She also wasnt clever enough to avoid them.
When the doors to the Consorts chamber were open, the Lord of the West March led Teela toward yet another set of more modest doors on the far end of a more modest hall. There was a small fountain on the left wall, and three slender trees, like artistic pillars, on the right; there were no visible guards.
The doors were warded. Kaylin, whose arm was still numb, was happy she wouldnt have to open them. Instead, she scurried to catch up with Teela and helped her by turning down the bedcovers. Teela very gently set the Consort down as Kaylin fussed with pillows; there were far too many of them.
Do not, the Lord of the West March said, attempt to heal the Lady.
Kaylin hadnt even considered it, given the way Barrani reacted to healingalthough the Consort had given her explicit, public permission. I wasnt going to. I just... I dont like her color. Can I remove the armor, or do you expect her to sleep in it?
The Lord of the West March glanced at Teela. If you do not consider it demeaning, he finally said, you may tend to the Lady; she will not wake.
Teelas eyes were markedly bluer, but she said nothing; she wasnt exactly a stranger to armor and its care. Honestly, she said, as she began to undo buckles, I cannot take you anywhere, kitling. You will note, for future reference, that I do not even remove my own clothing when I bathe in the High Halls.
Thats probably why you dont live in them, Kaylin shot back.
Teelas eyes widened. She laughed, and they also changed color. Maybe, she said, in Elantran. When the Lord of the West March forbids healing, he does so for a reason.
I healed him.
Indeed, which is why I mention healing at all. She rose and tendered the Lord of the West March an enviably perfect bow. It is unusual for the Consort to absorb three, she told him gravely.
How unusual? Kaylin asked. Shed been truthful: she did not think the Ladys color was healthy.
It has never, to my knowledge, happened before.
What usually happens when thethe black bird things fly? Teela, what are they?
Before today? They were considered the nightmares of the Hallionne.
And now?
You saw the eagles.
Kaylin nodded as if this made sense.
The eagles werelong agoconsidered the heralds of the Hallionne. They kept the Lord of the West March, and his Warden, apprised of any difficulties within their impressive range. There is a reason the West March has never fallen.
But...
Teela sighed. I will allow one.
The Hallionne is lost. Bertolle said as much, I think.
Indeed. He did. But the heralds are here, kitling. And they are here because you chose to interfere. No one of us understands how or whybut youve known the Barrani for much of your life. How many of us like to loudly proclaim our own ignorance? Before Kaylin could reply, she added, Exactly. Folding her arms, she continued. The substantiation of the nightmares began several hundred years ago.
The shadow birds.
Yes. They are not impervious to physical harm, but it was discovered that they seek a target when they appear. They are not easily detected before they do so; nor can they be entirely contained within the Hallionne. The Hallionne, she added, is off-limits.
Im not an idiot, Teela.
Of course not. The Consortand to a much lesser extent, the Lord of the West Marchhas an affinity for these nightmares.
She has an affinity for the Hallionne in general.
And your point is?
Kaylin was hungry, tired, and worried. None of which mattered. The Lady woke the Hallionne.
If I recall correctly, she woke the Hallionne to prevent the possible damage or destruction of your little pet.
The small dragon hissed.
Fine. It doesnt matter whyshe could wake the Hallionne.
It is the responsibility, in times of war, of the leader of the war band.
This isnt a time of war. She woke the Hallionne. Nightshade helped.
AnTeela, is this true? the Lord of the West March said, which showed that he was paying attention to every word.
Teela exhaled. Yes. You will forgive Lord Kaylin; she is unfamiliar with the Hallionne.
I will, of course, forgive her her ignorancewhere it is to be found. I am not entirely certain that she is ignorant in this case. Why do you feel the Lady has an affinity for the Hallionne? His voice was cooler, and his gaze was all blue.
I think its the other way around. I think the Hallionne have an affinity for the Lady, Kaylin replied. Bertolle and Kariastos appeared genuinely fond of her. Kariastos told me she was dearer than
Enough. The Lord of the West March held out one taut hand. You will not speak of this again.
Kaylin blinked. She understood that the Barrani considered any affectionor gods forbidlove they personally felt to be an almost unmentionable weakness, but shed never encountered the inverse.
Teela chuckled, her eyes the safe green that touched none of the Lord of the West Marchs. Lirienne, you will frighten her. Think like a Hawk, kitling.
She was. She had no doubt that the Lord of the West March believed her; it was because he believed her that he wanted her to shut up. Which meant the Hallionne did, as she pointed out, have an affinity for the Consort.
If it makes any difference, she said, the Hallionne also seemed fond ofor concerned aboutTeela. It did make a differenceto Teela. Kaylin decided to shut up.
I fear it is late for that, Nightshade said.
How do you explain the nightmares? If they come at random and every Barrani is more or less equal, what does it mean?
We do not explain, he replied. She is the Lady. You think of her as the mother of our race, and that is not entirely wrongbut it is not the way she is viewed by the Lords. We protect her with our lives because without her, there will be no future for our people. But we understand that she is, in subtle ways, in ways that cannot be measured by our kind, different. Exalted, Lord Kaylin. Much is expected of her because of the burden she is capable of bearing.
Have you ever seen the Lake?
No.
Oh. Was the Lake created by the same ancients that created the Hallionne?
No one replied. Remembering Teelas comment about Barrani and their possible ignorance, she didnt push the point. Instead, she turned back to the Consort. I dont like her color, she said again. And if she doesnt wake by morning, youre going to have to post guards at the doors to keep me out. She flashed a grim smile.
If she does not wake by morning, the Lord of the West March replied, I will reconsider the matter.
Kaylin had one question to ask, and she asked it of Teela as they traveled the hallway, although she knew it was probably unwise. When the Consort talks of Nightshade, she uses the name Calarnenne.
That was his Court name, Teela replied.
Yes, but...
Did I not tell you I would only allow one but today? If youre too lazy to even reframe your concern, dont speak.
...I hear his name as if it were his True Name.
Teela said, Yes, and...? as if Kaylin had just said water is wet.
But True Names are dangerous and people dont like it when theyre spoken, and I dont want to ask why everyone is using it because I dont want anyone to know that I know it.
Teelas dark brows rose as she stared at Kaylin in bemusement. The laughter that followed filled a hall that was otherwise notable for its utter silence, and made Kaylin feel a good six inches shorter.
Im glad youre finding mortality so funny.
Oh, not all mortals, kitling. Just you.
That makes it so much better. Could you answer the question so I dont feel humiliated for no reason?
You dont speak a name. Even when you invoke it, its not a simple matter of speech. You call it speech. Others dont. Its very like detection of magic. Youre highly sensitive to magic; you can see when a spells been cast. You can read the mages signature in the shadows of the enchantment.
Anyone who is capable of detecting magic can. But no two mages see that signature and its effects in the same way.
Its why multiple mages are called in for difficult cases.
Teela nodded. And why an appropriate Records trail is so difficult to maintain. When you hear Nightshades Court name, you are hearing spoken language. Like any other part of High Barrani, there are guidelines that control form and utterance. But you are hearing only that. When you say Lord Calarnenne you are speaking simple words.
When you speak his nameif you are ever unwise enough to do soyou might scream it and none will hear the whole of the truth; it is not just the mouth that utters the name.
I could see the Dragon Outcastes name, once.
And youve never been suicidal enough to attempt to use it.
I couldnt. I couldnt hold it all in one place for long enoughits too big.
Teela said nothing for a long moment. I will need to bathe and change before I join the High Court in the dining hall. I would suggest you bathe, as well; the dress is, of course, without blemishbut your hair looks like its a nest of weeds.
Thanks.
This is your room, Teela said.
Wheres yours?
Closer to Corporal Handreds. Dont make that face. The Lord of the West March escorted your Corporal to his rooms; he is guaranteed to have arrived there in safety.
Hes not guaranteed to remain that way.
Nobut then again, neither are the rest of us. Teela smiled lazily. Things are unlikely to be boring.
I dont mind a little boredom, Teela.
Thats because you have less than a century worth of life in which to contain it. If you were actually immortal, youd have a different attitude.
Kaylin snorted. The door to her room was closed and warded. She lifted her left palm and placed it across the ward. What the door ward at the start of the wing had failed to do, this one did: it started to peal, like a series of badly formed, dissonant bells.
I hate magic, Kaylin said under her breath. She added a few choice Leontine words in the bargain as sword-wielding Barrani appeared around the corner. The small dragon leaped off her shoulders and headed toward them, which was infinitely worse. Kaylin ran after him in a panic. Dont! she shouted. Im used to this kind of nonsense, and I can survive it. I probably cant survive you turning them into puddles!
Puddles? Teela drawled. She had movedquickly and silentlyto stand by Kaylins side, but hadnt drawn her own sword.