“Dying to Shadow?” This was definitely not Kyrie. The tone was way too amused for that.
Severn didn’t even blink. “Yes. Most of our investigations take place after the fact of death. We can’t usually interrogate the dead, who would otherwise be the most salient witnesses.”
“Bellusdeo isn’t happy you just said that.”
Severn offered whichever sister it was a fief shrug.
“You’re a lot braver than you look.” The sister grinned. “I’m Mezanne, by the way. I only come out when everyone else has given up in frustration.”
“When Bellusdeo is frustrated, she breaks things.”
“That’s not all she does. But this is Lannagaros’s hoard. She won’t break things here.”
Kaylin knew she wouldn’tplanto break things. Or burn them down.
“Mezanne,” Killian said, bowing. “We are expected.”
“I’m just going to keep you company.” She frowned, walked down the stairs, and pulled Terrano out of thin air. Terrano’s eyes were wide with shock.
Mezanne laughed. “You and I are going to get alongjust fine. I’m keeping you all company,” she added. “Bellusdeo insisted on at least that much. How did she put it? Oh. Keep Terrano out of trouble. You’re Terrano, right?”
“How did yousee me?”
“What, were you trying to stay hidden?” Her grin deepened. Kaylin had never seen that expression on Bellusdeo’s face before. “Hiding is my area of expertise.”
“You’re a Dragon—how much hiding did you have to do?”
“A lot if we wanted to sneak out. I mean—everyone guarding us was an adult Dragon.”
Terrano nodded as if this made sense, and the blue of his eyes lightened without dipping into green.
Mezanne frowned and turned to Mandoran. “Apparently you don’t cause the same kind of problems this one does.” She jerked a thumb in Terrano’s direction. “I think Bellusdeo actually likes you. Given your race, we wouldn’t have expected that.”
Mandoran said nothing. His expression was as reserved as Tiamaris’s. Tiamaris, however, was irritated, given the color of his eyes.
Killianas patiently gathered everyone and led them into the building.
Mezanne wasn’t particularly quiet; she certainly wasn’t reserved. She let Terrano go, but Terrano chose not to sidestep the way he usually did. Mezanne had clearly seen him. Kaylin wanted to know how, but didn’t want to ask right now; Mezanne appeared to be in a good mood, which Bellusdeo had definitelynot been. Happy Dragons were far safer than unhappy Dragons, for everyone concerned.
Serralyn was waiting by the library door—the portal that led to the Arbiters. She wasn’t particularly surprised to see Bellusdeo but wouldn’t be. She did smile brightly at Fallessian, who had characteristically remained silent throughout the Dragon’s various speeches.
Fallessian returned the smile, although his eyes remained a rigid blue.
“We’ll be leaving you here,” Terrano told Mezanne. His grin was cheeky.
“For now, yes. I’m not like you—at least, not according to Bellusdeo—but I’m a tiny bit more flexible than the rest of my sisters were. Except Logia. Don’t trust her with anything too important.” Her smile dimmed. “We’re different people, but wealltake Shadow seriously. Bellusdeo is willing to trust Kaylin—but it’s taking more effort than it should.” To Severn she said, “Remember your promise.”
Severn nodded.
Kaylin didn’t breathe again until they crossed the portal and arrived in the library proper. Partly that was the nausea of using a portal, and partly relief that Bellusdeo, or Mezanne, or Kyrie, had remained on the other side. Killian never entered the library, and only one of the Arbiters could leave it.
That Arbiter lifted the two legs at the front of its hairy, rounded body and waved them in the group’s direction. Serralyn immediately broke away by running toward the Arbiter as if to hug him.
Kaylin understood that Starrante wasn’t a spider, but her visceral reaction required thought and will to suppress. ShelikedStarrante. But part of her hindbrain instinctively recoiled at some of his gestures. She wished she could be more like Serralyn or Robin, a student who had learned many of the Wevaran gestures, and treated the Arbiter as a beloved uncle.
She did, however, follow behind Serralyn.
“I hear you have been busy,” Starrante said, his voice a crackle of sound around perfectly normal syllables.