The Emperor's Wolves (Wolves of Elantra #1) - Michelle Sagara Page 0,112
discovery, the means of discovery, are not predictable.”
“You recognize him. Is he An’Sennarin?”
“He was not An’Sennarin at the time of the visit. His ascension to the title is new.”
Severn looked at Ybelline; her eyes remained closed.
“This man visited Random?”
Severn nodded.
“Why?”
“I don’t know. She was willing to discuss it with Ybelline; she expected Ybelline to answer any questions it was safe to answer.”
“If Ybelline were Barrani—”
“I am not,” Ybelline said.
“—she would answer no questions.”
“She’s not Barrani.”
“She will be castelord.”
Ybelline nodded. “I will answer questions,” she told Elluvian. “But I will answer them in private. I have still not given Private Handred the information I was instructed to give him.”
“You believe that information to be relevant now?”
“Yes. I have not been given permission to share that information beyond Private Handred. If Helmat wants to question the private, Severn is a Wolf. Helmat will not, however, question me.”
“And I won’t, either.”
“Not and receive answers, no. I would prefer to have the rest of the interview tomorrow, if possible.”
“Then why are you coming to the Halls of Law?”
“I, too, wish to examine what Random gifted to Severn.”
Severn wasn’t certain that she did. It wasn’t his choice to make.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
“Ybelline,” Helmat said when they entered the Wolves’ office. He was standing, arms folded, beside Rosen’s desk—or rather, by her mirror. Rosen, seated, looked past Ybelline to Severn and Elluvian.
Ybelline’s eyes narrowed; she stopped in the doorway as she met Helmat’s gaze.
“A message has arrived for you.”
“Is it from Saidh?”
“No.”
“Unless it is from the Emperor himself, all messages are to be put on hold.”
“No one informed our mirrors of this prohibition.” Helmat unfolded his arms and stood. “The mirrors in the Halls of Law are not under your jurisdiction.”
“Apologies, Helmat,” she said in a distinctly unapologetic tone. “You are free to accept any messages you desire. I am free to refuse to engage with them. I will not answer any of the messages being routed through you; I have already made that clear to the Tha’alanari.” Her eyes were martial green.
“En?”
Elluvian shrugged. “They’ll be angry at you, not her. It’s your decision.”
“They will not be angry at Helmat.”
Helmat concurred. Ybelline had never, in their interactions, attempted to give any commands—not to Helmat. The color of her eyes made clear she was upset. “What did you learn in the Oracular Halls?” Helmat’s forehead creased further as his eyes alighted on Severn. “What are you carrying?”
Severn spoke as if he hadn’t heard the interchange between Helmat and Ybelline; the boy’s expression gave almost nothing away. Years from now, Helmat thought, Severn would be controlled enough that he might meet with the castelords and even the Emperor—and in Helmat’s estimation the number of years would be few. “One of the Oracles—the one who requested an appointment be made for us—drew sketches and made small sculptures for us.”
“For you,” Ybelline said, voice softer, eyes still flecked with green. “I do not require them to remember what she showed me.”
Helmat’s brows rose. “You touched an Oracle?”
“At her request.”
“You touched an Oracle.”
Severn cleared his throat. “Ybelline has an assignment from the Imperial Service she wishes to complete; she was interrupted before she could finish.”
“Interrupted by what?”
“Caste court business,” Ybelline said.
Helmat stared at Ybelline in consternation. “I have never heard you use those words before—not unless speaking of the humans or the Barrani.”
“I wish I had no cause to use them now.” She turned to Elluvian. “With your permission, Severn and I will return to your office.”
“While I remain outside of it, I assume.”
Ybelline nodded.
“I wish to examine the items the private brought out of the Oracular Halls.”
“You will have ample time to do that later. With Severn’s permission, you might do so now. I would, however, make one request should Severn grant that permission.”
“Oh?”
“I wish Helmat to be with you when you examine the contents of this bag, and I wish the entirety of those contents to be entered into Records.”
Interesting. Elluvian had Ybelline’s full attention.
Helmat turned toward the Barrani Wolf, who made no reply to Ybelline’s demands. What he saw there convinced him that her demands, ridiculous on the surface, might just be necessary.
“I will wait until Severn is available,” Elluvian said. “How long do you think this will take?”
Ybelline shook her head. “I don’t know how many questions Severn will ask.”
“Severn?”
“I don’t know yet either.”
* * *
Severn looked at Rosen, seated behind the desk that served as a choke point for the Wolves. He’d become accustomed to her guidance in the office. Her eyes were gray-brown, but in the muted