Page 95 of Cast in Atonement

“We understand that Azoria’s assumptions about Mrs. Erickson’s potential powers could have been entirely mistaken; she might have labored in ignorance—a trait Azoria was prone to dismiss if she felt she knew better, unless she changed greatly in the intervening years between student and what she later became.

“It is likely that Mrs. Erickson could relieve Bellusdeo of the ghosts of whom she was entirely unaware.”

Kavallac did not like this suggestion. At all. “They are not—they should not be—dead. They are, or should be, part of a cohesive whole.”

Androsse shrugged. “I am not remotely certain a Necromancer deals in the half-dead, the should-be-dead, or the should-not-be-dead philosophical questions. Mrs. Erickson’s powers do not seem, from admittedly poor research material, to be able to bring the dead back to a semblance of life.

“Nor do her powers seem to be the world-shattering emergency the Keeper seemed to sense when he entered Azoria’s manse. If we are to ascertain the Keeper’s whereabouts—if he is even still alive—it is on the dead Ancient that we must concentrate. To do that, Bakkon must be allowed to further explore the sealed-off manse. Serralyn may accompany him; I expect a full report of all findings.”

The chancellor exhaled loudly enough Kaylin almost expected to see fire. “The students are not your personal servants, Arbiter. Their disposition is not in your hands; their reports are, unless they voluntarily share them, likewise not under your supervision. What might be is your experience with Azoria An’Berranin—experience which you have yet to fully detail.

“Given the likelihood of finding the journals and papers of this particular dead student within the domain of the library, it is your discussions that might provide us the most insight; you interacted with her when she was alive. Perhaps you might prepare a report detailing those interactions before we commit students to a dangerous and unknown environment.”

Barrani Ancestral eyes were very much like Barrani eyes in the colors they adopted. Androsse’s were almost black.

Fair enough; the chancellor’s were almost crimson, Kavallac’s were heading that way, and Starrante’s had become red at the mention of birthing spaces and hadn’t really recovered.

Serralyn lifted a hand. Larrantin nodded in her direction, as if this was just a fractious classroom and she was the only person present he considered worthy of granting permission to speak. It wasn’t a surprise that she therefore addressed her words to a familiar professor.

“You taught Azoria, didn’t you?”

“I did. Two advanced classes.”

“Which ones?”

“Spatial dimension—which is currently on hiatus given the lack of qualified students to teach—and portal actualization. The latter is being offered next year. I was not her only teacher.”

“Did she discuss your subjects with you?”

“At some length—but Azoria was interested in everything. She wasn’t pretending; she wasn’t attempting to curry favor through flattery; she was literally interested in everything. In that aspect, Serralyn, she is similar to you—although perhaps less delighted and more focused in learning every iota of knowledge of those who possessed more than she. She embodied the phrase knowledge is power. She was not particularly social; if Barrani have eternity, she considered time, always, of the essence. She would not waste it on something she felt served no useful purpose.”

“Did she have peers she considered worthy of her time?”

“Not that I observed—but I spent little time observing the social affairs of students; they were not my concern. Nor are they my concern now; I am perhaps more aware of you because Terrano loiters around you.” An odd smile touched Larrantin’s face. “Had Terrano been a contemporary of Azoria, I believe she would have made every attempt to befriend him.”

Serralyn grimaced. “She wouldn’t.”

“I assure you his unusual use of magic and his flexibility with dimensional space would have been of great interest to her.”

“What she would have expected from Terrano, he could never give her. He’s not blindly obedient, even when facing probable death. And he’s a terrible teacher. The only way she could have learned from him is to become one of us.”

“She seldom accepted limitations.”

“Yes. That’s the problem.” Serralyn’s frown was unusual for her. “Killian won’t speak of his experience with Azoria to anyone but you. If Arbiter Androsse is to write a report—and Arbiter Starrante as well—you should ask Killian to give you a verbal report while they’re working.”

Given the chancellor’s mood—and the color of his eyes—Kaylin was almost shocked that Serralyn could make this demand of him. He turned the red eyes on one of his prized students, his lips compressing. Serralyn didn’t even blink.

“Killian will not talk to any of us about anything he might know; his imperative is to protect the privacy of his students—even the dead ones. He will talk to you if you command it.”

Kavallac had swiveled toward Serralyn; Starrante’s arms had fallen still.

“If we don’t understand what Azoria built, we might not be able to find Terrano. He’s still not back.” She folded her arms, her eyes blue, the set of her jaw stiff. She had no intention of backing down—she, who avoided confrontation, and who tried, as much as any Barrani Kaylin had ever met, to make nice, to project happiness or joy.

“I love the Academia. I love being a student here. I mostly respect my professors, and I would spend every waking hour between classes in this library. But something just as important to me will break if we lose Terrano. Whatever we have to do to find him, we’ll do.” She exhaled, and her shoulders—rigid while speaking—slowly crept back down.

“I’m willing to go back to Azoria’s manor. I’m willing to spend every waking hour there, instead of here. I’m willing to find any information her journals might contain. I’m even willing to attempt to transcribe them, but I doubt that will work.

“I’m not willing to go there without the chancellor’s permission. I’m not willing to risk the life I love here.” She turned to the chancellor; she had failed to directly address Androsse, the Arbiter who had demanded that she return to run his errand.

---