Every bell in Skykeel learned Jiang's cry before the first hunter reached the cages.
The stolen call passed through the brood works in two living notes. Tower bells answered overhead. Wing bells carried it across open air, and the pale adult spread over Kaul's breast gave the lower note back without moving its dark eyes from Jiang.
Kesta pulled on the nearest cage latch.
It did not open.
"Water behind," she said. She pointed through the cage, toward a low channel hidden by root bars. "Maybe home water."
Jiang could smell wet stone and foreign cold through that narrow dark. It might lead to the ceiling sea. It might lead back toward the wound Aylin had closed.
The cage stood between him and it.
Inside, three juveniles pressed together. One still gave its changing frightened trill. Another had a pale scar around half its mouth rim. None moved toward Kesta's hand.
"One cage," Kesta said. "Then water."
A hunter entered the brood works from the basin side.
