But at least his facial fur didn’t rise.
“Lord Sanabalis has sent a missive,” Marcus said, which wasn’t what Kaylin expected.
She wilted. “About?”
“Magic lessons and your inability to make any of them. He is, what was the word he used? Concerned.”
“We’ve been a bit busy.”
“Indeed. I heard you had a bit of an adventure in the fiefs yesterday.” He glared pointedly at a layer of paper near the top of one of his stacks. He also used the word adventure as if it were a cursed and despised thing.
Kaylin cringed. “Yes, sir.”
“I see the Dragon returned unharmed.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Fine. Today, you are to take no shortcuts. Is that clear?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good. Why are these two with you?”
They were bored was not an acceptable answer, and Kaylin prayed that Terrano wouldn’t give it. Mandoran had done this drill before.
“The fieflord of Candallar is Barrani,” Terrano said in a tone that was just this side of normal, for the office. “He’s an old acquaintance of my family, although he’s outcaste. We’d like to speak with him to ascertain just how invested he is—and was—in the events that transfigured the High Halls. I believe he’ll speak with me. I’m new enough that I present no obvious threat. But I am a Lord of the High Court.”
Marcus glared at Kaylin, his eyes unblinking.
Kaylin had no idea if anything that had fallen out of Terrano’s mouth was actually true.
“And the other one?” Her Leontine sergeant finally said.
“I’m backup,” was Mandoran’s cheerful reply. “I’m also technically a Lord of the High Court, for what that’s worth, but I’m Terrano’s guard.”
“And Candallar is going to accept you as guard, and your friend as diplomat while you’re also accompanied by a Dragon?”
Mandoran winced. Terrano, notably, did not. Somewhere in the distance, Kaylin was almost certain she could hear Sedarias shrieking in frustration.
“This is the modern era,” Terrano replied. “We’re ruled by a Dragon; we have individually sworn personal oaths to serve his empire. Lord Bellusdeo is of the Dragon Court.”
“I am not present as a Lord of that Court,” Bellusdeo unhelpfully said.
“No. But if things go bad in Candallar, we’re going to be happy to have you present. Given Candallar’s possible involvement in the High Halls, and given the gray legality of some of those interactions—and his understanding of the Halls of Law and the rules of exemption—the Hawklord wants Kaylin and Severn to investigate.
“Having us there can only make that investigation safer for the mortals.”
Marcus snorted. And growled. “I trust you understand all the ways what you’ve just said is inaccurate.”
“It’s aspirational, sir,” Mandoran added.
Marcus snorted, but his eyes were a slightly paler orange. To Kaylin, he growled, “I expect a report of the day’s activities to be on my desk by this evening.” He had gouged a faint runnel in the surface of the desk. Hardwood was definitely better than soft. “But go to Candallar via the bridge, this time. No detours.”
* * *
Terrano disappeared when they exited the Halls, and after a moment, so did Mandoran. Kaylin assumed they were somewhere above the crowded streets; Terrano didn’t like crowds. If Kaylin had wings, she would have avoided them herself.
Bellusdeo didn’t seem to mind, but she wouldn’t. Crowds of mortals didn’t hold much fear for her. Which was fair; no one who recognized a Dragon would be suicidal enough to attack them or attempt to pick their pockets.
They made their way to Candallar’s bridge, skirting the warrens; the boardwalk was considered safe at this time of the day. Severn, however, was on alert; safe was always a relative term.
The bridge to Tiamaris was, by this point, well-traveled. People who had once avoided those bridges as if their lives depended on it now used them, as their livelihoods now did. Wagons, carts and the craftsmen who drove them could be seen lining up; there were no tolls to cross, but notice was taken by guards on either side of the bridge.
No other fief bridge saw similar use; during daylight hours, the bridges were entirely unoccupied. Candallar was no exception. There were no guards on either side of the Candallar bridge, but guards, in general, served little purpose. The warrens held no fear for the fief.
Kaylin wanted Bellusdeo to stay home.
Bellusdeo was not going to stay home. Kaylin had explained that rule of law, such as it was, didn’t exist in the fiefs; the laws that governed the fiefs were the fieflord’s. This meant, in theory, that there was no law preventing fieflings from attacking the Dragon, and if an attack