“I take it that’s a no.”
“I will speak with the Halls’ educational liaison. Your lack of fundamental knowledge is appalling.”
“Do female Dragons have hoards?”
“I will speak with the liaison the moment I return to the Palace.” He hesitated, which should have been a big red flag. “I had hoped to invite Bellusdeo to dinner.”
“At the Palace?”
“At any place of her choosing. No,” he added, looking even more uncomfortable, “I wish to choose a place in which she would feel comfortable.”
“Oh, that’s easy.”
“Not, apparently, for an Emperor.”
“Come to dinner at our place.” The minute the words left her mouth, she felt stranded by them, but she had no way to reel them back in. “Are you— Do you mean to come as the Emperor?”
“No.”
“I mean, you are the Emperor and that doesn’t really change—but—” She stopped digging.
“I understand why Lord Diarmat finds you so difficult. Bellusdeo, however, does not. I intend to issue the invitation in person, and I hope to be less...formal.”
She doubted he could be more formal than he was in the audience chambers in which he and Bellusdeo had had several very audible arguments. “I’m really not great at relationship advice. Really, really not great at it. So I want you to keep that in mind.”
“I will not hold you responsible.”
“Unless she dies?”
“Yes. It is unlikely that an invitation to an informal dinner will kill her.”
“Was that a joke?”
“I am not entirely without a sense of humor; I have been told mine is very, very dry.”
Dry enough to spontaneously catch fire apparently, which, given Dragon breath, was not ideal. “An informal invitation would work, I think. I don’t want her to be upset, and I don’t want her to think I’m ratting her out.”
“I will attempt not to take offense. When do you believe she will be free?”
Kaylin, thinking of Ravellon, the fiefs and Annarion, almost shrugged. Because her companion was the Emperor, she didn’t. “Tomorrow, she’ll come with me to visit the Arkon. And after that we’re probably going to chance Nightshade. So, tomorrow is no good.
“I don’t know what will happen in Nightshade. Give it a few days—maybe five? When Bellusdeo puts on her war hat, she’s pretty focused. She takes Shadow personally.”
“I am aware of that.”
“If you want to strategize—without insulting or minimizing her advice or experience—that would probably be the best thing you could offer her. But not if you’re going to end up having another deafening ‘discussion’ about her safety.”
“Perhaps I will do exactly that,” he surprised Kaylin by saying. “It will give us something to talk about that is less awkward.”
“What do you normally talk about?”
“You and Lord Diarmat. And yes, the importance of her safety. I will attempt to avoid all three subjects.”
*
Living in a sentient building was almost heaven. There were one or two drawbacks, however.
Helen insisted that Kaylin eat breakfast. Kaylin didn’t usually have time, given her early-morning routine—which involved falling out of bed, shoving herself into the nearest clothing and heading for the door at a run.
Helen blamed this familiar routine on Kaylin’s irregular hours and her inability to wake up on time. Since she couldn’t change Kaylin’s working hours, she’d settled for waking Kaylin in time to eat. Today, for the first time since she had changed Kaylin’s familiar routine, Kaylin had company.
Moran was seated on the left side of the table when Kaylin entered the room. She was dressed for work and appeared to be far more awake than Kaylin felt.
She smiled, and her face didn’t crack. “Not in the Halls, remember?”
Kaylin nodded and took a seat, looking at Moran. The Aerian’s color was better. The tight slope of her shoulders had eased. She looked comfortable at this table. “Did you sleep?”
“Yes. I slept well.”
“And she woke well,” Helen added.
“Where are you?” Kaylin asked.
“With Annarion. He is in a much better mood than he was yesterday. He spent some time speaking with Hope—and I think you named him well, even if you find the name too sentimental to actually use. He’s looking forward to your outing. We’ll be joining you shortly.”
Bellusdeo entered the dining room before Helen and Annarion reached it. She nodded at Moran and took the seat across from the Aerian. “Have you decided to join us?”
That was the only question on Kaylin’s mind, but she hadn’t had the guts to ask it.
Moran pushed food around her plate as if it took effort. When she lifted her head, she looked to Kaylin. “You understand that this might cause difficulty for you?”
Kaylin shrugged. “What doesn’t?”
“It might cause difficulty for the Hawklord, too—and I owe Grammayre more than trouble.”
“Has he told you not to stay?”