“Join us.”
Some opportunities were disasters. “He doesn’t want to be your enemy. Inasmuch as Emperors have friends, I think he’d like to be one of yours.” When Bellusdeo failed to reply, she continued, “You understand the burdens of a ruler. You were one. Dragons are not known for their ability to gracefully accept advice or criticism—but I think you have more in common with the Emperor than you think. Except for your sense of humor.”
“Oh?”
“I don’t think he has one.”
Mandoran snickered. So did Bellusdeo.
“Did he say when?”
“I think that’s going to be up to you. Look, I can’t tell you how to behave around the Emperor. I wouldn’t be stuck in Diarmat’s hell class if I was qualified to do that. But...he’d be here without his stuck-up, wooden guards, and he wouldn’t be sitting on a throne. It probably wouldn’t be boring.”
“Are we invited?” Mandoran asked.
“Absolutely not,” Bellusdeo replied.
They devolved into bickering, and Kaylin looked back to Moran. To her surprise, the formidable sergeant was smiling.
“You’ll probably regret it,” she told Kaylin. “But...yes. If the offer is still open, I’d like to stay here until my wing is healed.”
“About the wing—”
“On its own.”
Chapter 11
Ditching Annarion and Mandoran proved to be much, much more of a problem than Kaylin had anticipated. Helen was willing to allow them to leave if they accompanied Kaylin, as her familiar could more or less keep them hidden from the non-mortal Shadows who seemed to hear them so clearly.
Teela didn’t particularly care for either the Arkon or the Imperial Palace; she could tolerate them, but she never sought them out willingly. She hadn’t, therefore, insisted on accompanying Kaylin. Severn had shown up at the front door as a reminder of the appointment she’d already managed to miss once.
Annarion was willing to follow Teela’s lead. Mandoran was not, and Annarion wasn’t willing to let Mandoran be the only Barrani representative from their collective crew. But Severn considered the visit less risky than Kaylin did, and in the end, Kaylin had agreed to let them accompany her. She was fairly certain Marcus’s fur—all of it—would be standing on end if he knew, but it was easier to grovel and beg forgiveness than to ask permission.
The Arkon had wanted to meet them, anyway.
Bellusdeo, uncertain that the argument would ever end, left first. “I do not find Lannagaros’s company taxing,” she said on the way out. “Given recent events, I find it exactly the opposite.”
Since Annarion and Mandoran were now part of the visit to the Arkon, Teela also accompanied them, and wasn’t entirely pleased about it. Or quiet.
“...And I’m warning you now that if the two of you touch anything in his collection, we’ll all be smoldering ash. Just—if you could be quiet and still, it would be helpful to my continued employment. And existence. And when I say ‘you,’ I mean Mandoran.” Teela could have said this silently; she had their True Names. She didn’t need to speak out loud.
“Plausible deniability,” Teela said, correctly guessing Kaylin’s thoughts. “Honestly, the primary reason I’d never give you my True Name is because it wouldn’t be advantageous to me—what you think is so plainly written across your face I don’t need you to speak out loud to catch it.”
Mandoran pulled a face. “I swear, once we’ve gotten your brother, I’m going back to the green.”
Annarion winced, but said nothing.
Kaylin didn’t believe him, because she wasn’t that lucky. She kept this to herself, with effort. Gilbert. Kattea. Evanton’s concern about ancient, mysterious ruins. The bodies that disappeared when she looked at them the wrong way. There were too many things that were strange and wrong, and Kaylin was attempting to juggle them all.
She was a crap juggler. Eventually they were going to come raining down on her head.
She’d appreciate it if that didn’t happen while the Arkon was present.
*
The Arkon met them at the library doors, although the library was well-staffed during daylight hours. Said staff were watching the visitors with barely concealed interest; they appeared to be tending to their various jobs. Kaylin had no doubt they would all be talking in muted whispers the minute the visitors were out of earshot.
The Arkon’s eyes were a shade of orange that immediately set Kaylin’s teeth on edge. “You said you wanted to meet them,” she began.
“You will be silent for at least the next fifteen minutes.” He paused. “My apologies, Lord Teela, but I must insist that you, and your companions, also comply with my request.”
It certainly wasn’t phrased like a request.
“Morgrim, please call the librarians to the desk. The interruption to their regular duties should be minimal.”
*
“This should cause no discomfort.”