“But the people to whom he once spoke, the people to whom he once listened, are either dead or enslaved as he was enslaved. He is not what I am; he is not what the Barrani are. But he believes that Azoria did, indeed, utilize Shadow to create these cages; she balanced them with the material from which I create.

“She is not here; he believes she attempted to create similar cages, but without access to the materials that comprise a building such as I. Shadow, however, she could more easily access.”

“Could she draw power from Shadow?”

“She did not draw power directly from me—that, I would have noticed. But it is possible she did not choose to do so because she did not wish to attract attention. The power that she might wield is not power in the sense the Arcanists use the word; she might make or create with it, but she could not make or create life; she might sustain it in a minor way—we can create food, and that is consumed.

“My friend believes it possible—but transformative, should too much power be drawn; subtle alterations might occur. Azoria was not stupid; she was demonstrably capable of caution, of hiding intent and work. Shadow is more subtle than fire; one can make a statement of power by summoning fire, but one cannot innately consume that power.”

“So...he thinks she used too much Shadow?”

“He thinks it likely.”

“But...he’s Shadow. Like—that’s most of what he is.”

The Avatar’s brows rose. “Are the fish that swim in the ocean the ocean?”

“No, they’re fish.”

“Exactly. They breathe water. They thrive in it. But they are not water. The analogy fails when we consider my friend, as fish probably do not understand water in any absolute way. He is considering the wisdom of leaving the High Halls.”

“I think it’s a terrible idea,” Kaylin said immediately. “We know he was powerful, and we don’t know that he’ll remain safe—and free—if he leaves. He’s not certain, either; if he were, I’d give you a different answer.”

“Is your permission required?”

“Yes,” was the flat—and possibly inaccurate—reply.

The Avatar was silent for some time; the Shadow—still trying to compress itself into mortal form—rumbled. Kaylin was confused. The Shadow had very clearly taken on Barrani form when it had been trapped in the High Halls.