Page 9 of Cast in Conflict

“And you’re standing outside on the street just waiting?”

Emmerian smiled, the movement of lips brief but genuine. “As you can see.”

“How long have you been standing here?”

“Not too long.”

“That’s not exactly a precise measure.”

“No.” His smile deepened.

“Fine. She’s been avoiding me. I guess it would make sense that she’s avoiding you as well. You might as well come in.”

Helen’s Avatar greeted Lord Emmerian at the door. Emmerian offered her a perfect, deep bow, before he rose. It was Helen who then led him to the parlor. Today, the parlor was small enough that the cohort couldn’t all pile in—they wouldn’t fit, for one.

They’d fallen entirely silent, for two, which meant they were having strategic discussions about the near future—or near in immortal terms. Helen could, of course, hear them talk, and Helen tended to strongly dissuade them from doing things she felt were unwise.

Unwise from Helen generally meant catastrophic.

“I’ve been trying to find out where Bellusdeo’s been going,” Kaylin said. “But the most specific answer I’ve managed to dig up is: Tiamaris.”

“It is where her people—what remains of them—now live,” Emmerian replied. “I believe that she has also visited Lannagaros, but he has, as you can imagine, been quite busy of late. He always claimed to be busy, but he was busy with his personal studies; he could be interrupted, if not with any grace.”

“He was always happy to see Bellusdeo.”

“Ah, yes. He made allowances for Bellusdeo; similar allowances were not made for the rest of the Dragon Court. The Emperor could summon him, and he would obey—but no one else dared. Lannagaros had quite the temper. He does not, at the moment, have leeway to make the same allowances. The Academia is open, but it requires students; it requires teachers and academics. There are several Barrani sages who have petitioned him, and several members of the Arcanum.”

“They’re not the same?”

“No. There is some overlap, but no.”

“I hope he reduces the Arcanists to ash,” Kaylin muttered.

“The Arcanum is not beloved by those who work in the Halls of Law.”

“It shouldn’t be beloved by anyone.”

“I believe An’Teela was once a member of the Arcanum; were she not now a Hawk, it would be more socially obvious.”

“She quit, though.”

Emmerian shook his head. “She was part of the Arcanum for far longer than she has served the Emperor’s Law. And it is not of An’Teela or Lannagaros that you wish to speak. You are worried about Bellusdeo.”

Kaylin exhaled. “She’s been in a funny mood ever since the Arkon became the chancellor. She was happy for him—I’d bet anything on that—but it seemed to...” Kaylin trailed off.

Hope squawked.

“Say that so I can understand it.”

Hope snorted. And continued to squawk.

Emmerian’s eyes had become orange in the space of what would pass for syllables only among angry birds.

Helen’s Avatar offered Lord Emmerian a drink; he took it almost without seeing it. But Helen said nothing. The silence felt significant. Kaylin was almost certain that Helen wouldn’t let Bellusdeo do anything that would cause self-harm.

Helen’s smile was pained. “That would depend entirely on what you mean by self-harm, dear. I am very fond of Bellusdeo. But she is not a child, and even were she, I am not her mother.”

Kaylin poked Hope. “What the hells did you just say to him?”

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