“Teela made me. I would never have known otherwise, given the location of your shop.”
“Margot,” Evanton said, pinpointing the chief source of Kaylin’s dislike, “is not entirely a fraud.”
“We’re not talking about Margot.”
“No. I merely point out that your dislike of her—while possibly deserved—does her an injustice. It is possible to be both genuine and distasteful.”
“Most of what she does—”
“Is fraud, yes. But not all. And, Kaylin? Where else would she be safe to practice her gift? She is in the open here.”
“Look—”
“She is not confined to the Oracular Halls. Or worse.”
Kaylin closed her mouth. “We weren’t talking about Margot.”
“No. You were implying that nothing genuine is known to be found in Elani.”
“Baldness cures? Come on, Evanton.”
“Elani, very much like any other neighborhood, is not all one thing or the other. I, after all, am here. And it is to me Lillias came.”
Lillias was listening to this conversation with obvious confusion. “Where else would I go?”
“Private Neya feels you should have approached either the Imperial Order or the Arcanum.”
“Kaylin doesn’t feelanyoneshould approach the Arcanum,” Kaylin snapped.
“Ah.”
“Lillias,” Severn said, joining the conversation—as he so often did—late. “Forgive our ignorance. What is abletsian?”
“It is a blessing,” the old woman replied. “A blessing of wind, of air.”
“It is a gift,” Evanton told Kaylin, “that she wishes delivered to Moran dar Carafel.”
“Moran’s not big on gifts.”
Evanton ignored this. “She cannot deliver it in person. You, however, can. If you are willing to do this, I will create what has been requested, and I will hand it directly to you. There will be no tampering and no interference.”
“Lillias, what does this blessing do, exactly?”
“It confers,” Evanton said, after it became clear that Lillias would not answer, “flight. Literal flight. It does not, and cannot, last, but some small part of the elemental air will carry the bearer as the bearer desires until the breath of wind is consumed.”
Kaylin looked at this wingless, outcaste woman. “You’re certain,” she said to Evanton, although she didn’t move her gaze, “whatever you give me will be safe for Moran?”
“Yes.”
“Because the assassin used magic. And not a small amount of it,” she almost growled. “And no, I don’t—and won’t—know who the assassin was, or what magic was used, or how powerful the spell was, because the entire thing is under exemption embargo.”
“Kaylin,” Evanton replied softly, “stay out of this.”
“You’re asking me to deliver a magical trinket to a sergeant in the Halls of Law, and I’m supposed to stay out of it? She’sliving in my house, Evanton.”
“I am aware of that. I do not disapprove in any regard save one: you know too many Aerians, and you consider them family.”
“I consider them Hawks!”