It also didnt allow for nuanced commentary, which was fine; surrounded by Imperial Guards, she didnt feel particularly nuanced.
Well?
No, sir.
And you intend to find other accommodations.
Yes, sir.
With a Lord of the Dragon Court.
She didnt hesitate; not with Marcus in his current mood. Yes, sir.
The Dragon Court feels that such a search should not be an after-hours affair. Cognizant of the difficulties Lord Bellusdeo encountered the last time she chose to live outside of the Palace, theyve taken it upon themselves to assure that your search for a new domicile is secure. You are therefore relieved of your regular duties until that search is completed. To Imperial satisfaction.
That is not, Bellusdeo said, speaking for the first time since Kaylin had entered an otherwise raptly silent office, what was said. She stepped forward, until she was standing shoulder to shoulder with Kaylin, who, at attention, couldnt otherwise turn to look at her. Private Neyas sense of responsibility to the Halls is quite strong; she understands the city far better than I, a recent refugee. She used the Elantran word for refugee. Kaylin almost cringed to hear it. If, in Private Neyas considered opinion, such a search can be effectively conducted outside of her working hours, that is acceptable to all concerned. The swish sound her hair made clearly indicated that Bellusdeo was pinning someoneor several someoneswith a glare.
Sanabalis cleared his throat. In the silence of the office, it sounded like a distant earthquake. Bellusdeo wishes to accompany Private Neya on her rounds, as she did before the private was sent out of the city to the West March.
Great.
Private, Marcus barked. At ease.
As if. She did, however, relax her posture slightly. Permission to speak freely, sir?
Her Sergeant snorted. In general, there was nothing but free speech in the office.
Im not going on my rounds with a half dozen Imperial Guards as escort. Members of the Hawks dont require babysitters, and we dont want to imply they do; itll hurt the force. If the guards come with Bellusdeo and cant be separated, Ill take the time to find a new apartment. If they can be detached, I can find us a place to live on my own time.
For some reason, this answer didnt appear to please Marcus, although he clearly agreed with it.
Is Lord Bellusdeo a Hawk? a familiar voice asked. Kaylin couldnt see the speaker, but cringed anyway. It was a Barrani voice. Mandorans. She hadnt even seen him in the office, which answered her question about the day getting worse; clearly it could. A Barrani from the West March, frozen in time in the Barrani version of puberty, was now in the Halls of Law. She hoped Teela was standing on his feet.
I am not, was the frosty, Draconian reply.
I was under the impression, Mandoran continued, moving around the back side of Marcuss desk with care to avoid the now-bristling Leontine that occupied it, that tourists were not allowed to accompany on-duty Hawks.
Marcus was either breathing heavily or trying to stifle a growl. Kaylin put money on the latter, and would have refused to bet on his chances of continued success.
Lord Bellusdeo, Sanabalis said, is a member of the Dragon Courtthe governing body that advises the Eternal Emperor. It is well within her purview to ask forand receivepermission to inspect the forces assembled within the Halls in light of those duties.
Whereas I am merely a Barrani Lord visiting your fair city, and therefore have no responsibilities and no duties?
Kaylin risked a glance at Sanabaliss eyes. He was annoyed, but not yet angry.
Mandoran, having navigated the desk, came to stand beside Kaylin. He was grinning, and his eyes were almost green. Certainly greener than Barrani eyes generally were in this office. He winked at her. This did not make the Leontine Sergeant any less bristly.
I see Teela hasnt strangled you, yet, she said, in as quiet a voice as she could.
Why would she want to do that? At the moment, shes not bored.
She is, Teela said, considering the concept of boredom with more deliberate care.
Mandorans grin didnt falter.
Where is Corporal Handred? Kaylin asked, hoping to stem the tide of this particular conversation.
Shedve had better luck with a tidal wave. Hes closeted with the Wolflord, Teela replied. The duty roster hasnt been updated, but apparently you and I are now covering Elani street. She turned and offered a correct bow to Sanabalis. Unfortunately, Kaylin now recognized it as a correct bow for the Barrani High Court. I ask that you overlook any impertinence from my guest. He is in a situation very similar to Lord Bellusdeos; the Empireand the Eternal Emperordid not exist when last he walked these lands.
Bellusdeo frowned. I was not aware that the Barrani could voluntarily enter the long sleep.
Im certain there are many things that would surprise you about the Barrani, Mandoran replied. His voice, however, had taken on both edge and chill, and his eyes had darkened to blue.
This predictably caused unrest among the Imperial Guard, subtle though it was; it caused Sanabaliss eyes to shade toward a brighter orange, and it caused Teelas eyesTeela, who had made her way to the other side of Mandoranto narrow. They were, on the other hand, already as blue as they could safely get.
Bellusdeo, however, lifted a brow; her eyes were no longer slightly orange. They were gold. She was amused.
Mandoran wasnt.
Bellusdeo then turned to Teela. If you have now had cause to reconsider your attitude toward boredom, I have not been so fortunate. Even for the Immortal, time can pass incredibly slowly. I believe I will find the patrol of great interest on this particular day. She turned to Mandoran and added, as a visitor to the city that is my current home, I bid you welcome. I am certain you will do nothing to disgrace yourself or your Court should you be forced to accept the company of a Dragon for an afternoon, and I am certain the Sergeant will relax his rules enough that you may join us.
CHAPTER TWO
Although Bellusdeo had the last word, there were several hundred other wordsthankfully none of them in native Dragonbefore it. Kaylin thought it unfair when Sanabalis asked for a private word with her before she could leave the office.
The lack of justice didnt notably ease when he marched her to the West Room in which her magic lessons were taught, and practically shut the door on her shoulder bladeswithout bothering to touch it. He did, on the other hand, activate the door ward with his own hand.
What, he asked, in Elantran, do you think youre doing?
I thought I was going on patrol in the Elani district.
His eyes darkened a shade. If there is ever a time to play games with a Dragon, Private, it is not now. The Emperor is not pleased by the current state of events.
Not even I could have missed that.
He grimaced, and his eyes lightened a shade. He has granted Bellusdeo his very reluctant permission to leave the Palace. He is placing the fate of the race in your hands. And clearly, while Sanabalis held Kaylin in some affection, he didnt consider her the appropriate receptacle for that responsibility.
She stared at him. She remembered to close her mouth after the first few seconds. The same Emperor who initially thought I should be destroyed because I presented too great a risk?
We have not notably changed rulers in the interim. His eyes gained more gold as he studied her face. Tell me about this new Barrani. He is a recruit?
She started to say no, stopped, and shrugged. I dont know. Hes a friend of Teelas. An old friend.
He is to my eye one of the Barrani young.
Shes known him practically all her life, she replied, trying to dodge the question he hadnt yet asked.
And you trust him?
Did she? I dont know him well enough to trust him. That was true. But I trust Teela.
Teela is a Barrani High Lord. She owes her loyalty to
Shes a Hawk, Sanabalis.
Sanabalis was silent for a moment. Kaylin, you have been the most difficult student I have ever accepted. The rewards are few; the frustration is legion. But you are notas Im certain Bellusdeo will tell youboring. In my fashion, I have grown accustomed to your eccentricities. My opinion carries some weight at court. It will carry exactly none if Bellusdeo comes to harm. He lifted a hand as Kaylin opened her mouth. Yes, I am aware that she is not a child. So, too, is the Emperor.
But you have told anyone who will listen that you are no longer a child, either. The Emperor therefore wishes you to understand what is at risk for you. Bellusdeo has a home in the Palace. She will be as safe there as she would be
In a grave.
Silence.
Kaylin watched the color of Dragon eyes closely; shed folded her arms and widened her stance without conscious intent. But if Sanabalis felt insulted, it didnt anger him; the color remained a constant, pale orange.
You do not understand the politics of the Dragon Court.
Then I recommend better information be taught in racial-integration classes. She exhaled through clenched teeth and forced herself to relax. Look, Sanabalis, I dont understand the problem. The Arkon had no objections. He doesnt think Bellusdeo can be happy in the Palace. Not right now.
The Arkon is being astonishingly sentimental for one of our kind.
No, hes just being perceptive. I dont know what went down at the end of all the wars. I dont know what choices the surviving Dragons were givenbut Im guessing that many of the Dragons didnt survive to make that choice. I dont know what choice Bellusdeo has been offeredbut Im guessing almost none. Shes the only female Dragon. Shes not being asked to choose between death and eternal servitude. He started to speak, and she held up one hand. She understands whats at stake. She has a sense of responsibility. But shes not a piece of property. The Emperor already has a hoard.
No choice has been demanded of Bellusdeo.
Thats not the way Diarmat sees it.
One pale brow rose into an equally pale hairline.
...Lord Diarmat.
Lord Diarmat is concerned for the rule of law. The Emperors law. He is younger than the Arkon, and he is aware that female Dragons are not an entirely different species.
Theyre not technically a different species at all.
Exactly. Lord Diarmat is the only member of the Dragon Court who will risk open hostility to make that point. Bellusdeo is a Dragon, but she is not accorded the responsibilities that exist, for Dragons, in the Empire.
Meaning shes not forced to swear the same oath the rest of you swore.
Yes. Sanabalis fell silent. He did not, however, give Kaylin permission to depart, and she was very much aware, given the turn of the days eventsor at least the evenings priorthat permission was required. She is not happy, he surprised her by saying.
Kaylin waited.
It may come as a surprise to you, but her happiness is of some concern to the Emperor; he balances it with a desire for her safety that is second only to his desire for the safety of his hoard. If you will not take the detachment of guards, I will have them dismissed. Go on your patrol. I will arrange a suitable escort for your...apartment hunting.
Who would that be?
He ran his hand over his eyes. In all likelihood, Private Neya, me. I may attempt to saddle Lord Emmerian with that duty; he has not, to my knowledge, offended Bellusdeo in the last several weeks. Largely, he added, with a more toothy grin, because he has avoided her entirely.
* * *
Why, Teela said, in the clipped, cool voice that implied annoyance, are you sulking?
Im not sulking. Kaylin did not kick a stone, which took effort.
Mandoran grinned. You dont look like youre sulking to mebut Im not as conversant with mortal expressions. Why exactly do your eyes stay that fixed color?
Human.
Doesnt it make the other mortals wonder if youre not just animals that talk?
Frequently. She reached out and caught Bellusdeos elbow as the Dragon drew breath; it was the kind of slow, heavy breath which sometimes preceded fire. Either that or it makes them suspicious, because clearly were hiding something. Or were insane.
Well, I wont argue that, he replied. He was looking at the buildings that lined the streets, the people that walked them, the stray cats and dogs, and the clouds that scudded overhead, as if everything was both new and fascinating. It probably was. He had spent the past many centuries trapped inside the green, which had a tenuous understanding of physical form. At best. His eyes were a shade of blue-green, and he kept to the side of Teela that happened to be farthest from the Dragon. Kaylin had inserted herself between Teela and Bellusdeo, which meant Mandoran and Bellusdeo were as far apart as they could be while still heading in the same general direction.
They both turned heads, though.
Mandoran wasnt encumbered by the regulation tabard that Teela wore, and Bellusdeo looked far more like a Lord of the Dragon Courtby dress, at leastthan the average pedestrian. Most women who could afford to dress the way she did didnt walk anywherethey took carriages, and usually stayed behind their guards and footmen.
Kaylin grimaced. She almost wished Bellusdeo were in one of those carriages, because Elani street was the home of wheedling, enterprising frauds, most of whom could happily accost anyone that appeared to have money.
They were usually better behaved when their victims had Hawks as escorts. Mandoran, on the other hand, didnt appear to understand that he was a victim. He responded to the offersin this case, fortune-tellingwith unfeigned curiosity and quick delight.
Teela raised a brow. Mandoran stiffened. Neither spoke out loud. They didnt have to, if they wanted their conversation to be private; they knew each others true names. It had been centuries since either had had call to use them, if one ignored the past few weeks.
Teela, Mandoran said, doesnt want me to have fun here.
Shes working. Youll add to the paperwork if you do.
Yes, that seems to be one of her fears. The other is attempting to throw me into...jail if I misbehave?
I imagine that would be a lot of fun, Kaylin replied.
Ive offered to visit the High Halls instead of the city streets, was his cheerful counter. There, it wont matter if foolish or stupid people die; its considered a form of suicide, and it isnt Teelas job to prevent that.