Page 53 of Cast in Conflict

“I am now deeply curious. Please lead the way.”

He is concerned for me, Nightshade said as they walked. Durant was far quieter for the first two blocks; he observed the streets, the repair of the buildings, the state of the road. There was some calculation in the observation, but Kaylin expected that.

“There have been no Shadow incursions?” he asked, his tone neutral, shorn of the almost avuncular warmth that seemed to otherwise characterize it.

He couldn’t have asked a better question of Bellusdeo, and she answered.

You mean Mandoran?

Yes. You consider his trust easily given.

For a Barrani, it was.

The cohort desires some information about the Towers. They do not desire that information to be immediately offered to Bellusdeo.

And you don’t care.

It is, I admit, less of a concern to me—but the Towers do not overlap. Their territories do not overlap. And there is no way to captain two of the Towers. In the world beyond the fiefs, territory both expands and contracts frequently, given the relative power of those who desire that expansion. Durant understands the hard limits of the Towers and their mission.

Kaylin nodded, and then grimaced; Nightshade couldn’t see it.

Amused, he continued. Durant and his Tower would be aware of the lack of Candallar; we can hear the names of the fiefs to either side of us, and we are aware when those names fall silent. The Towers, he added, speak the names of their captains; it is my suspicion that is how the names of the original Towers were lost to history. Either way, it would not be of concern to Durant, unless he is worried about the incursion of Shadow.

You knew that Tiamaris—that Barren—wasn’t captained.

That is more difficult, but yes. The fieflord prior to Tiamaris was not dead. Yes, we did not hear Barren’s name. Tell me, Kaylin, what do you think Bellusdeo is attempting?

I think she wants Candallar’s former Tower.

And that is the reason she has agreed to take Durant on a tour of the Academia? He was amused. I believe I will join that tour. It should prove interesting.

Kaylin had zero desire to experience any more interesting in her life.

True to his word, Nightshade was waiting as they entered the mouth of the large circular road on which the main buildings stood. He was dressed casually, and as the students didn’t appear to have mandated uniforms, might have been one of them. The small park in the middle of this campus was almost, but not quite, empty; a handful of people occupied benches.

Mandoran sucked in air. “Annarion’s not happy,” he said, voice low.

“Are any of you?” Kaylin’s voice was just as low.

“Serralyn and Valliant.”

“They’re coming out to play?”

He shook his head. “They’re in a class.”

“So, small mercies still exist.”

Bellusdeo’s eyes were the normal color—orange with gold bits—as Nightshade approached. She halted what was already a slow walk, threw Kaylin a look, and exhaled.

Nightshade stopped two yards in front of Bellusdeo and the fieflord. “Lord Bellusdeo, Lord Durant,” he said, granting Bellusdeo a title she didn’t generally claim.

The Dragon turned to Durant. “This is Lord Nightshade.”

“You’re away from home,” Durant said, extending a hand.

Nightshade didn’t pause; he extended his own. “As are you. I have grown somewhat fond of the Academia and its new chancellor.”

“This would be my first experience with both. Your border zone has also largely vanished?”

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