Terrano felt it best to move. Mandoran agreed. I believe it was Annarion who opened the actual door that led to ascending stairs, but if so, he didn’t remain. Emmerian agreed with Terrano; I think he’s beginning to worry about Bellusdeo and the Arkon, although he’s voiced no obvious concern. The halls were designed to be a pleasant trap—something that would confine those who required confinement without, in theory, causing harm or offense. Apparently, at random intervals, food will appear in the side rooms.
There’d been no food in the side rooms when Kaylin had been trapped there.Did you catch the gist of the conversation Killian and I had?
I did. I’ve passed it on to Mandoran. They are now looking for either a book or a ghost.He said this last with a hint of humor.What do you think their chances are?
Higher than ours, to be honest.
Ours or yours?
Both. I also think there’s some possible danger in it for them. They’re not students here.
And Killian is becoming more active.
Yes. I’m not sure why, but...yes. He can hear me pretty clearly, but he attributes that to the books I’m carrying. Well, no, to the people the books appear to contain. But Killian’s suggestion that we open the library meshes with Terrano’s. I wish he could find a way in.
“He will not find a way in until and unless the library is opened,” Killian said.
Kaylin blinked; she was no longer seeing through Nightshade’s eyes.
Have a care, Kaylin, Nightshade said.He was not, I think, fully aware of the cohort—but he will be now. They have not been granted permission to be here; they are as much intruders as the Barrani Arcanists and their friends. If Killian wakes fully—and I am uncertain, given the nature of this lecture, that that is even possible—they might well suffer the same consequences as those you care far less about.
She had never had much luck hiding her thoughts from sentient buildings. Nightshade could, and did. Teela could.
“If Terrano won’t find a way in, how didthey?” she demanded. Nightshade allowed it, as Killian appeared to able to distinguish between them, even if they were sharing the same body.
“I believe you already have the necessary answers.”
“I don’t. If the missing Arbiter is anything like the two I’ve already met, he wasinthe library. How could someone enter the library if my friends can’t? They could enter—and leave—sentient buildings by the time we met.”
“I am, I admit, uncertain. There is a possibility, a remote one, that the interim chancellor might have had methods of doing so that were emergency contingencies. I believe you made the attempt to return a book to my library; I was occupied and could not accept it at the time.”
“And you can’t open the library yourself?”
“No, Chosen. Not yet.”
“You believe,” Kavallac said, as if the entire conversation had been audible, “that Killian is like other buildings of your acquaintance.”
“I did.”
“The Academia was not like other such buildings. Killian is not the entirety of it, although he is its most certain steward. His ascension was not determined the way other such ascensions once were, and while all such ascensions were voluntary, the restrictions and responsibilities accepted at the outset defined them.
“The nature of the Academia, the purpose with which it was built, the optimism on which it was founded—these were not what your Towers were built for, nor your Hallionne, nor even your Helen.”
“What was the nature of the Academia?”
“Ah, I believe I see your Dragons now.”
Given the distance Kaylin had covered by foot—albeit slowly and carefully—she was surprised that it had taken so long to fly back. Which was probably a clue: this wasn’t actual flight in any fashion. She landed behind Bellusdeo—Bellusdeo turned instantly, her eyes a shade of orange that was almost red.
Kaylin slid off Kavallac’s back; Bellusdeo’s eyes lost some of their orange as they met Kaylin’s gaze. “What,” the gold Dragon said, “have you done this time?”
Arbiter Androsse appeared from behind Kavallac’s landing spot; it was easier to see him because Kavallac chose to transform into the more compact form. She was slightly taller than Bellusdeo, but had not adopted the natural armor that Bellusdeo had. Usually, in Kaylin’s reality, this would mean she was naked.
She wasn’t. She wore loose robes, the same pale color as the rest of her; only her eyes now resembled the eyes of the two Dragons. The Arkon turned more slowly than Bellusdeo had.
“Arkon,” Kaylin said quickly. “This is Arbiter Androsse. And this is Arbiter Kavallac.”
Kavallac surprised her. She bowed, and the bow wasn’t a superficial display of good manners; there was genuine respect in it.
