you’re staying here,” he said. “Amy.”
Danica tugged on the reins, convincing her horse that she knew what she was doing so that he settled down to accept her. When she had him in line she urged him up to where Galt waited.
“Do you mean you wouldn’t hire me otherwise?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I dislike interfering with Melantha. She has these intuitive feelings that are right more often than not.”
“Then you think she’s right about me: I’m a danger to Star-Fire?”
He was silent, then urged his horse forward. Danica followed.
“Not a danger,” he told her when she came even with him. “But anything that disturbs the harmony of the group as a whole affects the children. Melantha knows this and she has agreed to accept you.” He sighed. “She says she has an inseeing about you.”
“Inseeing?”
“She calls it that. When you came into her house and sat with her there, she foresaw death and destruction by fire.”
“Of Star-Fire?”
“She doesn’t know. But she says it surrounds you like an aura.”
“Do you believe…?”
“In what Melantha sees in this way?” Galt paused. “Yes and no. I think she sees something, or senses something. I don’t know if I agree with her interpretations of these inseeings. I can’t imagine you as a danger, for example. And then there’s Amy. She hasn’t been successful with Amy. Melantha refuses to admit it, but the child’s worse than when she first arrived.”
“You do plan to have me work with Amy, then?”
“Starting tomorrow. Eventually I may have her live in your house, but I’d like to come to that gradually. Melantha is very attached to Amy.”
“And Amy?”
Galt shrugged. “I don’t know. I think she trusts me a little. She comes to my house voluntarily, though she hides from me while she’s there. As I told you, she’s never touched any of us until you came. Of course, your red hair…” He paused, then went on. “But Amy seems no more afraid of Melantha than anyone else. I wish I knew what keeps her so fearful.”
“Have you seen my horoscope?” Danica asked.
“Yes. I didn’t feel it showed you were wrong for Star-Fire.”
“Thank you,” she said.
Galt laughed. “We’ll have to convert you to astrology,” he said. “I never heard such a grudging thanks.”
“Evan told me it was a part of the Star-Fire philosophy,” Danica said. “I’ve had a minimal exposure to astrology and so I don’t understand, I suppose. The energy you use is different. I’ve seen what it can do, so I believe in it whether I understand or not.”
“Well, since you’re a Sagittarius you have an open mind and are versatile. We should be able to show you why we use astrology and how it works to our advantage.”
“I’m willing to learn,” she said.
“This next year should be an important one for you.”
“Why?”
“Your planet is Jupiter. So you should have had at least one milestone in your life at age twelve. This month you’ll be twenty-four—twice twelve. Since Jupiter…” He stopped talking to peer closely at her. “What’s the matter?”
“My twelfth year was unusual. You surprised me. What sign are you?”
“Cancer.”
“And Amy?”
“She’s a Sagittarius, like you. Oddly enough, you two are the only ones born under that sign here at Star-Fire.”
“Why is that unusual?”
“With some sixty-odd of us here, the signs should be more evenly represented.”
Shadows had begun to creep from between the hills and the mountains had changed color; they were now darkening into a purple-brown. Danica saw smoke curling up into the reddening sky. She pointed. “A ranch?”
Galt nodded. “Our nearest neighbor.”
Danica could feel her muscles beginning to protest. She hadn’t ridden a horse in years. She glanced at Galt, wondering when he would turn back. He was not looking at her and she studied the dark high-cheekboned face. What kind of man was he? She’d thought kind, but now
Danica tugged on the reins, convincing her horse that she knew what she was doing so that he settled down to accept her. When she had him in line she urged him up to where Galt waited.
“Do you mean you wouldn’t hire me otherwise?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I dislike interfering with Melantha. She has these intuitive feelings that are right more often than not.”
“Then you think she’s right about me: I’m a danger to Star-Fire?”
He was silent, then urged his horse forward. Danica followed.
“Not a danger,” he told her when she came even with him. “But anything that disturbs the harmony of the group as a whole affects the children. Melantha knows this and she has agreed to accept you.” He sighed. “She says she has an inseeing about you.”
“Inseeing?”
“She calls it that. When you came into her house and sat with her there, she foresaw death and destruction by fire.”
“Of Star-Fire?”
“She doesn’t know. But she says it surrounds you like an aura.”
“Do you believe…?”
“In what Melantha sees in this way?” Galt paused. “Yes and no. I think she sees something, or senses something. I don’t know if I agree with her interpretations of these inseeings. I can’t imagine you as a danger, for example. And then there’s Amy. She hasn’t been successful with Amy. Melantha refuses to admit it, but the child’s worse than when she first arrived.”
“You do plan to have me work with Amy, then?”
“Starting tomorrow. Eventually I may have her live in your house, but I’d like to come to that gradually. Melantha is very attached to Amy.”
“And Amy?”
Galt shrugged. “I don’t know. I think she trusts me a little. She comes to my house voluntarily, though she hides from me while she’s there. As I told you, she’s never touched any of us until you came. Of course, your red hair…” He paused, then went on. “But Amy seems no more afraid of Melantha than anyone else. I wish I knew what keeps her so fearful.”
“Have you seen my horoscope?” Danica asked.
“Yes. I didn’t feel it showed you were wrong for Star-Fire.”
“Thank you,” she said.
Galt laughed. “We’ll have to convert you to astrology,” he said. “I never heard such a grudging thanks.”
“Evan told me it was a part of the Star-Fire philosophy,” Danica said. “I’ve had a minimal exposure to astrology and so I don’t understand, I suppose. The energy you use is different. I’ve seen what it can do, so I believe in it whether I understand or not.”
“Well, since you’re a Sagittarius you have an open mind and are versatile. We should be able to show you why we use astrology and how it works to our advantage.”
“I’m willing to learn,” she said.
“This next year should be an important one for you.”
“Why?”
“Your planet is Jupiter. So you should have had at least one milestone in your life at age twelve. This month you’ll be twenty-four—twice twelve. Since Jupiter…” He stopped talking to peer closely at her. “What’s the matter?”
“My twelfth year was unusual. You surprised me. What sign are you?”
“Cancer.”
“And Amy?”
“She’s a Sagittarius, like you. Oddly enough, you two are the only ones born under that sign here at Star-Fire.”
“Why is that unusual?”
“With some sixty-odd of us here, the signs should be more evenly represented.”
Shadows had begun to creep from between the hills and the mountains had changed color; they were now darkening into a purple-brown. Danica saw smoke curling up into the reddening sky. She pointed. “A ranch?”
Galt nodded. “Our nearest neighbor.”
Danica could feel her muscles beginning to protest. She hadn’t ridden a horse in years. She glanced at Galt, wondering when he would turn back. He was not looking at her and she studied the dark high-cheekboned face. What kind of man was he? She’d thought kind, but now
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