Po rolled his eyes, swore under his breath, and left the kitchen. They heard the door to his first-floor room slam shut. Zendrak shrugged. «He'll be back.» Everyone in the room knew Zendrak was right. Although Po's temper exploded more often than anyone else's at the Kaleidicopia, his foul humors blew over equally fast. Barlimo stirred the cocoa and muttered, «I wonder if Po washed this pot before he used it?» «Better wonder if he washed his hands,» retorted Janusin.
At the Kaleidicopia, as Yafatah had pointed out in her ietter to her mother, Po's housekeeping habits were often the irate topic of the monthly house
meeting that all Kaleidicopians were obliged to attend. If you didn't attend, you moved out. Very simple. Barlimo often said the Kaleidicopia was not a democracy. It operated more like a federation of landdraws. Everyone had a vote, but Barlimo could ask you to leave. Or stay. Since Barlimo was an eminently fair person, this system functioned quite well. Zendrak's
presence in the house, however, had thrown a little confusion into the lines of command recently. Unknown to the rest of the members of the Kaleidicopia until the last year, Barlimo did not own the boarding house. She had designed and built it, yes, but she had done so according to the requirements of Zendrak. And Zendrak was following Greatkin Rimble's orders. Yafatah pushed through the swinging door into the crowded kitchen. Yawning, the young Tammirring girl said, «Anybody found the dog?» Zendrak glanced at Yafatah and said, «I think he's gone off again. He does that. Maybe for weeks at a time.» Yafatah scowled. Janusin, who had not seen Yafatah for two days, stared at the sixteen-year-old's swollen face and hands. «You look awful. What happened to you?» «Thanks,» muttered Yafatah through fat lips. «A swarm of uni—univer—whatever they are—got her,» said Tree. «Univer'silsila,» corrected Barlimo and Rowenaster together. Rowenaster began pouring everyone mugs of cocoa, being careful to leave enough in the pot for Podiddley when he returned from sulking. As he got to Zendrak, the Saambolin professor said, «You and Kel must've had a dilly of
a fight tonight. I've never seen her leave the house in such a state. Or with such haste.» «Where in the world will she go at this hour?» asked Janusin. Zendrak set down his mug. «I had no idea she'd left the house. Blast!» «Don't you ever get tired of chasing her?» asked Barlimo, stirring the cocoa.
«The truth? Yes. Tonight, I'm very tired of it. I take one step forward with her and three back.» He left the room hurriedly, grabbing his dark green traveling cloak in the hallway. The door slammed behind him.
«I just doon't see why Kelandris has to take everything so personally,» said Yafatah. «She's in love,» said Janusin.
Tree put his twiggy hands on his hips. «If she's in love, Jan, then she's only in love with herself.» Janusin sipped his cocoa out of a ceramic mug. «She's in love with Zendrak. Only she can't admit that. So she gets herself all upset so he'll have to comfort her. So she'll know that he loves her, too. Admittedly, a stupid system. But Kel's not exactly right in the head, if you know what I mean. So she does the best she can. We all do when it comes to love.» Yafatah wasn't convinced. «Yeah, but what be so hard about saying you love someone? Timmer does it every time she writes a song. I love you. There. So what?» Janusin's Jinnjirri hair turned a philosophical silver-gray. «Uh-oh,» said Tree. «Now you've done it, Ya. You've got him going on his favorite subject: love.» Janusin gave Tree a sickly-sweet smile and ignored him. Turning back to Yafatah, Janusin said, «I suppose the words 'I love you' are quite easy for anyone in this room to say—» «Not me,» snapped Po, returning unannounced. Barlimo batted her fifty-year-old eyelashes at the little middle-aged thief and said smoothly, «Well, you're our resident Contrary, Po. What's easy for us has to be hard for you.» She handed Po a full mug of cocoa. *9*
In the street outside the Kaleidicopia, a figure in black hurried toward the public stables. It was Kelandris. The moon shone brightly overhead, casting a silver radiance over Kel's shadowy form and the darkened houses. It was close to four bell-morn, and everyone was asleep in the city. Kelandris neared the stables. She knew that most of the horses were stabled inside this time of year. The weather had remained well below freezing for weeks now. Such temperatures made it mandatory to blanket the animals. Kelandris climbed under a cloth stable guard and hastily unbuckled the blanket on the black horse inside the stall.
Like her brother, Zendrak, Kelandris was able to ride a horse without bridle or saddle and control it through her emotions. Unlike her brother, however, Kelandris was unable to call one of the horses from Neath, the Greatkin underworld, and ask it to carry her. She had never been granted this privilege. Not yet, anyway. So while Zendrak got around the world on the back of his black mare, Further, Kelandris made do with the mortal variety of steed. Kelandris stroked the neck of the black gelding and unhooked the stable guard. The gelding snorted as she made contact with his animal mind. Calming him, she grabbed a handful of mane and jumped on his furry back. The gelding wore a thick winter coat, nature's indicator of a continued tough winter. Kelandris commanded the gelding to leave the city at a slow canter. She realized that if Zendrak decided to follow her on Further, she
had little hope of outrunning him. Still, it was worth a try. She had to get to Suxonli. She had to finish what was begun there eighteen years ago. Black on black, the night hid both the rider and the ridden. Urging the gelding into a gallop, Kelandris turned the horse north. They approached the five-foot gate that led out of the city. Hunching over, she asked the horse to jump it. She did not wish to get stopped at the gate. She had no papers or pass to hand to the sleepy Saambolin guard who would require them. If Saambolin bureaucracy got hold of her, she would never escape Speakinghast before Zendrak caught up with her. The gelding gathered himself for the jump. He cleared it safely. Kelandris heard the astonished
shout of the Saambolin guard behind her calling for her to stop. She ignored him. Horse and rider sped north. Zendrak reached the stable too late to catch Kelandris. Sniffing the air, Zendrak tested Kel's scent on the wind. He grunted. He had her. She was heading north at a fast clip. He swore loudly. He was certain her destination was Suxonli Village. And Elder Hennin. Walking behind the public stable, Zendrak looked to see if any of the pastures were empty. They all were. Zendrak ran his fingers through his shoulder-length black hair. He needed a large open space, preferably one