Helen was waiting for them. Moran had insisted on walking, although flight was faster. Kaylin had recovered enough that she merely looked terrible. She was no longer shaking with cold.
Moran pulled ahead and approached Helen, who stood in the door frame. Helen opened her arms, and the Aerian sergeant walked into them, dropping her forehead into the space made of collarbone and shoulder and neck. Helen held her for a long, silent moment, and then pulled her into the house; Kaylin trailed behind.
“No, dear,” Helen said—to Moran, although Moran hadn’t spoken. “I don’t think there is any reason to retire from the Hawks.”
“You don’t know the Caste Court.”
“Well, no. I am not certain that I want to, either, if we are being honest.” Helen was always honest. “Given the actions of the Caste Court, however, I think it is safe to disappoint them.”
“Again.”
“I do not believe they are disappointed now. It is conjecture, of course, but if I had to choose a word, I would hazardterrified.”
Moran laughed. “I want a bath.” To Kaylin, she added, “You can join me if you want.”
* * *
Helen’s voice remained with them, but the rest of her went off to help Mandoran. Again.
Moran relaxed into the hot water, tilting her head back against a convenient stone ledge.
Helen appeared in the room—without actually opening doors or walking—standing to one side of the outcroppings that had formed around the hot springs’ water. She looked at Kaylin’s familiar with some concern, and spoke to him.
Kaylin couldn’t understand a word of it. Neither could Moran. The familiar could; he lifted his head, opening a single eye as if Helen’s questions were both wearying and boring.
Helen’s voice grew louder, and the room seemed to lose some of its perpetual sunshine.
Kaylin poked the familiar. “You’d better answer her questions.”
Squawk.Followed in turn by even more squawking. Almost all of it beside Kaylin’s ear.
Helen looked at Kaylin, and at Moran. “You are certain that’s what you saw?” she finally asked the younger Hawk.
This caused some confusion. Helen could read minds, or hear thoughts, but none of Kaylin’s current thoughts seemed to suit the very worried question. “Saw when?”
“When you looked at the outcaste, at the end. You perceived him as...an Ancient?”
“I’m not certain that I saw it accurately. I was somewhere slightly off-kilter and looking through the familiar’s wing from wherever I actually was. Mandoran might understand it better.”
“Mandoran did not see what you saw. We have discussed what he did see. He is recovering, but he will need to recover here.” To the familiar, in a softer voice, she added, “Thank you.”
The familiar warbled.
“And me?”
“You are clean,” Helen replied.
Kaylin lifted her hands. Shadow still gloved them like dark, fine lace. Or like a different kind of mark.
“I know, dear. I can see. But it is yours now.”
This wasn’t what Kaylin wanted to hear.
“Yes, I’m sorry. But I do not consider it in any way harmful.”
“Is it inert?”
“I am not certain I understand the question. It will not, however, attempt to alter your base physical structure without your guidance.”
