In which Rys says a hello and Syl Vor says a farewell.

This book is Syl Vor’s big step into the spotlight, but it’s also casting new light on Nova, showing aspects of her other than the one who stays home being strait-laced while all her siblings hare around acting precipitously and making witty banter.

The bit where Syl Vor maybe-falls-asleep against the Tree reminds me – particularly with Kezzi talking about “dreaming together” in the other half of the chapter – of “Dragon Tide”, and the dragons that used to sleep in the branches of the Tree’s ancestors and share their dreams.

(I also note that somebody, presumably the Tree, is doing some pretty blatant manipulation to get Syl Vor out to receive his gift, and then back in as soon as it’s done. It’s interesting that Syl Vor’s hand enters the last override code without his conscious mind getting involved; is that just a limitation of the process, or is the Tree making an effort to make sure he doesn’t remember it and use it on some other less appropriate occasion?)

And the continuing emphasis on dreaming from Silain and Kezzi reminds me that I was reminded recently that the authors are fans of Janet Kagan’s novel Hellspark, which leads to the realisation that the luthia reminds me somewhat of layli-layli calulan from that novel.