Page 65 of Cast in Atonement

Kaylin concentrated on her food. She wasn’t certain that anything that happened tonight—and she was silently crossing her fingers hoping that nothing would—would change Bellusdeo’s situation. What they needed to do was find some way to free the dead who were trapped. At least Jamal and the rest of the kids had been trapped in a house; Bellusdeo’s sisters were trapped, in isolation, by Bellusdeo herself. She had no say in it, and neither did they.

She cleared her throat. “I received a message today. Well, no, Marcus did.”

Bellusdeo lifted her gaze.

“The chancellor wants to see me.”

“Have the Arbiters found anything more useful?”

“The message was sent to my sergeant—or possibly the Hawklord—so I didn’t have a chance to ask questions.” Kaylin grimaced. “I’m to arrange a meeting and head there on my own time. For now.”

“For now?”

“I think the subtext was: or the Dragon Court will second my services if I’m tardy. Which, predictably, Marcus hates. I did ask that the chancellor and Arbiters be told that ‘tardy’ in this case is due to a direct request from the Keeper. That should keep them off my back for at least a day.”

“Optimist.”

“I’m not certain that Evanton will care to be blamed for this,” Helen’s voice said; her Avatar was with Evanton in the parlor.

“Is any of it a lie? I didn’t complain about Evanton at all. I just said—”

“I heard you, dear. Very well. We can’t change the past. I will inform Evanton that there is rather more pressure on your time than anticipated.”

“He’s important,” Kaylin said, voice flat. But he was important because anything that could give Mrs. Erickson any hint on how to use the powers she was born with would help Bellusdeo.

“Do not be certain of that,” Helen said, her voice a private whisper.

Mandoran, of the cohort, was fondest of Bellusdeo. Kaylin wasn’t surprised when he joined them. Evanton wasn’t pleased, but didn’t argue, probably because it wouldn’t have done any good. Mandoran was easier to ditch than Terrano, but not by much.

The sun was in the process of setting as they made their way to Mrs. Erickson’s home. Her absence had not caused weeds to run amok on her lawn, which made Kaylin wonder who’d cut her lawn when she lived in the house. Maybe she’d done it herself. Maybe the neighbor had done it until Azoria had interfered with his mind.

Mrs. Erickson hadn’t decided what she would do with the house she no longer inhabited. She had no Swindon relatives to whom she might leave the bungalow, but it had been her home—hers and the ghosts’—for all of her life. Yes, she’d moved in with Helen, but Kaylin was almost certain she would have stayed in the familiar confines of her house if not for the current Arkon and her new ghostly friends. She wasn’t ready to let it go, yet.

Until Helen, Kaylin had never owned a home—had never really dreamed of owning one. She’d had no advice to offer. But she suspected that if she were Mrs. Erickson, she’d hold on to the home, even if she couldn’t live in it, for as long as she could.

Evanton noted the size of the houses to either side of Mrs. Erickson’s, but it was polite, perfunctory conversation; the moment his foot hit the narrow walk that led to her front porch, his gaze rose to the roof—and above it.

Kaylin poked Hope, and Hope, disgruntled, whacked her face with his wing, but left it in place. In the growing evening street light, she could see the faint trace of another building resting above and beside Mrs. Erickson’s house.

Evanton frowned at Hope before he transferred the frown to Kaylin. He raised a brow, as if to ask if she could see what he could see; she nodded. “You are certain she is dead?”

“Absolutely certain.”

Mrs. Erickson let them into her house. “I’m sorry,” she said. “Let me find a lamp.”

Kaylin shook her head. “I’ll handle lighting for now.”

“Oh?”

“I’ve been reminded I need practice.”

“And you listened?” Evanton asked. “I’m almost impressed with your teacher.”

“He’s a Dragon.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Bellusdeo demanded. She had left Maggaron with Helen, given the size and composition of their unusual party. Maggaron attracted attention from much farther away than the cohort or Bellusdeo herself. Kaylin felt bad for him. His height wasn’t his fault. The effect he had on people wasn’t his fault, either. But there was nothing he could do about it. She’d’ve brought him along. She’d assumed he’d be joining Bellusdeo.

Bellusdeo insisted on being practical.

---