Page 97 of Cast in Atonement

“I do not wish to lose you to fragmented and poorly understood magic. My concern in that regard is genuine.”

Serralyn smiled. “I know. We all do.” She also no doubt knew that Dragons were famously territorial, and the chancellor was not going to surrender his authority over the Academia’s students to an Arbiter. Had Starrante made the suggestion, he would have asked Serralyn; he would not have commanded her.

“Almost, I wish to contact the Arcanum; I would not be concerned if they threw Arcanists at the problem; the world would be a safer place with fewer Arcanists of middling competence. I would, however, be concerned that lurking in their midst would be someone with Azoria’s ambitions and competence.” He exhaled. “Corporal, Corporal. I believe you intended to visit Evanton’s shop. Allow us to assemble our information about Azoria. If Evanton has managed to return, mirror me immediately; if he has not, return to the Academia after confirming his absence.”

“The Arkon wanted me to report to him about this meeting.”

“Very little of value has yet been determined. I would suggest that you visit Evanton’s shop as your first order of business.” He turned to Lord Emmerian. “I am uncertain as to your plans. I believe, however, that Mandoran should accompany the corporals; if Terrano returns before Evanton does or can, Mandoran would have that information immediately.”

“I intend to accompany the corporals for the time being. Bellusdeo is safe with Helen, and unless Mrs. Erickson wishes to join us, I’m uncertain that she will leave her.”

The chancellor nodded. “I will see you all again in a few hours.”

Kaylin’s stomach didn’t embarrass her by joining the conversation, but she did insist on grabbing something to eat on the move to make sure it stayed that way. Mandoran and Emmerian declined food, but Severn nodded; they made their way back through Tiamaris to hit the streets where small lunch stalls could be found and ate while walking toward Elani street.

Grethan, Evanton’s apprentice, occupied the old man’s stool at the very large bar behind which he usually dealt with his customers. The stalks on his forehead were, in Grethan’s opinion, largely decorative; he was Tha’alani by birth, but he could not join the Tha’alaan, couldn’t hear it, couldn’t access the racial knowledge and memories that most Tha’alani children could.

For Kaylin, that was normal.

For Grethan, it was normal as well—but he lived in an enclave where it was anything but. Subject to pity, isolated in his pain and anger, the way none of the other children were, he had eventually found his way here. To Evanton. To the elemental garden. Evanton had taken him in as an apprentice, but Kaylin could never decide if apprentice meant eventual successor as the steward of the heart of the elements, or if it meant menial servant.

On the other hand, she was in good company; Grethan didn’t know, either.

He didn’t look up as the door opened; he was in conversation with other customers.

They’re not customers, Severn said, a thread of amusement in the interior words.

Oh. It was Teela and her partner, Tain, both wearing their tabards. Barrani Hawks were never given Elani as a walking beat.

Teela looked back as the four of them entered the shop. Her eyes were, not surprisingly, a dark shade of blue. Tain’s were lighter, but his expression was grimmer.

Kaylin exhaled. “I take it Evanton hasn’t returned.”

Grethan looked up at the sound of Kaylin’s voice; she saw relief push his eyes from green—not a good color for Tha’alani—to hazel. Gold, in Tha’alani eyes, was the comfort color, but given the circumstances, it was likely to be absent from Grethan’s eyes for as long as Evanton remained absent.

He didn’t rush around the counter to reach Kaylin, given the rest of her companions, but seeing his expression, she approached the bar and placed a hand across its surface. She was slightly surprised when he reached out to grasp it.

“Evanton hasn’t come back. He went to meet you and your housemate.” His eyes shaded toward green. “The garden is upset. I’ve managed to calm them down—but I needed the water’s help. I can’t understand all of what the elements say, especially not when they’re all shouting.”

“Shouting?”

“Mostly at each other. The water can talk, but it’s getting harder.”

“Well, the store isn’t flooded and most of it hasn’t burned down,” she replied. “Are they trying to tell you Evanton is dead?”

Severn winced internally.

Grethan shook his head, the stalks on his forehead trembling. “He’s alive. He’s just out of reach, somehow. They can’t hear him.”

“He’s not in the garden.”

Grethan shook his head again. “It’s not like that. I think the elements can talk to the Keeper. They could talk to him when he left; they could talk to him when he wasn’t in your house. But they lost that ability; it’s like he’s still connected to them, but only barely. They can’t tell if he’s dying; they can only tell that he’s not dead yet.”

Kaylin frowned. “Evanton can talk to the elements when he’s not in the actual garden?”

“Not the same way—and I can barely talk to them when they’re right in front of my face, so I don’t understand how it works. But—they can reach him, somehow; they can be heard. Or they could be. They’re pretty sure they aren’t being heard now.” He hesitated. “Being a Keeper, as far as I can tell, is like owning cats.”

Teela coughed.

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