Who is he speaking to?
I do not know. I cannot see the person clearly.
Kaylin stiffened. Youre certain?
Tara nodded. In the distance, loud, heavy footsteps thundered down the hall. I can clearly sense Yvander. I can hear what hes thinking.
What is he thinking?
I dont have to work for another hour and a half. It should be safe.
What should be safe?
A meal and a conversation, Tara replied. Someone has clearly offered him both.
Someone you cant see.
Yes.
Someone he shouldnt be able to see, either.
Yes, that is my concern.
The doors flew open; Tiamaris, eyes verging on red, stood in its frame. His voice as he spoke was a Dragons full voice, caught in the chest of a man. Judging by expression alone, the man part wasnt going to last long. Tara, the aperture.
She nodded, and Tiamaris turned and stepped back into the hall.
Kaylin, Severn, follow him. Quickly; we may be too late.
They ran into the hall in time to see Tiamaris finish a transformation that justified both the unusual width of the halls and the height of the ceiling. His eyes were larger and redder as he swiveled his head.
Yes. Tara spoke out loud for Kaylins benefit.
Dont just stand there gaping. Tiamariss voice shook the ground as he glared at the two Hawks dwarfed by his Dragon form. Get on.
Chapter 5
The aperture, as Tiamaris had called it, was actually a wall, and from the interior side, it looked like solid stone. Given Tiamaris was running at it headfirst, Kaylin wasnt too concerned; if it failed to open, it was unlikely to hurt him. Tara, however, flew ahead. At this height, most Aerians would have runbut her flight was like a loosed arrow; she moved. The wings seemed decorative.
Parts of the rapidly approaching wall, unlike the roof of the Hawklords Tower, did not separate and retract. Instead, they faded, turning in an eyes blink into a very large, very open space with a bit of ceiling over it. Beyond it, instead of the vegetable gardens that pretty much served as the lofty Towers grounds, was the length of a street that Kaylin took a few seconds to recognize: it was Capstone.
Capstone at this time of the day wasnt emptybut it emptied quickly, pedestrians moving to either side of the street in a panicked rush at the unexpected appearance of a large copper-red Dragon. Tiamariss color seemed to shift according to either mood or light; Kaylin, having seen so few transformations in any other Dragons, wasnt certain why. It wasnt the time to ask.
Tara, were near the border of Nightshade?
Tara nodded, scanning the people who were now standing in doorways, against walls, or, if they were lucky, in the mouth of an alley.
Tiamaris drew breath, and before Kaylin could stop himor before she could tryhe roared.
Tara lifted her chin. There, she said, pointing. At the edge of the border. Kaylin?
Kaylin leapt clear of Tiamariss back and landed in the street. She took off down Capstone at a run. She hadnt asked Tara what Yvander looked like, but at this point, it wasnt necessary: he was near the border, and all but the most hysterical of people who lived on this side of the Ablayne knew damn well to avoid it; there was likely to be only one person near its edge.
Severn caught up with her as she ran, pulling ahead because he had the greater stride. The man in questiondark-haired, slender of buildfroze in place as he heard their running footsteps. Given that hed just heard a Dragons roar, this was surprising. He hesitated for one long moment and then turned to look over his shoulder. His eyes widened as Severn barreled into him, knocking him off his feet.
Thank gods, Kaylin thought, that they werent in the streets of their city. The two men rolled to a stop as Kaylin approached them.
She blinked. Pull him back, she told Severn. Were too far in.
Severn dragged himselfand the young manto his feet. Sorry. The Lady wants to speak with you.
The man blinked. His dark eyes were wide. Thethe Lady? He didnt seem likely to bolt, and Severn relaxed his grip on a rumpled brown tunic. Why? He blinked again and looked around, his eyes widening farther, which Kaylin would have bet was impossible. He turned quickly to his right. Get Michael, he said. Michael!
He was clearly looking for someone. Theres no one else here, Kaylin told him as Severn began to pull him back toward the safe side of the street.
He was right beside me, the man insisted. We were He frowned. We were heading to Luvarrs.
You were heading in the wrong direction. There was no one else with you. Kaylins hands slid to the tops of her daggers as she gazed down at the street. At the height of day, the boundary that existed between Tiamaris and Nightshade seemed almost invisible. But Kaylin looked toward the fief of her childhood, the street that continued into it, and the buildings that stood at its edge, drained of all color. What was left was gray, black, and white. The border had a width that normal maps didnt give it.
Kaylin?
She shook her head. Something about the shapes of the buildings looked wrong at this distance. Take him back to Tara.
Not without you.
Yvander was bewildered. I dont understand, he said in a tone of voice that made him sound much younger than he looked. Why am I here? Wheres Michael?
Thats a good question. Go back to the Lady, Kaylin said gently. Ill look for Michael.
Kaylin
That will not be necessary. The fieflord stood yards away, the Towers Avatarand his figurative crownto his left. Yvander.
The young man dropped to his knees with no grace at all; Kaylin suspected fear had caused his legs to collapse. Lord.
There was no official title for the fieflord, because if you were very, very lucky, you never had to meet him. Tiamaris, however, accepted this in stride. He turned to Tara. Lady, this is Yvander?
She nodded, her eyes obsidian, her wings high. You were not with Michael, she said.
II was, Lady He was justhe was right here. Severn caught his arm and helped him to his feet, for a value of help that saw the Hawk doing most of the heavy lifting. He then guided him toward Tara, who hadnt moved an inch. As Yvander approached, she lowered her wings.
Private Neya.
Lord Tiamaris.
Tara does not believe it is wise to remain where you are standing.
Kaylin turned to look back at the street. Tara, can you come here?
I? No.
Youre certain?
I am the Tower, Kaylin; in exchange for power within the boundaries ascribed me by my creators, I am left with very little beyond them.
This is now beyond your boundaries?
Yes.
And in theory, that means Im standing in Nightshade.
Tara was silent for a long moment. You are aware that that is not the case.
Kaylin nodded slowly. But I dont understand why.
Come back to Tiamaris, Kaylin.
Kaylin, however, frowned as she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Someone was standing at the window of one of the gray, washed-out buildings. He wasnt gray in the way the buildings were; he wore loose robes that might have been at home in the High Halls. She recognized the long, black drape of Barrani hair.
Kaylin, however, frowned as she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Someone was standing at the window of one of the gray, washed-out buildings. He wasnt gray in the way the buildings were; he wore loose robes that might have been at home in the High Halls. She recognized the long, black drape of Barrani hair.
His eyes widened as he realized she was looking directly at him.
Tara, theres someone here!
Severn sprinted across the ill-defined border to her side as the hair on the back of her neck began to stand on end. She had enough timebarelyto throw herself to the side before the street where shed been standinggray and colorless though it waserupted in a livid purple fire. She rolled to her feet and leapt again as the fire bloomed a yard away.
The small dragon squawked in her ear; hed been so still and so quiet shed almost forgotten he was attached. Go somewhere safer, she told him sharply.
Her skin ached as her clothing brushed against it, but she didnt need the pain to know that magic was being used. Severn stopped in front of the building as he unleashed his weapons chain. Get behind me!
Kaylin managed to avoid a third volley of ugly purple fire, and the leap carried her more or less to Severns side, where she narrowly avoided his spinning chain. The fourth gout of flame broke against the barrier created by the chains arc.
Kaylin! Tara said, raising her voice. It wasnt shouting, not in the strict sense of the word. Her voice sounded normal, if worried, but much, much louder.
She heard a curt, sharp cursein a normal voice, if Dragon voices could be said to be normal. A shadow crossed the ground as Lord Tiamaris of the Dragon Court left his demesne. He landed to the left of where Severn now wielded his weapon, his wings folding as he lifted his neck toward the building that contained the unknown Barrani.
The ground didnt shake at the force of his landing; it gave, as if it were soft sand and not cracked stone. Or as if it were flesh. It reminded Kaylin strongly of the gray stretch of nothingness that existed between worlds, although it in theory had shape, form, texture.
The unmistakable sound of a Dragon inhaling was surprisingly loud when it happened right beside your ear. Purple fire broke against Severns chain and sizzled where it touched Tiamaris; Kaylin could no longer be certain that the blasts were aimed at her, they were so broad. Tiamaris was angry enough that he didnt appear to notice them.
The Dragon fieflord exhaled fire. Had the building been a regular fief hovel, it would have been glowing. This one, although it had the shape leeched of color, wavered in the wake of the flame, undulating as it slowly lost coherence. If the Barrani Lord was caught in the Dragons fire, he made no sign, but in the distance, Kaylin could hear weeping. It was soft, attenuated, and clear somehow over the roar of flame.
She reached out and rapped Tiamaris; he didnt appear to notice.
The building continued to waver, melting at last into a gray smoke or fog. She would have panicked, but the crying didnt get any louder; it was almost as if it were entirely unrelated to the demise of the building itself. Only when that building was gone did Tiamaris acknowledge Kaylin.
You should not be here, he told her in his deep, bass rumble.
Youre here, she pointed out, perhaps unwisely given the color of his eyes. Severn, can you hear that?
Tiamaris hadnt looked away, but the question caught Severns attention. Hear what?
Ill take that as a no. I can hear someonecrying.
No.
Tiamaris?
The Dragon snorted smoke. No, he said after a pause. I hear nothing. I do not wish to remain here, he added. Which direction is the crying coming from?
Im not sure, she replied. I thinkI think its coming from Nightshades side of the border.
Then you may visit Nightshade, he replied. But do it the regular way.
Meaning?
Cross the bridge, Private. Both of them. Come. We will speak with Yvander now.
* * *
Yvander was already speaking when they returned to the color and solidity of the fief of Tiamaris. He was gesturing, hands moving as if he thought they were wings; Taras head was tilted in a familiar way, and she was once again wearing her gardening clothes. Her wings, however, remained.
His hands froze as Tiamaris approached. It was almost impossible to maintain unreasoning fear when confronted with the Towers avatar; it was almost impossible not to be terrified when confronted with Tiamaris.
Tara, however, turned nonchalantly to the great Dragon who crowded the street simply by standing still. Yvander thought he was with his friend Michael.
Tiamaris nodded.
The intruder?
Gone.
Tara turned to Kaylin. He was Barrani?
He looked Barrani to mebut if Yvander saw him as Michael, theres no guarantee that he was. She hesitated and then added, He was using magical fire.
It was not fire, Tiamaris said.
It looked like fire. But purple.
Fire is not generally purple, Tara told her. Yvander, where did you meet Michael?
I met him on the way to the Town Hall. Im due to start work in He glanced at the sky, and in particular at the suns position, and blanched.
Tara, however, touched his shoulder gently. You will not be removed from your position. Please. Where did you meet Michael?
On the way to the site, he replied, his panic receding in the face of her reassurance.
Please, show us.
* * *
An escort of the Lord and Lady of the fief was perhaps not what Yvander would have wished for at the start of the day, but by the time he stopped on a street whose name escaped Kaylin, he was relatively calm. Here.
Kaylin looked at the building to the left of the street. He lives here?
Yvander frowned. No. He was visiting a friend, he said.
Good enough. The building was, as far as the fiefs went, in poor repair; the door that in theory kept people out was listing on its hinges. Severn glanced at Tiamaris, who nodded in silence. Kaylin followed as Severn went to investigate. A fief buildingespecially in Tiamaris, given the damage done by the weakening of the borderswould have to be literally falling down before it remained empty, and this building was no exception; there were two families, at best guess, living on the first floor. The second floor, however, appeared to be empty.
They took the stairs cautiously; Severn gave Kaylin the lead because frankly, these stairs didnt look as though they would support a lot of weight. When she reached the second story, she froze. Severn? Come up the stairs slowly.
The stairs creaked as he climbed them. The halls were narrow, the ceiling, which looked dangerously warped, low. Neither of these were remarkable, or at least they wouldnt have been in Nightshade, the fief with which they were both most familiar.
What is it? What did you see? was the soft question asked when Severn joined her.
A mage was here, was her flat reply.
Is he here now?
If he is, hes not casting. My arms dont ache. Butthere was magic here. I guess whatever it took to disguise himself as Michael involved a decent amount of power.
Which would make some sense, but a spell of that nature would generally be cast on either Yvander or the impersonator, not a hall in the middle of a run-down building.