Kaylin had seen corpses in rigor less stiff than Evarrim.
“And this...Shadow, was it unusual in any way?”
“Funny you should ask that. It appeared to be inert. If I had no experience at all fighting Shadow, I would say that it was simply an alternate form of magical power. It did not distort or transform anything it touched; it seemed devoid of any purpose of its own.”
The Consort shifted position slightly, a polite demand for attention, which she instantly received.
“Lord Evarrim,” she said in a winter voice, “you will offer Lord Kaylin all necessary aid.”
Necessarywas generally a weasel word, in Kaylin’s experience. Clearly her experiences with the Consort hadn’t been broad enough in the past. Evarrim bowed instantly, and the bow he chose—if Kaylin was remembering her lessons correctly—was one offered a superior of far greater rank.
When he rose, he was pale; his eyes were indigo, his posture stiff. But something about his demeanor had shifted between the start of the bow and the end of it.
“You’re aware of what this Aerian has been studying,” Kaylin said, voice flat.
“I am aware that he has received a large bursary from the Aerian Caste Court; it could be entirely unrelated.”
“It’s unrelated.” Kaylin had shifted her positioning on her feet, as if she expected a brawl to start at any moment; she locked her arms to make certain she wasn’t the one who started it.
“Is it? You are certain?”
“Almost certain.” There was no way that the study of Shadow would or could receive a bursary from the Caste Court. It was a visible, obvious act of treason that cut across Exemption Laws. Private funding, maybe. But if the castelords knew that Shadow was involved, Kaylin doubted they’d front the money in a way that was obvious to a Barrani Arcanist.
“Well, itisyour duty to police, not mine.”
“When did the funding arrive?”
“I am not privy to all financial details.”
“Was it this decade?”
“Ah. The rumors of the influx are older than a decade.” He paused. “You feel this has something to do with thepraevolo? Thepraevolohas been an interesting side study for a small handful of our members.”
“Why?”
“The power appears to be passed on, whole, with some bloodline markers. I believe there was a great deal of embarrassment at the birth of the currentpraevolo, however. She was not legitimate, and this matters for mortals.
“The actual power of thepraevolois not well understood. Where the Aerians were or are religious, it is assumed to be a grant, a gift, a decision made by gods.” His tone made clear that he thought the religious were idiots. “Where the Aerians are not religious, it is assumed to be something other. The other, of course, has consequence. Some study was done—discreetly—on the regalia of thepraevolo. It was determined that the bracelet was key, but it could not be studied with any great efficacy unless one also had access to thepraevolo.
“You are aware of the effect the bracelet has on one who is notpraevolo?”
“Not specifically. I know it kills them. Or at least I’ve been told it kills them.” Kaylin tightened the arms she’d folded, as if she was holding her temper.
“Indeed. Was more information forthcoming?”
“No. The Aerian Hawks aren’t Arcanists or scholars. They just know what they’ve been told. They don’t know the details, but the details are irrelevant to our lives and our jobs. We don’t—wedidn’t—need them.”
“And now they have become strangely relevant.”
“Yes—becauseBarraniancestorsgot pissy and tried to destroy the High Halls we were defending. If it weren’t for that, none of this would have happened.”
“None of this, Private Neya?”
Kaylin bit back every intemperate response she wanted to make. Ynpharion’s disgust was tempered by the barest hint of approval, mostly of theabout damn timevariety, although that wasn’t how it was worded. “Do you know the effect the bracelet has on an Aerian who doesn’t have the wings?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact, I do.” His smile was almost pure malice. Or maybe she was being unfair. Evarrim wasn’t above being petty, but clearly neither was Kaylin. She struggled to keep this in mind.
“Are they devoured by Shadow?”