Cast in Deception

by Michelle Sagara

  “Why Iberrienne’s? He was the one responsible for the worst of the attacks, wasn’t he?”

  “That’s what I thought at the time. He was certainly the most visible. And Iberrienne was Eddorian’s brother. One of the cohort. I’d imagine that what Eddorian knew about his brother, the whole cohort knew. It’s just possible that’s why Terrano approached him.”

  “Why didn’t he approach Nightshade?”

  “If I had to guess, he would have tried—but Nightshade lives in a Tower. They’re not functionally the same as Hallionne; they might be worse. It would have been a risk to approach Nightshade, if it were possible at all; the Castle might have killed him or trapped him for a century or two. Iberrienne wasn’t a fieflord. Or a Hallionne.

  “Which is all beside the point. Terrano probably won’t remember most of the names. It’s Sedarias we need.”

  “That’s why we’re here,” Bellusdeo offered. “I’m just hoping the boys stay put.”

  “That’s not why we’re here. We’re here because the water picked us up and dumped us in a Hallionne—without our consent, I might add.” And without any explanations, because panic definitely didn’t count.

  “Are you afraid of Terrano?”

  “I’m afraid that Mandoran’s practice at walking through walls—which often has hilarious results—will seem boring and normal in comparison.” Kaylin exhaled. “I don’t think he’ll deliberately harm us, but I’m not sure I’ll care much while I’m dying.” She glanced at the wardrobe by the far wall of the room in which they’d been deposited. The door, on the other hand, didn’t seem to be locked.

  And given that Bellusdeo was with them, it probably should have been. The Emperor was going to reduce Kaylin to ash—probably after he’d eaten half her limbs. She wanted Bellusdeo to stay in the room while she went in search of the fountain by which she’d once conversed with the water.

  Bellusdeo folded her arms, which meant no—and Kaylin hadn’t even asked the question yet. She started to. No, she did. But the sound of her voice was entirely drowned out by a roar that Kaylin would have thought came from the Dragon, if the Dragon’s mouth hadn’t been a shut, compressed line of denial.

  Kaylin headed to the door instantly; she heard shouts and cries, but they were distant, almost attenuated, until she yanked the door open. Then they were a little more voluble. She drew a dagger, which probably wouldn’t help her against anything that was causing the Barrani to panic, but Bellusdeo caught her arm.

  The Dragon was smiling, and if the smile was rueful, it was genuine. “You won’t need that,” she said, “and given the Barrani state of mind at the moment, it might start something you don’t want to start.” She had to raise her voice to be heard, even though she was attached at the arm.

  “What is it?” Kaylin had a sinking feeling that maybe, just maybe, the Dragon Court had arrived. But there was no way—even by direct flight—they would be here yet.

  She headed down the hall toward the shouting.

  Bellusdeo followed; the Dragon’s eyes were a martial orange, which certainly didn’t imply there was nothing to fear. Then again, as she approached a cluster of Barrani guards—swords drawn, shields raised—she tensed herself. If her eyes ever changed from their very normal brown, this would be the time to do it.

  But...her marks were flat, invisible beneath the sleeves of her shirt. Whatever was attacking, it wasn’t the kind of magic that kicked natural defenses into gear.

  Take Bellusdeo back to your room, the Lord of the West March said. Now.

  I think it’s a little late for that. And also, Bellusdeo wouldn’t go. Any argument they had would just attract attention. What is it? What’s causing the panic?

  These are fully trained and experienced guards. They are not panicking.

  Another roar.

  Several shouts. The men disappeared down the hall with barely a backward glance. That was probably today’s miracle—although Kaylin privately felt well-trained guards would have noticed the Dragon in their midst.

  She turned to Bellusdeo, who was still gripping her dagger arm. “Let go and I’ll sheath it.”

  Bellusdeo complied. Her eyes, however, had shaded to an orange gold, which was as gold as they were likely to get. Kaylin looked at her suspiciously.

  “You don’t recognize his voice,” the Dragon said.

  “And you do?”

  “Somewhat. He is not, however, attempting to converse at the moment. I think he is...afraid.”

  “Who?” Kaylin almost shrieked. She headed in the direction the guards had taken.

  “I think you’ll recognize him when you see him.”

  * * *

  Kaylin could not strangle a Dragon, although she was seriously tempted to try.

  Lirienne, what do you see?

  I think it best that you come in person.

  Even with the Dragon?

  If you cannot talk sense into her, yes. Understand that it is not an issue for me should she die here, and there are not a few families who would take great pleasure in the attempt to accomplish that. His voice was dry.

  They’d probably die first.

  Yes, but they would consider the glory of their deaths to be a boon to their family lines; it would be an honorable death.

  Do you have Terrano?

  Yes. The answer was curt. I am uncertain, however, that I will have him for long.

  What?

  Hurry. Against my better judgment, I am attempting to preserve his life.

  17

  Fear for Terrano eclipsed intelligent precautions, and Kaylin picked up the pace, sprinting down the hall. She had never been good with geography, and the building was like a maze to her inexperienced eye, but she had good ears, and she could follow the sound of Barrani voices as if they were money.

  She tried, once, to tell Bellusdeo to go back to their room, and decided she’d rather face hostile, armed Barrani. Bellusdeo was a Dragon; she could take care of herself. And could probably take care of most of them, if it came to that. They were no longer in the safe space of the Hallionne, but that meant nothing was restraining Bellusdeo.

  And even as she thought it, she felt uneasy. This was the heart of Barrani territory in the west. It had existed through three different wars. She slowed enough that Bellusdeo careened into her, which did nothing for the ability of either of them to remain on two feet.

  Only the Dragon cursed. Kaylin got to her feet as a distant roar raised the stakes.

  Kaylin.

  I’m coming. I was hoping to leave the Dragon behind. She picked herself up and sprinted the rest of the way.

  * * *

  The Barrani were prepared for Dragons.

  Unfortunately, a Dragon wasn’t what they were facing, although the creature that towered above them in the courtyard certainly had the right form. He was the first silver dragon Kaylin had ever seen, and his wings—both of which were raised—were longer from end to end than even Bellusdeo’s. His scales were not the same shape as any other dragon with whom Kaylin was familiar, but anyone could have been forgiven for making the assumption. His eyes, however, were all wrong; they were Hallionne eyes. Terrano eyes.

  Familiar eyes.

  Without thought, Kaylin pushed past the spears and shields of the second rank of Barrani guards; past the swords and shields of the first rank. Lirienne was not a human lord, or at least not a member of the human caste court. When he joined a fight, he led from the front.

  And he was, as he had said, attempting to preserve Terrano. Terrano even looked as if he required the aid.

  “Cut that out right now!” she shouted.

  The silver, shimmering dragon’s jaws snapped shut as his head swiveled toward her.

  “What do you think you’re doing?”

  I...am saving you.

  “You are not saving me! I’m not
in danger here!”

  “I think that’s vastly overstating the case,” the gold Dragon said. To Lirienne’s credit, the nearest Barrani did not immediately reverse the direction of their weapons and attempt to skewer her. And given the color of their eyes, that wasn’t a foregone conclusion. Kaylin tried—very hard—to remember how little her life was going to be worth if something happened to Bellusdeo. Yes, it wasn’t her fault. No, she wasn’t stupid enough to drag Bellusdeo to the West March intentionally. Regardless, she was the one who was going to be ash.

  Even as she shouted, the shimmering serpent form began to dwindle.

  “How did you even get here?” she demanded.

  The dragon did not immediately answer her question; instead he became a much smaller, and much less solid-looking creature. Her familiar.

  “If you’re doing that so you don’t have to answer, I’m not going to be impressed.” She held out her arm. “If it’s all right with you—” she said, in Elantran “—the guard can put up their weapons.”

  Hope flew to her shoulder and settled there. He squawked and bristled at Terrano, who was still cowering behind the Lord of the West March. He was the only person who was now cowering; at Lirienne’s signal, the weapons were, as Kaylin had asked, put up. She noted that they’d waited for his command. Fair enough; in their position, she’d’ve done the same.

  Squawk.

  “I’m sorry,” Kaylin said, to the Barrani at large. “Can someone tell me what, exactly, happened?”

  The Barrani looked to their Lord, and Kaylin joined them. He bowed—to Kaylin.

  He then bowed to Bellusdeo. “My apologies for disturbing your rest, Lord Bellusdeo,” he said. “It has been far too long since one of your kind has accepted the hospitality of a Lord of the West March.” He then dismissed the greater part of the men who had gathered in the face of this emergency. Greater part, however, did not mean all.

  “Is your familiar now under your control?”

  As much as he ever was. “Yes.”

  Terrano, however, now kept the Lord of the West March and Bellusdeo between himself and the small dragon. “He’s not.”

  “He is.”

  “He’s not.”

  Kaylin exhaled. “Hey,” she said, to her shoulder. “Whatever you’re doing, cut it out. You’re scaring him.”

  Squawk. Squawk. Squawk.

  Kaylin exhaled. “Bellusdeo?”

  “He feels that Terrano is an enormous threat to your safety. He apologizes for the landing; he apologizes for antagonizing your kyuthe and his men. He was focused entirely on preservation of your life.”

  “Does he look like he’s attacking me?” she demanded.

  Squawk. Squawk.

  “He points out, in fairness, that it doesn’t look like he’s threatening Terrano, either. That is not, by the way, the name he used.”

  Great. “What was the name he used?”

  “I don’t recognize it. I’m sorry. It’s clear to me that he meant to indicate Terrano, and it’s equally clear that there is some derogatory connotation. More than that, I cannot decisively say.”

  Fine. “Whatever you’re doing, stop it now.”

  Bellusdeo lifted a hand before the small dragon could reply. “He’s going to insist that Terrano stop first.”

  Kaylin wanted to shriek in frustration. “Fine. Terrano, stop whatever the hells it is you’re doing.”

  “I’m not doing anything!”

  Kaylin exhaled slowly. She remembered Mandoran and Annarion, and she reminded herself that Terrano was not anchored to this particular life the way the other two were. Annarion had had no idea that he was calling out to the Shadows, either. And it had still been a disaster that had cost lives.

  In a lower and more reasonable tone—she hoped—she said to the familiar, “Look, he’s like Annarion and Mandoran.”

  Squawk.

  “Fine, he’s like them but worse. I can’t see what he’s doing. Neither can Lirienne or Bellusdeo.” Lifting her head she said, to the Lord of the West March, “Is there anything like Ravellon in the West March?”

  “No.”

  “Are there Shadows in the West March?”

  “Lord Kaylin, there are Shadows everywhere. But there is no concentration of their power in a like fashion; Ravellon is unique.”

  Good. “I don’t think he’s doing anything on purpose. And I don’t think terrifying him is going to make him stop. If it’s all instinctive, it’s going to make it worse.”

  Squawk squawk squawk.

  “He does not entirely believe that it is instinctive. He is, however, willing to entertain the possibility, given prior experience.”

  “Terrano,” Kaylin said quietly. “What do you think you’re doing?”

  “Trying not to die?”

  She almost laughed. He unfolded slowly, his eyes darting to—and away—from her shoulders, where the familiar was now in residence. “Look, you’ve spent a lot of time—compared to Annarion and Mandoran—figuring out how not to live in the real world.”

  He bristled. “I live in the real world.”

  “Fine, if that’s what you want to call it. It’s not a world that the rest of us can live in.”

  “You’re living in it now!”

  Kaylin.

  What?

  I believe it is unwise to agitate him. I do not understand what your familiar fears—but it is clear that the fears are not entirely unfounded.

  What are you going to do with him, then?

  I? I am going to ask him to remain within Alsanis.

  Like that’s going to work!

  I believe that he will accept the offer, given the appearance of your familiar.

  It’s not the first time they’ve met. She stopped. Thought a bit. “Terrano.”

  He looked at her. His eyes were like the familiar’s eyes, but as she watched, he struggled to realign them with Barrani appearance. “The last time we saw you—my familiar and I—you were kind of trying to kill us all.”

  “You were going to kill us first!”

  “I don’t think my familiar cares what I was doing. He’s more concerned about what you were doing, because he doesn’t necessarily think there’s much reason for you to have stopped.”

  Terrano looked annoyed. “We’re no longer prisoners. We’re not trapped in the Hallionne.”

  “The Consort had nothing to do with that, though, and you were willing to kill her.”

  He shrugged, uncomfortable.

  “You were trying to undermine—or destroy, in the worst case—the Hallionne.”

  “We were trying to rewrite them. And we’re not the only ones who made changes.”

  “I didn’t make changes to the Hallionne.”

  “You made changes to their brothers.”

  “It wasn’t the same thing!”

  The Lord of the West March cleared his throat. Loudly.

  “Look—we need to know what you were planning in as much detail as you can remember, because we’re not at all certain that some of the people you were intriguing with aren’t responsible for this mess.”

  “This mess?”

  “The rest of your cohort going missing.” To the familiar she said, “Can he stay in the Hallionne?”

  Terrano said, “Yes.”

  She gave him the side-eye.

  “I don’t hate Alsanis,” he continued. “And he didn’t hate us. But he couldn’t give us what we needed because of the way he’d been written. And frankly, I’ll be safer in Alsanis than I will here.” He glared at the familiar. The familiar glared back.

  If it’s all the same to you, Kaylin said to Lirienne, I’d be a bit happier if Bellusdeo was a guest in the Hallionne, and she won’t go if I don’t.

  I am not certain that Alsanis will view it the same way. Historically, the Hallionne
were our last resort against the Dragonflights.

  But Orbaranne—

  My sister appealed to her directly.

  Can’t she appeal to Alsanis the same way?

  Alsanis and Orbaranne are not the same. Understand, Kaylin, he added, gentling his voice, that the Hallionne were created to fulfill the same essential functions, but they are not identical beings. You are a Hawk, yes?

  Since this was obvious, she nodded.

  Are you identical in temperament to your fellow Hawks? Are you physically identical? Are your goals—outside of your duties to the Halls of Law—the same?

  No.

  It is analogous to the situation with the Hallionne. Orbaranne is, where she can possibly be, amenable to my family. Alsanis might not be as amenable.

  Why?

  My father, and the constituent High Court of the time, sent the children to the regalia. They interfered with the customs of the green, and the effect has been felt for generations. The children survived, but Alsanis was isolated from that moment on. It is only since your intervention, Chosen, that he has been able to entertain and house guests—but after centuries of avoidance, people are still reluctant.

  That wasn’t your fault, though. And it wasn’t the Consort’s, either.

  No. And he is aware that the Consort of that time was against exposing the young to the regalia. Nonetheless, it was done, and it is possible Alsanis will be...cool to our attempts to ask for a similar exception.

  Kaylin spoke some heartfelt Leontine. Bellusdeo, perhaps feeling slightly uncomfortable in the stronghold of a people who had every reason to hate Dragons, and might have already supported attempts to assassinate her, said, “Your pronunciation is lacking.”

  Kaylin accepted this. Unfortunately, Bellusdeo then chose to demonstrate the correct pronunciation. She was right—hers was much better. It was also much louder, because she’d used a Dragon voice.

  The familiar squawked loudly in her ear, which was still ringing from the Leontine which Kaylin now hoped the somewhat more remotely raised Barrani wouldn’t actually understand.

  Lirienne chuckled. I would think the fact that she is a Dragon is of far more concern.