Sanria closed the book and stared at the cover. She sighed heavily and reach- ed out with her mind, "Enmach? Could I speak with you?"
The silvery woman appeared in a moment and gave a small bow. "As you wish."
"Could I ask for your advice?"
"Regarding?"
Here, Sanria hesitated. With a deep breath, she told Enmach everything, and with a saintly patience, the silvery woman listened. At last, when the situa- tion had been relayed, Enmach nodded. "So you have balance when you are here, and chaos when you are at home. If you choose to stay here, you pull apart a family. If you choose to stay there, you are stifled. Why not bring your family here?"
"But... I don't think Colin would be okay. If I leave, he could very well hurt somebody, and I promised him that I wouldn't leave until he was healed."
"I see," Enmach replied thoughtfully. "Have you ever considered you worry too much? That if you weren't so wrapped up in speeding decisions along with regard to Colin, that he would... relax?"
Sanria leaned back with a frown. This consideration had, indeed, escaped her. "No," she replied, "but that doesn't make everything okay. He's scared in a way I've never seen before. Desperate, too. I try to avoid him, hoping that the distance will solve things, but it only-"
"Makes things worse. Tell me," Enmach began, "do you want to be with this other man?"
"We've said we're not marrying again if that's what you mean."
"And you're not interested in being with Colin any longer?"
"Not unless he gets that stuff out of him."
"And then?"
Sanria sighed deeply and ran a hand through her hair. "I don't know, truly. He killed someone who was sick. He knew he might. How do I let go of that?"
"Was it this, substance, that caused him to lose his mind?"
"Yes."
"Which would make him sick also as this other woman was?"
"Yes," Sanria answered with a whisper.
"Then, I expect you have deeper thinking to do regarding your motivations. If I could be bold, you don't seem to have a good reason for staying away other than you feel stifled, but if Colin is healed and you seek nothing from this other man..." Enmach paused as Sanria sank a bit into her chair. "It isn't the advice you wanted to hear, is it?"
Sanria looked up with a small smile. She shook her head slowly, unable to speak. "Then," Enmach said, "I will merely advise that you look deeply into yourself, choose with careful, thoughtful consideration, and make a choice that will enable you to continue your work here as a leader, and there as a family member. Provided you take your time, things will work out."
"Thank you," Sanria managed as Enmach vanished once more.
