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Confrontations of many kinds.

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"Oh bother," Will said, gazing at the glowing screen of his cell phone. "It seems I'll have to cut our study session short today."

"That's fine," Vince assured him. "I think we got a lot of good material for the project so far. We can pick up here tomorrow."

"I appreciate your understanding," Will said with a smile. He reached across the table and began scooping books and notes into his backpack.

"Did something come up?" Vince asked.

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Of course Kallijas was not surprised at how the trial turned out. I’d placed him in the second’s room in the barracks, for his safety. We sat there now, and I locked everyone else out except my mother. We’d decided it would be best if she went with him back to Vae Arahi. Appearances and work kept me from being with him much, but not her, and they had become friends.

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The full moon crept over the town, slipping silver through the bars of the jail where John held Rabbit through his transformation; it glinted faint on Georgie Prake's tears as he sat in the darkened window he'd occupied almost continually since his disgrace; and it shone white on a woman's bare skin. The moon lit the woman only briefly. Her coloring dappled, and she blended into the surrounding shadows. Mamzelle prided herself on her camouflaging, especially chained as she was to the form of a human woman.

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"We'll see if we can find some fresh water if you want, but you're avoiding our questions again," said Corrie. "Look, if we ask a question you really don't want to answer, you can just say so. We're not out to get you. We just want to get to know you. And what if you need our help?"

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Of course Kallijas was not surprised at how the trial turned out. I’d placed him in the second’s room in the barracks, for his safety. We sat there now, and I locked everyone else out except my mother. We’d decided it would be best if she went with him back to Vae Arahi. Appearances and work kept me from being with him much, but not her, and they had become friends.

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Feast after Famine.

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Noon entered midway through Anilitak’s story, announcing himself in the same formal way Question had. He seemed to expect Anilitak’s presence, for he called himself Noon, and once he discovered she was relating her perspective of events, he bid her continue.

“Stupid, impetuous, foolish man!” Silencia said at the end of Anilitak’s explanation. Question assented quietly. Noon said nothing.

“Noon,” Anilitak said, “Flit was afraid of what you might say. He didn’t want to kill the ghost. He did it for me. I’m sorry. It’s my fault.`”

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Deeper investigations.

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"Iddie, I need a new pair of mitts," said Ellika to her ladies maid.

"You have two dozen already, miss," Iddie murmured in reply as she moved through the dressing room.

"Oh, none of them suit! Haven't you seen the new fashion? Despie Sandopint came back from Ouve with it and has started a rage. I could just pinch her!"

"I'm sure you'll overtake her again, miss," smiled Iddie, holding a dress out for Ellika's approval.

"No, I wore green yesterday. Perhaps the pale gold silk? --I intend to overtake her, Iddie, I always do."

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Lying awake as the first paleness of day showed through the canvas, I learned now what kings have long known: if you do not trust your advisors on a matter, you have no one to consult with when deciding it.

I trusted my mother, but she was not really politically-minded, and it was that kind of mind I needed. Niku didn’t know enough about Yeola-e, my sibs were too young, Artira and Tyeraha were not here, Chinisa would have no opinion.

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The next junction of guide ropes led to a dead end, and a dozen strides took them through a door and into a small room. They reached its far side almost as soon as they entered.

“Sit,” Silencia ordered, pushing Anilitak onto a rope mat. Some cloth gathered beneath her, a sheet, perhaps. “Tell me what happened.”

Allowed to speak, the words tumbled out, but Anilitak had barely mentioned the ghost when Silencia cut her off. “Quiet!” No other command followed, and after almost a minute, Anilitak tried to start again. “I said be quiet!” Silencia hissed.

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"Should we call you a mermaid?" Corrie asked Troy. "I mean, obviously we're going to actually call you Troy, but should we refer to you as a merman, or a Djanaea, or what?" She'd stumbled a little over the word Troy had given for them, but he didn't correct her, so she must have gotten it close to right.

"Um... I guess if you don't mind saying Djanaea, I would prefer that. And you're not going to be talking about me to too many people, are you?" he asked.

"No, of course not. Now." Corrie leaned back in the chair and crossed her arms. "You never answered my question."

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I switched to Arkan. The infirmary had the usual number of people in it, lying in bed or helping those who were lying in bed, every word carried like in any tent, and this, more than anything, was no one else’s business. Or perhaps I just wanted to conceal my shame.

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I switched to Arkan. The infirmary had the usual number of people in it, lying in bed or helping those who were lying in bed, every word carried like in any tent, and this, more than anything, was no one else’s business. Or perhaps I just wanted to conceal my shame.

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A quick plug.

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Wheeling and dealing.

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"Looks like we got Everest," Vince said, striding into the library and depositing his books on a small table occupied by a short boy wearing glasses.

"That's great!" Will, also known as the short boy wearing glasses, exclaimed. "I thought for sure someone would have beaten us to him.

"When I spoke with the dean he told me we were the third team to make our selection," Vince replied, taking his seat and spreading out the books. "I guess the others are taking their sweet time in picking a subject."

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Kilthanis followed his guide, Davros, at a respectful distance. The man would speak over his shoulder, pointing out various sites around the city. Kilthanis found much of the information washing over him without being absorbed, as he craned his neck this way and that, looking around the strange city. Although he was not a military man, Kilthanis could tell this city was built for defense in a way that even Laris’s capital on Osh’riyo didn’t match.

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