“And some did not. You had years of experience existing to one side of the True Names that give the Barrani life, but that name was, nonetheless, yours. And you carry those names within you now, but your experience being almost nameless could not be unmade. What you are, now, is not what you were. You have leveraged that to do things that should not be possible, and would not be had you followed the designs laid out by your creator.”

Terrano shrugged. “You have no idea how boring it is to be stuck in a cell. It’s not that we wanted to be something more or other—we wanted to be free. And over the passage of centuries, we began to look for, to see, the cracks in the cage walls. Azoria wasn’t trapped as we were trapped, was she?”

“No, not to my knowledge. But perhaps she felt ignorance and the limitations of her personal power were as much a cage as a Hallionne. Regardless, you have what answers you might find in the Academia at present. Should the two Arbiters come to an armistice and decide there is information of relevance, I shall ask the chancellor to send you a letter.”

Kaylin knew a dismissal when she heard one.

“Yes, I’m sorry. I would be delighted by your company, but the chancellor now desires my attention—and the privacy in which to receive it.”

Serralyn, sent from the office, met them as they were leaving, somewhat out of breath.

“Sedarias says she’s found some information about Azoria.” The Barrani student’s eyes were dark blue. “She asks that you return home so that we can discuss it in safety, and she further asks that you...stop talking about her anywhere other people can hear you.”

Kaylin turned to Terrano. He looked, to her surprise, uneasy, but after a pause, he nodded. “I’m to accompany you on your way home.”

“You think some Barrani would be stupid enough to throw his life away trying to end mine?”

“Personally? No. But Sedarias is being Sedarias; she sees assassins everywhere.”

“She has her reasons,” Serralyn added. “And she’s right more often than she’s wrong. I admit your visit today has filled me with doubt. You caused a huge argument between the two Arbiters, and I think Bakkon is going to get cramps from the rigidity of whatever shock he received. Maybe this really isn’t a good idea.”

“If Azoria has nothing at all to do with the trapped ghosts, I’ll drop it, okay?”

Terrano snorted. “Sedarias points out that the ghosts are dead. It’s not like you’re saving their lives.”

Serralyn winced. “Please ignore that,” she said. “Mandoran agrees with you—he points out that we were trapped for a lot longer, but at least our cage was sentient and predisposed to actually care about our welfare.”

“I take it you agree as well?”