“How stupid do I look? No, don’t answer that. Helen will be upset if we start a food fight.”

“She certainly would,” Helen said.

“I’m not the one saying it. No, okay, I did say it—but I wasn’t the one who was thinking it. You can blame Teela.”

“Who conveniently isn’t here.”

“Seems safest to me—that way you’re not starting a fight with anyone in arm’s reach.”

“If Barrani had normal memories, I’d consider it. Sanabalis understands the political dance of the High Court and its interactions with the Dragon Court. He won’t demand information I am not authorized to give.”

“He already did.”

“He didn’t. That’s just the way he talks.” Kaylin folded her arms. “Look, Elantra is difficult enough as is. Delivering information from one of the rulers of the High Court is above my pay grade.”

“And if he demands to know what the Consort said?”

Kaylin shrugged. “I’ll let Teela handle it.”

Terrano broke out laughing. No one else at the table did. Sedarias smiled, but it was a ferocious expression. Kaylin felt that it deserved an entirely different descriptive verb. She’d personally feel safer with a knife at her back than she would Sedarias if she was sporting that smile.

“Tell Teela very funny for me.”

“You’re certain it was Teela?”

“I’d bet money on it.”

Terrano frowned.

“What is it?”

“I’m not sure. Teela’s at Mrs. Erickson’s. A belligerent mortal is also at Mrs. Erickson’s. Someone you know?”

Kaylin rose from the table. “Not personally, no. He’s the neighbor who believes Mrs. Erickson stole something important from him. He doesn’t believe it enough to report whatever it was stolen; he just believes it enough to threaten her.”

“How stupid is he?”

“How would I know? Not stupid enough to be lured into punching—or attempting to punch—an officer of the law.”

“He’s not attempting to punch Teela,” Terrano said.

Kaylin glanced around the table. All of the cohort, except the visiting Serralyn, looked slightly vacant-eyed; their attention was on whatever it was Terrano could see. Serralyn, on the other hand, looked as if she was concentrating on something no one else was paying attention to.

“What exactly is he attempting to do? Is he stupid enough to threaten Mrs. Erickson when Teela is right there?”

“No, but...” Terrano grimaced. “How long would it take you to get there from here?”

“Twenty to thirty minutes.”

“If you were running?”

“Terrano, what’s going on?” When Terrano failed to answer, she looked to Serralyn. Pointedly.

“He...seems to have mistaken Teela for someone else,” Serralyn said. “I’ve been spending some time with Robin; he’s been explaining various mortal interactions, and I’ve been trying to observe the few mortals on campus to see how well his explanations align. I mean, there are so many of you.”