Page 58 of Cast in Conflict

“Actually, yes.”

“My Tower has imperatives that, as Lord Nightshade has said, are immutable. We don’t disagree about those; we don’t disagree about the threat that Ravellon poses. We’ve had experience with it.” He hesitated and then said, “It’s been worse in the past decade than any of the decades prior to this one.”

Bellusdeo was leaning forward, her eyes orange-red, her expression almost peaceful, which was a striking contradiction. “I would like to hear about the changes. In return, I can speak to you about the difficulties my people encountered. We lost our war, and only a handful of people survived. The others were subsumed by Ravellon and the spread of Shadow. They might even be trapped there now.” As Bellusdeo had been.

Durant nodded. “I would hear it. I would hear it all. I would share it with my own Tower, with your permission.”

“And likely, without it,” the Dragon said, smiling. “I have had the privilege of sharing a roof with the corporal. I understand how sentient buildings function. But I am not entirely willing to visit your Tower at this time.”

“Is there anything stopping us from speaking here?”

The chancellor cleared his throat. “Bellusdeo and I have been discussing this very problem in the past few days,” he said, as all eyes turned toward him. His eyes, unlike Bellusdeo’s, were an orange-gold; nothing he had heard so far had alarmed him. He had always considered Shadow a threat; he had never argued against the importance of the Towers.

The Emperor, who claimed Elantra—and the Empire—as his hoard nonetheless allowed the fiefs to evade his laws and his rule because of the Towers. In some fashion, he understood that they were necessary for the good of the people he did rule.

“And what was the thrust of the discussion?” It was Durant who asked. Nightshade believed he already knew.

“The Academia can be accessed by roads that lead from any of the fiefs. It exists in a space that is slightly displaced. It has been—to date—immune to the incursion of Shadow, but that immunity might be compromised now.”

“Because it can be reached.”

The chancellor nodded gravely. “It is absolutely in the interest of the Academia that the Towers stand, that they continue to contain Ravellon. We understand the importance of the Towers; we understand the importance of the information the captains might have, individually.

“And we believe—”

“We?”

“Ah, apologies. Killianas and I. The Arbiters also agree; I believe one might have some reservations, but as the library will stand in the face of the destruction of the universe, it is a more academic concern.”

Killian said, “I am, to the chancellor, what your Towers are to you. The Academia is me, and of me.”

“But not the library?”

“No. We are connected, but no. The library is its Arbiters, but we have always relied on their advice and their accumulated knowledge when we feel that knowledge relevant.” He turned. “My apologies for the interruption, chancellor.”

“A necessary interruption, unlike so many.” He glanced at Kaylin as he spoke, and Kaylin reddened. She was used to this from the Arkon—the chancellor—and let it pass without comment, which took more effort than it should have.

Squawk. Squawk.

“Indeed. Some of the interruptions were, in the end, necessary when one reviews them; it is why Lord Kaylin is present.”

“Lord?” Durant said.

Kaylin did flush, then. “It’s a joke.”

Mandoran, silent until that moment, cleared his throat. Loudly.

“It’s a joke to anyone who isn’t Barrani.”

“There is clearly much that I have not heard in recent times.”

“Tell your Tower to look to the High Halls,” Kaylin told him. “A place I suggest you never visit for idle curiosity.”

“Oh?”

“Barrani nobles make our street gangs look civilized and reasonable by comparison.”

“She’s exaggerating,” Mandoran said.

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