(eng) Michelle Sagara - Elantra 11 by Cast in Honor

Author:Cast in Honor [Honor, Cast in]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

Kattea explained what a coin toss meant while they trudged their way toward Elani Street. Gilbert did not set Kattea down, but she seemed willing to forgo the dignity of being treated like an adult for the duration of her explanation.

“I’m not certain you’re going to be invited in,” Kaylin told him.

Gilbert nodded.

“Is this one of the buildings that looks real, to you?”

“Yes.”

“Does it look dangerous?”

“I don’t understand the question.”

Given that Gilbert could confuse an attempted murder for an act of communication gone wrong, Kaylin supposed that made sense. The small dragon did not consider Elani Street worth much effort and was sacked out across her shoulders. He lifted his head when she reached Evanton’s door.

It opened before she could touch the knocker.

A wild-eyed Grethan stood in the door, the stalks on his forehead weaving like a drunk. He was dripping wet. “Kaylin!”

She almost took a step back. “Are you going to stand in the doorway or can we come in?”

He moved. He moved back, and Kaylin understood why he was soaked: it was raining. Inside the store. The familiar squawked in obvious displeasure and bit Kaylin’s hair when she was stupid enough to enter anyway.

Severn followed; she was surprised to hear a familiar Aerian curse from him, although it wasn’t loud.

Gilbert, however, remained outside, which implied he had more common sense than Kattea was willing to acknowledge. He bowed—awkwardly, since he was still carrying the girl.

Grethan said, “Evanton’s not accepting visitors today.”

“I cannot enter without your permission. It would be irresponsible and very unsafe.”

Grethan looked to Kaylin. Evanton’s apprentice was not at his best today. “I trust him,” Kaylin told the Tha’alani youth. “Or at least I trust his intent.”

Grethan knew the difference. But he wasn’t Evanton. “I’m not sure it’s my permission you need,” he said.

Gilbert, however, smiled. “Your permission will do.”

“But I’m not—I’m not the Keeper.”

“I am uncertain what you mean by Keeper; I am not uncertain about permission. If you are willing to grant me entry, I will enter. If you are not, I will wait. It seems less unpleasant outside,” he added.

Grethan muttered, “Tell me about it. Yes, if you’re stupid enough to want it, you have my permission. I’m sorry about the rain,” he added.

* * *

The Keeper was not, as the rain suggested, in the store. He wasn’t in the kitchen, either. “Where’s Evanton?”

Grethan hesitated. Kaylin assumed this meant he was in the Garden—and if it was like this outside of the Garden, she wasn’t certain she wanted to enter it. She needed to speak with the elemental water, but water, when enraged, was like a death sentence. Evanton could be drowned in a deluge and survive; he apparently didn’t need to breathe.

Kaylin, Severn and Kattea did. She wasn’t sure about Gilbert.

“He’s—he’s upstairs.”

“He’s upstairs?” Kaylin knew that there was an upstairs to the storefront. It wasn’t a secret; a second and third story could be seen from the street. Neither had ever been relevant to Kaylin. She assumed that they were where Evanton and Grethan lived.

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