However, since Private Neya is also somewhat unusual, he considers it not impossible that she was the target and you would merely have been collateral damage. The Imperial Dragon turned to the Hawklord. Lord Grammayre.
Lord Diarmat. The Hawklord bowed; the Dragon didnt. Kaylin watched, memorizing the details of the Hawklords bow and hating the fact that it was necessary. You are prepared?
I am. I have a dozen of my own men waiting; three of the mages of the Imperial Order are also in position. Lord Emmerian will meet us there.
Kaylin shook her head. Caitlin brought the milk and set it carefully on the edge of Marcuss desk. Do you think you can hold your little friend in one hand?
Kaylin nodded but didnt move. Teela, what is he talking about? Hes not here to take Bellusdeo to the Palace?
No, she replied.
That is correct. I am here on more martial, but not more necessary, business. Lord Sanabalis, however, is waiting in an Imperial Carriage in the yard. He will be your escort. Lady Bellusdeo, should there be any threat of magic or physical attack, the Emperor will excuse any transformation you deem necessary.
Bellusdeo said nothing at alland given her expression, which was glacial, that was a good thing.
Chapter 3
Does this mean that were off the lesson hook? Kaylin asked Bellusdeo as they walked to the yard. They were shadowed by Clint, whose wings still hadnt come down and whose eyes were still blue. She particularly hated to see Clints eyes go blue, because, among other things, he had the laugh she loved best in the entire department, and when his eyes were that color, there was no chance of hearing it.
I have no idea. Given the time, and given Lord Diarmats current disposition, I would guess that we are, indeed, excused from a few hours of his pompous and unfortunate cultural babble.
Clint actually choked slightly, and his eyes did clear a bit. Lord Diarmat was the captain, and therefore commander, of the Imperial Guard, and the Imperial Guard wasnt generally beloved by the Halls of Law; the Imperial Guard had a very high opinion of themselves and a less than respectful opinion of anyone else in a uniform who also served at the Emperors command.
The small dragon was now sitting half in her hand; the other half extended up her arm so that his neck could more or less rest against it.
I wish that creature could make himself invisible, Bellusdeo said quietly.
Why?
Because I worry about the attention hell attract.
Could it be any worse than an Arcane bomb that destroys his entire home?
Oh, I dont think his lifeif it even is a heis in any danger. I think yours, on the other hand
Lets pretend I just repeated that question.
Bellusdeo lifted a brow and then just shook her head. Do you honestly think that the bomb was meant for you?
Does it matter? If it was meant for you, it still destroyed my home and everything in it that wasnt attached to something breathing. She took a deep breath, expelled it, and shook her head. Sorry. You dont deserve that.
Youre certain?
No. I was trying to be polite. If someones trying to kill you which, in Kaylins opinion, was the most likely option its probably not fun for you, either. But thats been my home since I crossed the bridge from the fiefs. Caitlin helped me find it. Caitlin let me choose it. Its the only place Ive ever been certain was mine.
And if someone was trying to kill me, its indirectly my fault that its gone?
Youre sure youre not a Thaalani in disguise?
Relatively.
Kaylin muttered a few Leontine words and wished she could just sew her own mouth shut for the next hour or two. Because part of her did feel exactly that, and she wasnt proud of it. She just couldnt figure out how to squelch it. It would be different if shed begged Bellusdeo to live with her; she hadnt. Shed practically done the opposite. And if Bellusdeo had been living in Tiamaris or the Imperial Palacewhich had been Kaylins first and second choicesKaylin would still have a home.
The small dragon sank claws into her arm and dragged itself up to her shoulder, where it perched to bite her ear. She cursed in louder Leontine and then swiveled her neck to glare. The opal eyes of the small creature regarded her, unblinking, for a long moment.
I guess I deserved that, she said in a quiet voice as some of the tension began to leave her jaw and neck.
Why? Bellusdeo asked in the same cool, practical voice.
Because if youre rightand given my luck, you probably arehes trying to tell me that he wouldnt have hatched at all if someone with a crapload of magical power hadnt been trying to kill you.
* * *
Sanabalis was enraged. If hed opened his mouth and foot-long fangs had sprouted, it would have looked completely natural. Kaylin, whod been following on Bellusdeos heels, almost backed out of the carriage. She managed not to, but only barely. II have another place to stay, she began.
Get. In.
She did. To Kaylins surprise, given his mood, Sanabalis did not slam the carriage door.
They traveled halfway to the Palace in silence. Sanabalis broke it, because he was the only one who daredor cared to; Bellusdeo didnt seem overly concerned with his mood. What is sitting on your shoulder?
Thethe hatchling, Kaylin replied, managing to stop the words small dragon from leaving her mouth.
Hatchling?
I Yes. From an egg.
He raised a brow, and the color of his eyes began to brighten into a much safer orange. On the usual bad day, orange wasnt a safe color; funny how context was everything. Generally the word hatch implies egg. What egg?
I dont suppose we can wait until we get to the Palace? The Arkons going to ask the same questions.
A white brow rose as Sanabalis snorted smoke into the enclosed space.
* * *
When the carriage pulled into the Imperial drive, the road was swarming with guards. This was impressive, because Diarmat implied hed taken a few dozen with him; she wondered if any of the Imperial Guard was off duty tonight. More impressive, for a value of impressive Kaylin often found annoying, were the half-dozen older men in the robes of the Imperial Order of Mages. If they resented being dragooned into guard duty, they very carefully kept it off their faces as Sanabalis and Bellusdeo disembarked. They even managed to do so when Kaylin did.
They were less impressively poker-faced when they caught sight of the glass dragon perched on her shoulder, but only one man was foolish enough to ask, and he didnt get more of an answer than Sanabaliss curt dismissal.
Private, the Dragon Lord said to Kaylin as the mages who were technically junior to him in every conceivable way did the polite version of scattering, you will spend the evening in the Palace in our most secure chambers.
How much magic is in your secure chambers? Kaylin asked, trying not to cringe.
Not enough, Im certain, to be unbearably uncomfortable.
Meaning I can live with the discomfort.
If you feel any, yes. I do not require that you do this in silence; I require that you do it where no Dragonexcept Lady Bellusdeois in danger of hearing you.
* * *
Sanabalis led them into the Palace, where a by-now familiar man in a perfectly tailored suit was waiting. He bowed to Sanabalis, bowed far more deeply to Bellusdeo, and then led them to a part of the Palace that Kaylin vaguely recognized: it was where Marcuss wives had briefly stayed.
These will be your rooms, he told both Kaylin and Bellusdeo. If you prefer separate quarters
We dont, Bellusdeo replied before Kaylin could gratefully accept the offer.
Very good. He bowed, making clear by this gesture that Kaylins preferences counted for the usual nothing. Food will be provided at the usual mealtimes. If you require specific food or desire it on a different schedule, that can be accommodated. If there are any specific likes or dislikes
Kaylin opened her mouth; Bellusdeo lifted her hand. Clearly her hand was also more important. We are satisfied. Thank you.
The man then bowed and left them alonewith Sanabalis.
He was just getting to the good part, Kaylin told Bellusdeo.
Which part would that be?
The part where I get to choose whatever it is Im being fed.
Given the quality of what you do eat, I believe youll survive your silence. She turned to Sanabalis. Please dont let us detain you.
Sanabalis, whose eyes were still orange, met her dismissal impassively; he also folded his arms across his chest.
Yes?
The Emperor requests a moment of your time.
Kaylin froze.
Not yours, Private. He merely wishes to ascertain that Bellusdeo is, in fact, unharmed. He wasmost upsetwhen word of the attack reached the Palace.
He must have been if he mobilized half the Dragon Court so quickly.
That mobilization was not a response to the attack, was the curt reply. And no, before you ask, Im not at liberty to discuss it. Lady Bellusdeo?
I would of course be both honored and delighted to speak with the Eternal Emperor. I do, however, have one request.
And that?
I believe Kaylin should speak with the Arkon, unless the moment of time the Emperor requests also involves the Arkons presence.
It does not, and I believe your request can easily be accommodated. We will escort the Private to the Library before you speak with the Emperor, if that will suffice. Corporal, if you would care to accompany us?
I wouldnt dream of missing it. There were whole days when Kaylin hated Dragons.
* * *
The Arkon was not, in fact, in a red-eyed, raging fury. He was only barely bronze-eyed, and given any other Immortal shed seen this evening, that was a blessing; it wasnt as if the Arkon ever looked happy to see her. He did, however, say, I see the reports of your demise were exaggerated.
Kaylins eyes rounded. Someone told you I was dead?
It was rumored that you were, in fact, dead.
You didnt believe it.
I believe there is a phrase that is in common usage among your kind: Only the good die young. The Arkon was seated at a table in the main Library, surrounded by books, scrolls, and a handful of very expensive crystals, none of which were activated. He had a mirror to the left, buttressed by books; it, too, was inactive. Seeing the direction of Kaylins glance, the Arkon said, Yes, I was about to resume my work. Frowning, he added, What exactly are you carrying?
Sanabalis, did you want to stay for this part?
The Arkon cleared his throat loudly.
Lord Sanabalis, sorry. The small dragon sat up in her hands but spread his translucent wings as he did. This is ahatchling.
It looks remarkably like a tiny, glass dragon.
Bellusdeo rolled her eyes; she did not, however, snort. Lannagaros, your eyesight is clearly failing.
The Arkon winced. Bellusdeo, I would appreciate it if you would observe correct form; I am the Arkon.
She raised a pale brow but said nothing.
Private Neya?
You remember there was a lot of trouble caused by the magical flux of the portal that eventually opened in Elani?
Indeed.
It affected a number of different things. Among them, deliveriesof babies, she added, because from the Arkons expression, the distinction needed to be made. Not, apparently, pregnancies; any baby born in the area after the portal had opened was normal.
He nodded.
One of the births produced an egg, rather than a normal infant. The father wasnt interested in keeping the egg, and it was handed to me. I was going to give it to Evanton, but I never had the chance; Elani still hasnt been fully opened to normal pedestrian traffic, and Evantons beenbusy.
So you kept the egg.
I did.
She took care of it, Bellusdeo interjected, as if shed laid it herself.
Bellusdeo, dont you have somewhere else you have to be? Kaylin asked sharply.
Apparently, yes, but Im certain that the question of my survivaland possibly yours by extensionwill arise, and any information the Arkon can provide lessens the chance that you will personally be called to the audience chamber.
Wincing, Kaylin apologized.
How did you incubate the egg?
In a totally inadequate way, Bellusdeo replied. It does not appear to have suffered.
The small dragon stretched before climbing up Kaylins arm, where it sort of clung to her left shoulder; it draped the rest of its body across the back of her neck; its head, it perched on her right. It wuffled in her ear.
The Arkon frowned. Records, he said, and the mirrors surface shivered. The rooms reflection faded from view. Lizards. Winged lizards. Translucent lizards. He turned and readjusted the mirror so that it faced Kaylin full-on. Capture information and attempt to match. He paused and then added, All archives. Turning back to Kaylin, he said, I will not dispute Bellusdeos comment on the adequacy of your incubation decisions, but the egg clearly hatched, and its occupant is clearly alive. He glanced at Bellusdeo before returning his attention to Kaylin; given that Bellusdeo had answered most of his questions before Kaylin could finish taking a breath, this wasnt surprising. When did the egg hatch?
Well, thats the strange thing.
Bellusdeo snorted. For an Immortal she was really short on patience; Kaylin tried to imagine her as the Queen of anything and gave upalthough, admittedly, the idea of Bellusdeo being Queen had one appeal: she wasnt likely to chew the heads off her Court for their lack of appropriate etiquette.
The egg didnt hatch until the bomb exploded in the center of the apartment.
The Arkon froze. Sanabalis lifted a hand to the bridge of his nose; his eyes, however, were now about the same bronze as the Arkons.
Let me be clear. You are telling me that the eggs hatching was contingent on the explosion of an Arcane bomb?
No. Im telling you the egg hatched when the bomb exploded. It may have cracked the shell.
The Arkon turned to glare at Bellusdeo. I trust you are enjoying yourself, Lady Bellusdeo?
I feel a small amount of self-indulgence, given the events of the day, is not unreasonable, yes.
I see that your definition of small amounts of self-indulgence has remained a constant. He turned to Kaylin. Forgive the interruption, Private. Was there anything unusual that occurred when the egg hatched?