Cast in Honor (Chronicles of Elantra, #11)(39)

Kaylin almost asked him if he had unacknowledged family members who were still alive, but decided against it. “You want me to go with you.”

He swallowed. Kneeling there in supplication, he looked much younger than he normally did. “Yes. I understand the debt it will incur.”

“Please don’t say that.”

He lifted his head. His lips, his eyes, the whole of his expression, were adorned with visceral pride.

“I know exactly how the Barrani feel about debts.” When this failed to achieve the intended enlightenment, she added, “They hate them. I’d just as soon not have you in my debt, because, your brother aside, I actually like you.” She exhaled. “Nightshade’s fief almost destroyed my life. Some of the decisions he’s made in the past—” She stopped. After a long pause, which no one filled, she continued, “But he’s saved my life, as well. I never intended to let you go to the fiefs alone.”

He bowed his head.

“But does this mean small and squawky—”

Squawk.

“—will be invisible the entire time?”

“Invisible to you,” Mandoran muttered, which caused another round of squawking.

“Yes, I believe so,” Annarion replied.

She turned to look at the empty space that wasn’t, in theory, empty. “You’re going to have to make less noise when we’re outside,” she told her familiar. “Most of the time, people think you’re cute or valuable. You don’t want them to think they’re crazy.”

Squawk.

She glanced at Teela, who had said a very loud nothing for almost the entire conversation. “Tain and Severn are upstairs with Moran.”

“Just what we need.” Teela glanced at Kaylin. “Don’t think that you’re going to Nightshade—or anywhere else—without me.”

“Teela—”

“I mean it. I will break your left leg if you attempt to leave me behind. Anything that you can survive, I can survive.”

Mandoran cleared his throat, opened his mouth and snapped it shut again. For a moment, Kaylin reconsidered the value of knowing Mandoran’s True Name.

“He is pointing out that you are Chosen,” Annarion said as he rose.

“I bet she’s pointing out that I don’t even understand what that means.”

“Yes. Though much more colorfully.”

“You can’t stop her from coming with us,” Kaylin added more quietly. “Because she doesn’t want me to go. She’s still pissed off that your brother marked my face.”

“Yes. Very. I am not terribly happy about that myself. But...”

“But it doesn’t seem to have altered my life?”

“It doesn’t seem—and I do not know your life well—to have damaged your life, no. The mark is used to denote ownership, and it can be used to enforce it. It does not have the strength of a name—but it doesn’t require it. Had you been of equivalent power, he could not have placed that mark upon you without your explicit consent. You did not consent, yet you are marked.”

“He hasn’t used it against me. But I know his name.”

Teela coughed.

Mandoran made a face at her.

“That is not generally common knowledge,” Annarion finally said.

“I know—but everyone in this room already knows it.”

“Everyone in this room also knows that I have sex,” Teela cut in. “But no one needs to hear about it.”

Mandoran lifted a hand. “Actually, I would—”

Annarion said, “I would not. Helen?”

“Yes,” Helen’s disembodied voice replied.

“I’m ready to resume our lessons. I apologize for my frustration.”

“Very well. Kaylin, dear, you will have to see to our guests.”

*

Kaylin and Teela returned to the dining room; Mandoran and Annarion remained below. Teela was not exactly green-eyed by the time they’d reached the kitchen.

“You don’t want me to go.”

“I don’t want either of you to go. I am not the only one,” she added. “Sedarias is distinctly cool to the idea. She’s been arguing against it. I can’t understand all of what’s being said—and yes, before you ask, I find that frustrating. Mandoran is neutral. He doesn’t think it’s wise, but wisdom is not something he prizes. He will not, however, remain behind.”

“And the others?”

“Varying degrees of neutrality. We hold each other’s names, but we have never used that knowledge to attempt to dominate. I’m not certain their names could be used that way now. What will you do with Moran?”

“If she’ll stay, I’ll keep her. I’m not you—I’ll whine at her if she tries to say no. But I can’t force her.”

“Good. She is not like me in most ways, but she is like me in a few notable ones. I would be quite annoyed if you whined at me, but at the same time, unoffended. You whine a lot.”

“Thanks, Teela.” She squared her shoulders as they reached the dining room. To Kaylin’s relief, Moran was still there. So was the food. It said something about her that the relief at seeing each was about equal.

Squawk.