“They are part of me, yes. They are part ofmy name. But they have no voice that I can hear. They cannot keep me company. They cannot fight armies at my side. They cannot argue with me, disagree, or suggest things I had not yet considered. I understand what happened; I understand why. I understand that were it not for their existence, I would not be alive; I even understand that I am more powerful and far more stable than I would otherwise be.
“But I miss them. I miss them especially in Elantra, where I have no role, no duty, no responsibility. And I nonetheless understand that we wereDragons. Sooner or later, one of us would have risen to lead the flight, and those who could not, or did not, fall into formation might not survive it.”
Kaylin stared at her. “I don’t understand Immortals.”
“No,” was the fond reply. “It’s probably why we like you so much. Even the Lord of the West March seems fond of you.”
“That’s because I saved his life.”
“And you assume that I’m fond of you because you saved mine?” Brows rose. “Kaylin...no Immortal likes to feel obligated to anyone else. It’s a type of weakness. It implies that we are not strong enough, not powerful enough, to stand on our own. We’re not fond of you because of that, we’re fond of youin spiteof it.
“I do, however, have a slightly different concern.”
“Terrano?”
Bellusdeo smiled. “I forget, sometimes, that you’re observant.”
“Hawk.” She hesitated, and then said, “When a crime has been committed. Terrano, of the eleven trapped in Alsanis, was the only one who could freely travel between the Hallionne and the outside world. But...he kind of reminds you of Mandoran.”
Bellusdeo nodded.
“He reminds me of Mandoran, as well. If Annarion put his mind to it, I believe hecouldbe political; he could make plans, and he would be focused enough, deliberate enough, to carry them out.”
“But not Mandoran.”
Kaylin nodded. “Not Mandoran. Mandoran does have the rest of the cohort sitting on him from a distance—but I think he’d need that cohort to keep him on the straight and narrow. The Barrani version of straight and narrow, at any rate.”
“And you think Terrano couldn’t have plotted what occurred the last time you were here.”
“Not on his own, no.”
“Sedarias?”
“I should have asked.” Kaylin looked down at her hands. “My past is something I’m not proud of. I never wanted it to be revealed. If I could go back in time and talk to the girl I was then, I might have been able to—” She exhaled. “It doesn’t matter. Sometimes my past makes me suspicious of everyone, because I know what people are capable of. I know it because of what I did.
“So I try not to question someone else’s past. I try to see what they arenowbecause...that’s what I want, for myself. I haven’t really grilled Annarion or Mandoran. I’m not even sure Helen would let me, because they’re guests. But...they speak of Sedarias differently; she’s one of the only names I hear spoken out loud. If I had to guess, I’d say that the plan, while carried out haphazardly by Terrano, probably started with her.” She looked up. “What do you think?”
“I can’t fault your reasoning.”
“Mostly because it’s the same as yours.”
Bellusdeo smiled. “Exactly.”
“For what it’s worth, I don’t think Sedarias would try to harm the Consort, or the High Court, now. I do believe that she’s heading to the High Halls because Annarion can’t be talked out of taking the Test of Name. And I do believe that she doesn’t want to lose him. She’s not stupid. She knows the risks. She might not be certain what that risk entails—but she knows that the success rate is not high. Regardless, I’d bet my own money she’s not responsible for her own disappearance.”
“You don’t believe Terrano is?”
“I don’t think Terrano can talk to the rest of the cohort the way they now talk to each other. Alsanis preserved Terrano’s name, but...Terrano wouldn’t take it back. What he wanted, at the time, was freedom. I mean, he wanted all of the cohort to be free. To be happy. To have choices—but his choice couldn’t be theirs. He didn’t want what they wanted.”
“And you think that’s changed?”
“...No. But I think he misses them. I mean, they were like one hive mind for centuries. I think that he kept an ear out, from wherever it was he ended up. And I believe that he came because he knew—or thought—they were in trouble. But if we askhimfor political advice, it’s going to be a mess. I’d be surprised if he remembered anyone’s name. Except Iberrienne’s.”
“Why Iberrienne’s? He was the one responsible for the worst of the attacks, wasn’t he?”
“That’s what I thought at the time. He was certainly the most visible. And Iberrienne was Eddorian’s brother. One of the cohort. I’d imagine that what Eddorian knew about his brother, the whole cohort knew. It’s just possible that’s why Terrano approached him.”
“Why didn’t he approach Nightshade?”
