What are you doing?The question was asked in a tone of almost idle curiosity. At another time, she would have found it enraging; now, she was just annoyed.
The annoyance amused him.
I’m trying to reach you.
Ah. Perhaps I was not clear. What you see, I now see, and you appear to be surrounded by the ghosts of a young Barrani woman.
Yes, but it’ll take time to explain, and given the sounds I’m hearing, we’rereally shorton time.She exhaled.Teela is here, and she’s drawnKariannos; we apparently have invaders.
Are you not within Helen’s perimeter?The question was much sharper.
We are.She followed the thread, leaving the last of the Yvonnes in her wake. But when she turned to look back, she saw that the formation that had protected the trace Kaylin had tried to follow to its source had closed; they stood behind her, their eyes the one feature that didn’t look Barrani.You’ve been unconscious since you were attacked by Barrani assassins. We reached you in time, but you were injured. I think by a magical poison—but that’s not my specialty, so that’s just a guess.
Are you saying I am also within Helen’s perimeter?
Andellen didn’t think we could get you back to Castle Nightshade safely. You were unconscious. Apparently, your sword was protecting you. I know Barrani hate to be healed—but you were inreally badshape. I tried to heal you.
Again, she felt a flicker of amusement.I understand the reluctance on the part of my people, but you already know my name. There is nothing in the healing that could be a greater weakness than that. But I see you’ve been busy.
Very.She found his amusement annoying. She was almost certain there would be no attack mounted against Helen if Nightshade weren’t in residence.
Very well, Chosen. If you can reach me, if you can heal me, I will not fight you.
Did I mention you’ve practically been in a coma?
Ah. Yes. You believe that means I could not defend myself should your healing be unwanted?
If Annarion could hear his brother now, he’d be less frantic with worry.
Kaylin opened her eyes.
To her surprise, the room was empty of everyone except the convalescent, Yvonne, and Kaylin herself. Severn was no longer in the room; neither was Mandoran. She knew they’d shifted to meet the enemy; she’d heard—could still hear—the distant echo of swords. An’Tellarus had, according to Severn, joined the fight, and An’Tellarus didn’t have the ability to shift across planes the way the rest of the cohort did. Neither did Severn.
Her hand still rested on her cheek; she lowered it. Blood had dried, darkening the lines of her palm. Yvonne met Kaylin’s gaze as Kaylin glanced toward her; the young Barrani woman’s eyes were normal, given the circumstances; they were blue. Flecks of green appeared as Kaylin moved toward the Teller’s crown.
“I don’t think you can touch that,” Yvonne said, voice soft.
“I think he has to wear it.”
Yvonne hesitated.
“What do you know?”
“Not yet,” Yvonne whispered. Kaylin couldn’t tell if she meant that theregaliawasn’t ready, or if Yvonne wasn’t willing to talk about what she knew. But Kaylin thought she could lift the crown, could place it across Nightshade’s brow. He’d worn the crown on the way to the West March. Even as outcaste, he’d been spared the contempt and murderous intent of the Barrani who traveled with the Consort to the green itself.
Kaylin didn’t understand the purpose of theregalia. She didn’t understand how a ritual that occurred in the distant West March could hold so much meaning for the Lords of the High Court. She knew that children weren’t meant to witness theregalia. The cohort had arisen from the breaking of that ancient law. She wondered if Yvonne would be considered a child.
But Yvonne had spent time in the green, according to Severn. How much, she didn’t know. Enough to understand the will of the green?
Kaylin sat on the chair beside Nightshade; she lifted a hand to his brow but hesitated. If she still couldn’t reach him with the power of the Chosen...
You can, Nightshade said.You already are.
She nodded. The crown, she left where it had appeared. Yvonne might be right, and if she could heal Nightshade fully, he could put the damn thing on his own head.
Once again, she felt a familiar amusement.
Grinding her teeth, she placed her left palm across Nightshade’s brow. She realized she was holding her breath only when she released it. “Helen—can you tell Annarion that I can finally reach his brother?”