Page 28 of Cast in Conflict

“Who else?”

Killian glanced at the chancellor, who nodded.

“Terrano. I am somewhat fond of him, but grateful that he has not applied to become a student.”

“No Tower would accept Terrano!”

“In that, we agree. But it is not Terrano who would become the lord, as you must suspect.”

Kaylin nodded. “Has Bellusdeo visited Candallar?”

Silence.

Kaylin understood this one, and turned once again to the chancellor. Before he could speak—if he intended to speak—she said, “I want Bellusdeo to be happy and safe. I think she’d be good at being a captain, and frankly, if Tiamaris could rule every single fief, I think the citizens of all the fiefs would be better off.”

“He cannot, as you well know.”

She nodded. “But...I think Bellusdeo would be more like Tiamaris than Nightshade.”

“Karriamis accepted Candallar.”

Kaylin nodded.

“You are wondering why.”

“I don’t think Candallar wanted to be captain of a Tower.”

“No. In that I agree. A series of events led him to the Tower, and he had the will and the power to take it. But it was not his primary desire. Discovering the Academia after all this time was not his primary desire, either; it was—I was—a tool. A way to return to the power he did desire. Lord Nightshade is different in every aspect; they shared a race, and a status within that race, but they are not the same men. Lord Nightshade is fully capable of defending himself against those who would use his status as an excuse to murder him. He would be capable were he not a fieflord. Candallar did not have that confidence.”

With reason. Candallar was not Nightshade’s equal.

“No.” Killian’s smile was soft; his eyes were obsidian, but he corrected that color as she noticed. “I cannot tell you what you want to know—I do not have the answer. I am uncertain that Karriamis will accept any of your friends; it appeared to me that he was fond of Candallar, and your friends in aggregate were responsible for his death.”

“That was the chancellor!”

“In the end, yes—but the opportunity to do so was provided by your various associates.”

“Is there a reason you feel that way?”

“Bellusdeo is expected to make a report to the chancellor before the end of day. If you wish, you may retrace her conversational steps while you wait.”

“We don’t need to wait—”

We want to talk to Starrante, Severn surprised her by saying.

“...could we get dinner with the rest of the students?”

The chancellor graciously gave permission to the two Hawks. It was, Killian explained, his permission to either give or withhold.

“You may join the students in the dining hall if you exit my office immediately and fail to return.”

“Ever, or today?”

“I would like to say ever, but Killianas is fond of you and I do not feel he would enforce it.”

Kaylin and Severn left the office as if he were the Hawklord and they were his Hawks.

“I would be unlikely to enforce it,” Killian agreed—after the door had all but slammed shut on their backs. “He is unlikely to mean it.”

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