04 #3
“Yes, dear. I believe Tara is waiting for you.”
“Which fief is Teela in?” Kaylin demanded of Mandoran.
“We believe she’s walking the border between Tiamaris and Bellusdeo. The Norranir are there, and they seem to have better
defenses against Shadow encroachment. She’s trying to be careful.
“Serralyn has questions about the Erenne mark, but she also has questions about why Nightshade couldn’t contact you. She’s
been listening in to everything. Killian found that last part troubling. And I’m guessing so does Helen.”
Helen did not comment.
Kaylin turned to the Avatar of her house. “Do you want me to try to reason with Bellusdeo, stop Teela, or join Teela when
I have to meet the Consort first thing in the morning?”
“Yes,” Mandoran said.
“Which?”
“Was it an either/or question?”
Squawk.
“Everyone’s a critic,” Mandoran said. “It’s serious. Teela went out carrying Kariannos, and we’d like her not to have to use it against Bellusdeo.”
“Bellusdeo isn’t likely to attack Teela.”
“No—but Emmerian has already lost his temper while visiting us. We don’t hold it against him. If he weren’t a Dragon, he might
actually fit right in. You think he’s going to stay home when Bellusdeo flies out in a panic?”
“I get it. I get it. I’m going.”
Do you want company? Severn asked.
At this time of night? I’d like us not to both be dead on our feet when we meet the Consort tomorrow. Or later today. One
of those two.
When Severn failed to respond, she said, I’ve got Hope with me.
If I can get to Teela, Andellen’s there.
And Bellusdeo will probably be there as well.
The only reason the cohort wants me to head to the fiefs is they trust Bellusdeo not to completely lose her mind if I’m there, because she knows I won’t survive it.
Severn concurred. I’ll meet you at the bridge.
When Kaylin hesitated, he added, It might concern Shadow. You know that’s her biggest sensitivity.
Fine.
Helen wasn’t happy.
“I’ll be fine. Severn’s meeting me at the bridge. We’ll head into the fiefs together.”
Squawk. Squawk.
“That is exactly what I’m afraid of,” Helen replied.
Hope snickered. Kaylin flicked his snout.
“Terrano, I believe you were asked to remain at home,” Helen then said, her voice the severe Helen voice, not the gentle one.
Kaylin couldn’t actually see the cohort member but wasn’t particularly surprised. She’d’ve bet most of the money she had that
he’d find a way to tag along.
“Are you certain you don’t wish me to attempt to confine him?”
“I’m a Hawk. I can’t just throw someone in jail for a crime they haven’t committed yet. If he really does something stupid,
the rest of us can discuss it later.”
“Because then it won’t be illegal, metaphorically speaking?”
“More or less. Terrano?”
He appeared. His eyes were normal eyes, and he looked very pleased with himself. “We’d better run,” he said, almost whispering.
“Sedarias is about to charge down the stairs in a fury.”
Severn was waiting by the time they reached the bridge—and Terrano had set up an impatient jog almost the moment they’d crossed
Helen’s fence line.
“I wasn’t kidding about Sedarias,” he said when Kaylin gave him a look.
“I don’t particularly care whether or not she comes.” Not, strictly speaking, the entire truth, but she couldn’t see the harm in it.
“Teela does,” he replied. “Sedarias and Bellusdeo aren’t a great combination. The Dragon’s fine with Teela, more or less.
She actually likes Mandoran—but Mandoran doesn’t want to leave Annarion.”
Kaylin nodded.
“I’m not sure she cares for me—but I don’t ruffle her scales.”
“You can’t ruffle scales. Trust me.”
“Fine. But she doesn’t have feathers, and you know what I meant. And if I stay in between a couple of planes, her breath passes
through me.”
“Teela doesn’t want you there either, does she?”
“No,” he replied, all smiles. “She’s threatened to break a leg—mine, just in case you were wondering. But she’s not the boss
of me, and Serralyn thought I might be helpful.”
Kaylin considered tripping him but decided against; she could see Severn in the distance.
Don’t let me stop you.
I’d try, but I suspect he’d pass through my foot without even noticing it was there. His smile was more felt than seen; he was too far away for that. But she recognized his stance immediately.
Why wouldn’t she? They’d been partners in both boring, mundane daily patrols and very difficult situations for a while now.
“What is Teela trying to find?” Severn immediately turned to Terrano. She could see through his body, but he didn’t become
completely invisible.
“I’m not sure. She’s looking in the border zone for traces of the mage that must have cast the concealing spell.
It was big enough Kaylin could feel it from the air, but it wasn’t a physical barrier.
She’s worried about what Helen said—and the fact that there’s clearly some collaboration between Barrani and humans in the use of the border zone.
The discovery and almost-subjugation of the Academia are evidence of at least Barrani research done there.
From what Killianas has said, new students were being added over a long period of time.
If the investigation had been in human hands alone, they’d’ve all died of old age. ”
“Why is she so fixated on Barrani involvement in this?”
Terrano winced. “She’s getting pissed off. She really, really wants you to take a hike for the next five decades.” At Kaylin’s expression, Terrano shrugged. “Look, you’ve known her for
longer than you’ve known me, right? But I’ve shared a home with you for longer than she has. Even if you decided to follow
her advice, you’re a walking disaster. You trip into things all the time. At least if we’re with you, you might not land in trouble without a bit of support.”
“Meaning you think I’m in trouble no matter what.”
“Well, unless you can tell the Consort to get stuffed, don’t you think so?”
Ynpharion was instantly enraged.
“No, I can’t, as you well know. Teela knows it, too. Since you’ve enraged someone who can shout at me on the inside of my head, tell me what Teela’s doing.”
“You know her mother was murdered, right? And most of her mother’s kin?”
Kaylin nodded, her expression grim.
“She trusted Severn with you, even when you tried to kill him the first time.” He waited for Kaylin to nod, but it took longer.
“Oh, come on, you must have noticed that.”
“She trusts me with the Hawks because I am one.”
Terrano made a raspberry sound. “Fine, you tell yourself that.” He looked in Severn’s direction.
“I have no idea what you’re saying,” Severn told him. “If you expect me to somehow get you out of trouble by acknowledging
something, you’re going to have to try harder.”
Terrano exhaled. “Never mind. Sedarias is now joining Teela in shouting at me. It’s the first time they haven’t been snarling at each other since Teela left. I might just run away and let you talk to Teela.”
“She won’t tell me anything.”
“Probably not. But Bellusdeo will.”
Bellusdeo?
“I told you—she’s near the border. The Towers are pretty bloody sensitive about that, and Bellusdeo is not exactly reasonable
when it comes to any tiny hint of Shadow. Or idiots who walk into it.” He cursed in impressive Leontine. “I understand why
you like that language,” he added. “We don’t really have time for this. Come on. We need to get there now.”
“It’s interesting that you should say that,” a familiar voice said, breaking into their conversation.
Kaylin looked immediately toward the figure on the other side of the bridge across the Ablayne. It was, of course, Tiamaris.