She nodded at them; they nodded back. If they were inclined to smirk, they managed to hide it, which was just as well. A brawl on these steps could cause injury. And, following it, more injury of an entirely Leontine nature. Marcus didnt approve of Hawks fighting each other in the Halls; hed long since given up on Hawks squabbling after too many drinks in their private time.
The door to the Hawklords inner sanctum, with its much-hated magical ward, was as usual closed. Kaylin, grimacing, placed her palm squarely against that ward and waited while the familiar prickle of magic ran up her arm and caused her hair to almost stand on end. The first time shed touched it, shed sworn her head off. Unfortunately for Kaylin, the most severe of the words occurred as the doors were opening; the domed cavern that the Hawklord ruled had reminded her of the unpleasant existence of acoustics. The Hawklord himself reminded her about the correct use of language in his presence.
It mostly consisted of dont talk in exactly the wrong tones. Kaylin wasnt a firm believer in soft-spoken threats, but if anyone could make her one, it was Lord Grammayre, the Aerian who held the title of Lord of Hawks.
She walked across the threshold.
The Hawklord, pale white wings turned toward her, was waiting in the silence. When he turned, she could see a piece of paper in his hands. It seemed to command most of his attention.
And given what it probably said, that wouldnt last long.
She paid him the obeisance the difference in their ranks demanded: She knelt. This was only partly because she was his junior in every possible way. The other partthe one that wanted to remain a member of his Hawkswas not above a little groveling, especially when there were no other witnesses. It wasnt the worst thing shed done in his presence by a long shot.
His eyes, narrow gray, traveled along the top of her head as if they could scalp her and keep the scalp as an object lesson for other Hawks. Marcus, all bristling fur and exposed fangs, was no match for the Hawklord when it came to intimidation. Kaylin had annoyed them both in her time, and had more than ample experience as proof.
He handed her the piece of paper. She had to rise to take it. That, he said, was the third member of the Imperial Order of Mages youve managed to offend in less than ten days.
She recognized Leontine scrawl; it was bold, dark, and put holes in the paper.
He started it was not an option, and she bit the words back, swallowing them. Ive never been a good classroom student, she said at last.
Were well aware of that, he replied, his words dry enough to catch fire. Weve attempted to keep your academic transcripts from the mages who have condescended to tutor you. Unfortunately, they seem to think it necessary to review them.
She said nothing, as it seemed safest. It usually was, and she frequently failed to remember this until after her mouth had engaged. I dont understand why you even think its necessary, she said at last, when his silence grew a little too weighty.
He raised a pale brow. His eyes, Aerian to the core, were shading to blue, which was never a good sign.
The Hawks dont employ mages, she said woodenly. You are not a mage. Then why
He lifted a hand. I have always considered patience a virtue when dealing with the Hawks, he told her, but I find that, as usual, you tax precious resources.
Therefore, I will be blunt. You are a Hawk, but you are alsoas you well knowblessed or cursed with magical ability. You cant control it well enoughyou dont understand what it is, or what it can do. It is the opinion of experts that the power itself can be wielded in a manner similar to the way that mages channel their power.
Which experts?
Do not even think of asking, Kaylin. He knew her far too well.
Its Festival, she snapped. Were up to our armpits in workif were lucky. Weve just gotten the tally of so-called diplomats and Important Visitors she managed to wedge a powerful sneer into each syllable of the last two words and were undermanned, as usual.
I dont have time for this right now.
I will agree that the timing is not the most opportune, the Hawklord said in a tone that implied the exact opposite. But as the timing is not of our choosing, we have little choice.
I understand what youre attempting to do, Kaylin, he added, his voice smoothing to velvet. And I will now insist that you cease this. It is unworthy of you. You can insult and infuriate every mage who crosses the threshold on my behalf, if it pleases you. But they will not stop coming. Do you understand?
She didnt.
He raised a hand to his brow. As gestures went, it was human, and even if it hadnt been, it was transparent. The Emperor himself has taken an interest in your education.
They were not the words she expected to hear. They were also the last words she wanted to hear. Unfortunately, lifting her hands to stop her ears wasnt an option.
How much does he
He is the Emperor. It is to the Emperor that the Lords of Law are beholden. How much do you think he knows?
The words too damn much flitted about, but she tried to ignore them.
You fought a Dragon, he added quietly. You fought the only Dragon who has ever survived being outcaste among his kin. The battle was felt all the way to the palace. Some diplomacy was necessaryyou can thank Tiamaris for his intercessionand there was, perhaps, a surfeit of actual facts offered. But enough was said. The Emperor knows that you bear the marks.
Her eyes fell to her sleeves automatically; they always did when anyone spoke of the strange writing that ran the length of her arms and her thighs. They had been symbols to be hidden when she had been a child on the edge of adulthood; she knew them now as words. Or names. But whose words and whose names were still mostly mysteryand in Kaylins universe, it was vital that they stay that way. She was used to them, in any case; the new ones bothered her more.
He is, the Hawklord continued, also aware that you bear a Barrani mark.
Everyone is, she said.
Were it not for Tiamaris, he would not be inclined to give you the benefit of the doubt. He has shown some forbearance in this. But he has made clear that you present a danger if you cannot be trained. And it seems that you intend to demonstrate your intractability in the worst possible way. For you, he added, as if it were necessary. I will send for another member of the Imperial Order of Mages.
She was stony silence defined.
If you happen to offend him before the week is out, you will be suspended from active duty. Have I made myself clear?
Yes, sir.
Good.
She was aware that he had just won someone the office betting pool, but could not for the life of her remember who. Just as well. She waited for a few minutes, but he had turned from her, and was now studying the opaque surface of the rooms long mirror. The fact that it was opaque made it clear that whatever he was looking at was keyed to his eyes alone.
She started toward the door.
One other thing, Kaylin.
She started toward the door.
One other thing, Kaylin.
Sir?
If you are late for any more of these lessons, it will come out of your pay. Yes, sir.
Kaylin and punctuality lived on separate continents. Another happy source of petty betting in the office. She looked at his profile; he hadnt bothered to look in her direction.
But something about his expression was stiff and wrong. She watched the lines around his mouth deepen until his face looked like engraved stone, but less friendly. Whatever it was he was looking at was something he didnt likeand at Festival time, Kaylin could honestly say she had no interest whatsoever in knowing what it was.
She chose the better part of valor and left. Quickly.
Tain, his black hair flowing in a healthy trail down his back, was at the center of the crowded office when Kaylin made it back down the stairs. As he was the only Barrani in attendance, it answered a question, albeit not a pressing one.
He smiled as she slid silently through the open arch and along the nearest wall. Even without breathing, it was impossible for her to sneak up on a Barrani Hawk; she knew. Shed been trying for seven years.
Kaylin, he said, looking up. His eyes were that shade of bottomless green that made jewelry superfluous. It meant, on the other hand, that he was happy. Or as happy as any Barrani ever got when they werent killing someone or winning some invisible-to-human-eyes political struggle.
If Leontines were incapable of acting, Barrani were their opposite; they were incapable of not acting. Immortal, stunningly beautiful, and ultimately cool, they had a quiet love of showmanship. It had taken her years to understand that, as well.
They were, however, plenty capable of being smug, which Tain was now demonstrating to the office staff; he had coins in his hand.
Had she won, she probably wouldnt. But there was no such thing as a friendly bet among the Barrani, and no onenot even the men and women who were nominally his equals in rankwanted to be in the wrong kind of debt to a Barrani.
Still, it didnt stop them from betting. She prided herself on being the person who had introduced the office to this pastime; it was one of the few that shed enjoyed in her childhood. Then again, anyone who grew up in the wrong part of townthe huge neighborhood known colloquially as the fiefs in the right parts of townenjoyed gambling. There wasnt much else about the life to enjoy.
Certainly not its brevity.
She shrugged and made her way to Tain. You won?
It looks that way. His teeth were chipped; they made his smile look almost natural. They also made him obvious to anyone who hadnt known the Barrani for months. They looked so much alike, it was hard for humansor mere humans, as the Barrani often called themto tell them apart. Much malicious humor could be had in mistaken identityall of it at a cost to the person making the mistake.
His smile cooled slightly as his gaze glanced off her cheek. There, in thin blue lines that could be called spidery, was the mark of Lord Nightshadethe Barrani outcaste Lord who ruled the fief that Kaylin had grown up in. The mark meant something to the Barrani, and none of it was good.
If she were honest, it meant something to her. But she couldnt quite say what, and she was content to let the memory lie. Not that she had much choice; Lord Nightshade was not of a mind to remove the mark, and short of that, the only way to effect such a removal also involved the removal of her head. Which, according to Marcus, shed barely miss anyway, given how much she used it.
In ones and twos the dozen or so Barraniwell, fourteen, if she were paying close attentionthat were also privileged to call themselves Hawks had been brought by either Tain or Teela to look at the mark.
In one or two cases, it was a good damn thing Teela was there; they were almost unrestrained once the shock had worn off, and the restraint they did have was all external.
Kaylin had gotten used to this.
And the Barrani, in turn, had grown accustomed to the sight of the offending mark. But they didnt like it. They didnt like what it meant.
Kaylin understood that the word they muttered under their breaths was something that loosely translated into consort. Very loosely. And with a lot more vehemence.
Pointing out that marking a human in this fashion was against both Barrani caste law and Imperial Law had met with as much disdain as Kaylin ever showed the Barrani.
Fieflord, remember? Nightshade? Not exactly the biggest upholder of Imperial law?
But she didnt take offense. It was hard to; they were Barrani. A Barrani who wasnt arrogant was also not breathing. And in a strange way, it was a comfort; they were enraged for her.
Of course, there was a tad more possessiveness in that anger than shed have ideally liked, but beggars couldnt be choosy.
Wheres Teela? she asked Tain. The two were often inseparable.
Tains silence had a little of the Hawklords grimness. Either youre not going to answer, she said carefully, or you are, and I wont like it.
Why would you be displeased? he said. You are.
It is a matter that concerns the Barrani. Cold and imperious.
This means you wont answer.
No, he said, the word measured and stretched thin, given it was only a meager syllable, and that, in Elantran. Elantran was the default language of the Hawks, because everyone spoke it. Unfortunately, the labyrinthine paper trail of the Law itself was written in Barrani. He could have spoken his mother tongue, and shed have been able to follow it with the ease of long practice, Barrani being one of the few things shed been able to learn while locked in a classroom and chained to a desk, metaphorically speaking.
Youve looked at the duty roster? he added.
Not recently. Its not like it hasnt been changed six times a day for the last week. Why?
He gestured toward the board that had been nailed into the wall by an annoyed bureaucrat. There, also nailed into the wall, was a long piece of paper that bore several marks and a few gashesthat would be Marcus.
The only time the duty roster was this complicated was during the Festival. She approached the board and scanned it carefully.
Im not on it!
Lucky you. You want to talk to so-called merchants who cant spell and cant plot their way out of a wet bag? Its better than the alternative. And that?
Talking toor listening tomages who couldnt police their way out of a murder. She frowned. Whats this? she asked him softly.
Good girl.
Anyone else, she would have hit. Barrani, on the other hand, required more cautious displays of annoyance.
High Court duty? She frowned. Looked at the names. There were Aerians among them, and Barrani; there were almost no humans.
Severn was one of them.
What the hell is High Court duty?
Have you paid no attention to office gossip?
Ive been busy being insulted by Imperial mages.
This Festival, he said quietly, the castelord has called his Court. It has been a number of years since he has chosen to do so. I dont think you were even alive for the last one.