“Don’t you think I can lead—”

“That is not what I’m talking about. Listen to me, child.” Uzfan’s old eyes, very grave and serious, held hers. “When you want a thing to happen, when you have devoted your life to making it happen, it can be very hard to let events take their course. But you do not control what is to be. You must never again try to force destiny.”

“I only wanted to see him,” she began, but Uzfan scowled.  “No,” he said sternly. “You asked me to give the people a vision of Faldain, and when I refused you set out to defy my wisdom. Is this not the way of it?” She could not meet his gaze now. Squirming a little, she glared at the fire.

“Alexeika?”

“Yes! I suppose so. I wanted hope for myself. Is that wrong?”

He stared at her. “It is wrong.”

Angry, she flashed her eyes at him, then looked away again.  “If he comes one day or if he never comes, it is not for you to decide. You cannot set his path. It is forbidden for you to try. Is that clear?”