Cast in Honor (Chronicles of Elantra, #11)(114)

Mandoran didn’t speak. He had managed to loosen his grip on Ybelline’s waist, and he had closed his eyes.

“Teela says she understands enough now,” Annarion finally said. “She is going to try it on her end.” He hesitated and then added, “She is profoundly grateful to the castelord. Ybelline, she is in your debt.”

Kaylin winced. The Barrani had peculiar and unfriendly ideas of debt. “Are they anywhere near the Winding Path?” she asked, again.

“They were in the Arcanum. Teela found a crack in a wall there.”

“Is that code for something?”

“Yes. The Arcanist in question—who has been missing for some time, due to the machinations of the Imperial Wolves—left research notes, instructions and apparently bound followers. One of those followers destroyed the necessary research.”

“Voluntarily?”

“Teela doubts it. She points out—to Mandoran—that this is how names are traditionally used. The enslaved Barrani had enough time to give Teela warning—but not enough will to subvert the command. Teela and Tain survived. The others in the room did not.”

“So...they should be in the Arcanum.”

“That’s what Tain thought. The destruction in question—Teela thinks it was meant as a...test.”

“Test of what?”

“She is uncertain. She is familiar with the Arcanum; she says that is not where they are now.”

“What, exactly, occurred?” the Arkon demanded.

“An explosion of the type an Arcane bomb would cause. It was not an Arcane bomb. It appears to have caused displacement.”

“She’s not ahead in time, or behind,” Kaylin said.

Gilbert, however, frowned. “Why are you so certain?”

“Because we can talk to her.”

“No, Kaylin. Mandoran and Annarion can speak with her. Had Annarion been keeper of his brother’s name, I believe he could have heard Lord Nightshade. They are not what you are. They are not what Lord Nightshade is. But they are not entirely separate. I may be mistaken, but I do not think Teela is precisely here and now. But there are multiple perturbations and I do not understand the whole of them.”

“Teela thinks it’s the same day,” Annarion said.

“Teela is sitting in the dark, possibly in a dungeon—how the hell would she know?” Kaylin snapped.

But Mandoran said, “Her voice is thin. It’s weaker or quieter than it usually is. Gilbert might be right.”

“And he expects you two to somehow be able to ignore time?”

Gilbert said nothing.

“Teela says we need to speak with the Keeper.”





Chapter 24

“Does Teela still have the portable mirror in her pocket—and did you tell her not to use it?”

“Yes, and no. Don’t make that face,” Mandoran added. “Ybelline made it clear. I passed it on.” He had to shout the last phrase because the Arkon was also conversing. This would have been difficult, no matter what, but they were on the Arkon’s back. It was crowded.

Mandoran and Annarion had not been exactly delighted with the prospect of climbing on a Dragon back—and specifically on the Arkon’s. The Arkon, however, insisted, and he was in full Dragon mode. They chose the better part of valor.

Mandoran complained more, though.

The Arkon did not insist that Ybelline accompany them, but did not offer to transport her to the Tha’alani quarter, either. He insisted that Kattea remain with Helen. Kattea insisted otherwise. She did so from behind the safety of Gilbert’s back, as Gilbert didn’t seem to be intimidated—in any way—by the presence of a giant golden Dragon giving him the evil eye.

Gilbert insisted that Kattea be allowed to choose.

Kaylin, who had an opinion, struggled to keep it to herself. Yes, Kattea was an orphan. Yes, she was a child. Yes, she was making decisions based on fear and air and hope. And yes, someone responsible should be making the hard decisions for her. But if she had a guardian at all, it was Gilbert, and Gilbert felt that she would be safe. He made clear that the Arkon could carry Kattea—with Gilbert—or that he and Kattea would make their way to the Winding Path on their own.

The Arkon agreed to carry Gilbert.

*

The streets near Helen were empty.

The streets a few blocks away were not. The Arkon muttered something about breathing to clear space. Kaylin kicked his side. Her familiar squawked—a lot.

“It is gallows humor,” the Arkon replied. “Or at least that is what I am told it is called.”

“People need to laugh for it to be considered humor.”

“And if they do not laugh?”

“Not funny. Humor is supposed to be funny.”

“I find it amusing.”

“Fine. Tell it to the other Dragons!” She regretted this about two seconds later, because he resumed his booming conversation. To her ear, he sounded angry, but she couldn’t see his face and couldn’t judge by eye color.

Squawk.

“Yes,” Kaylin told him, almost inaudibly. “I see it.”

*

There was a very large crater in the center of the slope of the Winding Path, or at least that was what it looked like at a distance. Kaylin could see the sharp edge of the street; she could see what she assumed was the brown of the dirt that underlay what had once been road. She could see the edges of the homes two streets over—and the homes at either end of the crater. Raising her voice, she said, “Do you know if it’s gotten bigger?”