Page 101 of Cast in Conflict

Emmerian inclined his head. He looked alert and cautious to Kaylin’s eye, not angry.

“I understand. But surely your ability to stand by while Bellusdeo is in danger makes you ineligible to be guardian of your race?”

Emmerian said nothing for five seconds. Kaylin counted, almost holding her breath. On the sixth second, Bellusdeo breathed fire directly at the Avatar.

The flame of her breath was red, not the white-gold that could melt stone. Among Dragons, it was very much like swearing. Kaylin could still feel the heat of the flames.

Karriamis’s clothing did not turn to flame and its resultant ash. “I see,” he said, “that the time for temperate conversation has passed. It might be difficult to believe this, but I am pleased to have made your acquaintance. I am uncertain that you are right for the Tower, but there is one major mitigating factor in any judgment I might render.”

Bellusdeo’s very red eyes indicated that she didn’t give a crap about either his judgment or his so-called mitigating factors.

Emmerian, however, remained orange-eyed.

“I will note you have not answered my question,” Karriamis said to Emmerian.

“No.”

“And will not.”

“No. It is, in the parlance of the young corporal—” and here he nodded in Kaylin’s direction “—none of your business.”

Silence. It was broken by Karriamis’s unexpected and booming laughter.

“I have no desire to captain a Tower, even this one. The question is therefore irrelevant.”

“And neither you nor Bellusdeo has any interest in my mitigating factors?”

“I have none; they are irrelevant to me. But I cannot and will not speak for Bellusdeo.”

Bellusdeo was silent.

Mandoran, however, said, “I’d like to know, if it’s all the same to you.”

“You are in the same position. You have no desire to captain this Tower, and even had you, I would not consider you a possibility. You are young and foolhardy. You are immortal, but not—as I often told the hatchlings—invulnerable.” At Mandoran’s expression, he added, “She could have killed you.”

“She wasn’t trying.”

“She was.”

He snorted. “I’ve seen her fight. Trust me, she wasn’t trying.”

“Your loyalties are entirely too personal.”

“You’ve clearly met Sedarias.” He winced. “But, regardless, I’m not here as a candidate, if this is what this lunch is for. I’m here as an emissary.”

“You have an interesting idea of diplomacy.”

Mandoran shrugged, as if he’d heard it all before. He had, of course. While Kaylin had sometimes wished she could join the cohort group mind, she was distinctly glad at this moment that she wasn’t part of it.

“Very well. I will not accuse you of failing to understand the import. I see that this is not strictly speaking the truth. The mitigating factor in any decision I might make does not reside directly with Bellusdeo or your Sedarias.

“It is with you. With Lord Emmerian. With Lord Kaylin. Bellusdeo has chosen her allies wisely.”

“She didn’t have much choice, and allies isn’t quite the right word.”

“It is exactly the wrong word,” Karriamis said, smiling. “You are her friends. She has chosen her friends wisely. Necessity makes some choices mandatory, of course—but the friendship she has offered you has clearly been returned. She values you. You value her. This is a striking point in her favor.

“But you are aware of this, surely? It is what Sedarias herself has done. If she formed bonds for reasons of necessity, she would die for any of you.”

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