The House of Always by Jenn Lyons

Author:Jenn Lyons [Lyons, Jenn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781509879724
Google: kC4JEAAAQBAJ
Amazon: B08GJQPRHW
Publisher: Tor Books
Published: 2021-05-10T23:00:00+00:00

Talea’s reaction The Lighthouse at Shadrag Gor

Talea had a thin, uncertain smile plastered on her face when the vision ended, because of course, everyone was staring at her. Which she’d expected, but even so, it hurt a little. Not all the looks were supportive. Kalindra looked openly skeptical, and Senera’s expression was … considered. Whether that consideration was on the matter of Talea’s sanity or some other problem revolving around her revelations wasn’t yet clear.

Not-Actually-Taja wasn’t visible right at the moment. Evidently, she was going to let Talea work this out on her own.

“You really think—” Senera started to say, and then stopped and reached for the Name of All Things.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake. She’s telling the truth,” Talon said. “If you really must ask your pet rock a thousand questions, go ahead, but she’s telling the truth. She really is seeing all that. And if it’s not real, someone’s doing a hell of a job of faking it.”

Sheloran cocked her head. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that unlike the rest of you fine people, I—and I equals Kihrin here—have met the real, actual Taja when she felt like running around as a little girl, and Talea’s memories are identical. She didn’t just remember any ol’ adorable little silver-haired moppet—she remembered Taja. As I am under the impression Talea only previously met the adult version, and then only for a few minutes at most, why on earth would she get that detail right if she were going insane? Do you think you could draw what Galen looked like when he was eight just because you’ve seen him full grown now? Trust me, that was Taja.” Talon paced as she rolled her eyes, all but throwing her hands up in the air.

“Thank you,” Talea told her, surprised at the defense.

“Anything for my”—Talon paused—“friend.”

“You mean sister,” Talea corrected. She knew exactly why the mimic was having these little attacks of conscience, and it wasn’t out of anything like a sense of friendship. Talon’s memories of Talea’s twin sister, Morea, were messing with the monster’s head.

The mimic froze. “I’m not—” Talon visibly swallowed. “Don’t tease.”

“So are you still seeing Eshimavari?” Senera asked Talea carefully. She was eyeing her with a wariness Talea found upsetting.

“Yes,” Talea said. “I’m not seeing her right now, mind you. She comes and goes.”

“And tells you what to do,” Kalindra said, making it sound like Talea was “compromised” or had been suborned or some other silly nonsense.

“No!” Talea said. “She just tells me the odds. And lately, she doesn’t even really need to do that. I can figure out the odds on my own.”

This did nothing to alleviate the worried look on Senera’s face. “Have there been any other … symptoms?”

“Symptoms?” Talea laughed. “You make it sound like I’m catching a disease.”

Senera didn’t reply.

As if to break up the awkward silence, Sheloran yawned and then said, “Do we have any idea what time it is? If that’s a question that even has any validity under the circumstances.”

“It feels late,” Kalindra said, “but I can’t say for sure.

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