Page 76 of Cast in Conflict

“Yes, although it was not something I was searching for upon arrival. But perhaps the Arbiter cares to explain. This is, in essence, his classroom.”

“It is a vast repository of knowledge available for those who have the desire to better themselves; I have little use for people who must be led and cozened.” His expression soured. “Perhaps you would care to describe it.”

Kaylin, however, was confused. “It’s your building. You don’t know?”

“This was a found space,” Arbiter Kavallac said. She did not seem to consider Mandoran the threat Androsse did, but that might have been because to her eyes Mandoran was a lone Barrani, and she was a Dragon.

“Found space?” Robin perked up instantly. Given he was standing beside the two loud Wevaran, Kaylin was certain she wouldn’t have heard the comment had she been standing in his shoes.

Robin’s sudden interest caused a distinct decline in clicking. The two Wevaran didn’t move to face Kavallac—but given the smattering of eyes all over their central bodies, didn’t need to.

“What have you been taught about found spaces?”

“Not a lot, and Garravus is grouchy when you ask him a question and the answer is: nobody knows.”

“Ah. I do not think I have met Garravus. Barrani?”

“Yes. He’s new.”

“You don’t care for him?”

“Well, he’s not Larrantin.”

“Some,” Androsse cut in, “would consider that a good thing.”

Robin clearly didn’t. But Kavallac had asked a question, and if he looked hesitant, she was a Dragon. “The answer really seems to be: nobody knows. I didn’t know the library was built in a found space, either. I mean—who found it?”

It was clearly a question of import to Mandoran, who had been off his stride all day.

“The Ancients found it.”

“Did they build the library?”

“The library was built in the found space. When we speak of found spaces, we are not talking about geography; we aren’t talking about space as might exist in the largest of your lecture halls. That space is, without Killianas’s direct intervention, fixed. It is created by walls and architecture.

“This space is not that space; it is, in a physical sense, extensible in the way the Academia, or the Towers, are. I think we could expand the collection without pause for eternity, and the library would grow to accommodate the entirety of it. There are shelves in places that I have once or twice accidentally encountered; they are,” she added, glaring at Robin, “entirely off-limits to students.”

Robin flushed.

“Have you ever found living beings in your basement?”

The two Arbiters with obvious eyes shared a glance; Kaylin had no doubt Starrante had been part of it as well. “That is a question for another day,” the Wevaran told her. “As is the question of this space. We call it library space, but if our library is to contain all knowledge, some of it is not considered safe.”

“By who?”

“By the library space itself.”

Kaylin felt her jaw drop. “Are you saying the library is sentient?”

“It is not sentient in the way we are, no. And that is what has concerned Arbiter Androsse, even if he is too curmudgeonly to own concern as a general concept. The library is reacting to your Mandoran.”

Why did people insist on saying “your” in that tone of voice? She knew enough Dragons that she didn’t bother to ask.

“I’m not doing anything,” Mandoran said quickly, lifting both of his hands in the universal gesture that meant either surrender or I’m harmless, look, no weapons.

“If we believed you were deliberately doing...whatever it is you’re doing, you would be ejected unceremoniously, regardless of your external status. But Androsse is perceptive. Starrante, if we might interrupt your reunion for a moment?”

Starrante did rearrange his body posture then—he pointed the bulk of his form, or at least his forelegs, in Mandoran’s direction. He said, speaking in Barrani rather than his native tongue, “Riaknon, perhaps you have not gone entirely blind in your life outside of our home?”

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