06 #3
“I don’t know what you’re seeing. You’re not normal, either—you’re Chosen. We’re almost there—I’m sorry. I had to really rush
the fences to get here to help. There are probably better paths, better cracks between planes, to exploit—but I didn’t have
the time to really listen for them. That’s what you’re feeling.”
Kaylin closed her eyes and sagged against Severn. It helped, but not completely; the sounds were almost as dizzying as the
blend of visual colors had been. Hope squawked. His voice, perched as he was so close to her ear, was loud—but clean, clear.
It didn’t blend into the aural chaos.
She focused on listening to Hope until she could hear the drumming; only then did Hope’s voice stop.
Her legs felt like rubber, but the ground beneath her feet felt solid in a way it hadn’t when she’d joined Terrano. She took
the chance of opening her eyes and almost wept with relief: she was surrounded by Norranir drummers. If they noticed her—and
they did—nothing broke the rhythm of their hands against stretched skins.
She’d come back. Mandoran stood beside her.
And her hand was both very cold—and empty.
The streets were thick with smoke. The drumming continued, but it was entwined now with other sounds: running feet, cracking
stone, raised voices. She could feel a bonfire’s heat, pressed against her skin as if she’d strayed too close to the fire.
There was no immediately visible flame. But above the clearing smoke, she could see two sets of mighty wings: red and gold.
Kaylin could see the ruins of the border zone building and raised her brows.
“If it makes it any better, Tiamaris helped with that.” Mandoran was too pale.
“Has Terrano gotten home yet?”
“Not yet—he’s taking a look around.”
Kaylin almost shrieked.
“Sedarias isn’t happy about it, but you probably guessed that. She says you should go home. Whatever you were carrying, she
wants Helen to assess. If it can’t be removed, you’re going to have to put off the meeting with the Consort.”
Easier said than done.
I do not advise that, Ynpharion said.
He might be right—I’ve picked up something I can no longer see, and until Helen gives the okay, it might not be safe for the
Consort. You wouldn’t want to put her at risk, would you?
Ynpharion gave the equivalent of a mental snort. He didn’t disagree.
As smoke cleared and the ruins of a border building came into full view, Bellusdeo stood in the partially melted streets.
The street, like the building, was tinged gray, the colors faded, as all colors were in the border zones.
But the Dragon that stood in front of the building was a lambent, burning gold. As Kaylin watched, she transformed, her wings folding, her neck and body shrinking, as if flesh was entirely mutable. Kaylin looked away. She’d seen Dragons shift before, but it never became less disturbing.
Teela was standing beside Bellusdeo. The shift in size made the distance between the two greater than it had been, but Teela
chose to close that gap. Bellusdeo was facing either Kaylin or the drummers gathered in a loose formation around her; it was
hard to tell which.
If Kaylin had had any doubts, Bellusdeo herself dispelled them. She marched toward the Norranir cluster and passed through
them, dwarfed in size but clearly in command. They moved. Only when she lifted a hand did the drumming stop, dying into silence
and the sound fire made when it consumed things.
Mandoran stood beside Kaylin. He had an expressive face for a Barrani, and expressions flashed across the contours of his
eyes and lips; clearly the cohort was silently arguing on the inside of his head. Well, silently where Kaylin was concerned.
Probably for the best.
Bellusdeo’s eyes were blood red—not a surprise. But her voice, when she spoke, was modulated, steady. The rage and the fury
her eyes implied didn’t touch her tone.
Oh. This wasn’t the Bellusdeo Kaylin had known for most of their time together. It was one of the sisters.
“We’re going to have to talk,” the gold Dragon said.
Kaylin nodded.
“An’Teela?”
“As you are aware, we are in the midst of complicated investigations. We did not expect the attack today.”
“No. I am told that the fieflord of Nightshade was involved.”
“He was attacked first. He is currently recuperating in an undisclosed location.”
“I see.” Bellusdeo opened her mouth to speak and shut it again with a snap.
Kaylin wondered if the inside of Bellusdeo’s head was as noisy, now, as the inside of Mandoran’s.
Or Teela’s. “An’Teela has informed me of parts of the investigation, and we’ve chosen to help where we can.
Our part will be in the fiefs and in the border zones. ”
“The border zones,” Mandoran said, “are outside of the protective influence of the Towers.”
The Dragon smiled. “They are the edge of the fiefs, yes. But if random Barrani Lords—” her tone said cockroaches “—can survive in the border zone, so can a Dragon or two.”
Kaylin winced. “Leave it with Teela—it’ll do less damage.”
“No one lives in the border zone.”
“You’ve never been poor enough or desperate enough to know that that’s not true.” Kaylin folded her arms.
“Kitling,” Teela said before Kaylin could continue. “Terrano was injured. Barrani were here. They managed to evade us, but
we’ll lose time if we argue. Go home to Helen. Terrano believes that he might understand some small part of what ails Nightshade
now. He’ll need you at home to test it.”
Kaylin had whiplash. “Does that mean you’ll pursue and leave the Consort to me?”
Teela stiffened.
Clever, Ynpharion said, which wasn’t usually a good sign.
“We’ll talk about this later.” Teela turned on her heel and began to walk toward the Bellusdeo border.
“Hey!” Kaylin shouted.
Teela paused but didn’t turn to look back.
“You better not be investigating on your own. Or pursuing. You know what the rules are.”
“I am not here as a Hawk. I am here as An’Teela—and Barrani Lords do not require partners.” Her tone was cold.
Before Kaylin could say another word, Fallessian and Torrisant stepped forward. Neither was a big speaker, but Mandoran translated
their silence. “She’s not going alone. I don’t know if you know, but Fallessian is good with a sword, and he’s adept at avoiding
attacks.”
“Annarion is better,” Fallessian said, as if he grudged being forced to speak.
They all knew Annarion wasn’t going to leave Nightshade until his brother was at least conscious.
“Will you come home now?” Mandoran urged.
Kaylin nodded. Teela continued toward the Bellusdeo border, Fallessian and Torrisant shadowing her.
Bellusdeo exhaled. “I have half a mind to visit the High Halls myself.”
“Please don’t.”
“Home?” Severn asked.
She nodded, and they headed toward Bellusdeo’s fief, because it was closer.