Mrs. Erickson watched with interest as Bakkon emerged. He lifted his foremost legs, and traced a pattern in the air. If Kaylin remembered correctly, that was the Wevaran version of a bow.

Mrs. Erickson returned a human version of a bow in response. Clearly Serralyn had explained enough about Wevaran to the old woman. Serralyn might have been impatient, but Kaylin was now grateful that the excursion to the High Halls had taken so long.

“I am pleased to meet you. I am called Bakkon by your kind.”

“I am called Mrs. Erickson,” she replied. “Although before I was married, I was Imelda.”

“Interesting. We do not have your social customs. Which name would you prefer?”

“Serralyn tells me you are quite, quite old.”

“Yes, I would be considered ancient by your kind. Or imaginary.” He clicked a bit, which Kaylin interpreted as a chuckle.

“Mrs. Erickson is a name given to elders—it’s a sign of respect. I wouldn’t feel right, asking you to do that.”

“Respect is not independent of age?”

“It’s complicated. Please just call me Imelda.”

“Very well. Imelda.”

“Do you eat?” she asked. “I don’t have a full meal, but...I have snacks, if you’d care to join the boys.”

“Boys?”

“She means my friends—Terrano and Mandoran.”

“Is Severn not a boy?”

“No, he is.”

“Is he not your friend?”

“He is. Mrs. Erickson thinks of Severn as an adult.”

“I find this very confusing,” Bakkon replied. “Severn is younger than either of your friends. Or is ‘boy’ not a term for an immature male?”

Teela coughed into her hand. “It is, and in this case, it is appropriate.” Looking up, she said, “They take no offense, Mrs. Erickson; they are determined to remain immature, regardless of actual age.”

The door to Mrs. Erickson’s home had not been designed for Wevaran. It was wide enough that enterprising carpenters could maneuver their wares into the house, but Bakkon wasn’t furniture. He frowned; he could retract his side legs to a certain extent, but the doorframe was too narrow.

“If you could move away from the door,” he finally said, “I will enter the house in a slightly different way.”

“Bad idea,” Terrano said, coming out of the kitchen. His eyes were red and black; from a distance it looked like they were bleeding. These weren’t normal Barrani colors, but that was fair; Terrano wasn’t normal Barrani, either. “Very, very bad idea.”

Bakkon froze. “Let me test something. It will cause no damage to your home, Imelda.”

Bakkon stepped away from the doorframe, allowing Kaylin, Severn, and Teela to enter; Terrano, Mandoran, and Serralyn had already followed Mrs. Erickson in.

“Please move away from the door.” A series of clicks enveloped Bakkon’s syllables.

“What do you think he meant to do?” Kaylin asked Terrano.

“Portal past the door,” Terrano replied. He glanced at Kaylin. “Do you feel comfortable in this house?”