Cast in Wisdom (Chronicles of Elantra #15) - Michelle Sagara Page 0,89
you.”
“Oh?”
“For taking your place at Court.”
Her smile was almost feline. And as Kaylin had worked with Marcus for all of her life in the Hawks, feline had a distinct meaning that was not pleasant. The Arkon didn’t seem to mind Sedarias as much as he minded Severn. But he didn’t ask Helen if he could use her mirror—in the secure room—either.
* * *
Kaylin had the book bundled up in a small blanket—the kind of blanket meant for big chairs, not beds. Caitlin called them throws, for some reason. It helped, but she knew it wouldn’t make as much difference an hour from now. The book radiated cold, and it ate heat and warmth.
It hadn’t been nearly as bad when she’d been at home.
Helen, she thought. And Helen had said nothing; she had just gone about, as she always did, making home safe. Or as safe as it could be, all things considered.
Sedarias was armed. Annarion was armed. Bellusdeo was armored; she had given up on Imperial clothing entirely for the duration of this investigation. The Arkon and Emmerian had not. But they were comfortable with the Emperor’s rules. Watching the fussy old librarian stride down the streets, Kaylin still couldn’t see him as an outstanding, even legendary, warrior.
But the rest of Emmerian’s words made her uneasy. If the Arkon was irritable—and he was, if your name was Kaylin—he was also steady. Solid. Predictable. He was indulgent of Bellusdeo because he understood both where she had come from, and what she had lost to return.
This version of the Arkon was a stranger to Kaylin. She wanted the old one back. And maybe if they could sort this out somehow, that would happen. But she didn’t understand his hoard. She had assumed that it meant touch this and die, because that, at least, seemed true across all Dragons. What was his hoard, if not the things the library contained that were strictly off-limits?
If the library was his hoard, why was it open to the public at all?
“You’re thinking,” Bellusdeo said, falling in step beside her. They weren’t patrolling, in part because the Arkon’s pace didn’t allow it.
“Are my ears smoking?”
The Dragon smiled. “A bit. We will enter Tiamaris, I believe, and attempt to retrace our path to the Academia. Lannagaros believes that it will be far less of a meandering walk than it was for us.”
“Because of the book?”
“Because of that, yes. He would like to attempt an entry from Farlonne.”
“It wasn’t near Farlonne.”
“Yes. We did point this out, but I believe he has theories he has not shared. Today, however, he is less interested in experimentation and more in locating the building he believes existed in his youth.”
Kaylin lowered her voice. “What do you think will happen?”
“Let me remind you,” the Arkon said, although he hadn’t paused or turned back, “that I can hear every word you say. A whisper does not, in fact, render your words private.”
Bellusdeo snickered.
Kaylin rolled her eyes. His hearing was, of course, Draconic—but he didn’t have eyes in the back of his head.
Hope was draped across her shoulders, looking distinctly dissatisfied with life. There was no danger in Tiamaris. There was, however, a patrol—one that consisted of the fieflord and the Avatar of his Tower, plus two guards. Kaylin recognized one of them.
That guard stepped out from behind the fieflord when the Dragons started bowing at each other.
“What,” Morse said in her normal voice, which was always lower, “are you guys doing?”
“Escorting a Dragon.”
Morse’s eyes narrowed. “We got thrown into the streets via a large hole in the wall. The one he usually takes when he’s an actual Dragon. Apparently, one of your Dragons caused him alarm.”
“Concern,” Kaylin said. The Dragons had finished with the bowing bits and had entered the discussion phase. Luckily, they were speaking in Barrani, not their native tongue. “The old Dragon—well, the one that looks oldest—over there? He does leave his rooms in the palace, but not bloody often, and never just to visit. Almost never,” she added, to be fair. “Tiamaris was his student.”
“And he’s worried?”
“Well, offhand I can think of a few times that the Arkon has left the palace. The time before last it was because the High Halls were on fire, and the entire Dragon Court had taken to the skies to defend it.”
“...So if he’s here there’s likely to be fire.”
“That’s probably Tiamaris’s concern, yes.” She hesitated. “Did you hear that Tiamaris wants to let Hawks patrol his fief?”