"Right. Er, can you tell me anything about how Sauron managed to convince Vkandis that they were on the same side..." 

A world away, Stef is abruptly screaming. 

:Fëanáro, I need you here right now - something's really badly wrong–:

Can you be more specific than that, he says, heading towards her.

:Not really! Stef is–: She just sends a sense-impression of him rather than try to explain. His eyes are wild, he doesn't seem to be seeing her at all, he won't stop screaming even as she reaches him and wraps her arms around him and tries to ask him, out loud and in Mindspeech, he's not a Mindspeaker but she's strong enough to speak to the un-Gifted and maybe that will get through to him–

–and it's good she's holding him, because a few seconds later his eyes roll back in his head and he goes completely limp in her arms. 

Vanyel.

:He's in trouble - maybe dead - it was a trap after all–: Jisa lowers Stef to the ground with shaking hands. He's not moving at all but he is still breathing. :Need Macalaurë, Healing song - if Van's dead I don't know if we can save him but we have to try...:

:I don't think he's dead: Yfandes' mindvoice is toneless, empty. :I - he was, for a moment? But - I can't feel him but our bond isn't broken. Kernos' balls, I should've made him take me too: 

:No. Then whatever happened would've gotten you too. It's better that you're safe here: 

I told Macalaurë to come. Do Leareth's people know how to get to Arda. 

:I - don't think so? Not without the Gate setup on this side, and - we don't have any mages to fix it, now: In hindsight there are several enormous oversights involved, there. :Some of them have visited, though, and they might have Leareth's research notes, maybe eventually they can figure out the unaided version of the Gate...: 

Maybe. 

We should move again.

:Probably. We can't Gate though. I'm worried about moving Stef while he's still - like this - but you're right, we can't stay here: 

We should go back to Valinor. It doesn't even have its main disadvantage when we can't Gate anyway. I'll ask Círdan for a ship. 

Macalaurë arrives and starts singing to Stef.  - does Yfandes need it too -

:Yfandes, are you–:

She Mindspeaks all of them in reply. :I'm - not doing great, but I think it hit Stef harder. Companions are tougher than humans. As long as you don't need me to gallop anywhere in the next five minutes, focus on him: 

:Where are you right now, I'm coming out to you...?: Stef's in good hands now, she can go. 

Yfandes flashes a location. She's lying on the ground. :I sprained my hock a bit - it startled me, I tripped: Rising fear in her mindvoice. :Oh, gods, Van... He's alone over there: 

:But you think he's still alive?: 

:Trust me. I would know if he wasn't: A mental snort. :He's friends with the Shadow-Lover. Bet he had a nice little chat with his old pal and got sent back again. This is the - sixth time, I think?: 

I think there is very little we can do about the situation in Velgarth at this point, he tells Macalaurë. In a generation, maybe, when our humans can be mages. But probably either Leareth or Vanyel will figure out how to reach us before that. And the Enemy might, too. So -

Valinor?

I think Jisa and Treven and Stef and Yfandes should be there. I want to work with the Silmarils, so I want to stay in Vinyamar. 

You could take them to Valinor too.