Page 5 of Cast in Conflict

“Didn’t want to go where?” she asked; she assumed the information had been offered to her because otherwise there was no point in speaking out loud.

“The High Halls,” Terrano said.

Kaylin shook her head and waited while Fallessian found exactly the same words Terrano would have used. “Sedarias was in a mood. Frankly, I’d find out where she was going and go in the opposite direction.”

This pulled a glimmer of a smile from the still silent Torrisant.

“Why did Karian go?”

“Karian is the direct bloodline heir to Illmarin.”

“Illmarin still exists, right?”

“Yes. But it was tightly bound in fortune—and outcome—to the previous head of Mellarionne. Karian can, with Sedarias’s backing, take the line; he can become An’Illmarin.”

“...and he doesn’t want that.”

“It’s an ongoing discussion,” Mandoran said, before the more careful Fallessian could reply.

“That means no,” Terrano added. “So—why did you call for us?”

“I wanted him.” Kaylin pointed at Mandoran.

“Then you got lucky—we come in a set.”

“Believe that I’ve noticed that. You don’t have Serralyn or Valliant, though.”

“Thank the Lady,” Terrano then muttered under his breath. “You have no idea—”

“She does, dear,” Helen interjected. Helen didn’t bother to bring her Avatar into the dining room; she just used her voice.

“Fine. Why did you want to speak to Mandoran?”

Kaylin wasn’t comfortable with either Torrisant or Fallessian, but felt that was unfair. Clearly she tended to privilege noise—speech in this case—over other forms of quiet near-invisibility. Anything she asked Mandoran would be heard by all twelve of the cohort, no matter where they were or what they were doing. There was no such thing as a private discussion.

Exhaling, Kaylin said, “Where has Bellusdeo been going in the past couple of weeks?”

“Why should we know that?” Terrano demanded.

Kaylin folded her arms and met what might have been an annoyed gaze. She didn’t answer the question.

Silence ensued, and it was broken by Mandoran. “You know what they say about Dragons, right?”

“Which part?”

“Do not get involved in the business of Dragons.”

“Was there a why beyond the obvious?”

“Yes, but it’s old Barrani and I didn’t study enough of it.”

“Did anyone?”

“Serralyn. She can come downstairs and enlighten you, if you want. But—there wasn’t a lot to study in Alsanis. Helen understands some of the Old Barrani, but—”

“I understand only fragments. Old Barrani, unlike High Barrani, was considered a language for children, for children’s stories; High Barrani was the language of power and war.”

“Is Serralyn going to the Academia to learn more?”

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