“Did you already cover the part about the two Barrani intruders?”
There was a full beat of silence, during which the temperature in the room seemed to plummet. Kaylin was certain the cohort were shouting up a storm on the insides of their own heads.
“We were waiting for Terrano,” Sedarias finally said. “Alsanis believes he understands how they got in. It is not a method that they could use from the West March.” She exhaled, her brows folding momentarily. “Do you understand what that is?”
When no one answered, Sedarias lifted a hand and pointed. At Spike. Kaylin had almost forgotten Spike was there.
“Not really. From what I’ve seen so far, Spike is like portable Records, only better.”
“That is not all that he is.”
“Doyouknow?” Kaylin asked, folding her arms and shifting her hips slightly. Before she did, however, she dislodged Spike, so that he was once again floating freely by her side.
Eddorian broke out laughing.
“You’re talking to Mandoran again.”
“Mostly listening,” he said, in apologetic Elantran. “He thinks it unfair that we won’t repeat what he’s saying—but I told him that Sedarias is here, and he’s across the continent.”
Sedarias glared at him, but her eyes were almost green. Almost. “The intruders came by the outlands. They found the portal path. They could not have entered the Hallionne from above.” At Kaylin’s brief frown, she added, “In as much as direction makes sense in the confines of the portal lands,aboveis what we use to describe it. They couldn’t have come in through front doors; I don’t think they would have been allowed entry.”
“They would not,” Alsanis said. “Will Spike be remaining with you?”
“I don’t know?” She turned to the floating, spiked ball. “Did you want to go back home?”
“Yes.”The single word was spoken with far more vehemence than any other word that had left his—well, not exactly mouth.
“Lord Kaylin does not think she has asked the question you are answering,” Alsanis then said. “I believe she means to ask if you wish to return to Ravellon.”
“No.”
“Ah. I believe her question implies a second question. If you do not wish to return to Ravellon, from whence she believes you came, where would you wish to go?”
Spike began to hum and spin.
Kaylin turned back to Sedarias. “You recognized at least one of the two intruders.”
“I recognized the intruders as a serious threat to both my friends and the Hallionne.”
“That, too.”
It was Terrano who spoke, probably because he had to, to be heard. “She’s going to find out who they were, anyway. We have one corpse. Lord Kaylin iskyutheto the Lord of the West March, and the Lady is waiting in one of the Hallionne to speak with her. If you think you’re keeping anything to yourself given events here, you are hopelessly optimistic.”
“This is not a matter for outsiders; it is purely a matter for our people.”
Terrano raised a brow. He really did remind Kaylin of Mandoran. “There’s a war band on Alsanis’s doorstep, waiting to kill the Dragon. There’s a war band in the Imperial City because the Dragon in theory attacked the West March, and they consider this a racial act of war.”
“The Dragon,” Kaylin added, in case it was necessary, “didnotattack the West March.”
“It’s already gone beyond the boundaries of the High Court, and if the West March is not beholden to the Emperor, the High Courtis.”
“Annarion doesn’t want her involved in this.”
“Annarion’s in Elantra.Kaylinis here. She is definitively involved.”
Bellusdeo cleared her throat. Dragon-style. This broke the discussion into smaller pieces. Hopefully, they wouldn’t be picked up by the cohort immediately.
Kaylin then continued. “We need to know what, exactly, you taught to the Arcanists, or the Barrani of the High Court—the ones who were willing to ally themselves with you when you attempted to escape Alsanis last time. And if we don’t, Alsanis and the rest of the Hallionne absolutelydo. What were the intruders seeking, today? When they attacked—and almost destroyed—Orbaranne the last time, they were seeking power. Their needs and your needs coincided at the time.