“First, it’s Sanabalis. Next to Emmerian he’s probably the least scary of the Dragon Court. Next to the old Arkon, he’s the most competent in magic, ancient and new. He can’t be bribed—that I know of. He can’t be bought. Any decision he makes, for whatever reason, I can trust.”

“It might have escaped your notice, but Mrs. Erickson is old for a mortal. Much of the aptitude testing the Imperial College engages in is in the service of finding new Imperial Mages—mages who can be trained to be useful.”

Kaylin groaned.

Teela cuffed the back of her head. “Even if your suspicions are somehow correct, how is that of benefit to either Mrs. Erickson or the Imperial College of mages?”

Kaylin shrugged. “That’s the other reason for Sanabalis. Even if she’s too old to teach, he’ll find her interesting.”

“That’s almost like an answer,” Teela said.

“You don’t find all of this odd?”

“I find it odd, yes. It will remain odd. If her magical aptitude is confirmed, what will that change?”

Kaylin shifted. “It’s not the ghosts that are my biggest concern. It’s her two outdoor ghosts. I doubt you’d see them, even if you were looking. Mrs. Erickson didn’t have to struggle. You know I’m allergic to magic.”

Teela snorted.

“She wasn’t using any. She’s gifted, I’m telling you. But she was tested when she was much younger, and sent home as a waste of time by someone in the Imperial College.”

“Ah.”

“Ah?”

“You want to know who.”

“It was probably fifty-five years ago, give or take a few. But yes, if that person was somehow still alive, I’d like to have a few words with him.”

“And Sanabalis can give you that information.”

“If he feels like it, yes. But more important, he’ll probably remember the mage, even if the man is dead. And he might be moved to investigate other candidates that that person has written off. It’ll help the Imperial College, even if they don’t know.”

“What if she fails the various tests again?”

“Then he’ll know the tests are outdated, narrow in scope, and just plain wrong?”

Teela chuckled. “It would almost be worth forcing myself to visit the Imperial Palace to watch the outcome. Almost.”

Barrani Hawks seldom went to the Imperial Palace. In theory, they were welcome. In theory so were Lords of the Barrani High Court. Given the Draco-Barrani wars, and the permanence of Immortal memory, it almost never happened.

“Could I ask you to force yourself to visit the High Halls, instead?”

“Why?”

“I want any information you can find about Severn’s weapon. I’m going to visit the chancellor of the Academia. Well, no, I’m going to ask permission to visit his library, and possibly one of his teachers.”

“Tread carefully, Kaylin.”