Royal linguists when time permits. You said that he ate one of your marks?”
She nodded. She didn’t, however, point out that the Devourer had also eaten some of her marks; her testimony was in Records, and if he failed to recall it on the spot, she wasn’t going to remind him. Why, she wasn’t certain.
“And that would be—” The rest of her sentence was lost to the sudden roaring that filled the Library. It wasn’t the Arkon’s voice. He lifted a brow and then shook his head. “Bellusdeo hasn’t really changed very much.”
“That was Bellusdeo?”
“Ah, no. That was the Emperor. I believe Sanabalis is at the doors.” The doors swung open—and shut—very quickly as Sanabalis entered the Library.
“I consider it a very good thing that Lord Diarmat is with the Hawks,” Sanabalis said when normal speech could actually be heard in the room.
“You didn’t stay for their discussion?”
“No. If the Emperor is to lose his composure, it is best for all concerned that there be no witnesses.” The last half of the last word was lost to the sound of more roaring.
“That,” the Arkon pointed out while distant breath was being drawn, “was Bellusdeo.”
* * *
The Arkon decided, during the small breaks between roaring—which frequently overlapped—that it was safe to leave the small dragon with Kaylin. By “safe,” he meant that she was allowed to leave the room with the dragon attached. He was aware that keeping the dragon, at this point, also meant caging the Private, and declined to, as he put it, subject himself to the endless interruption and resentment that would entail.
Sanabalis therefore escorted her from the Library. “Do you know the way to your rooms?” he asked when the doors were closed and there was another break in the roaring.
She looked at him.
“Very well, let me escort you. Attempt to pay attention, because this will no doubt be the first of many forays between the Arkon and those rooms. You will, of course, be expected to perform your regular duties during your transitional stay in the Palace.” He turned to face her as she regarded the door ward with dislike. “You will not, however, be in residence for long if the raid conducted this evening bears fruit.”
Kaylin wilted. “Nightshade?” she asked, too tired to pretend she didn’t understand what he was talking about.
Sanabalis nodded. “I am not entirely comfortable with the exchange of information for your time; the information, however, was crucial. Bellusdeo will be staying in the Palace while you discharge your obligation to the fieflord.”
“Was that part of the discussion with the Emperor?”
“It was—and is.”
“Then it’s not decided?”
“It is. The Emperor has been willing to grant leeway in all of Bellusdeo’s irregular demands for autonomy, but he will not allow her to leave the City—or the Palace—at this time. She intended to accompany you. He has pointed out one thing for which Bellusdeo has no reply.”
“What?”
“She endangered your life.”
It was true, but Kaylin felt it was also unfair. “Neither of us knew that someone would try to kill her.”
“It has always been an Imperial concern.”
“She probably thought you were being paranoid.”
“Yes. She made that clear. Her second thoughts will therefore occur in the Palace, and in your absence. I would suggest that you attempt to make the best of your status as guest here; you will depart for the West March in five days.”
Chapter 4
When Kaylin headed to the Halls of Law the next day, she went on foot. Bellusdeo wasn’t terribly happy about it, because Bellusdeo had been asked not to accompany her. The fact that she was willing to accede to a request that she clearly detested confirmed what Sanabalis had said about the almost deafening and totally incomprehensible Dragon conversation.
“You’re taking the familiar with you?”
“I wasn’t going to,” Kaylin replied, which was only a half lie. “But I can’t keep it off my shoulders for more than five minutes.” This wasn’t entirely true; it was willing to sit on the top of her head or be gathered in the palms of her hands, but neither of these were as convenient.
“You’re going to have to come up with a name for it sometime; if I hear it referred to as the ‘small dragon’ or ‘glass dragon’ again, I’ll scream.”
“That’s what the Arkon—”
“He’s ancient and probably half-blind.”
“Dragons don’t go blind with age.”
For some reason, this completely factual statement didn’t meet with Bellusdeo’s approval.
* * *
When she exited the Palace, Severn was waiting. He fell in beside her in a stiffer-than-usual silence.
“I’m sorry,” she said without looking at him. “I—”
“I heard about it this morning.”
“How?”
“Teela mirrored me; she thought I’d like to know before I hit the office.”
“I—”
“You had better things to worry about.”
“You’re angry anyway.”
“I’m angry, yes, but I’m not angry at you.” He stopped walking. “I should have been there.”
“You didn’t know.”
“Why didn’t you mirror when you hit the office?”
“Everyone was so pissed off, I didn’t think about it.” She hesitated and then added, “I’m still not thinking about it very clearly. At all. I know what happened—I was there—but part of me still thinks I can take the normal route home.”
“You could stay with me.”
She hesitated. “I would,” she said, because it was true. “But I can’t leave Bellusdeo. The Emperor won’t give permission for her to live with you—not that you’d enjoy it—and I’m betting he won’t give his blessing if I move out on my own, unless she requests it.”
He glanced at the small dragon on her shoulder but made no comment; Kaylin guessed that Teela had also mentioned its appearance, and didn’t ask. Mention of her home had dampened a mood that hadn’t been that cheery to begin with.
* * *
Kaylin
