He was right. There was no reason why he couldn’t work, no reason why an unbonded Shield couldn’t protect him.

  “Think how it would be, Dunleavy, if there were no more Pairs. Think of all the problems it would solve. No one would be considered redundant. People who hated each other wouldn’t have to work together, which makes everyone miserable and endangers everyone. And one person wouldn’t have to die just because his partner did.” I had to admit that I was all for avoiding that aspect of the bond. I’d never understood the necessity of it, myself. “Death is always unfortunate, but without the bond, the surviving partner would at least be able to live and work with others.”

  Aye, and she wouldn’t have to walk around wondering when her aristocratic, apparently always-embroiled-in-something Source was going to get himself killed and take her with him. I certainly could have done without those weeks following Karish’s attack, and the fear I continued to feel while he was missing. Of course, even if avoiding the bonding was possible, it was too late for me. The bond was there. I knew it.

  “And then, there’s the situation that’s happening in Middle Reach,” said Creol, waving his coffee cup. “One partner does something wrong, both get punished. If Sources and Shields weren’t bonded, when one committed a crime or was proved incompetent, that one would be properly dealt with and the other would be able to move on and work with someone else. As it stands now—Well, have you met the Shields here, Dunleavy? Every single one of them has been exiled to Middle Reach because of something their Source did. It’s almost enough to make one embarrassed to be a Source.”

  I pushed a sausage around my plate with my fork. I would have never expected to encounter a reasonable, sensible Stevan Creol. I didn’t know what to think. Except that it was highly unlikely he had anything to do with Karish’s disappearance, so now what was I going to do? “What’s your plan?”

  He shrugged. “I’m not sure. I’m feeling my way around right now. Talking to people. Seeing what kind of support I can get. I’m starting with the Shields here, and they will talk to their colleagues, those who are Paired with more reasonable Sources who will listen to them. All of these people have families, some of them highly placed. They can put pressure on the Triple S. Which, you may recall, is completely dependent on the public purse for funding. If it should reach the Empress’s ears that the Triple S is failing to meet the needs of its members and, by extension, all citizens, she just might have someone take a look into it.”

  It sounded a little sketchy to me, which made me feel he wasn’t telling me everything. He’d already been planning these changes for years, hadn’t he? Then again, maybe he just didn’t have much of a plan. I wouldn’t know how to go about making changes to the Triple S, either. “Is that all you’re going to do, then? Talk?”

  He smiled. “Well, no,” he admitted. “I do have some . . . demonstrations in mind.”

  That didn’t sound good. “What kind of demonstrations?”

  “I told you I believe we are changing,” he said. “I think one of the ways we’re changing concerns our talent, what we can actually do. Our powers are increasing.”

  So that wasn’t restricted to Karish. How . . . alarming. “Our powers?”

  “Well, powers among Sources, anyway. I don’t know about Shields.” He paused in invitation. I said nothing. “But I’ve learned some Sources are developing new skills.”

  Gods, drag it out a little longer, man. “What kind of skills?” Healing, maybe?

  The tension that suddenly appeared on his face surprised me. “You’re asking a lot of questions,” he said, an edge to his voice.

  I thought I was just following the script. “You offered to answer them. Besides, I’m interested.”

  “This is not the sort of thing I want to have misinterpreted by the wrong people. If rumors start about wild Sources with mysterious powers, it’ll kill my plan before it’s even had a chance to start.”

  “I can be the soul of discretion,” I promised.

  He winked at me. “I like you, Dunleavy.” Oh, goody. “But it’s not yet time, I think.”

  Hook was baited, but was I caught? I didn’t think so, but then I didn’t know the game. Or if there even was a game. I needed to think things through, and talk to someone. Only I didn’t know who. No one who came to mind struck me as being objective and impartial.

  Don’t try to think too much, dear. You’ll only confuse yourself.

  The meal was over. So, I gathered, was the conversation. Creol settled his cutlery on his plate in the manner of a man who was ready to leave. “Thank you for your company,” I said politely.

  “Oh, no, thank you,” he responded with too much enthusiasm. Was he mocking me? He grabbed my hand and bowed over it. “I’ll see you again soon.”

  I hoped not. So he wasn’t crazy. He still made me uncomfortable. I watched him leave and felt my shoulders relax.

  Alone again, I lingered a little and savored the last of my coffee. I thought over the past hour and dissected the conversation. What could he have learned from it? Not much, I thought. He had done almost all the talking. I had confirmed that I was looking for Karish and that I knew of Creol’s association. Would that have been of any use to him?

  If he had gained anything from the conversation, it was more than I’d gotten. I still had no idea what was going on, and had gotten no hints as to whether Karish was in Middle Reach at all.

  I went back to Ryan’s house. He was the only one up, picking up some of the mess scattered about the living room. He smiled when he saw me. “Are you an insanely early riser?” he asked.

  “Not usually.” Not ever, until recently. I joined him in picking up some mugs and plates, though he tried to shoo me away. “I went to the civic center to see if there was any sign of Karish.”

  “Obviously you had no luck.”

  “Aye.” Obviously. “I’m just back for a bath, and then I’ll crawl over the rest of town.”

  “I’ll fix you something to eat while you’re washing up.”

  “Thanks, but no. I’ve already eaten.” With Creol, though I didn’t mention that. I wasn’t sure why I kept that bit of information to myself. Habit, I supposed.

  The others were in the kitchen by the time I had bathed and changed my clothes. They greeted me cheerfully, their hangovers not too debilitating, and they expressed their wonder at my being up and active so early in the morning. They were relaxed, they were enjoying themselves, and they were too tempting. I marveled at how quickly they accepted strangers, and I envied them that they apparently had nothing to do that day but bask in each other’s company. I, however, did have a chore or two to perform, and I couldn’t afford to let myself be distracted by them. Making my way to the front door, I called out my farewells.

  “When will you be back?” Aiden asked.

  “I have no idea.” I wanted to look around carefully, and I wanted to follow up any opportunity that presented itself.

  “Be careful, Dunleavy,” he said. “It’s not exactly high-class society out there.”

  “Not exactly high-class society in here, either,” Wyman retorted.

  “Don’t worry, Mother. I’m a big strong girl. I can tie my own shoes and everything.” I bounded out the door before anyone else could offer any unsolicited advice or, worse yet, company.

  Perhaps I’d find Karish that day. I really hoped so. Then I could be out of Middle Reach and back in High Scape doing the job I’d been trained my whole life to do. I’d been useless for far too long.

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Twilight found me tired, frustrated, and unsuccessful after a day of knocking on doors and asking stupid questions. Hunting down the Runner Headquarters had been useless because, it appeared, Middle Reach had no Runners. I didn’t know what the citizens did about any criminal issues they might have. Maybe nothing. Or maybe they didn’t suffer any crimes. All I knew was that without that basic service, I had nowhere to start.

  I went to the mayor’s office, hoping someone would have some suggestions. They had heard of Stevan Creol, but it appeared everyone knew everyone in Middle Reach. They hadn’t heard of his association. Certainly, I was informed with a stern glare, he hadn’t asked for any permits. Only one secretary had heard of Karish, and she thought he was a prince from a collateral line, exiled to Middle Reach by the Empress for impregnating her daughter.

  The Empress didn’t have any female children.

  I wandered around and looked. I visited all the public buildings and asked about Creol’s association, and about any recent visitors. The answers, civilly delivered or not, were all negative.

  So then I went to private homes. I was invited in for tea. I was sworn at. I was in danger of losing my nose, or my toes, in all the slamming doors.

  I was unsuccessful. I was discouraged and scared. I didn’t know what to do next. I was probably wasting my time. Karish probably wasn’t anywhere in the area. I returned to Ryan’s home, wishing I could give up, as I was clearly incompetent at this, but knowing there was no one else to assume the task.

  I found Ryan alone in his kitchen, sitting at the table and working on something involving wood. He seemed relieved to see me. “There you are,” he said, a mild rebuke. “Aiden’s gone looking for you.”

  That irritated me. “I told him I’d be a while.”

  “He’s bored, I expect.”

  I pulled up a chair. “He knew we weren’t coming here for a vacation.” On closer inspection, the thing he was working on proved to be a beautifully carved bird. I was impressed. “You made that?” I asked. I so envied people who could do things with their hands.

  “Aye, for my niece.”

  I frowned. “Whose daughter?”

  He smiled. “Not Aiden. He has no children. That we know of.”

  Of course he didn’t. And if he did, it would be no business of mine. Not at all. Really.

  “For our sister’s daughter.”

  “Oh. I didn’t know you had a sister.”

  “Aye. She’s a Source.”

  “A Source and a Shield in one family? That’s unusual.” I wondered why Aiden had never spoken of her. It seemed odd that he hadn’t, and that he had such sympathy for Shields but none at all for Sources.

  More unusual was that she had a daughter. It wasn’t impossible for working Sources and Shields to have children, especially if they didn’t work on particularly active sites. Still, channeling and Shielding was hard on the body, and it made siring and conceiving children difficult.

  “It’s rare, I guess,” Ryan said. “She’s the oldest. Mother realized what she was when she was still quite young and sent her to the academy. I remember her well. I don’t think Piers and Aiden do, though.”

  I asked, “What does she think of Creol’s cause, here?”

  His expression tightened, and he suddenly became engrossed in carving one more small detail into the bird’s wing. “She doesn’t,” he said in a flat tone. “Sympathetic to my case, and to the others’, but doesn’t feel it warrants changing the whole system. Do more harm than good, she says, for the sake of what are really just exceptions to the rule.”

  I gestured at the carving. “But you don’t resent her for thinking that way.”

  “Course not. Family. She can’t help how she thinks. All those ideas pounded into her head from the time she was a wee thing.” He blew some wood dust off the carving. “But she’ll learn.”

  There was something about that last statement which I found just a bit chilling.

  “’Sides, she has the good side of things, being a Source. Hard to see the evil of a system that’s treated you well all your life. Harder still to stand up to it, once you have seen it.”

  “Unlike Creol?” That kind of slipped out. I hadn’t planned on mentioning Creol in any context. But I wanted to hear of him from others who had met him.

  Ryan grunted. “Man’s no saint. System hasn’t been so good to him, has it? He’s a Source but he’s got no Shield to master. And whether the Triple S started all those rumors or not, they’ve made it clear they’ve got no use for him. No reason why he can’t be assigned to a site, as a backup if nothing else, but he’s not bonded so they think he’s useless.” He looked me right in the eye. “It’s the bonding, I figure, that’s the real problem.”

  Creol figured the same, but I wasn’t supposed to know that. I just cocked my head and my eyebrow and hoped I looked interested. “I have no cause for complaint.”

  “Hope you won’t have any in the future.”

  “Can’t convict a man before he’s even committed a crime.”

  “But you can protect yourself in the face of certain tendencies.”

  “Of which Karish has so far shown none.”

  He chuckled. “Stubborn.”

  When threatened with conversion, damned right. Too many people had tried to tell me how to feel about Karish. I wished they’d just leave me alone and let me make up my own mind.

  The front door rattled, and a moment later Aiden was walking into the kitchen, Creol on his heels. I tried not to stare. When had those two met up?

  Aiden smiled at me and snatched up the kettle. “Did you learn anything?” he asked, filling the kettle at the pump.

  I wondered why Ryan hadn’t asked me that. I wondered why Ryan wasn’t reacting to Creol entering the residence like it was familiar to him. Hadn’t I been told that Creol never stayed at the residence? “Afraid not.”

  “Where did you look?”

  I didn’t see any real reason to keep my efforts a secret from those in the room, not even Creol. He knew why I was there. I described my failures. Maybe someone would have some useful hints.

  Ryan seemed particularly unimpressed. “I hope you didn’t offend anyone,” he said. “People here treat us well, but they don’t have to. They know we’re Triple S exiles. We can’t be harassing them.”

  “I was perfectly polite,” I said coolly. “It was necessary. I need to find out if Karish is even in the city. If he isn’t”—as I was beginning to suspect, damn me for wasting so much time on nothing—“I need to learn that as soon as possible, so I can move on.”

  “Oh,” said Ryan. “Then you’re not looking to stay here long?”

  “No.” Ryan seemed, well, not quite annoyed by my answer, but it was clear he didn’t like it. “Why?”

  “Ah. I was just wondering what you thought about the other.” He gestured at Creol, who hadn’t taken a seat at the table but was leaning back against the counter, watching us. I guessed Ryan was referring to his cause.

  “I’m not prepared to get involved with that right now,” I said. Ryan nodded stoically. Had he protested or argued, I would have refused to defend my decision. As he did not, I felt compelled to explain myself. “I’m sorry, Ryan, but I’ve got to find Karish and patch up whatever needs patching. Then we have to go to Flown Raven and settle his title situation. Then we have to figure out what killed all the other Pairs in High Scape. I just can’t handle another project right now.”

  Aiden glared at me. “How can you have heard all the Shields here and not want to do anything?” he demanded.

  Annoyed by an attack from that corner, I snapped back, “Because I’m an apathetic, selfish bitch.”

  “Now, now,” Ryan said. “He didn’t mean to imply that.”

  “Aye, he did.” I hoped I wasn’t glowering at the idiot because that would be just too unprofessional. “Listen up, Kelly. When Karish is the Duke of Westsea he’ll be able to take the Shields’ concerns straight to the Empress’s ear.”

  If anything, Aiden became even more incensed. “You’re standing back to rely on Karish? When the hell did that start happening?”

  “I’ve always been practical, Aiden. And the cold, hard truth is that the Triple S council will listen a whole lot faster to a peer of the realm than a band of disaffected Shields sent into exile. I find Karish, he gets his title, you have a strong ally in the Empress’s court.”

  Aiden fumed. My words made perfect sense, but he wouldn’t be able to understand until his blood cooled and his brain started working again. I left him to it.

  Creol was looking thoughtful. “Do you really think Karish would support us?” he asked me.

  “I’m not sure,” I admitted, “but I think so.”

  “I don’t,” he said bluntly.

  “Oh?”

  “I’ve known Karish much longer than you have, Dunleavy. We didn’t do a lot of training together, but I was at the academy the day he arrived, and I was there until he was sent out for field training. Everyone knew he was the second son of the Duke of Westsea, and everyone was aware of every move he made.” That would have driven me crazy, everyone watching me all the time. “I don’t claim to know him inside out, and I won’t say he’s a cruel person, but he’s never struck me as being a selfless person, either. In fact, he appeared to me to be self-absorbed and thoughtless. I remember when he first came, he expected to be served his meals in his room.” Creol shrugged. “He just seems the sort who doles out small kindnesses if they take no real effort but is otherwise a fairly selfish individual. Do you really think someone like that would go out of his way to help a group of strangers by changing a system that has always treated him well? I don’t.”

  I wanted to grind my teeth. I wanted to get away from everyone and think for a week. Because I didn’t know. A quick glance at the past revealed no instances of Karish ever helping anyone when it wasn’t related to the job. He had received many kindnesses, and he hadn’t always seemed to appreciate them, but I couldn’t recall him doing anything for anyone else.

  And then I could. I looked at Aiden. I saw him writhing in pain on the dancing ground. I saw Karish kneeling beside him and soothing away his pain. I saw Karish in the hospital, risking his mind to bring back Ogawa and Tenneson in a stunt that he didn’t know would work and if discovered could subject him to the rigorous testing he seemed to fear.