The eagles turned their heads toward her. They spoke; she replied. Kaylin couldnt understand a word. The Consort said, without lowering her arm, The dreams of Alsanis. Lord Kaylin, what did you do to wake them?
I dont know. But she lifted her arms, as well, opening her palms. The Consort lowered hers; she spoke to the shadows. The shadows did not reply with words, but they came, and they landed on Kaylins arms. The marks on her skin began their slow burn.
This time when she closed her eyes, the courtyard vanished. She opened them again in a panic, and met the Consorts gaze. I will not leave, Lord Kaylin.
Its not the leaving Im worried about, Kaylin lied.
The Consort frowned; Kaylin closed her eyes again. Her skin was uncomfortably hot; her legs ached, and the back of her neck felt as if it had been rubbed raw. But her arms didnt hurt. They felt blessedly cool.
Shed forgotten the small dragon. He hadnt forgotten her.
If you dont stop biting me, Ill bite you back.
Squawk.
Her arms felt heavy; she struggled to keep them raised. She wasnt going to win.
Squawk.
Yes, we understand.
She opened her eyes. She was carrying two eagles. She could see tendrils of shadow drifting away from wings as the eagles pushed themselves into the air. One more.
One. Kaylin raised her arms again, and she caught the final shadow. And it was a shadow; it weighed nothing, and implied the flight of a bird she couldnt see overhead. She called the bird, and the bird emerged, cracking shadow as if it were shell.
This fifth eagle, this final bird, turned its head toward the Consort, tilting it to one side. His voice was rich and resonant, his words unintelligible.
Close your eyes, Lord Kaylin, the Consort said.
Kaylin was tired enough to obey.
You dont understand dreams of Alsanis.
No. But it feels like I should, which makes me feel stupid. More stupid, she added. I cant pin it down. It has the vowels and consonants of High Barrani, but it feels more fluid. She hesitated. When I was brought to the High Halls for the first time, I was asked to heal your brother.
Yes. I remember.
He was willing to be healed, and I understand why most Barrani arent, because I healed him. But
You wonder if the cost to either of us will be the same.
Kaylin nodded. I couldnt wake him unless
He chose to withdraw into himself, to survive. What you saw was a reflection of that. What you see here is not entirely a reflection of me.
Kaylin frowned. She was certain her face was going to get stuck that way. I dont see how its a reflection of you at all.
The small dragon squawked.
She felt the Consort take her hand. Keep your eyes closed, Private Neya. She had switched into spoken Elantran. The musicality of her voice made Kaylins mother tongue seem rich and textured and nuanced. What did you see?
Eleven ghosts, Kaylin replied. And she realized, as she did, that she could no longer hear raised Barrani voices. She couldnt hear the eagles, either.
Ghosts.
Its what I called them. They first appeared as glass statues, but they followed me. I came to find you, Kaylin added, because you wouldnt wake up.
I imagine the Lord of the West March has been concerned.
Barrani understatement.
These ghosts
Im certain theyre meant to be the lost children. I dont understand why they were made of glassbut Im certain. She hesitated. What did you see?
I imagine the Lord of the West March has been concerned.
Barrani understatement.
These ghosts
Im certain theyre meant to be the lost children. I dont understand why they were made of glassbut Im certain. She hesitated. What did you see?
Nothing as clear as that. The Hallionne is...not dead.
Whatwhat did you see at the end? When Iwhen weput the words into the fountain?
She heardof all unexpected thingslaughter. Fountain? You saw a fountain?
Kaylin felt herself reddening. It was like the fountain in Lord Liriennes courtyard. Sort of. But it wasit was almost out of water. You wereit looked like you were singing to it. And as the words left her mouth, she froze. Because it did remind her of that fountain. And because she had touched the water in the real world and she knew that it wasnt ordinary, city water. What did you see?
Water, the Consort replied. But not as you saw it. Water, land, a vessel. I stood in one of our ancient boats. It was damaged and sinking.
Are you there now?
No, Lord Kaylin. Neither of us is there now.
And I dont need to know your name. I dont need to call you.
No. I am not my brother. I feel that I can trust youbut I have learned not to trust my own instincts where the living are concerned. And it is not necessary now.
Did youdid you see Teela?
Silence. Kaylin felt coolblessedly coolpalms against the sides of her face. Do not speak of that, Kaylin. Do not speak of that to anyone but me.
And the eleven ghosts?
I did not see them, either. It is...safer to speak of them; they are already lost. AnTeela is not.
I should never have come to the West March. If I hadnt, Teela wouldnt be here.
I understand why you feel that way, the Consort said softly. But I see the dreams of Alsanis, and they see us. I wont pretend to understand what it means, but it has been so long. My mother could speak with Alsanis; the eagles once flew to the heart of the High Halls to converse with her. I was a child then, and I listened; it was not considered wise to interrupt my mother. Now they speak with me. Her voice dipped at the end.
Would you havewould you have woken if Id minded my own business?
The Consort laughed again; it was a clear, high sound, and it had no edges. Kaylin leaned into it, and into the hands that still cupped her face. It was so easy to see Barrani women as young: they always looked youthful. But she realized that the Consort was far older than her mother had been when she died, and she took comfort from that; she wasnt sure why.
No.
What did the words do?
Do you not know? No, of course you dont. You chose two. Why?
Because I couldnt just choose one.
Why those two?
Could you read them?
In a fashion, and only here.
I cantyou know I cantread the words on my skin. I dont even feel like theyre mine. But I had to choose, this time.
You chose well, I think. Were I to choose, Im not sure I would have made the same choicebut I am not Chosen. One of the two words was heavy; it was hard for you to carry, hard for you to bring here. The other weighed nothing. It is my belief that the heavier word speaks to the heart of Alsanis. It tells him that you understand some essential part of his plight. You are not Alsanis; you will never be Alsanis. At best, you might, in happier times, have been a guest.
He has no guests now.
He has the lost children.
They are not guests. They might have been, oncebut they have far outstayed even the most generous definition of hospitality.
The other word?
It, too, speaks to Alsanisboth words did. He could barely hear my voice. But yoursthrough the wordswas clear. It is hope, Kaylin. She had slid from Elantran into Barrani, and Kaylin had followed the seamless transition so easily she couldnt recall when the switch had happened. I do not know if it is his hope or yours, but I believe he found hope in it.
It is scant hope, she added softly. And perhaps it will cause pain; hope oft does when it remains forever beyond our reach. But the hope, he drew into the depths, and the pain, he cast out. Come. I hear my brother, and he is not best pleased.
Can we just leave?
While you are in the West March, you will never entirely leave this place. I am sorry. I did not intend to embroil you in the affairs of the heart of the green.
But you
Yes. But I am Consort, and I have seen the Lake of Life; it is my gift and my duty to touch the words that wait therein. And, Lord Kaylin, in ignorance, you have also done the same, and you survived.
Many of my kin did not. Lord of the West March, have you chosen to convene a council meeting in my chambers?
Kaylins eyes flew open. She was curled in a crouch beside the Consorts bed, her handknuckles whitearound the Consorts. She was aware of the glares aimed squarely at the back of her neck, and worked to separate their hands, although the Consorts tightened briefly before she let go.
Kaylin stood and met the Consorts blue eyes. She looked far healthier in real life than she had looked at the end of the not-quite-dream, but she still looked pale and exhausted. Her eyes, however, darkened as she looked at Kaylin.
Kaylin looked down.
There was a small jagged hole in the dress. In size and shape it matched a shard of ice. Kaylin froze, her eyes widening in panic.
Yes, a voice said, and she looked up. There were now three eagles on the other side of the bed. The one in the middle was doing the talking. Everything comes to an end, Chosen.
Could it come to an end when Im not wearing it?
Endings and beginnings are often intertwined.
As answers went, this one sucked. It had that street-corner dispensed-wisdom tone. Which would be fine, but she was the first mortal to wear this dress, and of course it would take damage while she was doing it. That it hadnt so far was some sort of miracle, and Kaylin did not want to come to the end of miracles while still wearing it. She was almost afraid to turn around.
Lord Kaylin.
Kaylin blinked as the Consort held out an imperious arm. Kaylin realized that the Consort, at least, was still lying in bed. She immediately bent to offer an arm to help the Consort to her feet. It gave her something to do, other than panic, but it also made her feel almost ashamed of herself; she was hiding behind the Consort, who was physically far frailer at the moment than she was.
She was grateful anyway, because she turned, supporting the Consorts weight, to face the room at large.
The Lord of the West March was at the side of the Warden. Nightshade was standing to the Wardens left, Evarrim to Liriennes right. Behind them, stood Barrani in the livery of the Lord of the West March; they had not drawn swords, but their eyes were the color of midnight as they met Kaylins.
No one spoke. They looked at Kaylin, looked at her dressand at the hole that wasnt actually all that bigand said nothing. They said it really loudly.
Warden, the Consort said, nodding regally. You have my gratitude.
Warden, the Consort said, nodding regally. You have my gratitude.
He looked genuinely surprised; the blue of his eyes was ringed by a slender, but visible gold.
You brought the Chosen to my side. I do not think I would have escaped the nightmares of Alsanis, otherwise. Brother, she continued, using the familiar term in a particularly emphatic way, the nightmares have never been this strong or this cold; nor has he sent five, if indeed the nightmares are sent at all, before now. The Warden could not have known; the nightmares and the dreams of Alsanis have never been under his control.