“I highly doubt the High Lord is going to just walk in off the street with no notice,” Kaylin replied.
“I assume you did not invite him.”
“Well, no.”
“Very well. The Consort will arrive. Her escort?”
“Escort?”
Ynpharion screamed in the back of Kaylin’s head. He had otherwise been silent, but given the presence of Dragons, Kaylin wasn’t certain how much he could now see or hear; she trusted Helen’s discretion in what she allowed.She will have personal guards. Does the Emperor travel without them?
Kaylin decided not to answer that question, given the tension between the Emperor and the High Court at the moment. “Helen, if the Consort arrives with her personal guards, what do we do with the guards?”
“They, like me, will be expected to do their duty while the Consort socializes. They will not, of course, be serving—but they will likely occupy positions near the doors.” To Emmerian, she said, “The Consort’s full escort will not be entering the house proper; they will be arrayed just outside of the grounds.”
Kaylin wondered whether or not she would be hemmed in by escorts if she were ever rich enough, important enough. She didn’t like the thought. In her universe, until relatively recently, power simply meant the freedom to do what she wanted, without fear. She was beginning to understand in a very visceral way that what changed with enough power was thenatureof the fear.
That, and the number of rules that had to be followed or someone would take offense.
She could tell a Hawk to drop dead on a bad day, and they’d be fine with it tomorrow, with one or two notable exceptions. She could have a bad hair day, a bad clothing day—some encounters damaged clothing and parts of actual body, as well—could come in with dust or dirt under her fingernails, was not judged by the jewelry she wore. She didn’t have to somehow stand up as the epitome of...something. Just the law.
Kaylin was used to being judged, although she resented it when it was safe to do so. But to be judged for things that made no sense and seemed unnecessary both flustered and annoyed her. She was taking a test that she couldn’t afford to fail, and she realized that two days was not nearly enough time to truly study for it.
“You can afford to fail this one, dear,” Helen said quietly.
“I’m not the one who’ll pay for my failure.”
“No. That is, unfortunately, one of the disadvantages of power. People with less immediate power are likely to bear the consequences.”
“I would not say the cohort is without power,” Bellusdeo said in the same subdued tone that Helen had used. It implied that she agreed with Helen, but that she felt obliged to defend Kaylin. Oddly, this made Kaylin feel worse, not better.
The Arkon cleared his throat, the way thunderclouds rumbled.
“We have something to discuss before the most significant of your guests arrive.”
Chapter 6
Lord Emmerian did not take a seat; he chose to stand by the entrance to the parlor, his arms folded. Bellusdeo nodded in his direction, but didn’t otherwise greet him.
“I will not ask you for precise, arcane explanations of what occurred when you traveled to the West March without notice. Nor will I ask you all that occurred in your absence. I have spoken with Bellusdeo, and believe her explanations would be more academically satisfying.
“This is not a matter of the academic. The Hallionne Alsanis was compromised.”
Kaylin nodded.
“In theory the first breach occurred some months ago, by one of your current guests.”
Kaylin’s nod was slower to come, and vastly more troubled.
“You trust that guest.”
“Yes.”
“Helen, do you feel that you are capable of containing him, should the need arise?”
“I am uncertain,” Helen replied.
“Very well. None of the rest of your guests achieved the...freedom that Terrano did.”
