Nor did the Arkon demand that she rise or put aside the frivolity of the manners Kaylin often thought were a waste of time. He waited, straightening his shoulders; his eyes were a complicated color, hard to see clearly in the dim light.
“Arbiter Androsse,” he said. “Arbiter Kavallac.” When he spoke her name, she rose.
“You have aged,” Kavallac then said. Kaylin was never going to understand manners.
“I have,” he replied with the shadow of a smile. “You met me in a youth that is so distant even I can barely recall it.”
“You did not remain here.”
“No. Very, very few did. We were called away to war, and war was joined on many fronts. I am almost surprised to be recognized.”
“The Chosen mentioned you by the name you once used. As she is not Draconic, I beg that you overlook this.”
Kaylin flicked a glance in Bellusdeo’s direction. Bellusdeo, however, was a warrior queen in this place. Ice would not melt in her mouth.
“I am familiar with Lord Kaylin and her antics,” the Arkon replied. “She has been of aid many times to my Flight, but she came late to etiquette; hers is predicated on survival.”
“How comes she to know that name?”
He then turned to Bellusdeo. “This is Bellusdeo; we were Aerie kin before her disappearance. She has only recently returned, and when we shared that Aerie I was not—and would never have dreamed of becoming—Arkon. Her early greetings were therefore far less formal.”
“How come you to be in this space?” She already knew how; Kaylin had told her.
“The Chosen opened a door for us. We are therefore intruders.”
“Yes,” Kavallac replied. “But the chancellor has given no instructions and made no requests of us.”
Kaylin was certain she’d said there was no chancellor, as well.
“No. The chancellorship has not been decided. Someone, however, appears to be acting as interim chancellor—without the blessing of Killianas.”
“Who?”
The Arkon shook his head. “We do not know, Arbiter. It is, perhaps, to discover that that we have come. Has the Chosen spoken to you of the current condition of the Academia?”
“Not at great length, or perhaps not in useful detail.” Kavallac’s smile was mostly teeth. “But there are less welcome intruders than you, and also, we appear to be missing Starrante.”
Silence.
Robin and Terrano have been talking, Severn said.
About anything that might be useful?
Sedarias is, at a distance, attempting to keep them on topic. I’m not certain where she is.
How’s that working out?
It’s Terrano. Robin’s excited about the new class.
Oh?
Because itisa new class, a different lecture. He’s been experimenting. The day is otherwise, as Nightshade suggested, on repeat. Robin, however, finds the Academia interesting.
He’s from the warrens.
Yes.
The warrens could have been the fiefs if the Hawks and the Swords were entirely removed from the area. Here, Robin had a bed of his own, a room of his own, and three meals. He was learning—somehow—to read and write. He’d been here for much longer than Nightshade, but was otherwise a recent arrival.
