Lord Sanabalis of the Dragon Court was familiar enough with Private Neyawho might, one day, rise in the ranks if she could manage to be consistently on timethat he did not schedule his lessons at the beginning of a normal day. The beginning of Kaylins day was, to be polite, staggered.
It was with some suspicion, then, that he noted the door to the West Room had been palm-keyed. Private Neya stood in the doors frame as it opened, looking as if she had failed to sleep or eat. She was, however, on time.
She walked to the large, conference table and took the seat closest to Lord Sanabalis; she didnt even grimace at the candle that he had placed in its usual position, which in Kaylins case, would be just out of range of her fists.
He waited for her to speak.
Normally, speech was not an issue; getting her to stop, especially if she felt aggrieved by the exercises, was. She remained, however, silent; she did not appear to notice that the candle was awaiting her attention.
He began the lesson by reminding her of the import of the candle flame. She was, of course, to light it, and that simple task had so far eluded her, although she had once managed to melt the entire thing.
She offered none of the usual resistance; she even nodded in the right places. But he had some suspicion that this was rote, and when he inserted a word or two that was, strictly speaking, out of place, she failed to notice.
She didnt, however, fail to notice the fire that singed the stray strands of her hair, and she cursedloudly, and in Leontineand fell back over her chair, rolling to her feet near the door. What the hell was that for?
I wanted to see just how much attention you were paying.
To what?
Exactly. Private, my time is of significant value, at least according to the bureaucrats who charge the Hawks for these lessons. I expect, when you are in classwhich would be anywhere that I happen to be delivering a lessonyou will be awake and aware. Is that clear?
She got to her feet. Youve spent too much time around Marcus, she told him, rubbing her elbows where theyd hit carpet a little too hard.
Ive spent too much time around students, he replied. His eyes were mostly gold; he wasnt actually on the edge of angry. At my age, I should be living in graceful retirement.
She took her chair again, after righting it, and sat down.
He hit the table with the flat of both his palms. The table was hardwood, and even axes had problems denting it. But the whole damn thing moved about three inches.
Sanabalis
I had hoped that on our first day back in class we would at least be able to pick up where we left off. It appears that I was, as is often the case with students, wildly optimistic. What, exactly, is troubling you?
Nothing, she said, sharply and a little too quickly. That brought the orange highlights to his draconian eyes. She swallowed, trying to decide whether getting out of the chair would annoy him more than staying put.
You are making Lord Tiamaris look like a model student, he told her, in a clipped and slightly chilly tone of voice.
That was a new one. Tiamaris was the youngest member of the Dragon Court, and as far as Kaylin could tell, he was about as stiff, formal, and tradition-bound as its older members. A flicker of curiosity wedged itself into the grim worry that had been the start of the day. He was this frustrating?
For some reason, the question lessened the intensity of the orange streaks in Dragon irises. Dragons were never going to be something Kaylin understood.
He was possiblyjust possiblyworse. But Sanabaliss shoulders slid into their normal curved bend. He seldom came to my rooms this distracted.
Sorry.
He raised a white brow. I had hoped to have this session well underway before I interrupted it with matters that might prove even more of a distraction. I see I was entirely too hopeful. Yesterday, during your normal rounds, you visited Evanton on Elani Street.
She nodded. She didnt ask why he asked because she had a very strong suspicion she didnt actually want the answer. Some days, the universe gave you everything you didnt want.
Apparently you were called into thestore.
Kaylin nodded again. She knew, now, where this was going. Yes, she said quietly. Evanton wanted to speak to me for a bit.
For well in excess of an hour.
She grimaced. I wasnt exactly counting minutes, Sanabalis.
No. I imagine thats not one of your accomplishments. I will, however, point out that you were on duty at that time.
And?
And you failed to file a report.
Honestly, the day could hardly get any worse.
Sanabalis
He raised a hand. A report, however, is not entirely necessary. I was making an attempt to be humorous, he added gravely. But your presence, and the length of your visit, was noted.
As, he added, in a softer tone, was the state of your clothing when you left the premisescarrying your boots.
They were wet.
And, apparently, muddy. His eyes were a clear gold, which was made brighter when he lowered his inner membranes. Kaylin, what happened? It is seldom that someone the Keeper apparently considers safe enough to allow into his domain emerges in that condition. I was personally asked by the Emperor, in case you think this is idle curiosity, to inquire.
Which was his way of saying she couldnt weasel out of an answer.
The elements are, apparently, upset, she finally said. Which is where the water and the mud came from. The wind helped, she added. For a value of help that made me look like a sodden cat.
He became very still, and she wishednot for the first timethat she had locks on her mouth, and that someone who had more wisdom kept the keys. Sanabalis, please. I am not supposed to talk about this.
I highly doubt, the Dragon Lord replied, that Evanton expects you to keep silent in the face of Imperial dictate.
You clearly dont know Evanton. She glanced at the table, and then at the Dragon sitting behind it. You should, she told him, surrendering. I think youd get along just fine. If you didnt kill each other on sight on a bad day. She rose. The elemental garden wasnt much of a garden; it was a storm, but worse.
But Evanton saidand I do not argue with him when hes in a moodthat the elements do this when theyre trying to communicate.
Sanabalis raised a brow. She actually liked that expression on most days. Today was not one of them. Youre not going to like it, she told him, in a quieter voice.
Id guessed that.
And I was going to tell you.
The brow rose farther; it hadnt actually come down.
Well, before other things came up.
Im sure they were vitally important, he said, in a very dry tone. Since he could breathe fire, that type of dry usually showed up when he was just on the edge of annoyance. Shed never, thank the gods, seen him angry.
Something is happening somewhere close by. She hesitated again. The elements were trying to write aa word. Evanton showed me what it was. I couldnt see a damn thing in the storm. I could barely see my own feet.
You recognized the word. It wasnt a question.
I didnt She glanced at the slightly copper tint to his eyes. Its not as simple as that. I didnt recognize it because Id seen it before, if thats what you mean. I It felt familiar.
I didnt She glanced at the slightly copper tint to his eyes. Its not as simple as that. I didnt recognize it because Id seen it before, if thats what you mean. I It felt familiar.
Was it in a living language?
He was such a smart old bastard. No.
Was it similar, in style, to the marks on your arms?
Not she glanced at her sleeves not exactly.
Kaylin, do not force me to strangle you.
Im trying to answer the question
You are trying to answer the question without actually saying all of what you know. If you are going to do that, learn from your Corporal. It is actively painful to watch you flail, and the attempt isI assume unintentionallyinsulting. Because you are young and demonstrably ignorant, I am exercising patience, but my patience, while vast, does have limits.
She tried not to grind her teeth. Its not a rune I recognize. I dont think its written on me, but I admit I havent actually looked at the back of my neck in records recently. But it felt familiar anyway. He said nothing. He didnt move a muscle. Not even the corner of his mouth twitched.
It felt likeRavellon.
Sometimes, he pretended to be old. It was only very, very rarely that he actually looked it. He did, now.
The Keeper was aware of this?
No. And he looked about as happy at the mention of the word as you do now.
The Dragon Lord rose. I believe, he told her quietly, that we have now concluded the lessons for the day. I believe that I understand why you were so distracted.
He didnt. She had no intention of enlightening him.
I will have to speak with your Sergeant, and with the Hawklord, before I leave. You will not speak to anyone else about this without Imperial permission.
The Hawklord?
I have just said that I will speak with the Hawklord. He walked to the door, opened it, and then turned back, his robes swirling like liquid at his feet. But I believe you should check your duty roster carefully in the next few days.
Sanabalis
And it is just possible that I may be able to barter for a delay in your etiquette lessons, although the time is coming when they will be sorely needed.
CHAPTER 5
The lesson had ended early.
It was too much to hope that this meant an hour and a half of downtime, but Kaylin sat, slightly slumped in one of the heavy but uncomfortable chairs by the table, staring at an unlit candle anyway. One of the advantages of this particular set of classes was that she got paid for attending them. Well, that and she got to live. She folded her elbows across the table and stared at her blurry reflection.
Ravellon.
She had never really thought much about what lay at the heart of the fiefs. Growing up in Nightshade, there had been Nightshade and the rest of the world, and only one part of the world had captured her thought and attention: the city across the bridge. Of course, in her daydreams, shed been somehow rich and pretty and free from fear or insecurity because she knew she belonged on the right side of the river boundary.
That kind of transformation had, no surprise, failed to happen. But the transformation that had happened, over seven long years, had the advantage of beinguntil yesterdayreal.
Idiot. Think.
What, in the heart of the fiefs, could upset the elements? She knew what upset the Dragons, of course: the only living Outcaste Dragon Lord. Kaylin had faced him twice; the first time, he had retreated; the second time? He had broken her arm. She hadnt seen what had happened after shed fallen.
But if he were dead, she thought the word Ravellon would have no power to disturb Sanabalis. Given how often Kaylin had triedadmittedly when shed reached the edge of screaming frustration, and was trying very hard not to pick up one of the heavy-duty chairs and crush the damn candle that would not lightthe fact that he was disturbed was contagious. It unsettled her.
She stared at the candle.
When the door opened at her back, she straightened her shoulders slightly, but didnt lift her head off her hands to see who was standing in it. If they wanted her, theyd let her know.
Marcus growled, and she vacated her chair so quickly it was a wonder her feet didnt leave the ground. Sanabalis left she began. He growled again, and she shut up, quickly.
What have you been doing this time?
Not lighting a candle? And pushing her luck. His eyes were almost the same orange Sanabaliss had been, although Kaylin was certain it wasnt because of anything shed done. Yet.
Kitling.
She grimaced. Evanton told me something when we dropped by his place yesterday.
And you told Sanabalis. No honorific for him from Marcus today. Apparently bad moods spread like plagues.
You know the Emperor has Evantons shop under constant surveillance, she continued, in her own defense. Someone probably reported it to the Emperor, or the Imperial Service, and the Emperor told Sanabalis to ask me. Seeing his expression she added, Im not an idiot. I am not standing between Evanton and the Emperor. What the Emperor wants, he gets. Besides which, technically, the Emperor paid her.
Marcus covered his eyes, briefly, with his hands. His claws, Kaylin noted, were extended; she wondered how much damage hed done to his desk. Sanabalis said something to you?
Yes.
She winced; that would be a lot of damage. A tone that cold could freeze blood. She wanted it to be someone elses. W-what did he say?
I am not at liberty to discuss it.
This was code for Ask Caitlin. Kaylin nodded. Is he still here?
Speaking with the Hawklord.
Oh. She waited, and after a moment, he growled again.
Theyre waiting for you in the Hawklords tower. I was sent to find you. She nodded and headed for the door. Which he was still standing in. Kitling, try to stay out of trouble.
I always try.
Try harder.
The office was not dead silent, which meant that Marcus hadnt gone fur ball while speaking with Sanabalis. But it wasnt exactly a bustle of conversation and gossip, either, and Kaylin felt every eyewith the exception of Joey and Timars, because they were engaged in a heated debate about something that was probably more interesting when you couldnt actually hear the wordsfollow her as she made her way to the stairs.
She was a little bit tired of winning money for other people, and that wasnt about to change anytime soon; she could practically hear bets being placed behind her back. Ignoring this was hard; it was almost like ignoring decent food. But not even Kaylin kept the Hawklord waiting because of office betting, which he generally overlooked or ignored if it wasnt shoved under his nose by a weasel like Mallory.
She mounted the stairs slowly, remembering the first time shed come to the Tower.
She had watched it for days. Shed timed the opening and closing of the dome, and the infrequent aerial activities of the Aerian officers. It was easy to see the Hawklord leaving the Halls of Law; he didnt use the halls or the front stairs. The dome opened. He flew. But he didnt seem to fly on schedule.
That was why she watched. She told herself that. She even believed it. The part of her that saw the Aerians and thought themyesbeautiful? It stayed silent. But it had been there. It was still there nowbut not even the Aerians tried to fly up these stairs. They couldnt fully extend their wings here. When they came to the Tower by ground, they climbed like the rest of the wingless, gravity-bound Hawks.