“I should have asked.” Kaylin looked down at her hands. “My past is something I’m not proud of. I never wanted it to be revealed. If I could go back in time and talk to the girl I was then, I might have been able to—” She exhaled. “It doesn’t matter. Sometimes my past makes me suspicious of everyone, because I know what people are capable of. I know it because of what I did.
“So I try not to question someone else’s past. I try to see what they are now because...that’s what I want, for myself. I haven’t really grilled Annarion or Mandoran. I’m not even sure Helen would let me, because they’re guests. But...they speak of Sedarias differently; she’s one of the only names I hear spoken out loud. If I had to guess, I’d say that the plan, while carried out haphazardly by Terrano, probably started with her.” She looked up. “What do you think?”
“I can’t fault your reasoning.”
“Mostly because it’s the same as yours.”
Bellusdeo smiled. “Exactly.”
“For what it’s worth, I don’t think Sedarias would try to harm the Consort, or the High Court, now. I do believe that she’s heading to the High Halls because Annarion can’t be talked out of taking the Test of Name. And I do believe that she doesn’t want to lose him. She’s not stupid. She knows the risks. She might not be certain what that risk entails—but she knows that the success rate is not high. Regardless, I’d bet my own money she’s not responsible for her own disappearance.”
“You don’t believe Terrano is?”
“I don’t think Terrano can talk to the rest of the cohort the way they now talk to each other. Alsanis preserved Terrano’s name, but...Terrano wouldn’t take it back. What he wanted, at the time, was freedom. I mean, he wanted all of the cohort to be free. To be happy. To have choices—but his choice couldn’t be theirs. He didn’t want what they wanted.”
“And you think that’s changed?”
“...No. But I think he misses them. I mean, they were like one hive mind for centuries. I think that he kept an ear out, from wherever it was he ended up. And I believe that he came because he knew—or thought—they were in trouble. But if we ask him for political advice, it’s going to be a mess. I’d be surprised if he remembered anyone’s name. Except Iberrienne’s.”
“Why Iberrienne’s? He was the one responsible for the worst of the attacks, wasn’t he?”
“That’s what I thought at the time. He was certainly the most visible. And Iberrienne was Eddorian’s brother. One of the cohort. I’d imagine that what Eddorian knew about his brother, the whole cohort knew. It’s just possible that’s why Terrano approached him.”
“Why didn’t he approach Nightshade?”
“If I had to guess, he would have tried—but Nightshade lives in a Tower. They’re not functionally the same as Hallionne; they might be worse. It would have been a risk to approach Nightshade, if it were possible at all; the Castle might have killed him or trapped him for a century or two. Iberrienne wasn’t a fieflord. Or a Hallionne.
“Which is all beside the point. Terrano probably won’t remember most of the names. It’s Sedarias we need.”
“That’s why we’re here,” Bellusdeo offered. “I’m just hoping the boys stay put.”
“That’s not why we’re here. We’re here because the water picked us up and dumped us in a Hallionne—without our consent, I might add.” And without any explanations, because panic definitely didn’t count.
“Are you afraid of Terrano?”
“I’m afraid that Mandoran’s practice at walking through walls—which often has hilarious results—will seem boring and normal in comparison.” Kaylin exhaled. “I don’t think he’ll deliberately harm us, but I’m not sure I’ll care much while I’m dying.” She glanced at the wardrobe by the far wall of the room in which they’d been deposited. The door, on the other hand, didn’t seem to be locked.
And given that Bellusdeo was with them, it probably should have been. The Emperor was going to reduce Kaylin to ash—probably after he’d eaten half her limbs. She wanted Bellusdeo to stay in the room while she went in search of the fountain by which she’d once conversed with the water.
Bellusdeo folded her arms, which meant no—and Kaylin hadn’t even asked the question yet. She started to. No, she did. But the sound of her voice was entirely drowned out by a roar that Kaylin would have thought came from the Dragon, if the Dragon’s mouth hadn’t been a shut, compressed line of denial.
Kaylin headed to the door instantly; she heard shouts and cries, but they were distant, almost attenuated, until she yanked the door open. Then they were a little more voluble. She drew a dagger, which probably wouldn’t help her against anything that was causing the Barrani to panic, but Bellusdeo caught her arm.
The Dragon was smiling, and if the smile was rueful, it was genuine. “You won’t need that,” she said, “and given the Barrani state of mind at the moment, it might start something you don’t want to start.” She had to raise her voice to be heard, even though she was attached at the arm.
“What is it?” Kaylin had a sinking feeling that maybe, just maybe, the Dragon Court had arrived. But there was no way—even by direct flight—they would be here yet.
She headed down the hall toward the shouting.
Bellusdeo followed; the Dragon’s eyes were a martial orange, which certainly didn’t imply there was nothing to fear. Then again, as she approached a cluster of Barrani guards—swords drawn, shields raised—she tensed herself. If her eyes ever changed from their very normal brown, this would be the time to do it.
But...her marks were flat, invisible beneath the sleeves of her shirt. Whatever was attacking, it wasn’t the kind of magic that kicked natural defenses into gear.
Take Bellusdeo back to your room, the Lord of the West March said. Now.
I think it’s a little late for that. And also, Bellusdeo wouldn’t go. Any argument they had would just attract attention. What is it? What’s causing the panic?
These are fully trained and experienced guards. They are not panicking.
Another roar.
Several shouts. The men disappeared down the hall with barely a backward glance. That was probably today’s miracle—although Kaylin privately felt well-trained guards would have noticed the Dragon in their midst.
She turned to Bellusdeo, who was still gripping her dagger arm. “Let go and I’ll sheath it.”
Bellusdeo complied. Her eyes, however, had shaded to an orange gold, which was as gold as they were likely to get. Kaylin looked at her suspiciously.
“You don’t recognize his voice,” the Dragon said.
“And you do?”
“Somewhat. He is not, however, attempting to converse at the moment. I think he is...afraid.”
“Who?” Kaylin almost shrieked. She headed in the direction the guards had taken.
“I think you’ll recognize him when you see him.”
*
Kaylin could not strangle a Dragon, although she was seriously tempted to try.
Lirienne, what do you see?
I think it best that you come in person.
Even with the Dragon?
If you cannot talk sense into her, yes. Understand that it is not an issue for me should she die here, and there are not a few families who would take great pleasure in the attempt to accomplish that. His voice was dry.
They’d probably die first.
Yes, but they would consider the glory of their deaths to be a boon to their family lines; it would be an honorable death.