"I can feel them. I can feel Jenna sounding for us."
"I get the feeling I'm in for a scolding," he said ruefully.
They met on the staircase, and if he were human, he would have fallen over when all three of his sisters embraced him on the uneven, dangerous staircase. They all talked at once, quickly, rashly, and he had to call loudly to interrupt them. "I'm alright!" he almost shouted, looking over them at Sapphire, who stood in a dignified manner, though her eyes told him that she wanted to run up to him and hug him too.
"What happened?" all three asked, almost simultaneously.
"Triana broke my rage, somehow," he answered, putting a paw on Jenna's shoulder. "I'll tell you thins, I've never been manhandled like that before. She knew exactly what to do."
"I felt her. I thought she was being rash, but I see she had a good plan," Sapphire said.
"Mother's experienced in handling Were-cats in a rage, Sapphire," he told her calmly. "She calmed me down before I could do any more damage. Sorry, Jenna," he said sincerely. "I hope you're not too mad."
"I understand why, brother," she told him compassionately. "I can't really be that mad. If I were in your place, I probably would have done the same thing."
"I guess I'll have to fix everything," he sighed.
"You're too important to be doing menial labor," she said firmly. "I have a whole Tower full of laborers, brother. Besides, this'll give the Sha'Kar an opportunity to train the katzh-dashi in some of their magic. There's nothing like practical training."
"I guess," he chuckled. "I'm, sorry I attacked you."
"It's no big deal, brother," Keritanima grinned. "Allia managed that."
"I see you haven't forgotten, sister," he said wryly, rubbing the back of his neck.
"I do not forget," she said cooly, but she was smiling.
"The Selani was very impressive," Sapphire complemented.
"I'm just amazed that she could beat you," Jenna admitted.
Tarrin looked at her. "Sister, it was very easy for her to beat me," he told her. "When I'm like that, I can't even think. That means I can't act with any kind of plan or strategy, and I can't use any of the techniques I've learned. When I'm in a rage, I'm actually much easier to kill. That's one reason why I try very hard not to get into them."
"Oh," she said in understanding, nodding her head.
"I've never suffered a rage like that before," he said hesitantly. "I was so far gone, I couldn't even use Sorcery."
"We noticed, and you have no idea how glad we are of that," Jenna said honestly.
"Did you come from Jesmind's apartment?" Keritanima asked.
"I came from where they are," he nodded grimly. "Me and Jasana had a little chat. Right now, she's being punished by Triana and her mother. I have no doubt that it's very unpleasant."
"She needs it," Keritanima said hotly. "It's time that little brat learned the rules."
"Fine one to be calling her a brat," Tarrin teased.
"At least I knew there was a place I couldn't go," Keritanima said bluntly. "I love her like my own daughter, but I could strangle her right now."
"She is just a child, sister," Allia said in defense of her. "Were she older, she and I would be discussing this as a matter of honor," she said ominously, "but her age protects her."
Tarrin winced inwardly. That would have been a discussion only one of them survived, and he seriously doubted that it would have been Jasana.
"I know she did something terrible, but I don't want everyone to alienate her," Tarrin said imploringly. "Let's give her a little time to understand just how much trouble she's in, but don't shut her out. Remember, she is just a child. She didn't do what she did out of malice."
"True," Allia admitted.
"Sapphire?" Tarrin asked meaningfully.
She sighed. "I won't harm her, little one," she assured him. "She is your daughter, and as you said, there was no malice in her heart. Only misguided need. I can understand why she did it. I will take my own turn in her punishment," she added fiercely, "but I won't kill her, and I won't exile her from the clan."
"I'm glad to hear that, my friend," he said with a sincerely appreciative look.
"I think we can move off these stairs now," Keritanima chuckled. "Let's go find a room somewhere and sit down. And I think the others might be happy if we let them know what was going on."
"That's a good idea. I have some things to tell them anyway," Tarrin nodded.
And he did. He'd initially given himself three days in order to find out who had turned him, but that had been found out, thanks to Allia's keen eyes. Now that that was over, his mind was once again focused on his mission, and right now that mission was to hide. But just hiding wasn't going to be good enough, he realized. He needed a little more to happen in order to make things clean and take some of the pressure off Jenna, and he had a fairly good idea of how to go about that. There were too many eyes watching the Tower, and he didn't want those eyes to stay on the Tower after he left. He needed to dislodge those eyes, and an idea had already started forming in his mind. But before he could set it in stone, he needed to put it in front of the others. He'd need their help in order to pull it off.
"Jenna, talk to Dolanna, and have her assemble everyone in the courtyard," he told her, stressing that word so she'd know just which courtyard he meant. "What I have to say can't be overheard, and that's the one place on the grounds where I'm absolutely sure that it won't happen." He scratched his chin with a claw. "I think we'd better ask Darvon and Ianelle to join us. I may need their help."
Jenna nodded soberly, then put her hand on her amulet.
"Not like that. In person," he warned.
"You have some nerve ordering me around, brother," she teased with a wink.
"Would you rather I made you?" he asked bluntly.
She laughed. "No, I don't need you to beat me into doing your bidding," she grinned. "I'll go take care of it."
"Jula, go with her. It's not seemly for the Keeper to wander around undefended right now."
"As you say, father," she said immdiately, and the two of them split off at the next landing.
"Courtyard?" Sapphire asked.
"You'll see, and please don't ask," Tarrin said.
"That is a good idea," Keritanima nodded in agreement.
Tarrin looked at her. "Where is Binter?" he asked, noticing for the first time that the massive Vendari wasn't with her. He was so used to seeing him standing behind her that he had just accepted the idea of it blindly.
"Binter will let me go out with Allia," Keritanima said with a toothy grin. "He trusts her to look after me, and it gives him and Sisska time to be by themselves for a while."
"I don't think you could be any safer," Tarrin nodded in agreement. "But what about Miranda?"
"She's with Azakar," she answered. "He's the other one they'll let escort us by ourselves."
"Well, we need them. Will they be hard to find?"