15

If Teela couldn’t hear the ghosts, Mrs. Erickson could, and she moved fast for a woman her age, appearing around the door, dark eyes wide. She stumbled to her knees in front of Callis; she’d clearly recognized the voice.

“Callis, Callis, I’m here. You’re in my house. You’re safe.” She had to repeat this a dozen times before the words reached the child. “Jamal, what happened? What’s wrong?” Her gaze went to Teela, who was looking at Mrs. Erickson and Kaylin with a trace of annoyance.

“Teela did nothing wrong. I was trying to explain what we were doing here, what we were looking for, and I started to talk about portals.”

“Portals?” Mrs. Erickson predictably asked.

“I think we’re done with that topic,” Kaylin said quickly. “Because whatever it was Jamal remembered, Callis remembered, and...he just started to scream.” She turned to look at Esme and Katie; they were paler than usual, and silent, their eyes a bit too wide, as if they were seeing something Kaylin couldn’t. As she didn’t know how the dead could see, or even what they saw when they looked, she couldn’t pin it on simple memory.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Callis. Why don’t you all come with me to the kitchen? I can tell you about my day—it was very busy but highly unusual, and I think you might enjoy it. I met a Dragon.” She smiled brightly, the expression half-coaxing.

Katie said, “I want to watch her.” She pointed at Teela. Clearly Mrs. Erickson had never bothered to correct their manners, because no one who might be offended could see them.

“I’m sure she means no harm. She’s a Hawk.”

“She’s a Barrani. And she’s a Sorcerer.”

“She’s not a Sorcerer,” Kaylin told Katie. “Sorcerer has a specific meaning. She’s a mage, yes—but a lot of Barrani are. The bad ones are Arcanists.”

“Kitling, please.”

“Katie, you’re distracting them,” Mrs. Erickson said, a bit more steel in her tone. “They’re here to find out why you are trapped—or to find clues. I didn’t have the aptitude so I don’t have the necessary knowledge.”

“If I’m quiet?”

“I think you’ll distract Kaylin.”

“But she’s not a mage. You aren’t, are you?”

Kaylin said, “I’m a very, very, very junior mage, but sometimes I’m useful.”

“Oh. We’re not.”

Kaylin couldn’t think of anything helpful or comforting to say to that, but she rallied. “You keep Mrs. Erickson company. She’d be lonely living here all alone.”

Katie didn’t brighten up at the words, but she did nod, and when Mrs. Erickson left, she trailed after her.

“Are you quite finished?”

“Sorry. They’re—”