“And she decided to listen?”
“Let us say that while the Consort is powerful and clever, finding a path that would lead to me without their will and their aid would have taken much, much longer, and been far less safe. She is headstrong,” he added, as if he were talking about the cohort and not the effective Empress of the Barrani. “She is not a fool. She was—and is—very concerned about the current difficulties facing my children.”
His children.
Everyone else joined Kaylin in breath holding; Terrano exhaled first. “She doesn’t want them to leave, either.”
“Did you tell the Consort about the delegation sent to the Emperor?”
“Ah, no, Lord Kaylin. She is desirous of speech with you, and I believe it best that you convey your concerns in person.”
“You said she wasn’t allowed to travel here.”
“You,” he said, “will be traveling there. But not today.”
*
Alsanis was kind enough to allow Bellusdeo to fly out of this vast and cavernous forest, which meant Kaylin could ride on her back without having to enter a portal. Terrano joined them, which surprised both Kaylin and the Dragon; he was silent for the entire flight. Given his reaction to riding Dragon-back the first time, Kaylin was worried.
“You don’t want to try flying yourself?” Bellusdeo asked, her voice a rumble of sensation beneath them.
“No. Alsanis doesn’t like it.”
“I have no objections,” Alsanis said. Although his Avatar was not present, his voice was. Unlike Helen, Alsanis could exist, in Avatar form, anywhere simultaneously. He had chosen not to in order to spare Bellusdeo another passenger.
During the flight, Kaylin spoke with everyone namebound to her who had finally broken through whatever wall had existed between Alsanis and parts of himself. Ynpharion started, because while Ynpharion had remained behind in the High Halls instead of accompanying the Consort, he was still the Consort’s servant; she held his name. And while he had been somewhat deflated about being abandoned, he had come to understand very clearly why she wanted him there: he was her eyes and ears in the Court and its many halls. It was not known to the Court at large that he had surrendered his name to her.
He was, regardless of the physical distance, also her line of communication with Kaylin. The Consort had left in a furious rush, taking little time to pack or arrange for more comfortable modes of travel. He did not believe the High Lord was pleased. Kaylin could well imagine. But why was she in such a rush?
Why did the elemental water deposit you within Orbaranne without warning?
We don’t know.
Exactly. There has been some movement between the Imperial Court and the High Halls; the High Lord has taken the matter into his own hands. She felt the faintest edge of something that might be fear, but when she tried to examine it, she met wall. She didn’t push. In theory she could—but if she did, it would cause her pain, and it would likely cause the Consort pain as well, if the Consort agreed that Ynpharion should not speak of it.
At the moment, Kaylin was exhausted enough that the thought of trying was beyond her.
It is not exhaustion, Ynpharion said, with his usual level of annoyance. Even were you to be well rested and focused, it is not something you would attempt. You lack the will.
She shut him out in as much as that was possible, and turned to the next in line, as if her mind were now a queue. Nightshade was largely silent. Ynpharion is correct, he said, when Kaylin complained. But not for his own sake, nor for the Consort’s. Your ability to lie is abysmal, and all of the politics of the realm require one form of lie or another. One must be able to feign delight, surprise or anger—and one must be able to hide those things when they are genuine at inconvenient times. Were you to understand the plans of the High Lord—or his Consort—anyone with eyes and ears in your vicinity would also understand them. Do not seek that information unless it is critical for your survival.
Or the Consort’s?
Or the Lady’s, yes.
Lirienne merely wished to know that Kaylin was alive. He also wished to ascertain that Bellusdeo was alive, which surprised her.
Alsanis accepted her as guest. It is not our wish to antagonize the Hallionne. What happened?
There were two Barrani in the heart of Alsanis.
A pause. Did you recognize them?
While Kaylin was accustomed enough to Barrani that she could tell them apart, she couldn’t do so as easily as she could with mortals; they had similar distinguishing features, were almost—Allaron was a notable exception—roughly the same height, with hair of the same color, except the Consort’s. No. I think Sedarias recognized the woman, though.
More silence. This one, he didn’t elect to fill. She could sense his brooding concern.
Do not mention the Lady to him, Ynpharion said. Kaylin, however, had figured that out on her own, and hoped that she had managed to contain enough information. What she needed was practice. She was used to clamping down on her own thoughts; she had reached a point where she could—usually—manage to keep her thoughts to herself. She didn’t need to say what she was thinking, and didn’t need to blurt it in anger or rage.
Keeping her thoughts to herself while other people were part of them was far, far harder. Just another reason to hate True Names, but thinking this, she reached for the last one. Severn.
Did you recognize them?
I couldn’t see them when you did. I did see the corpse of the woman when communication was reestablished; the man escaped?
Not exactly.
Bellusdeo?
Yes.
She wasn’t injured?
Not according to her, and no, I’m not about to argue with her. She’s in a better mood than she was, but not by enough. Not by nearly enough. Kaylin did, on the other hand, check Bellusdeo for injuries. To her surprise, most of the injuries she’d sustained were bruises and light, normal burns.
She roared and Kaylin instantly lifted her hand, flushing. She kept that hand to herself, and tried to come up with enough in the way of groveling apology that Bellusdeo wouldn’t be tempted to bite it off when they finally landed.
But Severn was her partner, and Severn was fully capable of covering the ground she couldn’t cover. If she were honest, he was probably better at it—he had contacts in the Wolves, and through the Wolves, that the Hawks had never fully developed.
He heard the thought; of course he did. She’d practically thrown it. I’m going to start investigating on this end.
In private?
Sadly, no. The Emperor has not traditionally concerned himself with the politics of the Barrani Court; he has turned a blind eye, except in cases where those politics spill into the open streets. Things are...tense. The Hawklord and the Wolflord have been closeted in an Imperial Tower; the Emperor is now very interested in Candallar, Teela, the cohort and the politics of the High Court itself.
Marcus?
He’s been coordinating with the Lord of Swords in the Hawklord’s absence.