You look, Bellusdeo said, out of the corner of her mouth, as if youre heading to an execution. Probably your own.
Its Tanner.
What about Tanner?
He expects real trouble.
And Clint?
He...expects trouble from or for me. Kaylin had done nothing wrongthat she knew ofand she was certain Teela hadnt brought her personal troubles to the Halls of Law.
Was it Moran? Although she was technically still employed as a sergeant, she had been winding down the duties she performed for the Halls and had been training her replacement. Or rather, had been interviewing and browbeating the possible applicants. Her excuse for thisbesides her obvious desire to remain in the infirmarywas that the infirmary needed someone who was fully capable of glaring down a Leontine when the Leontine was in an almost murderously foul mood.
To give her credit, Moran was perfectly capable of that.
But most people, Kaylin included, wouldnt be. Bellusdeo had suggested that Kaylin be considered for the position, pointing out that Kaylins ability to heal would be well suited to the job. Morans eyes had nearly fallen out of their sockets. Absolutely not. The Hawks would walk all over her. Kaylin attempted to protest, but in truth, she was a private, and when Marcus went all fang-faced, she had to control the visceral urge to dive under the nearest desk.
Moran had faced him down. And to be fair to Moran and her interview process, Kaylin couldnt think of many people who could, Hawk or no. Bellusdeo could, but she was not seconded to the service. Serving the Halls implied serving the Emperor. And she hadnt so much warmed to him as cooled enough that his title did not send her into red-eyed Dragon resentment.
Youre thinking with your mouth open, Tanner observed, while Kaylin tried to choose smart words.
She shrugged and gave up. Whats happening inside?
The two guards exchanged a glance. It doesnt concern you directly, Clint said. Of course it was Clint.
Its not Moran, is it?
Nobut even Ive come to pity the possible candidates for replacement.
I dont think she wants to leave.
Betting?
Kaylin considered it. No.
And now I know Im actually dreaming.
Shell go. The thing that made her a good sergeant wont let her stay in the Halls. I just hope she beats the Aerian Caste Court into decent shape. It might be the first time in Aerian history that we have someone in high places on our side. But if its not Moran, whats happened?
Theres been...a bit of a problem.
Tanner.
Fine. Theres been a lot of a problem.
Kaylin wanted to shriek.
Were not allowed to discuss it, Clint added. But youll want to step carefully the moment you pass Caitlins desk. He hesitated, his eyes a shade of blue that meant worry, fear. Its the Barrani. Ours.
* * *
Kaylin was silent as she sped through the Halls. Bellusdeo kept easy pace with her, but her eyes had shaded to Dragon orange. Her facial expression hadnt changed at all. She didnt consider the Barrani a threat.
But she was worried.
The Barrani Hawks were a small force in and of themselves. Their partners were other Barrani, except on very rare occasion, and usually when a Barrani and a human were partnered, it was Kaylin and Teela. The Barrani could be sent in to break up a drug ring and be expected to both succeed and survive. Humans had a much higher mortality rate.
They had lost one member of the Barrani force during the difficulties with the Aerian Caste Court; one of the Barrani guards had carried an offer from a member of the High Court to one of the human prisoners. That he hadnt murdered the prisoner was in his favor, and Kaylin, in the end, felt that booting him off the force was too harsh. But Teela considered it necessary. Thered been an argument or two about it, and it hadnt been perfectly civil, either.
Even the West Room, with its magical silence, couldnt entirely absorb Leontine cursing. As far as Kaylin was concerned, the Hawk hadnt broken any laws, and hadnt disgraced his oaths. He had, however, introduced new problems for the High Halls.
In the end, Teela called Kaylin softhearted, and Marcus called her softheaded. So, they were down another Barrani. They had already lost Barrani Hawks on the night the Barrani ancestors, for want of a better word, had attacked the High Halls. Kaylin had mournedeveryone hadat a distance. The Barrani considered public grief a besetting weakness, to use Caitlins words, and no one wanted to offend them. Not when they were so very blue-eyed and grim.
Youre worried about Teela, Kaylin said to the gold Dragon, as they jogged down the hall.
You arent?
I am, but Teela will rip my throat out if she sees it.
Teela is not Leontine.
Fine. Shell snap my neck. Better?
Marginally. There are days when I do not understand why the Emperor attempts to force all of his racially diverse population into one office. People are different. She stopped, shook her head, and added, And Im being unfair.
You dont usually worry about that.
No, but if youre correct, its better than worrying about Teela.
* * *
Teela was not at her desk, which wasnt unusual. Given the absence of Teela, Tain wasnt at his, either.
But Caitlin was sallow. Not white, because that wasnt a color she often adopted, but a kind of pale yellow that implied nausea. Since she was human, her eyes were their usual brown, but they seem to have adopted new creases. She did smile when she caught sight of Private Neya and her Dragon friendthe only civilian, for want of a better word, allowed to accompany Kaylin on actual police work.
Bellusdeo, Caitlin said. She didnt rise, and she didnt address her by stuffy title. I should warn you
Red-eyed, long-fanged Leontine?
This added welcome color to Caitlins cheeks. That isnt the way I would have worded it. But at the moment, Id suggest Kaylin note the duty roster.
Was it changed?
No, dear.
Then I know where Im supposed to be.
I think shes implyingheavilythat you would like to be there instead of here. Or possibly that the office would appreciate if I were there, instead of here.
Im sorry, Caitlin said, sounding genuinely apologetic, but there have been...communication difficulties this morning. Kaylin stiffened, and seeing this, Caitlin added, On Morans strict orders, the infirmary is, at the moment, off limits. She will allow you through the door if you are bleeding or suffering from a broken limb, and made clear that toes and fingers dont count.
There was a fight?
Caitlin did not reply.
Marcus did, in a fashion. His low growl filled the office, which was otherwise unnaturally silent. Silence was never good, here. Kaylin glanced at Bellusdeo, whose eyes remained a remarkable gold as she inclined her chin in Kaylins direction.
Kaylin then went to stand at attention in front of the sergeants desk. Hardwoods, she decided, were good. They didnt scratch as easily, and it was clear from the surface of the desk that Marcus had been working at making a few gouges.
You are to meet your partner and headimmediatelyto the East Warren.
You are to meet your partner and headimmediatelyto the East Warren.
Kaylin, who had expected the word Elani to crawl out from between the folds of a growl, blinked. The East Warrens, as the area was colloquially called, was a Hawk beat; its boundary ended at the Ablayne, and the enterprising fool who chose to cross it ended up in one of the fiefs. Kaylins geography was sketchy at best; she mostly knew what shed walked across. She hadnt walked into that fief.
Bellusdeo, however, had a strong interest in the fiefsor, more accurately, the Towers that stood at their centers. The East Warrens? Her eyes had lost their gold, but at least that made sense; Marcuss eyes were red. His facial fur, however, hadnt jumped up two inches; it had settled. He looked sleek, his upper fangs more exposed than they usually were, his claws extended.
He wanted to tell Bellusdeo to get lost, except with ruder words. And he wanted to tell Kaylin to go home. She felt some sympathy for this, because she wanted to tell Bellusdeo to go home. The East Warrens were not Elani street in any way; they were vastly more dangerous. It was not a beat given the groundhawks of the mortal variety. The Aerians could fly patrol over the streets, but at a safe enough height crossbows wouldnt be an issue.
No, it was a Barrani beat.
Marcus, for whom low growling had replaced all sound of breath, waited, daring Kaylin to argue. She wasnt stupid. In his current mood, shed agree that black was the new pink if thats what he demanded, and consider herself lucky. Enraged Leontine seemed far more dangerous than a strolling walk through some of the citys poorer streets. A Dragon would certainly make that patrol safer.
Until the Emperor heard about it.
May I ask, Bellusdeo began.
No.
if this has something to do with the fief of Candallar?
Marcus said nothing. He growled, but didnt bother with words. Unfortunately, he was facing a Dragona Dragon who hadnt been forced to swear an oath of allegiance to the Emperor, whose laws the Hawks served. And any attempt to rip out her throat or tear off her armor legwas going to be unsuccessful, in the best case. In the worst caseand given Marcuss mood, worst was a distinct possibilitythe office would be reduced to charred wreckage. Charred, broken wreckage.
And that was above her pay grade.
Bellusdeo, however, folded her arms and looked down at the sergeant, her eyes narrowed. They stared at each other for three long, half-held breaths. It was, to Kaylins surprise, Marcus who looked away firstbut by the time he did, his eyes had shaded to a much safer orange.
Yes.
And does the fief of Candallar have something to do with the current mood of the office?
I dont discuss rostering issues with anyone who doesnt outrank me.
Bellusdeos smile was gem-like: hard enough to cut, but bright anyway. Kaylin wanted to leave to find out what had happened, but knew better. She waited. Marcus finally dismissed her, although he didnt bother to look in her direction. Bellusdeo, however, did not follow.
* * *
What happened? Kaylin asked, keeping her voice as low as she could. Marcuss hearing was good, but he was unlikely to hear her when she was in Hansons office. Hanson was the choke-point for the Hawklords time; he was like, and unlike, Caitlin. This morning, the dissimilarities were stronger.
It is not a going to be a good day, he told Kaylin. The Hawklord hasnt demanded your attendancewhich is about as much luck as youre likely to have in the near future. If I were you, Id remember that youre a private. Whatever is happening, it is not your problem.
Did I mention that Teela and Tain are coming to live with me?
Fine. It is your problem. Your problems, however, are not my problem.
East Warrens is a Barrani beat.
You dont say.
Bellusdeo is coming with me, wherever I happen to be assigned.
Hanson grimaced; she could practically hear the lines around his mouth crack. Emperors problem, he finally said. But he knew that if something happened to Bellusdeo, it would be everyones problem. And in this case everyones problem was a matter for the Hawklord. Which, of course, would become Hansons problem. There was an altercation this morning between two of the Barrani Hawks.
Go on.
In general, Corporal Danelle handles difficulties between the Barrani Hawks. She is not the only corporal among their number, but her word carries weight with the Barrani for entirely extralegal reasons. The altercation occurred before her arrival; it was considered severe enough that she booked the West Room in which to resolve the difficulties.
Kaylin nodded. In and of itself, this was business as usual, although Barrani altercations were on the wrong side of intense.
The altercation was between Corporals Tagraine and Canatel.
She frowned. They were partners. While altercations between Barrani could be intense, in general they had greater respect foror at least care fortheir beat partners. What set them off?
The office was largely empty when the altercation occurred. Barrani dont need sleep; they usually arrive early. Today, they arrived early. Teela did not. He raised a brow, as if expecting that Teelas tardinessfor a Barraniwas somehow Kaylins fault. She entered the office as the altercation was in progress, broke it up and booked the West Room.
Kaylin had heard nothing that would justify removal of Barrani Hawks from the duty roster. She couldnt stop the altercation. It wasnt a question.
Hanson bowed his head for a long minute. When he raised it again, he looked exhausted. It appears that the altercation between Tagraine and Canatel was a fabrication. The purpose of the altercation was to separate the rest of the office from the Barrani.
She froze then. The only good reason to do that was the laws of exemption: if only Barrani were involved, the Imperial Laws took a back seat to the caste court laws. A Barrani confrontation in the normal office could not be guaranteed not to cause extraracial collateral damageand that would void the laws of exemption entirely. The implications of that...were not good.
She thought of the mornings events, the mornings arguments, the fact that the cohort were coming to stay with Helen, and Tains commentcut off angrily by Teelathat Teela had already been under pressure. The Barrani definition of pressure.
Something happened to Teela.
Something, Hanson said, exhaling, almost happened to Teela. She survived. One of the two would-be assassins did not.
Tagraine and Canatel?
Hanson nodded.
The survivor is in the infirmary that were not allowed to visit by order of Moran, unless we want to join him.
He nodded again. The High Court has been on the mirror network, demanding an explanation. The East Warrens may, or may not, have been involved with the altercation in some subtle way. Therefore the Barrani are off that beat. He exhaled. They are off their beats until some of the issues are resolved.
Meaning investigations are ongoing. It was a catch phrase used in place of hells if I know.
Meaning exactly that.
How, exactly, did the High Court even know?
Apparently they were informed.
By who?