Page 66 of Cast in Conflict

When they left the library, Bellusdeo was waiting. Maggaron was beside her. The chancellor was not. The gold Dragon declined to enter the library at the invitation of Starrante. Kaylin was surprised.

Then again, given Kavallac’s reaction, maybe she shouldn’t have been. Kavallac definitely didn’t think Bellusdeo should attempt to captain a Tower when the future of the entire race was in the balance, and she was likely to make this clear.

Since Bellusdeo had more than enough of that particular clarity in her life, she was probably wise to avoid it. Kaylin could just imagine the reverberations of two angry Dragons shouting in their native tongue, and was grateful.

“I’ve been waiting,” the Dragon said—once the library doors were closed.

“Sorry—I wanted to find out a bit about the original people who were chosen to become the heart of, the core of, the Towers.”

“Did you glean any useful information?”

“I’m not sure how useful it’s going to be. You already know that the one empty Tower was built on a Dragon. Karriamis. Kavallac seemed to know him, or know of him; apparently he used to lecture here. It was Karriamis who chose Candallar—but no one understands how the mechanism of that choice works.

“I mean, in Tara’s case, it was clear she was angry and lonely and afraid—and I can’t imagine a Dragon being lonely or afraid.”

“Angry?”

“That doesn’t take imagination.”

Bellusdeo chuckled. “No, I don’t imagine it does. Lannagaros seems happy, to me.”

“He hasn’t exhaled fire the few times I’ve spoken with him here, no.”

Squawk.

“I realize that,” Bellusdeo said, voice soft, as she glanced at Kaylin’s shoulder ornament. “But at the moment, the Academia’s existence is fragile. Had Candallar managed to kill Robin, I’m not sure the Academia would be reachable the way it is now. Lannagaros’s search for students—and for the scholars who might be suitable to teach them—is urgent. Accepting the fieflords here is part of that search.

“Should there be hostilities on the campus, Killian can deal with them as effectively as Helen deals with the cohort. But I would say the cohort is far more challenging.” She then turned to Mandoran. “Well?”

He looked uncomfortable; he was blue-eyed. “I don’t suppose you’re tired after a long afternoon of negotiation?”

“I wasn’t doing the negotiating. The chancellor was. And the fieflords. I am now restless, and I intend to continue on to the fief of Liatt. Are you coming?”

Mandoran grimaced. “Yes, unless I’m dead. I don’t suppose you’d like to kill me now and put me out of my misery?”

Her chuckle deepened. “I don’t think Killianas would allow it.”

“Why not? I’m not a student.”

“You are a visitor,” Killian said. “And the chancellor would be upset if you were killed anywhere on the campus.”

“Fine. I don’t suppose Liatt will care.”

“Why don’t we find out?”

10

The Academia resided in a pocket space between Liatt and Nightshade. Killian was certain that Karriamis, Candallar’s Tower, had been instrumental in the revival of the Academia; he was also certain that he had been instrumental in its preservation, even if that preservation had been in stasis.

The absence of the border zone implied that the link between the Towers and the Academia had been lifted. Or maybe transformed. Kaylin wasn’t certain because Killian wasn’t certain. She didn’t understand the lack of certainty on his part, and hoped that Helen might have information, or at least a solid opinion.

But it wasn’t to Helen they were going, right now; it was to Liatt. Bellusdeo knew which roads would lead to that fief; she knew which roads would lead to all of the fiefs, including Candallar.

Mandoran seemed mostly relieved that Candallar wasn’t the Dragon’s destination, but if Kaylin were being honest, so was she. She didn’t want to choose sides. She didn’t want her housemates to become enemies or bitter rivals while they were still living under the same roof.

But...maybe it would be better, because at least Helen could contain the damage from the fallout of hostilities. And avoiding Candallar put off the day of reckoning.

The streets that led to Liatt were in good repair, as were the roads. The buildings beyond those streets made a stark contrast.

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