“Lord Kaylin, there are Shadows everywhere. But there is no concentration of their power in a like fashion; Ravellon is unique.”
Good. “I don’t think he’s doing anything on purpose. And I don’t think terrifying him is going to make him stop. If it’s all instinctive, it’s going to make itworse.”
Squawk squawk squawk.
“He does not entirely believe that it is instinctive. He is, however, willing to entertain the possibility, given prior experience.”
“Terrano,” Kaylin said quietly. “What do youthinkyou’re doing?”
“Trying not to die?”
She almost laughed. He unfolded slowly, his eyes darting to—and away—from her shoulders, where the familiar was now in residence. “Look, you’ve spent a lot of time—compared to Annarion and Mandoran—figuring out hownotto live in the real world.”
He bristled. “I live in the real world.”
“Fine, if that’s what you want to call it. It’s not a world that the rest of us can live in.”
“You’re living in it now!”
Kaylin.
What?
I believe it is unwise to agitate him. I do not understand what your familiar fears—but it is clear that the fears are not entirely unfounded.
What are you going to do with him, then?
I? I am going to ask him to remain within Alsanis.
Like that’s going to work!
I believe that he will accept the offer, given the appearance of your familiar.
It’s not the first time they’ve met.She stopped. Thought a bit. “Terrano.”
He looked at her. His eyes were like the familiar’s eyes, but as she watched, he struggled to realign them with Barrani appearance. “The last time we saw you—my familiar and I—youwerekind of trying to kill us all.”
“You were going to kill us first!”
“I don’t think my familiar cares what I was doing. He’s more concerned about what you were doing, because he doesn’t necessarily think there’s much reason for you to have stopped.”
Terrano looked annoyed. “We’re no longer prisoners. We’re not trapped in the Hallionne.”
“The Consort had nothing to do with that, though, and you were willing to kill her.”
He shrugged, uncomfortable.
“You were trying to undermine—or destroy, in the worst case—the Hallionne.”
“We were trying torewritethem. And we’re not the only ones who made changes.”
“I didn’t make changestothe Hallionne.”
“You made changes to their brothers.”
“It wasn’t the same thing!”
The Lord of the West March cleared his throat. Loudly.
