She didn’t ask him what it was doing in the collection.
“I am informed that you met with an Arcanist today.”
“In the High Halls, yes.”
“The meeting was no doubt related to the current difficulties facing your sergeant.”
“Why don’t I just tell you the contents of the meeting? I’ll skip the excruciatingly boring etiquette bits, so it should only take ten minutes.”
* * *
It took longer. If the Arkon was willing to dispense with the excruciating politics of manners, he had questions, and interrupted frequently to ask them.
“And so you’ve come to me.”
Kaylin nodded.
“You’ve been staring at the feather for some time.”
“It seems out of place in this room, given the rest of its contents.”
“Does it?”
“Lannagaros.”
The Arkon glanced at Bellusdeo.
“She is not insulting either your curating or your collection; she is mortal and fails to understand the choices you have made. You might explain them,” she added mildly. “I myself find the composition of this area of your collection somewhat odd.”
Bellusdeo, of course, could with safety. The Arkon frowned at her, but didn’t glare. “It is, as you must imagine, an Aerian feather.”
“They took an Aerian feather to Margot’s.”
“Did they?”
Kaylin nodded. “But it wasn’t a flight feather. It wasn’t this large. Did this belong to apraevolo?”
“Yes.”
“How did you get your hands on it?”
“As it happens, we traded. An Aerian family of some lesser renown is in possession of a Dragon scale.”
“You wanted this for a reason.”
The Arkon nodded. “I have noted that you have the currentpraevololiving under the same roof as Bellusdeo. I have therefore returned to some of my earlier studies, in the hope that they will prove irrelevant.”
“Meaning they’re bad.”
“Meaning that there are some inherent difficulties that present themselves, yes.” He glanced at Bellusdeo. “Ask your questions, Private, and let me return to my studies.”
“What do you know about the Aerian process of making someone outcaste?”
“Very little.”
“Compared to me?”
“I know very little of nothing when compared to you. I will,” he added as Bellusdeo opened her mouth, “attempt to feel less insulted for the duration of this discussion. I know, as you have learned, that the Aerian wings are removed. They are not chopped off, as one would the thumbs of a thief; they are removed.”
