Chapter 6 (Continued)

[Ianaeveli Tigenet]

When faced with such questions in other circumstances, Georg has been known to be less than helpful. Now does not seem like the time to respond with such bon mots as "Time for you to get a watch," however, so he just fishes his own pocket watch out to check. "Late afternoon," he says. "It probably felt like ages."

Iana finally manages to unwind enough from her desperately tight hold on Georg that he can actually help her stand up. The process is slow and stiff and creaky, but she can do it.

Only late afternoon! That meant that she still has a chance of making that date with Sayesti! It is an utterly ridiculous thing to think about at a time like this, but Iana is past caring about what is and isn't ridiculous right now.

"O's and A, Iana!" she exclaims with explosive relief, pulling the elven woman into her arms into a hug that would be crushing if Asra had any sort of muscle to her frame. "I'm so glad you're alive."

She pulls pack, taking Iana's face in her hands, and looking her over like a worried mother. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"

Iana collapses into Asra's embrace, burying her head in the other woman's shoulder until Asra takes her face in her hands. "No, they didn't hurt me. Thank you. Thank you both so much for coming for me." With every passing moment, Iana feels a little steadier.

She might still break down later, but if she does, she'll have people to catch her and help put her back together again.

And, strangely, that thought gives her enough strength to move forward.

She even has enough presence of mind to grab at a few nearby papers, the ones from the box marked "Firefly", and then lets Georg and Asra take her away from that terrible basement and back to someplace safe.

* * *

The same little nook in the library that they had occupied earlier is still free, with its comfortable chairs and lockable doors. They take full advantage of both.

First, Iana spends a few minutes sobbing, alternating between Asra's shoulder and Georg's. All of the turmoil of the long long day pours out of her in tears. Not just being captured: the riot, the revelations about everything going on in the city, the treachery in the university, the realization that her friend Ti's mother is mixed up in it all.

Then, when she can talk again, Iana manages to get out a mostly coherent explanation of what had happened: the earring, the bait, the evidence against Ishan. (Not the date - she'll get to that later. Although the fact that she smiles for the first time when she mentions Sayesti's name might give away something.)

How Ishan's first attack on Iana had hit Garnyn instead. "Can you ask Eldarin to check on Garnyn?" she asks Georg, eyes wide with pleading urgency as the guilt twists freshly within her. "Please?"

And then, waking up in the basement. Everything she learned from Chavon, and about Chavon.

She actually remembers a good deal of information, she realizes. Probably not as much as she should have remembered, but it's the best she can do.

[Georg Elsebethson]

Georg offers Iana plenty of support to help get her out of the building as quickly and safely as possible—thank the gods they're able to get out without anyone else trying to stop them—but it's something of a relief that she's got her legs back by the time they reach the street. It would look mighty suspicious for him to be carting her up and down Tumbledown, and the best cover story he could muster is that she's been day drinking, which might not actually help alleviate suspicions at all.

Once he and Asra get her back in the relative safety of campus and the relative privacy of the library, he finally gets the full story of what happened.

How Ishan's first attack on Iana had hit Garnyn instead. "Can you ask Eldarin to check on Garnyn?" she asks Georg, eyes wide with pleading urgency as the guilt twists freshly within her. "Please?"

"I'll do that straightaway," he says. Aside from checking on Garnyn, the fact that Chavon is so obsessed with recovering the box makes it all the more important that he warn Eldarin and make sure they have it secure and at hand. Georg stands up, then pauses. "For what it's worth, you learned more about Chavon in an afternoon than we've learned in a week, confirmed our suspicions about Firefly, and even put a bug in his ear about the 'Lady' that we might be able to use." He raises his eyebrows. "And you were the one taken captive. Bang up job."

[Asralynn Beauchaud]

Asra offers Iana support as well, though primarily once they've returned to the library. She sits beside her, holding her hand comfortingly and giving her a supportive shoulder to lean against, though she isn't at all offended when she alternates with Georg's. Who wouldn't want to be comforted by a man whose size makes you feel small and safe again?

"I'll do that straightaway," he says. Aside from checking on Garnyn, the fact that Chavon is so obsessed with recovering the box makes it all the more important that he warn Eldarin and make sure they have it secure and at hand. Georg stands up, then pauses. "For what it's worth, you learned more about Chavon in an afternoon than we've learned in a week, confirmed our suspicions about Firefly, and even put a bug in his ear about the 'Lady' that we might be able to use." He raises his eyebrows. "And you were the one taken captive. Bang up job."

"I have to agree," Asra adds, stroking Iana's back soothingly. "You kept your head far better than I would have, that's for certain. We'll make sure your efforts don't go to waste."

"I feel terrible that I left Garnyn in the library like that, but with all of the commotion with your fleeing from Ishan, I hadn't even noticed him," she admits sheepishly.