The man was clearly annoyed. He wasn’t certain if he believed Margot, and that showed.
Margot was insulted. That was definitely genuine. “Are we finished?”
“No. What is the lone Aerian doing? Are they even in the same sky as the others you first saw?”
“I’m not certain.” Margot closed her eyes.
“What are you doing?” her customer asked, ice and outrage weighting the words.
“I don’t need the ball,” was her curt response. “The ball is a toy. It doesn’t have a use, except as a focus. It’s an aid. A crutch.” She didn’t open her eyes. “If you’d rather do this yourself, please feel free. You can stare at the crystal ball.
“The Aerians in the sky are growing in number. Some of them are armed. I don’t recognize what they’re carrying. The Dragon is definitely with them. I think he’s in command.”
“Impossible.”
“It might have escaped your notice, but the Eternal Emperor to whom weallowe loyalty is a Dragon.”
“Is the Dragon the Emperor?”
“He’s not wearing a crown. How should I know which Dragon he is?”
“Is. His. Color. Any. Clearer?”
Margot frowned, her eyelids flickering although they remained mostly closed. “Indigo or possibly black. It hasn’t changed. His wing span is huge.” Her jaw dropped then.
“What?” the man demanded.
“I think he just ate two of the Aerians. The others don’t seem to be worried about it, either. Wait, they’re carrying...nets. Nets, and maybe spears.” She stiffened. “The skies—they’re in the skies over Ravellon, and they’re coming here.”
Bellusdeo was red-eyed and frozen when Kaylin spared her a glance.
“There are people in the streets. Hawks in the sky.”
“Hawks?”
“Aerian Hawks.”
“Where?”
“Over the city streets. Not Elani. Closer to the fiefs—I think I can see the Ablayne. Swords are out, some on horseback. People are panicking. I think—I think the Dragon has just destroyed a bridge.”
“Bridge?”
“It’s not a familiar bridge. It’s avision.”
“Where in the city is this unfamiliar bridge?”
Margot was frowning. “Not over the Ablayne. Actually, it’s a bridge that makes no sense. It’s not connecting anything I can see. Someone was standing on it.”
“Who?”
“A Hawk.”
“WhichHawk?”
Margot said, focused now, “Private Kaylin Neya.”
Kaylin said something rude. In two languages.