shading from the orange-gold that was normal to something that looked almost blue. Or green. It was not a color she remembered seeing in Dragon eyes, and she was instantly tense. Green, she thought, with hints of copper. What was copper again? Sadness? Grief?
He did not lift his hands to take what she now offered.
“What does it look like to you?”
“A ghost,” he said quietly, his gaze upon the object. “A dream.” He exhaled. “Why did you bring this to me?”
“We didn’t mean to. I mean—that’s not what I was told to do.”
“Told?”
Bellusdeo cleared her throat. “There was some difficulty. Kaylin was—according to Kaylin—asked to deliver this book to someone else.”
“Asked by who?” Smoke thickened the air immediately around the Arkon.
“You will have to ask Kaylin. No one else could see him.” Definitely stronger orange now. “If you would take the book from her hands, she might stop shivering. It is almost making me cold just looking at her.”
“I am not certain I can, as you put it, take it,” the Arkon replied. “I will, however, take the Corporal. Follow.”
* * *
Some confusion about the presence of the rest of the Dragons ensued. The Arkon’s command had been directed, without hesitation, at Kaylin—the only person in the room who actually needed sleep. Tomorrow was going to be a long day. Well, not tomorrow. Tomorrow was a word used to describe the day after she’d gotten sleep.
By unspoken consensus, the Dragons followed Kaylin. Bellusdeo couldn’t be left behind, and Sanabalis was distinctly curious. Emmerian fell in beside Bellusdeo; he asked a question that didn’t reach Kaylin’s ear. After a moment, Bellusdeo glanced back at the Hawk, and then grimaced and nodded.
Emmerian then turned and left the library. Kaylin was cursing on the inside of her head. She wanted to go home.
Throughout this, Hope remained supine. The Arkon’s mood didn’t trouble him at all. It wouldn’t, though; Hope wouldn’t melt or burn to ash if the Arkon lost his temper. It was always safer to be near the heart of his collection. Here, fire would destroy more than just an unlucky corporal.
He can aim his fire quite carefully, Hope said.
She poked him, a silent version of shut up.
* * *
When the Arkon came to a halt, it was in front of a blank wall. Kaylin recognized this as the entrance to what was, presumably, a safe room. The Arkon barked a Draconic word, and the wall dilated. He then turned to her, his gaze traveling to her companions.
“You will not want to speak with the Emperor,” Sanabalis reasonably said. “And it is possible that information will have to be conveyed.” He did not suggest that Bellusdeo be that conveyance, and even in his terrible mood, the Arkon accepted that Sanabalis was the best choice. Sanabalis left to make his report.
The room contained one largish table and one mirror. It was a standing desk mirror of the type that adorned many of the Hawks’ desks, and it was reflective at the moment.
There were six chairs tucked beneath the table. The Arkon gestured impatiently and Kaylin took the one farthest from where he was standing. Bellusdeo arched a brow in her direction, as if to accuse her of cowardice. Cowardice, hells. It was common sense.
“We will wait for Emmerian,” the Arkon surprised them all by saying.
“Oh?”
“I can hear the corporal’s stomach, and I find the sound annoying.”
* * *
Emmerian brought both food and Sanabalis. He carried it himself. As he was a Lord of the Dragon Court, it probably wasn’t his job—but the various servants and officials in the palace were shielded from the Arkon’s temper this way. She found herself liking Emmerian better for it. Especially since she was the person for whom the food was mostly intended.
“Eat. I don’t particularly care if you talk with your mouth full. Only Diarmat does, and he is not here.”
Kaylin was grateful to be given an order that she could happily obey. She set the book on the table, but kept one hand on it—the left one. The right, she used to eat a sandwich. There were a lot of little ones, but it was better than nothing.
“Can you tell him what happened tonight?” she asked Bellusdeo. “I’ll fill in the parts that don’t overlap.”
“Fine. Can you let go of the book?”
“I can, obviously; it’s not attached to my hand.”
“Then why don’t you?”
Hope flicked her cheek with his tail.
“Never mind. Tell me,” she added to the familiar, “what do you see when you look at this?”
Hope