“They’re always empty.”
“They are emptier than they were before I awakened. The Barrani understand that secrecy is one of the tools upon which survival depends. Terrano and his kin—his chosen kin—are unusual. They live with Helen. She knows their thoughts. I am certain that she would be delighted to avoid them at times. They are not cautious of me in the way the rest of the Barrani are. The exception, of course, is An’Teela.
“But Severn is also cautious. He is always guarded. From the first time I woke until today.”
“Can he hear you?”
“He can. You would never know it, would you? But his caution suits the High Halls. Terrano should practice more of it. If I were actually as I appear at the moment, I would have a raging headache. I believe that is the phrase?” He asked the question of Teela.
Her lips quirked in a brief smile. “That isentirelythe correct phrase.” She offered no name and no title to the most powerful entity within the High Halls; according to Serralyn, discussion was heated and ongoing among the nobles of the High Court as to what would be appropriate and respectful. They could not exalt the High Halls’ Avatar as they did the High Lord; they could not treat the Avatar with a disastrous lack of respect, as if the Avatar himself was simple furniture.
“How should we address you?” Kaylin asked.
“I just call him Abel,” Terrano said, shrugging. “Abel’s not offended. He’s ancient enough the petty bickering about what to call him—what title to grant—is boring. Or funny, depending on how heated the argument gets. To Abel, it’sallirrelevant.”
“To Barrani, respect is life.” Abel’s voice was oddly gentle.
“Yeah, yeah,” Terrano replied. “If by respect, you meanfear.” He winced. “I’m not going to visit the Consort with you guys,” he added. “So respect’s kind of irrelevant.”
The Avatar’s eyes lost their blue—a Barrani appearance. He glared at Terrano.
“...sorry.”
“I have told you many, many times that there is one being within the High Halls that is worthy of all gestures of respect due the powerful.”
Terrano nodded, mimicking chagrin perfectly. Kaylin knew it wasn’t genuine, which meant the Avatar knew it as well.
“I do,” the Avatar said. “I am aware of his history with this Consort; I considered destroying him when I first woke.”
“And you regret your mercy?” Teela’s smile wasn’t fake.
“No. But at times like this, it is close.” He continued to walk. Terrano fell silent but walked beside the Avatar as if they were friends.
“Friendship is not what I was created to achieve,” the Avatar said without looking back. “But I find it oddly precious, if fragile. There is a warmth to it that I do not wish to lose. Terrano is entirely himself—whatever that self is. I am not certain I understand it. At heart, he is Barrani, as he was born. But he is not like An’Mellarionne.” Before Kaylin could speak, he added, “When I compare him to all of the Barrani who make the High Halls their home, he is most like the Consort herself.”
Ynpharion was instantly outraged.
“She is entirely herself. Her role as Lady defines her; the responsibility to the Barrani people is her only sacred duty. But she is not simply a vessel for the will of the Lake of Life; she, too, has affections and concerns that drive her.”
“And those are the reason I’m here.”
“I will let her speak. She is waiting.”
The Consort was seated by the fountain that marked the beginning of the small territory within the High Halls dedicatedto the woman who could draw names from the Lake of Life. Those names—living True Words—were the breath of life to Barrani children, born into the world asleep. In no other way would they wake.
“That,” Abel said, “is not entirely true. History has its grim and terrifying moments. But itistrue now. I will leave you here.”
“Your Avatar will leave.”
“No, Chosen. There are places where even I am not permitted to go without express permission.”
“He means it,” Terrano added, voice much softer and shorn of his usual cheekiness. “He can watch at a distance. He can intervene if survival is at stake. But if she requests privacy, he will give it.” The Barrani cohort member was serious enough that he spoke in his mother tongue, not the Elantran he had come to favor. “We have to stop here. But you can see her.”
Kaylin nodded. To her surprise, the Consort was alone. No visible guards were present. Not even Ynpharion. A small table, round, white, and ornate, was set in front of the Consort. Two chairs had been placed on opposite sides of that table, and the Consort sat in one of them. She lifted a hand, indicating that Kaylin should take the other.
She can summon me at any time she feels it necessary, Ynpharion said.And she believes that An’Teela will be adequate guard should something unexpected occur.He grudgingly accepted that truth: An’Teela was far more experienced, far more powerful, than Ynpharion himself.
Kaylin was surprised. She knew that Teela was effectively her guard while she was here; she hadn’t expected the Consort would allow her toattendthe meeting she’d all but commanded. Ynpharion didn’t like it, either.