“Words,” she replied. “I think they’re the same language as the marks of the Chosen, but they’re far more complicated. The only time I saw something close was...” She stopped. “Never mind.”

“I’m listening.”

Kaylin shrugged, uncomfortable now. The Devourer’s name had had form and complexity like this. So had the outcaste Dragon. In neither situation was the owner of those words in any way welcome, and she was afraid that similar conclusions might be drawn.

Because they should be.

Ah, Ynpharion, his voice laced with the usual frustration and disgust. It was almost a comfort, although she failed to respond.

Kaylin continued to speak to Terrano. “I’m not sure what to do with the words.”

“Have you done something like this before?”

“No.” Pause. “Yes. Maybe?”

Disgust in Ynpharion grew deeper and stronger, but it was less comforting because too much of it was aimed at himself. She wasn’t ever going to be his biggest admirer, but she thought there should be a limit to self-flagellation.

Except when you do it? the Barrani Lord asked. She ignored that, too.

Terrano rolled his eyes. “Let’s go with yes, to start.”

“Someone had a word on their brow and I...took it.”

“You took it.”

“Yeah—it was during the time when you were causing serious trouble for the rest of us.”

Terrano winced. “Okay, so maybe we start with the maybe.”

Teela glared at him. “What did you do with the word?”

“If I remember right, I stuck it on my forehead. On my skin. It—I think it was a Barrani True Word.”

“There are no Barrani True Words,” the Dragon said, the crimson in his eyes slowly fading into the more normal red that indicated anger. “There are True Words.”

“Can you see them?”

“No. Not without interference.” He exhaled smoke and ash, but had the grace to turn his head to the side before he did. “I believe magical interference is inadvisable at this juncture.” His form slowly dwindled into the far more familiar Lord Sanabalis. Kaylin knew that Dragons could wear magical clothing that somehow survived the human-to-Dragon transition and back; he appeared to be wearing it now.

“Mrs. Erickson, I have a few questions to ask.”

“Of course. I’ll answer the ones I can—but people often don’t think my answers make enough sense.”

“They would. I do not believe I will have that problem. And I believe that the corporal may now safely let go of your hand.”

Kaylin’s hand was numb, except for the parts that were painfully tingly. She attempted to force her fingers to move enough to let go of Mrs. Erickson’s hand; she knew an order when she heard it.

“So...you think Mrs. Erickson has magical potential?”