“She knows,” Random said, although Severn hadn’t spoken the words aloud. Her eyes, like Severn’s, didn’t change color; they weren’t an indicator of strong emotion. He was surprised when Random laid both hands, palm up, on the table. He responded to those hands the same way he’d responded to Ybelline’s; he immediately placed both of his hands, palm down, across hers. Her skin was calloused, weathered, although it was pale with lack of sun.
“These,” Random continued, “are the things I have made. I didn’t realize the first one was for you until after I knew you would visit. It’s the Barrani.”
Severn nodded, looking at the sculpted figure she’d indicated. To most mortal eyes, the Barrani looked the same. They had hair of the same color, and eyes of the same color, the latter a sign that they were never comfortable when in the presence of others. Their skin was pale, flawless; he knew they could be scarred, but Elluvian had none, and Elluvian was the Barrani with whom Severn had the most experience. They were almost always the same height, as well.
The figure, however, was not Elluvian to Severn’s eye.
“No. He is called Ollarin.”
“Is he still alive?”
“He is alive. They are not.” These last words were spoken in trembling syllables, as if words were too meager a container for the emotion that lay behind them. “Ollarin is what Tessa called him. It is what he told her to call him. It is not what he is called by his own kind.
“Take it with you. I think your companion will understand more when he sees it.”
“Do you?”
Random frowned.
“Do you understand what you think he’ll understand?”
She shook her head. Stray and graying curls had escaped the wild nest of her hair. “But I don’t care what he understands. You might. It is up to you to decide. I made it for you.” Her gaze then moved to the second statue. “Ybelline knows this man.”
This man, as Random called him, was Tha’alani. Random’s gaze did not linger on the figure; whatever questions the creation had given her, Severn was almost certain Ybelline had already answered.
“But this one,” Random said, “is for you.” It was what she had created, from nothing, before his eyes.
It was more tableau than single statue. There were three figures sculpted in the stone she’d pulled out of nowhere, and they shone as if lit from within.
He recognized none of them at first glance; they were all Barrani. But their mode of dress was different from the clothing worn by the Lords of the High Court that he’d met in the line of duty. One of the Barrani was, on second glance, An’Tellarus. He leaned in to get a better view, and found the single advantage to magical stone: the closer he got, the more detail he could see. The stone itself implied color when seen inches away.
“Do you know them?” Random asked.
“I think I recognize one of the three. But she’s holding something I’ve never seen before.”
Random nodded. “You came to the Wolves,” she said. “And the Wolves will keep you. That’s what Helmat said.”
“You’ve spoken with Lord Marlin?”
Ybelline shook her head. “The sketch,” she added, voice low.
“The sketch spoke to you?” Severn asked Random.
“That one did.”
“And...the one of me in the ridiculous belt?”
Random nodded again. “You spoke to me as well.” Her smile was fey, too young for her face. “You remember them.”
She was speaking of Tessa, Jerrin, and Tobi.
“I don’t think Tessa would mind,” she added. “The Tha’alani don’t keep secrets.”
“Tessa did,” Ybelline said.
“Yes.” The word was sadder. “But that was only later.” She looked at Ybelline and added, “And you will. I’m sorry.”
“So am I,” Ybelline said, although she smiled at Random.