Cast In Deception

One bushy brow rose as he considered her. “Very good. Teela’s confederates are—as I believe you must now know—leaving the green. The heart of the green is concerned.”

Kaylin nodded, but had to bite back the obvious how do you know this that wanted to leap out of her mouth. He wouldn’t answer and it would annoy him, which meant there was no possible gain.

“The water believes they will travel between Hallionne, making use of the portal paths to avoid unwanted attention. You are expecting visitors?”

Kaylin hesitated; Bellusdeo—who treated Evanton with far more respect than most mortals did—stepped on her foot. “Yes. What does the water want from me?”

“I do not believe the water intends to command you in any fashion,” was the slightly defensive reply.

“Fine. What do you want?”

“I’d like you to stay out of trouble, if that’s at all possible.”

“Something I can actually do.”

This pulled a smile from the older man. He looked worn, tired, and entirely more fragile than he had when she’d first met him. He didn’t look any older, though. “I would like to make certain that Teela’s friends are staying with you. Helen’s intervention to date has been both fortuitous and necessary, especially with regard to Annarion. That young man has an unfortunate temper.”

Kaylin blinked. “Annarion?”

“You cannot hear him.”

“No. He’s generally the quiet, reasonable one.”

“A terrifying thought.” Evanton exhaled. “His actions—over which he does have some control—are quiet and reasonable. But he is in pain, Kaylin, and when he leaves Helen—on the rare occasions he does—his anguish can be heard. It can practically be felt.”

“And Mandoran?”

“Mandoran does not have that effect.”

“You think the others will?”

“That is the question. The water does not hear as I hear. The heart of the green hears more. The Hallionne in which Teela’s friends have made their home since your intervention, hears all. There has been much discussion, and much concern shared. I believe that at least two of the visitors would have voices as loud, as detrimental, as Annarion’s were they to be left to their own devices. They do not need to break the law you have made it your life to uphold,” he added. “No conscious choice is required.

“But they are not—as I am certain even you are aware—what they were. Some of them recognize and accept this fact; some do not. It is those who do not who are the biggest danger. And no, don’t make that face. Annarion is a threat, with no intent, no desire to be one.” His eyes narrowed. “Do not let them interfere with Helen,” he said, which was not what she’d expected.

“They can’t.”

He said, after a long pause, “You rescued them, in a fashion. You believe that the Hallionne Alsanis sheltered them because that was the purpose for which the Hallionne were constructed. You believe that they were forced to change their nature to better slide between the bars of a very forgiving cage. You have correctly divined that the Hallionne, being sentient, have some access to living emotion; you have even correctly understood that the Hallionne are subject to isolation and loneliness.

“But you have failed to understand the subtleties.”

“And you’re going to explain my failure.”

“Yes, now that you’ve asked.”

It wasn’t a question; Kaylin shrugged.

“Annarion’s friends didn’t just reform or reshape themselves. They created subtle changes in the Hallionne as well. Before you ask, no, I do not know the specifics. I am not Hallionne. I have access to the Hallionne in a fashion, because I am Keeper, but the language of the Hallionne is notoriously difficult to learn, let alone master. Were I Barrani, or High Barrani, I do not think it would be this difficult; I am not. Nor is Grethan.

“The Hallionne Alsanis was altered by the children who were themselves altered by the green. This will likely make their passage through the portal paths safer for them. It will make any presence in Hallionne other than their own more difficult. I do not think the changes they made were made immediately. I am less certain that they were made unintentionally. I am not,” he added, at some twitch of Kaylin’s expression, “blaming them; it serves no point. They were captives, they were children, and they desired freedom.

“It is possible, however, that their sense of what ‘home’ is or means is radically different from your own. They were captives for far, far longer than they were Barrani children. Helen can create living quarters for Annarion. She is therefore confident that she can create those same quarters for the rest of Teela’s friends. She was, if I understand her history correctly, equivalent to the Towers that guard the borders of the fiefs, but the commands at her core were not the same.

“Discuss this with Teela. She will better understand the dangers.” He looked at the cooling tea. “What did happen this morning?”

Kaylin explained. She left out names, with the exception of Teela’s. Severn’s expression made clear that he didn’t think this was an appropriate discussion to have outside of the Halls, but he didn’t actively try to shut her down.

Evanton looked vastly less pleased when she’d finished. “I am almost sorry I asked,” he said, pushing himself up from his chair. “But politics are entirely political. Meaning they are not my problem.”

“Neither is my home,” Kaylin pointed out.

“If things go awry in your home, it could well become my problem, and I would like to avoid that. I am old, Kaylin. In the past decade I have seen more threats and upheavals than in the previous century, with one or two notable exceptions, neither of which can be blamed on you.”

“None of them can be blamed on me!”

“Grethan!”

Evanton’s apprentice appeared before the last loud syllable had died out. The familiar on his shoulder sighed and squawked before leaping off to land at his home base, Kaylin’s shoulder.

Evanton headed out the door into the rickety hall that led to the Keeper’s Garden. He turned in the door frame. “Understand,” he said softly, “that the world and the Keeper will almost certainly continue to exist if there are no people in it. My job is not actually to choose sides. The elements are adversely affected by Shadow, but not in the same fashion as we are. My job, such as it is, is to stop the elements from destroying the world in their attempts to destroy each other. There are no Shadows in my garden. Do you understand?”

Kaylin nodded.

“I am the Keeper. My power, where it exists, exists because of that. I am, however, partial to people in general. The location of the garden does not change, and I would rather have the occasionally irritating company—”

“Most people call them customers, in this part of town.”

“—than not. I understand what exists beneath the High Halls. Where I can, I will aid you, as I have always done. But the political—and yes, when we speak of politics with the Barrani it inevitably defaults to assassination or war—is not my arena.”

“It’s not mine, either.”

“Not yet. It will be. I’m sorry.”

“If I’m forced to enter that arena, will I have to be diplomatic?”

“Only if your commanding officers drop dead and someone who has never had to work anywhere near you is then put in charge.”

* * *

The first thing Kaylin did when they returned to the office from their shortened Elani patrol was stop by the duty roster to see if the Barrani were once again being assigned their regular patrols. The second was to visit the infirmary. Teela was no longer there.

Moran, however, was, and the long day hadn’t improved her temper any. The sergeant was glaring at a small mirror. If looks could kill, that mirror wouldn’t be in pieces—it would be melted glass with little rivulets of silver in it.

“Go home.”

“Moran—”

“I mean it.”