“Lord Bellusdeo, you are well aware that such requests are private. The Arbiters do not discuss them without permission from those that have asked for their knowledge. I will ask you to allow Kaylin access to the Arbiters without demanding that you be allowed to attend as well.”
Definitely deep flecks of red.
Tiamaris exhaled smoke.
Kaylin was suddenly very grateful that he’d chosen to escort her to the Academia. He, like Bellusdeo, was a Tower captain, a fieflord. His concern about Shadow and its dangers was personal as well.
But he understood—as Bellusdeo should—that the Academia was Lannagaros’s hoard. The rules of the Academia, as expressed by the chancellor, weren’t wishful thinking on the chancellor’s part; they were the laws through which he ruled his domain.
Bellusdeo looked like she would argue, regardless.
No—she looked like she was considering the situation almost tactically. That wasn’t the Bellusdeo Kaylin knew. One of the sisters must now be standing in front of the others.
“My apologies, Killianas,” this sister now said. “Lord Tiamaris is correct. We would never endanger Lannagaros’s hard-won hoard, and we will not treat it with disrespect.” It sounded like she was speaking to the Bellusdeo who’d met them at the height of the stairs, but it certainly caused Tiamaris to blink in surprise.
Bellusdeo when she first arrived at the top of the stairs had been the Bellusdeo Kaylin had known since they’d first pulled her from the grip of the Shadows that had taken control of her Ascendant. She had met Logia, the sister involved in magic and research. The person who spoke now was neither of the two.
She wondered, uneasily, if Bellusdeo had control of her own body. Or if itwasher own body anymore. Bellusdeo had become, in one day, like the cohort—but with nine people, not twelve, and with a single body.
“With your permission, Kaylin, we would be grateful if we could accompany you to the library.”
“Normally I’d say yes. I wouldn’t care. But this is... this is complicated and messy.”
“Are you worried for us?” The gold Dragon’s smile was slender, sharp, her eyes narrower around red-flecked orange.
“Not you, no.” She hesitated and then said, “Which of the sisters am I speaking to right now?”
“Kyrie,” she replied without hesitation. “Bellusdeo was not, perhaps, the most patient of our sisters.” Her smile, which was genuine, was wry. “She tended to charge ahead, especially when she was angry. Her general rule was punch first, ask questions later. But she was the most martially competent of all of us.” Kyrie winced. “...in my opinion, of course.”
Definitely like the cohort. Kaylin could practically hear the argument on the inside of their head.
“Are you worried?” Kyrie asked, head slightly tilted as she assessed Kaylin.
“I’m used to Bellusdeo.”
“Ah. You are concerned that I am here because I have wrested control of her body away from her.” It wasn’t a question. It was also true. “As you must know, we are not entirely whole. In the past, we would have been a seamless individual with the amassed knowledge and interests of nine distinct fragments. That did not happen for us. What we’ve achieved is anomalous, according to Logia. We are too distinct; there are nine people, not a unified whole.
“Some argument and discussion have occurred since we became as we are, and a rough consensus has emerged—with Bellusdeo’s blessing. We can, if the situation warrants it, step forward. Bellusdeo has not been pushed aside without her consent—but if a majority decide that it would be better to allow a different sister to become spokesperson, she will step aside, agreement or no.
“Not all such decisions are fractious. Logia came to speak with you; Bellusdeo had little interest in the subject or the possible resultant discussion.”
“That isn’t the case now.”
“No. But her grief and rage drive her at times when it wouldbe wiser that they not. As we’ve pointed out many times,wewere the ones who died. If our deaths do not motivate us to be enraged and resentful, we do not believe they should affect her that way.”
Good luck with that.
Bellusdeo laughed. No, not Bellusdeo—but maybe not Kyrie either. Kaylin didn’t know Bellusdeo’s sisters well enough to tell them apart. That would come with time, if it came at all. Time, however, was the one thing they were all short on.
“The Arbiters have been looking into things, but not all of their research was done at my request.”
Severn stepped forward. “It is, at the moment, more personal in nature, and it involves Barrani customs. Kaylin is Chosen; what is personal may have follow-on effects.” All of this was a lie, in Kaylin’s opinion.
The cohort are your family, Severn said, his expression unchanging.Family matters are considered personal.
Still lying.
“However,” Severn continued, “I’m certain if Shadow is found to be involved, your expertise and experience—”