He nodded. “Whatever the pretender did, it’s spread. Annarion has gone back for the Arcanist.”
“What good will the Arcanist do? This is probablyall his fault.”
“He probably knows exactly what was done. Look—I’m not any happier than you are. But—keep pulling.”
* * *
She didn’t watch the two non-Dragons fighting; she couldn’t help but hear it. She did look up, once, when one of them cried out in pain; it was the outcaste. In the thinner color and light of this cave that was a half step removed from the cave everyone else seemed to be occupying, she could see that the outcaste was bleeding.
His blood was not, as she half expected it would be, black; it was red. It was a bright, scarlet red.
And she remembered that Teela had come with a sword. She didn’t know the sword’s name, and it didn’t matter. Teela wasn’t here, she was there. But Kaylin was positive that the wound that was bleeding here was also bleeding in the real world. Or in Kaylin’s world. This one was also real—but it wasn’t hers. It wasn’t where she belonged.
It wasn’t where Mandoran belonged, either.
“Can you get out of this place?” she demanded.
“I can’t move, no.”
“I mean—not get out of the Aerie, but get out of whereweare.”
He stared at her as if he couldn’t understand her words. She asked again in High Barrani. He still stared.
“Look—amIin the big cave with Bellusdeo and the Emperor?”
“Yes.”
“I mean, am I there right now?”
“Yes. I don’t understand your question.”
“Can Teela see me?”
“No—and before you ask, she’s a bit busy right now.”
“Can anyone but you see me?”
“I can’t exactly take a poll.”
“I want you to go to where Severn is.”
“We’rein the same cave, Kaylin.”
“We’re not in the same caveto me. I can only see you, the familiar and the outcaste. I saw Annarion—but he didn’t stay.”
“You told him to find—”
“Moran, yes, I know. I can’t see Severn. I can’t see Teela or Tain or the Hawks. I’m here—to me—with you, and only you. I want you to try to go to where Teela or Severn are.”
“It’s thesame place,” he replied, in obvious frustration; the pain probably didn’t help. “Just because the others can’t see you and we can doesn’t mean we’re not in the same place!”
She yanked at Shadow, and the tension slowed its spread. Slowed. She was afraid she wouldn’t be able to stop it. Behind that fear there were other fears; she knew what would happen if she failed. Or rather, she knew what would happen to Teela, to Annarion. She knew that Helen would be upset.
She wanted her familiar to help her somehow—and that was unfair. He was helping. He was fighting the Dragon. She had no hope of surviving—or winning—against a Dragon.
“Annarion’s found Moran,” Mandoran said.
“You said that.”