Page 27 of Cast in Conflict

Killian nodded.

Kaylin then turned to Killian and said, “Tell me everything you know about Karriamis.”

“Everything? That might take longer than you have.”

“The Arkon—I mean the chancellor—said that Karriamis was, before he became the heart of a Tower, a Dragon.”

Killian nodded.

“Candallar was the captain of the Tower Karriamis became.”

Killian nodded again.

“Karriamis was interested in finding the Academia, if it still existed.”

“Yes. He was not the only Tower who had that interest. And his was not the only Tower that anchored the very little that remained of the Academia after the Towers rose. Even Towers that were not personally interested in the Academia provided an anchor; I am not certain all of the Towers were aware of this, but I do not see how they could not be.”

“Nightshade’s Tower never talked to Nightshade about the Academia,” Kaylin pointed out. “I mean, if it had, Nightshade would have sought the Academia out himself.”

“I believe this is materially true. You have enough experience to understand two things: that the Towers were built, just as the Academia was, from living people, and that those people were not the same; they had different underlying likes and dislikes, hopes and dreams, over which the responsibility of guarding against Ravellon had primacy.

“You wish to know what Towers look for in a lord. I cannot answer. I know what I look for in a chancellor. You know what Helen looks for in a tenant. You understand some part of what Tara wanted from Tiamaris. These three things are not the same. No more were the lords the same.

“Towers have some attachment to their captains. Karriamis did not wish Candallar to be destroyed—and the chancellor would not have destroyed him, in the end, had Candallar not decided that he could wrest control of the Academia from the chancellor by destroying the handful of students upon whom the heart of the Academia—me—depends.

“Candallar overstepped; he is dead. His Tower is uncaptained.”

“From personal experience, I can tell you that the Towers without captains can protect their territories for a few years.”

Killian nodded. “The power of the Tower within its own confines is absolute. But within the confines of its territory, less so. There is a reason the Towers have captains, but I am not at all certain that the reasons are the same for each of the Towers.”

“Did you know them?”

“No. Their responsibilities were not my responsibilities. I could not become a Tower, even were I to somehow be extracted from the Academia; I would never have been chosen.”

“You were aware of Karriamis.”

Killian nodded again. “I am aware of Karriamis now. He is called Candallar by the people of his fief. I do not understand this.”

“Most people don’t willingly walk into a Tower. They know who the fieflord is; they call the fief—and its Tower—by that name. When the fieflord dies, or when the fieflord abandons his or her Tower, the person who replaces the fieflord becomes the name associated with the fief.”

“Why?”

“Because the fieflords rule? I don’t honestly know. Maybe in other fiefs the custom isn’t the same. I didn’t know that Castle Nightshade was sentient. I believed that the fieflord in his own Tower was omnipotent.”

“That is not the case.”

“No, I’ve since learned more about it. But—”

“You want to know what Karriamis wants.”

She nodded.

“You are not the only interested party who does.”

“Bellusdeo asked you.”

“She did.”

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