“There was some chance that the situation in which you found yourself was both unstable and unsafe. It was not the correct time to attempt to view what you viewed. Since you are now here, I wish to know whether or not you can find that building again.”
Kaylin glanced at Bellusdeo. The gold Dragon considered this for a moment, and then nodded. “Why not?”
Kaylin could have answered:lunch. She didn’t; she knew better. Her stomach argued. But she fell in beside Severn and began to walk as if Nightshade were her beat. Bellusdeo was therefore in the lead. It was a politeness extended by Nightshade; Kaylin was fairly certain that he knew the exact geographic location from which they’d exited the border zone.
I do. But you have been in the border zone before; it is often elastic. You believe that you see streets when you peer into it; those streets conform to what you expect to see; they seem a continuation of the actual street.
Kaylin nodded, although he didn’t have eyes in the back of his head.
That has not been my experience. When I gaze into the border zone, I do not see what you see.
What do you see, then?
Sometimes I see the continuation you see. Sometimes I see nothing but a thick fog. Sometimes I see the vague outline of the road on which I stand as it continues into that fog. I believe that my view is influenced by the Tower and the Tower’s awareness of the boundaries of its duties. I find it interesting that you thought to look for Towers; I found it interesting that you could, depending on the direction from which you entered, see only one.
Interesting was bad.
Interesting is interesting, he said with minor annoyance; for a moment, his tone reminded her of the Arkon. No, not the Arkon, Sanabalis.
This amused the fieflord.I do suggest that you avoid informing him of that.
Which him?
Lord Sanabalis. I believe nothing you could say or observe would offend the Arkon.
So wrong.
I have often wished that I could—as you do—simply walk into the Imperial Library and introduce myself to the Arkon there.
She thought he probably could.
Sedarias is right to be concerned about you. Yes. I could. Outcaste is not a blanket legal definition unless one is a Dragon. But being acknowledged as a citizen with a right to a life lived within the confines of Imperial Law—the law you yourself protect—would cause a wealth of difficulties with the High Court and the High Halls. Not all difficulties are legal difficulties.
I could test the Emperor’s tolerance or his taste for political unrest. I imagine that I would, in fact, be allowed to at least make an appointment with the Arkon should I approach his interests correctly. But the cost would be high. You have seen some of that friction in the person of Bellusdeo; she is a pretext for...hostility.
Kaylin had.The Emperor didn’t bend.
No, but Bellusdeo is literally the future of the race, if there is to be a future at all. If the Barrani declared war, he would wage it. There is no reality in which the Emperor does not protect the future of his people. I, however, am incapable of giving birth to small Dragons.
I don’t think it’s just because of that.
No? Perhaps not. The laws are his laws, after all. But I believe that he would command the Arkon to refuse—politely—all requests for appointment or access if they came from me.
You really haven’t spent much time with the Arkon. Yes, he mightask, but command? I’d be against it. With my own money. The Arkon might consider it condescending.
The Arkon serves the Eternal Emperor.
Yes. He does. But the Emperor is younger than the Arkon, and I think less learned. The Arkon commands respect. The Emperor respects him. I don’t even think he’d ask. I think he would trust the Arkon to make the correct choice.
And if the Arkon chose to meet with me?
He would assume that the Arkon’s reasons were pressing and important.
And you would make this bet with your personal funds?
With my own money, yes.
Ah. We must return to this conversation at a later point in time.“Lord Bellusdeo.”
