Talia has one more step to conquer on her way to being a full Herald. She has to complete her internship while riding a circuit. Her mentor for this journey is Kris. Talia has an unusual psychic gift: she's a mind healer and a very powerful one. Because this is an unusual gift which appears most often in healers, her mentors among the Heralds don't know how to help her get control of her gift. And it doesn't help that rumors are circulating through Court that she is prone to misuse her gift.

Kris has been briefed by his uncle Lord Orthalan about the rumors which make it difficult for him to trust her. Talia senses his distrust which makes her own doubts even more powerful. When her shields fail, she becomes a danger to herself and to Kris too.

It is while the pair are snowed in at a Herald's shelter that Kris realizes that Talia lacks the basics of controlling any gift and determines to bring her back to the beginning and teach her the correct way to use her gift. During their period of isolation, Kris and Talia become lovers which makes Talia fear that she's used her gift to influence his behavior and Kris to feat that his noted attraction to women has caused Talia's reaction to him. Both know that Talia really is falling in love with Kris's partner Dirk.

There are a number of opportunities for Talia to practice the skills needed by Haralds from border disputes, to deranged servant girls, to murders, and to plague. Kris tells her that her practice on the circuit will stand her in good stead as she deals with the politics of the Court in her role as Queen's Own.

This was an excellent middle book in the Heralds of Valdemar trilogy. ( )

Pleasant enough book, but a bit like the first - not much of a plot and in the end, really not much happening.
The heroine of the series is likable enough and I like the fact that she is a strong woman and treads her own path along with issues and insecurities like us all.

Still waiting for the blurb from the first book suggesting that she was desperately needed and has come at just the right time to save the kingdom to eventuate.
Third book perhaps? ( )

This book was better than the first one and that is always a good sign. ( )

2560

I like the books Mercedes Lackey writes, she is good at creating a believable world and people to populate it. While her writing is not the strongest I do find it engaging ang and enjoyable. I like a series I can live inside of and her books are ones that have characters I feel invested in and a world I believe could exist. ( )