Page 161 of Cast in Conflict

He walked it to the edge of the crevice that split the ground, and dropped it in.

Kaylin was certain the Dragons still shouted, but a silence fell across the great hall, and it seemed to spread—as if it were ice to their fire, calm to their fury. She rose, her legs tingling as blood flow returned to the parts below her knees.

The red and orange of fire and melted stone faded until the color in the hall was once again gray. She listened—but she wasn’t certain for what; she had wanted silence, and she’d been given it. Very carefully, she peered down the crevice. She could see glints of gold and glints of blue, although the blue was dark and less immediately visible.

“Move,” Bellusdeo shouted up at Kaylin.

Kaylin backed up, and then backed up again for good measure. Both Dragons remained in their draconic forms, but they’d have to. The bottom of the crevice was a long way down, and even in mortal form, they were heavy enough that they couldn’t leap up to the ground on which Kaylin stood.

“Okay,” she said to her familiar—who had immediately shed the larger size. “What were you saying before?”

It is not necessarily wise to send Bellusdeo out. If what your friends feel is true, she is most at risk. You have seen her lose her temper—as you put it—twice in a very short period of time; she is unsettled. This is not likely to make her more settled.

“Yeah, but if she finds out we didn’t tell her, she’s going to be pissed off for decades, and I have to live with her.”

If Karriamis accepts her—and I cannot, frankly, see how, given the events of today—she will not be living with you.

“Helen would never keep her out.”

Hope snorted. Because you wouldn’t. She will still have permission to visit the Halls of Law and to accompany you on your regular duties.

Bellusdeo cut the conversation short by landing. Emmerian followed. She thought the blue Dragon was injured, but couldn’t tell at this distance; he didn’t transform, and she thought injuries would be more obvious if he had.

Bellusdeo’s eyes were orange. Emmerian’s eyes were orange. Peace, such as it was, had returned them not to a happy place, but to a cautious one. She didn’t see Karriamis. As if the thought were an invocation, the last of the Dragons flew up, to the height of the ceiling. He did not land.

In this light he seemed copper, or perhaps orange with a silver cast to the color. She knew Dragon color could shift—as their eyes did—with emotion, but Bellusdeo had always remained gold.

“Chosen,” Karriamis said, in full draconic rumble.

Kaylin ignored him. She headed toward Bellusdeo, but stopped short as her housemate lifted her head in warning. She glanced at Emmerian, who had turned his head to look up at Karriamis’s draconic Avatar.

“Before the three of you start up again, we have a small emergency.”

Karriamis said nothing. Bellusdeo, however, turned immediately to Kaylin. “What’s happened?”

“Well, half of the cohort decided to follow you here. Or get here before you.”

“That’s not generally considered an emergency.”

“No. Teela was minding her own business, but she’s here. Nightshade is here.”

“Lord Nightshade is in my fief?” Karriamis’s voice was thunder.

“Yes. He has eyes and he watches his border, and something rose out of Ravellon and flew here.”

Bellusdeo growled, “Climb,” to Kaylin. Kaylin struggled up her back and took a seat as the Dragon began to run. The hall elongated; it was a trick Kaylin had seen before.

“Karriamis—we don’t have time.”

Karriamis roared. If he had been affected by the mark of the Chosen at all, it wasn’t obvious. Emmerian pushed off the ground, his wings snapping out and moving as he gained speed.

The Tower’s Avatar flew. He could cover far more ground than the normal Dragons could, and did; he landed in front of them and spread his wings. It was not a gesture of peace. He roared again.

Bellusdeo stopped, skidding across stone.

Emmerian, however, did not. He turned to the gold Dragon. “I’ll go.”

“I’ll be right there.”

---