“There are, however, books and documents that reference healers. Many are suspect; we expect them to be entirely fictitious. But the time period in which novels and stories were written is similar, and the writing makes clear that readers were expected to know and understand the role of a healer, and to accept that ability. We chose to focus first on that period.
“Within the current Empire, there have been two healers in the span of its four hundred years, present company excepted.”
“You’re certain?”
“We are. They served the Imperial forces. I assure you the Imperial forcesdokeep accurate records.”
“The healer didn’t heal the Emperor, though?”
“No. The Emperor—and the members of the Dragon Court—would not subject themselves to external healing. In that regard, the implication is clear: the power to heal, absent the Marks, is still intrusive or invasive in nature. It is not, perhaps, the desired outcome, as it relies upon a connection that is far too risky for those with both power and secrets.”
“Then who did they heal?”
“The various mortal officers of the Halls of Law, just as you have done since you first realized the power.”
“So... the healing power itself isn’t derived from the Marks of the Chosen, or it doesn’t have to be.”
Starrante’s eyes bobbed. “But it seems clear to us, after some discussion, that your healing does rely on the power of those Marks.” The silence eddied as Kaylin considered his words. She’d had some vague hope, but it had remained vague because hope often led to a worse despair. That made sense: if you climbed higher, the fall was more dangerous.
But if you never climbed at all, all that remained was despair.
“And so we come at last to the nature of True Words, and True Names. Serralyn has offered as much information about the circumstances as she can; Androsse feels she crossed a line several times. It is safe to do so; the queries are private. It is part of the reason we close the library to other visitors when we choose to undertake a research project of a delicate nature.
“You believe the reason you cannot heal Nightshade is that the power of your healing is derived from the Marks of the Chosen.”
Kaylin nodded. Thiswasskirting a problem that should never be spoken about, and she knew it—but Serralyn knew it as well. If they couldn’t even hint at the actual problem, the chance of finding a real solution was almost zero. Hells, if theycouldexplain it all, the chance of finding answers was still too damn low.
“If what you desire is a healer, I feel your search will be both desperate and unsuccessful.”
“But that magic did exist.”
“Yes.”
Kaylin’s mind was a blur of information, none of it cohering in a useful way. “I have one more question for Androsse. For Arbiter Androsse.”
“Ask. We will pass it on.”
“He was aware of the research done to create the Erenne mark, the Erenne binding. Ask him how much of that binding existed only in our plane of existence.”
Starrante fell silent. His eyes swiveled in Kavallac’s direction; the Dragon’s lips were pursed. “You believe that not all of it was.”
Kaylin nodded. “I’m not even sure that the Ancestorswereconfined to one plane of existence. They seemed—the ones who attacked us—to be fully capable of sidestepping the way Terrano does. Of standing with some part of themselves on a different plane. On all of the different planes.”
She hesitated. “Some of the archives contained in the library aren’t from our world.”
Kavallac nodded.
“But are they all from this plane? Or are there works that are from slightly different planes, different worlds within those different planes?”
“That is not a question that can be easily answered by any of the Arbiters.” Kavallac’s expression was grim.
Kaylin exhaled. Kavallac’s tone mimicked the tone of the Imperial Security Service almost exactly. “Then just ask about the Erenne mark. Ask about whether or not the magic of its casting involved other planes.”
Androsse, if he had the answer, couldn’t be bothered to return to give it.
Kavallac, however, stepped forward. “You understand the genesis of True Words,” she said. “But possibly you believe—for we are taught this—that the words were created because they contained immutable truth. To use the True tongue was to speak a language that could not be misunderstood. It was an absolute form of communication.”
Kaylin nodded.