“Having us there can only make that investigation safer for the mortals.”
Marcus snorted. And growled. “I trust you understand all the ways what you’ve just said is inaccurate.”
“It’s aspirational, sir,” Mandoran added.
Marcus snorted, but his eyes were a slightly paler orange. To Kaylin, he growled, “I expect a report of the day’s activities to be on my desk by this evening.” He had gouged a faint runnel in the surface of the desk. Hardwood was definitely better than soft. “But go to Candallar via the bridge, this time. No detours.”
Terrano disappeared when they exited the Halls, and after a moment, so did Mandoran. Kaylin assumed they were somewhere above the crowded streets; Terrano didn’t like crowds. If Kaylin had wings, she would have avoided them herself.
Bellusdeo didn’t seem to mind, but she wouldn’t. Crowds of mortals didn’t hold much fear for her. Which was fair; no one who recognized a Dragon would be suicidal enough to attack them or attempt to pick their pockets.
They made their way to Candallar’s bridge, skirting the warrens; the boardwalk was considered safe at this time of the day. Severn, however, was on alert;safewas always a relative term.
The bridge to Tiamaris was, by this point, well-traveled. People who had once avoided those bridges as if their lives depended on it now used them, as their livelihoods now did. Wagons, carts and the craftsmen who drove them could be seen lining up; there were no tolls to cross, but notice was taken by guards on either side of the bridge.
No other fief bridge saw similar use; during daylight hours, the bridges were entirely unoccupied. Candallar was no exception. There were no guards on either side of the Candallar bridge, but guards, in general, served little purpose. The warrens held no fear for the fief.
Kaylin wanted Bellusdeo to stay home.
Bellusdeo was not going to stay home. Kaylin had explained that rule of law, such as it was, didn’t exist in the fiefs; the laws that governed the fiefs were the fieflord’s. This meant, in theory, that there was no law preventing fieflings from attacking the Dragon, and if an attack on the Dragon were to occur, there was no safer place for the attackers.
“It won’t be safe for them,” the Dragon had countered. “I am not required to retain my human form, either. There is no prohibition against breathing on the foolish.” Her smile had too many teeth in it.
Mandoran and Terrano chose to land—and reappear—when the Hawks reached the bridge; they crossed it on foot.
“You don’t need to do that for my sake,” Bellusdeo said.
“It’s not for yours,” Terrano replied. “Can’t you see it?”
The Dragon’s eyes narrowed.
“I’ll take that as a no. Mandoran can’t see it either, if that’s helpful.”
“It’s not.”
Terrano turned to Kaylin. “She’s always like this, isn’t she?”
Kaylin offered a universal fief shrug. “Can you dim your visibility here?”
“That? Yes. But the flying part isn’t really safe for us when we’re near the border.”
“I have no issues flying over the borders.”
“No, but you’re a Dragon. You come by wings naturally. We have to fiddle a bit.”
The Dragon’s eyes were orange. “We aredefinitelysaving this discussion for later. When we’re surrounded by Helen.”
“It doesn’t matter whether you’re visible or not. We’re in Candallar. The fieflord will know. The Tower will know.”
This fief looked far more like Nightshade than Tiamaris. The buildings were old and structurally questionable, but people occupied them, scurrying from window to window in the upper floors. Kaylin’s gaze was drawn there; she felt almost as if she had never really left the fiefs.
It was a feeling she hated. The tabards she and Severn wore weren’t exactly discouraging; the Barrani who accompanied them were more of a threat or a warning to anyone who might seek them out.
“You intend to go the direct route?” Terrano asked.
“Might as well. If he doesn’t want to speak with us, we’ll never find him.”
“And if he does?”
