Bellusdeo coughed.
“Is that what my sister thinks?”
“I don’t know—ask your sister. I’m not her, and I can’t answer for her.”
How unusually perceptive of you.
Shut up, Ynpharion.
“Did you have something to do with their disappearance?”
“How could I?”
“That’s not a no.”
“Is it not? I might remind you that I am Lord of the West March, and you are currently situated almost in the heart of my domain. You are, of course, a servant of the Imperial Law, but Lord Kaylin, you are notinthe Empire at the moment. Here, you are not a Hawk. Not a groundhawk. You are Lord Kaylin, but more shabbily clothed.” It was a warning. Even if she had been extremely dense, she could feel the subtle threat through the bond of his name. She had never felt it there before.
“I owe you—and indirectly, An’Teela—my life. But that debt does not cover the safety of, the existence of, my people.”
“The Lords who might be disenfranchised are not part of the safety of your people; at best, they’re support for your rule.”
“For the High Lord’s rule, yes.”
“But if I understand that mirroring, the High Lord is willing to take the risk.”
“Perhaps it is because he does not understand that risk. Tell me that you honestly believe there is no risk.”
She couldn’t. Instead, she said, “Tell me that you honestly had nothing to do with whatever did happen to the cohort. I mean, to Sedarias and the rest of her companions.”
“Sedarias, is it?”
“Lord of the West March,” Bellusdeo said quietly, “that is what she has been called by her two friends. Lord Kaylin is unaware of any other title. No insult was intended.”
“And none taken. But I am curious. Of all of the nine who left the Hallionne Alsanis, why was it Sedarias that she named?”
That one, Kaylin felt she could safely answer. “Because it was Sedarias I met in the portal.”
14
Given his expression, the word “safe” was obviously an overestimation. “You saw Sedarias?”
“I mostly heard her.” Before he could ask, she said, “I know what they look like. I know their voices—I brought them out of the green. It was Sedarias.”
Bellusdeo’s orange eyes were pointed in Kaylin’s direction. If they’d been a weapon, they’d be resting against her cheek. Or just below its surface. Kaylin wondered if Dragon names worked exactly the same way Barrani names did. Then again, Bellusdeo wasn’t subtle; having the name wouldn’t give her any more information than the orange-eyed glare was doing already.
“Lord of the West March—”
“No. I did not directly influence the destination of Sedarias and her friends.”
The Avatar of Orbaranne joined them, although she did not take a seat; at the moment, Kaylin privately thought if she bent, she was likely to break. Her eyes had become stone, although not the obsidian that Helen’s could default to if she wasn’t paying attention.
* * *
“You spoke with Sedarias and you detected no taint in her?”
He reallyhadspoken with Alsanis. “No. I don’t think they’re in a good place, though.” Kaylin was done with dinner, and rose. “Thanks for feeding us. We’d like to examine the portal pathways now.”
“They did not approach by the path,” Orbaranne said. “I watched for them.”
