elegance. Beside her, Kareen seemed subtly overdressed.
Moonel's necklace—well, what could be said? The man was a genius. Daav wished he had been able to give it himself, so that he could have seen whether it pleased her. That, alas . . .
“Kareen is on the approach to mischief,” Er Thom murmured. “Shall I go?”
Daav looked out over the room, beyond Aelliana's present location, and drew his breath in sharply.
“Yes, and at once,” he said, releasing Er Thom's arm. “For if I go, I will surely murder her.”
* * *
“You must allow me,” Lady Kareen said, hurrying her toward a pair of ladies—one elder and stern-faced; the other young enough to perhaps be her daughter, with a face more resigned than stern, and her stance shouting pilot.
“You must allow me to present Gath tel'Izak who has the honor to be Bindan, and Samiv tel'Izak. Delm and Pilot, allow me to introduce Aelliana Caylon Clan Mizel.”
Face stiff, Bindan inclined her head, Aelliana scarcely heeded that. She stepped forward, slipping her arm free from Lady Kareen's grasp and bowed profoundly.
“Samiv tel'Izak!” she exclaimed. “I have been wanting to meet you, and to thank you! To have risked so much on my account—and never even knowing who I was! I am in your debt, Pilot. Deeply so.”
“Indeed not!” the younger lady protested. “Pilot Caylon—it is apparent to the meanest intelligence precisely who you are. I am honored, and if I may say so without offense, delighted, to be able to speak with you. The last I had known, your case was desperate, and then I fear”—a sweep of lashes in the elder lady's direction—“I became immersed in my own affairs.”
“I understand entirely, Pilot,” Aelliana assured her. “We should make time to sit with each other. I am presently situated at Chonselta, but I am at your service, Pilot. Only—” A shadow moved at her shoulder—not Daav, an inner voice told her—and she turned her head.
Not Daav, no, but welcome, nonetheless.
“Er Thom!” She caught his hand and brought him forward. “Do you know Pilot tel'Izak?”
“I have had the felicity,” he said, with an easy bow. “Pilot, I am pleased to see you looking so well.” He glanced to the other lady and accorded her a more rigorous salute. “Bindan.”
“yos'Galan,” the delm said sourly.
“Aelliana,” Er Thom said in his soft, sweet voice. “I had seen that you were unrefreshed. Might I might fetch you something? Pilot? Ma'am?”
“Thank you, no,” Bindan said, with, so it seemed to Aelliana, scant courtesy. “Samiv, there is Midys, to whom we must speak. Forgive us, yos'Galan, Lady . . . Pilot; duty calls.”
“Certainly,” Er Thom said, inclining his head. Aelliana looked to Samiv.
“A message in my name to the offices of dea'Gauss will find me, Pilot. Please, do not forget.”
Bindan moved sternly away, Pilot tel'Izak dutifully in her wake. When they had been swallowed by the crush of bodies, Er Thom turned again to Aelliana.
“May I be of use to you?” he asked, and turned his head slightly. “Or to you, Kareen?”
“There's a rare offer,” Lady Kareen said, her voice light, as if it were a joke between close kin, but her eyes angry, indeed.
“Worth all the more, then,” Er Thom answered. “What may I be honored to fetch you?”
Lady Kareen drew a breath, and smoothed her hands down her skirt. “Nothing, I thank you, kinsman. Indeed, I have neglected the balance of my guests quite long enough! If you will forgive me, Scholar?”
Aelliana inclined her head. “Of course, ma'am,” she said, carefully. “I thank you for your care.”
“You are quite welcome, Scholar,” the lady replied, her voice also careful. “Kinsman.”
Er Thom bowed. “Kareen.”
“Please, you must tell me how Daav goes on,” Aelliana said rapidly, the instant the lady was away. “I—we saw each other, and it was as if I had taken a bolt. I could scarcely think anything, except that I must go to him at once. He was similarly struck, I saw—Delm Guayar took him in hand. But—”
“He suffers,” Er Thom murmured, taking her arm and moving her carefully through the crowd—away from Daav! she thought, with a wrench—“he suffers as you do, and will continue to do unless and until this is solved.” He flashed her a look. “I speak, as you know, from experience. It may perhaps seem unnecessarily harsh, but it is my opinion that Mizel ought to be flogged. If, as we suppose, she knows that you and Daav are linked . . . ”
“She cares very little for that—indeed, how could she know what it meant, when we ourselves discover it as we go along?” Aelliana shook her head. “I have such a report of her state of mind from my sister that must concern anyone. I had hoped that the solution I proposed would move her, but it has been a week now, and no word.”
Er Thom was silent for a few slow steps.
“Daav had promised to support you here,” he said suddenly.
“Yes, and so he has done, by sending you to me,” she told him warmly. “I am very happy to see you, Er Thom, but I think—I think it would be best to take me back to Lady yo'Lanna so that you may return to Daav.” She smiled, half-amused. “We shall each have our rock, and our comfort.”
He returned her smile, violet eyes flashing. “Aelliana, I may have been remiss—have I said that I like you extremely and am grateful to find you in care of my brother's heart?”
Her eyes filled, and she pressed her fingers gently against his arm.
