Katie smiled like an urchin.

“Anyway, Teela would like to come in and examine the house. She won’t be able to see you. She can’t touch you, either. But please don’t throw anything else at her, okay? She’s done nothing wrong to any of you, and she likes Mrs. Erickson.”

Teela left the neighbor on the lawn, but at least he was now standing on two feet. His shoulders were still shuddering, which strongly implied he couldn’t stop weeping, but that was all Kaylin saw when she opened the door to allow Teela to enter. This time Severn followed her in.

“I apologize,” Teela said to Mrs. Erickson, her eyes blue, her expression one of studied, deliberate neutrality. “While I admit it’s not the first time I’ve seen a grown man weep, I usually understand—and even anticipate—the reason.”

“I was very surprised as well,” Mrs. Erickson said. “The last time I saw him cry was after his wife died.”

“I am not his wife.”

“No. But he hasn’t been himself since then. Did he...tell you I’d stolen something?”

“Yes. He was groveling apologetically because he’d lost it, and he promised he would do something to get it back. He would not, however, tell me what it was; he assumed I was testing him, and that made him weep even more.” The disgust she kept off her face was evident in her voice.

All four of the children were staring at her; Katie and Callis were huddled together, notably behind Jamal and Esme.

“I did not expect this reception when I offered to escort you home; had I, I might have sent my partner instead.”

“That’s Tain?”

Teela nodded.

“But this isn’t Hawk business, is it?”

“I would be far more delighted if it were, but no. Not yet. It is, however, Imperial Palace business, as you suspect.”

Jamal’s eyes narrowed. “Ask her what she means,” he demanded of Kaylin.

“I know what she means,” Kaylin replied.

Teela frowned and turned to Kaylin. “You are speaking to the children?”

“To one of them, yes.”

“Then tell us what she means.”

Kaylin couldn’t see how it could hurt. Everyone in the hall knew what had happened, Severn because of her name. “Mrs. Erickson can see ghosts, as you all know. She saw ghosts in a large room in the palace, and the ghosts saw her. They panicked because we happened to have a Dragon with us, and then they...possessed the Dragon.”

Jamal’s eyes widened.

“The Dragon wasn’t particularly happy about it, but Mrs. Erickson explained that they were frightened, and she coaxed them out. They then agreed to let me escort them to my house, and that’s where they are now. We weren’t sure what would happen if they were brought here—although possessing the neighbor would be a distinct improvement.”

Mrs. Erickson cleared her throat again.