8
“Look, you don’t have to come. I’m not a four-year-old foundling caught sneaking cookies before meal time, and you are not my mother.”
Teela wore Court dress, not Hawk tabard. Kaylin, technically a Lord of the High Court, was in work gear and did not intend to change. It was hard, however, to stand beside Teela in all of her elegant finery and not feel dirty, undereducated and powerless. The Hawk helped, but not much. On the other hand, her relationship with the quartermaster had never recovered from the only time she had dressed in Court-appropriate gear, and frankly, the quartermaster could make her daily life a lot more miserable than the High Court could.
Severn, likewise in tabard, accompanied her. The Hawklord had not only agreed to the meeting, but had insisted that Kaylin be paid for it—which meant it was official duty. This had drawbacks, of course. If it was official, everything was to be reported, and those reports—at least the ones Marcus didn’t shred in frustration before signing—were headed for Records in one form or another.
Because Teela was not on duty for this particular meeting, Tain wasn’t with them. Bellusdeo, who had Imperial permission to tag along on Kaylin’s duties, excused herself. Technically, Bellusdeocoulddemand to be allowed to follow, but the cost of that would probably be drastically reduced Imperial permission in future.
Also, she didn’t like the Barrani much. Thumbing her figurative nose at a gathering of their most powerful—and most ancient—did not strike her as wise. It was a small mercy.
If Kaylin was not part of Mandoran and Annarion’s cohort, she was not absent knowledge of other True Names. Of those that she knew, only one had been taken, rather than given, and the owner of that name was generally not subtle about his dislike.
So of course, it was Ynpharion who interrupted a quiet carriage ride, Teela not being allowed to actually drive.Tell Lord Teela that it is recommended that she avoid the great hall.
Why?
Tell her. If I have to explainwhy,you will be in the great hall before I am finished—if I am finished by then.
“Ynpharion says that you are advised not to enter via the great hall.”
“Does he?” Teela’s response was cool. “Did you, by chance, ask for this advice?”
“I don’t know why you insist on asking questions when you already know the answers.”
“That is the very nature of tests. I know the answers, you don’t.”
“Fine. No I didn’t.”
“Sadly, that is the wrong answer.” Ynpharion seemed to find this amusing.
“If we aren’t entering through the great hall, how are we supposed to get to the Consort?”
“Through a less well-traveled entrance.” Teela smiled. It was not a very encouraging expression. “You’re probably not going to like it much, unless your constitution in this regard has improved.”
* * *
Kaylin didn’t like it at all.
Teela exited the carriage at the incredibly impressive entrance, mounted the stairs and took a sharp turn at the leftmost giant statue. That statue had seen some recent damage; there were cracks in the stone base, and those cracks extended, like webbing, up the statue’s height. Magic held the pieces in place for the moment, or at least Kaylin assumed it was magic, given the way her arms turned to goose bumps beneath her shirt.
She had taken off her bracer and left it on her desk; although it looked valuable, it couldn’t be stolen. No matter where she dumped it—and sometimes, in a fit of frustration, she pitched it into the waters of the Ablayne—it returned to its keeper, who was standing beside her looking sympathetic.
The sensation of magic grew stronger as she followed Teela’s brisk march—a march that suited the Hawk Kaylin wore, not the dress Teela had chosen. Barrani Court clothing had full skirts that allowed for running, kicking and weapon wielding. They probably only worked for Barrani.
The High Halls sported guards, but those guards were in theory unaligned; they served the High Lord. She could feel Ynpharion’s frustrated contempt at her naivete and told him,I said in theory.
Since in his opinion the theory was at best questionable, his frustration didn’t abate, but that was fine, because Kaylin recognized what Teela was leading toward. It was a portal. Portals that functioned as doorways made Kaylin literally sick, and she was doubly grateful that she had not reconsidered her choice of clothing.
“It’s possible,” Teela said, “that both you and the Corporal can enter the halls the normal way, if that’s your preference.”
“It’s my preference, but we’ll take the portal.”
“You’re certain?” Teela’s reply defined the worddubious. It also implied that she would have no patience with Kaylin’s postportal whining, if there happened to be any.
Kaylin nodded.
“You won’t be much use to me in a fight after you’ve just gone through a portal.”
