"What did you say?" asked Kallorn.

"I said," said Justin, "we have to go to Esthean."

Kallorn made a face. "But we will be killed."

"And if we run away and let our friends die here, we will live," said Justin. "But if we have to set aside our humanity to save the world, we'll be left with a world I wouldn't care much to live in."

Ahlund looked at Justin. His face might not have shown much, but Justin thought he saw something in his eyes-something that looked ...