A simple lunch was delivered to Durzo’s room and Kylar and Durzo ate together in silence. “Guess you should head to your room, huh?” Durzo said. “They should be here any time.” He cleared his throat, reaching for a garlic pouch he no longer carried.

“I’d give anything to see you meet your girl,” Kylar said.

“I’d give anything to see you meet yours,” Durzo said.

Kylar swallowed, realizing he was pacing.

“You can feel her?” Durzo asked.

“Three floors up, heading down. Almost as nervous as I am.”

“I knew there was a reason I was never stupid enough to get ringed,” Durzo said.

“Do you have any idea how Uly’s going to react when she sees you?” Kylar asked.

Durzo shook his head.

“Then maybe you should shut your face.”

“Ah, wook, wittle Kylie is all gwowed up. He mad at his massah.”

In a flash, Kylar was on the verge of punching Durzo’s face. Then he laughed. “Unbelievable, huh? Guess I’ll go over to my room. Good luck.”

Durzo patted his back as he walked out of the room. It was an oddly intimate gesture, but Kylar said nothing to draw Durzo’s attention to it.

His room was even smaller than Durzo’s, which barely had room for two chairs. Kylar’s had only one chair and a bed. Kylar sat in the chair. Then he moved to sit on the bed. Then he stood so he could open the door before she even knocked. Then he changed his mind and sat again.

He cursed. She was just down the hall now, and she’d stopped—dropping Uly off at Durzo’s room? Uly and Vi were together? Vi didn’t seem to feel upset or guilty, which was weird, considering she’d kidnapped Uly, beaten her, and starved her only a few months ago. Then Vi was moving again, as tense as he was.

Kylar stood to open the door. There was a quick, firm rap, and then she opened the door, but Vi wasn’t alone. Sister Ariel and another woman of a similar age but with long blonde hair stepped into the room, and Vi followed.

For the tiny room, it was too many people, even if three of them hadn’t been magae. Kylar backed up to the wall.

“Kyle Blackson, this is Speaker Istariel Wyant. She’s in charge here,” Sister Ariel said.

“Nice to meet you,” Kylar said. “Here the guest quarters or here here?”

“I’m the Speaker of the Chantry,” Istariel said, annoyed.

“Then why aren’t you the Chanter?” Kylar asked. What was with him? That had Durzo written all over it, and Vi’s eyes went wide.

Istariel’s lips thinned. “We have problems, young man, they may even be bigger than your ego.”

“Why are we meeting here rather than your office?” Kylar asked.