The Avatar looked at both Teela and Kaylin as if he recognized neither. His eyes were dark—as dark as the Consort’s, as dark as Teela’s. The Consort’s voice fell on a tremulous, high note, and then she lowered her chin, breathing heavily, as if recovering from great exertion.

“They are not a threat,” she said. “They mean no harm.”

“You are troubled, daughter. You are afraid. Should I remove them?”

“No! No, please. They carry news, and perhaps one day I will be glad of it because I will have had advance warning. I did not plead for your presence in order to cause them harm; I believe they will be necessary in the near future, and they will go where we cannot.”

This familiar yet strange Avatar then turned to Kaylin and Teela as the Consort continued to speak. “I wish you to examine the Records you have about the Berranin line.”

“Time period?”

“Perhaps a century prior to its excision.”

“Do you wish to know how they ended?”

“If you possess that information—I believe they ended after you had been forced, by circumstance and the need to protect us, to withdraw.”

“If that is the case, the information I have may be of little value.”

She shook her head. “I wish to know about the relationship between An’Berranin of that time and his daughter.”

“He had two daughters; he mourned the death of the one who died.”

The Consort’s pale brows rose, as did Teela’s. “We were not aware that she had a sister. How did the sister die?”

“She failed a challenge set her by her sister. Her death was not kind.”

“Was her sister Azoria?” It was Kaylin who asked.

“Yes. But the two were close, she and her sister. You did not know of the sister.”

The Consort shook her head.

“She was barely adult when she perished; she made no mark upon history. But she made a mark upon her father and the sister that remained. He was certain that Azoria was responsible for her death.”

“Was she?”

“Yes, in a fashion—but she did not intend to kill her sister; I believe she wanted to frighten her in the way some siblings and friends do. That is not what happened. Her father showed great favoritism for the younger daughter—it was the youngest he intended to offer as possible Consort. I believe, however, that in spite of his political intent, she might well have succeeded; she was gentle. She was considered weak; she was not. But she was not easily influenced.”

“And her sister?” the Consort asked.

“Azoria intended to become the guardian of the Lake in her sister’s stead. She could not. It was not in her, but she was determined to try.”

The Consort nodded.