“Where are we?” Bellusdeo asked, her voice attenuated but identifiable.
“I’m not—I’m not sure. The Keeper’s Garden can be anything.”
“I doubt the Keeper would decide that it had to be this—not unless he were entertaining Barrani lords of some note.”
Kaylin felt the water thin, and reached for it instinctively.
I am sorry, Kaylin, the water told her.This is as close to where you must be as I can bring you.
Bellusdeo shouldn’t be here! She’s aDragon! She can’t stay here—take her back, please, please, please—take her back!
I cannot. I have permission only to do this much. But Kaylin—there is danger—
Ybelline!
Silence.
The water released them suddenly, withdrawing so completely not even their clothing retained a trace of dampness.
12
“You’re panicking,” Bellusdeo observed, in a tone of voice more suited to mild criticism of bad posture. “I take it that means you have some idea of where we are?” She straightened her skirts, frowning. “If I had known that we were to travel, I would have dressed appropriately.”
“I didn’t intend to travel.”
“Also: ‘It’s not my fault’?”
“Should I repeat it?”
“You should never repeat it again. Honestly, how can you waste breath—when breath might be in strong demand—on something like that? Would you like your last words to be ‘it’s not my fault’?” Bellusdeo’s eyes were on the orange side. Given that they were not in the Keeper’s Garden, this could have been a sign of natural caution, but Kaylin doubted it.
“...No.”
“It also implies that you believe I’m likely to blame you for the actions of others—elementals, in this particular case—and I find that almost accusatory. I would go on in greater detail, but it’s only likely to annoy me. So. Where are we, exactly?”
“I think we’re in one of the Hallionne?”
Bellusdeo’s eyes went full orange, and Kaylin didn’t blame her.
“It wasn’t—the Hallionne are like Helen, but stranger.”
“Helen is a unique case.”
“I thinkallof the Hallionne are unique. I mean, they’re all one of a kind. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Towers in the fiefs are, as well.” Kaylin exhaled. “But, ummm.”
“They were fortresses during the wars.”
“...Yes.”
“Impenetrable, deadly fortresses.”
“I tried to ask the water to take you back—”
“Oh?”
“You’re a—a...” She couldn’t make herself say the word out loud, which was stupid. It wasn’t like the Hallionne wouldn’t notice.
“We’re not at war, now.”
