Elizabeth accepted another dollop of trifle from Frederica. Of course Mrs. Reynolds would be familiar with the situation; she had served two generations of mages.
The next person who barreled through the library door was not a mortal at all, but Rana Akshaya in her human form. “You must never, ever do that again,” she commanded, her words a threat.
Elizabeth choked down the trifle in her mouth. “If I ever discover what I did, I will make every effort to avoid it, I promise you.”
“This is not a joke, Companion Elizabeth. You shook the foundations. You could have killed all of us.”
“Oh,” Elizabeth said weakly. “But I was not even using my Talent.”
Rana Akshaya glared at her. “Are all English companions so ignorant? Do they not teach you what can drain both companion and dragon alike?” With an annoyed sound, she stripped off her glove and laid her hand on Elizabeth’s cheek. “Look at me.”
She was too weak to disobey. Heat spiraled into her, scouring her clean, filling her with light, just as it had that long-ago day at Netherfield when Rana Akshaya had healed her.
The Indian dragon lifted her hand, and the spinning in Elizabeth’s head was gone. Not just that, but she felt as if she could get up and run a race. Something was odd with her eyesight, but a vigorous shake of her head took care of that.
“Now listen to me, little companion,” Rana Akshaya ordered. “You could easily have completely drained your dragon with a trick like that. We cannot afford to lose the Seer because of your carelessness.”
Horrified, Elizabeth jumped to her feet. “Is Cerridwen hurt?”
“You were fortunate this time, and she is only weakened. I will tend to her next. Do not play with fire again.” And she swept from the room.
“But…” Elizabeth said to her retreating back. Instead she turned to Frederica and Mrs. Reynolds, both of whom had gone pale. “What did I do?”
Frederica said, “I have never heard of any foundations, much less shaking them.”
“It hurt Cerridwen, too.” A horrifying thought. “I must go to her immediately.”
Elizabeth found Cerridwen in the ballroom. Rana Akshaya was there, along with Quickthorn, so Elizabeth hovered just outside until the Indian dragon was finished with whatever magic she was doing.
As soon as Rana Akshaya left, paying no attention at all as she hurried past, Elizabeth ran in and threw her arms around Cerridwen’s neck. “I am so sorry, dearest! I never, ever intended to hurt you!”
Cerridwen leaned into her. “I am perfectly well now. What happened?”
She tried to remember. “I do not know! I was missing Darcy, picturing him sitting in his chair in the library. Wishing he were there. Remembering how it felt. And then…he was there. For just a moment. He looked at me and said my name. Then he faded away.”
“What of your Talent?” It was Quickthorn, speaking from behind her. “What were you trying to do with it?”
“I was not even using it! At least not that I was aware of. Just wanting… him.”
Cerridwen’s presence grew stronger in her head, probing her memories. “You tried to bring him here,” she said slowly.
“Not intentionally! How could I? I know that is impossible.”
“But you wanted it.”
A huff of smoke passed over Elizabeth’s head as Quickthorn lumbered forward to stare into her face. “You must never do that again. Not ever. Do not even let yourself have that wish, not if you want to live.”
“I have already heard this lecture from Rana Akshaya,” Elizabeth said crossly. “What does it mean, that I shook the foundations?” She had never heard of such a thing, not even in her Arabic books.
Quickthorn snorted. “The world sits on certain foundations which keep us in our place. In a very few places, the foundations have been altered, as in Faerie rings, permitting us to leave our world. It is a dangerous thing, not undertaken lightly, as it can cause a collapse of reality around the ring if done without great precautions being taken.”
“But how could I do such a thing? I am a poor excuse for a mage; Frederica will tell you so! And I was not even using my Talent!”
In an unusual display of tact, Frederica murmured, “You are good at sending, even if we have not yet found any other part of magery that comes easily to you.”
The air buzzed with energy. Elizabeth could practically see the sendings shooting back and forth between Quickthorn and Cerridwen. What were they saying?
Cerridwen tossed her head, then spoke in Elizabeth’s mind.Can you come to the Nest tomorrow? Apparently this requires the Eldest’s attention.
