“The green sometimes talked to us. We couldn’t understand it. The first time, when we failed to respond, it...kicked us out. But we were allowed to enter again, and we did try to answer when it spoke. I don’t think we ever succeeded in making ourselves clear. But once—twice—when the green spoke, it showed us many things.

“One of those things was the weapon your partner carries.”

“It looked like that?”

“Yes?” Darreno frowned. “I’m not certain what they look like to you.”

“Long weapon chain, blade at either end.”

“That’s not what it looks like to us. What we knew was that the weapons were highly, highly desirable. They were created by the green, or at least protected by the green, and if the green judged a Barrani worthy, they were offered to that Barrani. If one who wasn’t worthy—in the green’s view—touched the weapons or attempted to wield them, they died. Many, many Barrani wanted them.”

“Of course they did. They’re powerful.”

“We were shocked to see the weapon in the hands of a mortal. We wondered if...if the mortal was like us, maybe. If she’d finally managed to perfect whatever she’d intended to perfect, and had finally found someone she could send into the green to retrieve them. Had she been present, we would have been rendered irrelevant. Useless.

“He shouldn’t have the weapon. He does have it. The green must have decided he was worthy of it. She would have been so angry. So many Barrani wanted that weapon.

“She was no different. But as she was not allowed entry to the green, it was clear that the green—or the weapon itself—would never consider her worthy. We spent some time visiting the green; she was frustrated, in the end. But our entries into the green eventually yielded enough information that she could enter without the Warden’s permission. It was easiest to enter through the Hallionne, but the Hallionne was prepared for that; she had never liked the Hallionne, and seldom chose to stay within their borders.

“The Hallionne, in turn, mistrusted her for reasons I do not believe they would ever share. But if she could enter the green, she could not find the weapon. She searched for some time. We attempted to avoid her when she returned empty-handed; she was always angry. Her father knew that she made the attempt; they argued. He did not believe she would ever be found worthy.”

Kaylin winced.