my drawstring bag at my side. The relief at seeing Adara returned was quickly followed by deep concern. Something was wrong, very wrong... for she had lost a great deal of her memories and did not know Don at all. She was weak and frightened, and told us that even now Garzaia was still able to reach her. We did our best comfort her and assure her that all would be well. Eli was beside himself with worry and quickly took her home to rest and care for her.

It has been a few days now since that night of terror. Tomorrow is the WinterSolstice, this eve as the many Solstice Eve's before I will set forth on a vision quest for the new year. This year 'tis a Solstice unlike any seen for over a hundred years, as both moons will rise full in the sky at the same moment the sun reaches its highest point and pauses ever so briefly in the sky before beginning its return to bring light and warmth. But tonight I can feel no joy in the celebrations of the season around me. I can only pray for guidance, forgiveness, and the strength to carry on and that this most magical Solstice Eve brings us the answers we all so desperately need.