Page 98 of Cast in Atonement

“It’s not that he’s their boss. It’s not like he owns them or they’re obedient. They listen to him. He has the power to make himself heard. He has the power to isolate them if necessary—and given the way they’d fight otherwise, it’s necessary, believe me. But... I think they have to like him. They have to want him around. They understand on some level that he’s not like they are, but mostly they don’t care.”

“I didn’t realize you owned cats,” Kaylin said.

Grethan reddened. “Evanton has store cats, but mostly they hate people.”

“So they’re like their owner.”

That pulled a smile from the overwhelmed youth. “Maybe I don’t understand the garden. Evanton teaches me—but mostly I do chores. At least I don’t have to carry buckets back from the well here.”

“True. Ummm, I’ve always wondered—what do the elementals eat? I mean, how do you keep them fed?”

“Now is not the time, kitling.”

Kaylin winced. Teela was right.

“Can you find him?” Grethan said, his voice weak enough to come out in a whisper.

“That’s why we’re here.” She glanced at Teela. “Should we actually enter the garden?”

“I don’t think that’s wise. Which is probably why you suggested it.”

Kaylin did her best to ignore this. “We can talk to the water.”

“If the water lost contact with him in both your home and Azoria’s manor, I wouldn’t assume any useful information would be found.”

“The water might be able to explain what’s been upsetting the elements.”

Grethan shook his head, eyes wide with alarm. “They’re already unsettled. We don’t want them to focus on what made them that way—we’re trying to distract them. Evanton couldn’t get a clear explanation. He didn’t expect one.”

“Fine. I have to head back to the Academia with current news. Can you mirror the Halls of Law—or me personally—if Evanton does show up while we’re in transit?”

Grethan nodded. His expression made clear that he didn’t think that would happen.

“Why were you two given the Elani beat?” Kaylin asked, when they were back on said street and the door to Evanton’s shop was shut behind them.

“We volunteered.”

Kaylin turned to Mandoran. “You couldn’t have warned us? We could have skipped the visit to Evanton’s.”

“And do what? Sit twiddling our thumbs at the Academia while we wait on every other important person to write their reports?”

Fair enough.

“Plus, you ate. We don’t have to listen to your stomach in the next meeting.” He turned to Teela. “You might as well share your thoughts.”

“I’d prefer not to do it in the middle of the street.”

Hope, flopped out on Kaylin’s shoulder, gave a quiet squawk of agreement.

“Where do you want to discuss it?”

“Helen, preferably.”

“Bellusdeo’s there.”

“Bellusdeo and I have never come to blows. The only time we came close was in the tavern when a brawl broke out.”

“No doubt caused by you.”

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