Page 88 of Cast in Atonement

“When you say Terrano isn’t back, does that mean you can’t contact him at all?”

Mandoran nodded. “It’s only been a day. He’s lost contact with us while experimenting with his form and his location before. Just not as spectacularly.”

“Oh, I’m sure it was spectacular—there were just no witnesses.”

To Kaylin’s surprise, Mandoran not only walked them to the palace, but accompanied them in, which made things a bit trickier. As Kaylin had been ordered to report for duty, she was immediately allowed entry, but Barrani visitors were rare enough that Mandoran caused a holdup. It was hard to explain his presence, and eventually, she asked Severn to wait with the Barrani cohort member while she went to get permission from Sanabalis.

The Arkon was clearly not in the mood for random, chaotic visitors; his eyes were an orange that verged on red, and she could swear there was paper ash on the floor. Luckily, Lord Emmerian was also in the room; his eyes, while orange, rested in a much more neutral expression.

“Where is your partner?” Sanabalis growled.

“He’s waiting in the outer hall with Mandoran.”

For a moment, the Arkon looked at her as if she’d spoken a language he wasn’t familiar with.

It was Lord Emmerian who spoke. “We have had rudimentary reporting from Lord Bellusdeo. Our current information comes directly from her. She did mention that one of your housemates appears to have been lost at the same time as the Keeper. While the absence of the Keeper is considered the pressing emergency, Bellusdeo understands that the absence of your housemate will have very real and deleterious effects on your home life.” He turned to the Arkon. “It is best that you allow one member of that group to attend, if you can tolerate his presence. Mandoran is neutral and he makes no attempt to interfere.

“If not Mandoran, we might ask Serralyn to join us instead.”

“This is not a picnic,” Sanabalis snapped.

“No, Arkon.” Emmerian’s tone mirrored Kaylin’s tone while speaking to Marcus or the Hawklord almost exactly.

She turned the resulting snicker into a cough that probably fooled no one.

“Shall I tell Severn to come in?”

“Lord Emmerian can go in person and escort them both in.”

When Emmerian left the room, Kaylin was on the receiving end of a full draconic glare; there was no one else to split it with.

“Before you say anything, Evanton asked if Mrs. Erickson would allow him to visit her home, with me in tow. He considered it important; the garden has been chaotic, to paraphrase, in the past few weeks. I mean—no flooding in the store, which has happened before. He’s managed to keep the garden contained.

“Bellusdeo has a pressing interest in Mrs. Erickson; she informed us that she would join us. Terrano likes anything that seems interesting. Serralyn had a request from one of the Wevaran, who joined us as well. Severn came because he’s my partner, and Mandoran followed because he was bored. So we all descended on the house. It was fine until we opened the door to Azoria’s manse—Evanton said the door itself was bound to the family painting Mrs. Erickson hasn’t seen in decades.

“The interior had changed. I don’t know what Bakkon made of it—I haven’t spoken to Serralyn, and the cohort is frankly too worried about Terrano to consider her report important enough to pass on.”

“Breathe, Corporal. And speak a little more slowly.”

“I assume you heard about Evanton from Bellusdeo.”

Sanabalis nodded.

“And that’s the reason I’ve been put on Imperial Court duty.”

“No, actually. The reason you are now on Imperial Court duty is Lannagaros. The librarians wished to speak with you, and that desire increased in urgency last night.”

“I was going to go to the Academia after work.”

“Ah. Well, now you will go as part of work. Lannagaros did not know what the concerns of the Arbiters are. They wished to speak with you.”

“And Mrs. Erickson?”

“They only demanded your presence.” Sanabalis exhaled smoke. “I am not rethinking my placement of Mrs. Erickson. I am, however, considering confining you to house arrest for the next three months.”

“Me? Why?”

“Even when events do not involve you personally, you seem to be at the heart of them. And I am still transitioning into the role of Arkon. I could use a few months of peace.”

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