area were built upon the foundations of older works.”
“But who would know enough about that to sneak into a
basement
with a member of the family? And what would they stand to gain by killing the three men?”
“Investigation of this nature is what you’re paid to do.”
“Meaning,” Teela said, “you don’t know.”
Evanton raised a brow at her tone, but nodded. “I admit that the bodies—and their presence or absence—is new to me. But difficulties of this nature are, sadly, becoming more familiar.”
“What exactly is the nature of these difficulties?” Kaylin demanded.
Evanton, however, shook his head. “That, I cannot reveal to you at this time. However, I will, I fear, be spending more time in the Garden in the immediate future. My knowledge is inexact, but my function is not. I keep the world...real.”
Scary thought.
* * *
Kaylin thought she could hear Marcus growling from two blocks away. The Halls of Law loomed like a gallows as they marched briskly toward them. Teela was tight-lipped and blue-eyed by the time they reached the doors. Tanner and Clint framed them, but one look at Teela’s expression made them instantly wary. Fair enough. Barrani blue was not a terribly safe look.
Clint’s eyes, however, were already the wrong color for an Aerian: coal gray, which made them look hard. He lowered his weapon as they approached, but didn’t raise it to allow them passage, and given Teela’s mood, that was significant.
“What’s wrong?” Kaylin asked.
“I heard a rumor in the mess hall.”
“Was it about me?” Kaylin asked.
“Got it in one go.”
“I can hear Ironjaw growling from here, Clint. He’s been waiting for us to arrive.”
Clint had the grace to wince, but didn’t immediately grant them passage. “It’s about you and Moran.”
Kaylin blinked. “Pardon?”
Tanner held out a hand, palm up. Clint dropped a few coins into it, although he didn’t really look away from Kaylin. Tanner then said, “Caitlin said you’re going to offer Moran a place to stay while she recuperates.”
“Caitlin told you this?” Kaylin demanded, feeling a bit of a pang.
“Clint grilled her.”
That was also highly unlike the Clint Kaylin knew. “It’s not a rumor. It’s true. I haven’t convinced Moran yet.”
“Moran will say no.”
“She’ll say no the first few times I try, yes.”
“Don’t try a second time.”
Kaylin stared at Clint as if he’d been replaced by a Shadow. “She can’t fly.”
“No.”
“She won’t let me heal her—and I offered that first.”
“There are reasons for that. The Hawklord wouldn’t let you heal him, if he had any say. The Barrani don’t let you touch them. I don’t imagine the Dragon Lords would countenance it, either.”
Bellusdeo allowed it, but Kaylin kept that to herself. This entire conversation had gone in a direction Kaylin would never have anticipated. “Clint—she’s living in the
infirmary
.”
“She has been offered conveyance to, and from, the Aerie. She has chosen to decline the offer.”
“I
know
that. But the infirmary is more of a jail than a home.” Kaylin had folded her arms at some point and was now tightening them.
“To you, Moran is a sergeant. She rules the infirmary. To Moran’s family, she is not a Hawk. Her work here has never been treated with respect; it has, among the more considerate, been politely ignored. She was injured in her service to the Hawks.”
Kaylin, confused, looked at Teela to see if she was having any better luck following this discussion. From the shuttered expression on the Barrani Hawk’s face, she was. The small dragon, however, didn’t consider it important enough to budge and lay across Kaylin’s shoulder like a slightly resentful shawl.
“I’m aware of how she sustained the injuries, Clint.” She used his name like punctuation. “All I’m offering her is an actual home-away-from-home. She needs a place to stay.
My
place will actually have rooms that are
“But who would know enough about that to sneak into a
basement
with a member of the family? And what would they stand to gain by killing the three men?”
“Investigation of this nature is what you’re paid to do.”
“Meaning,” Teela said, “you don’t know.”
Evanton raised a brow at her tone, but nodded. “I admit that the bodies—and their presence or absence—is new to me. But difficulties of this nature are, sadly, becoming more familiar.”
“What exactly is the nature of these difficulties?” Kaylin demanded.
Evanton, however, shook his head. “That, I cannot reveal to you at this time. However, I will, I fear, be spending more time in the Garden in the immediate future. My knowledge is inexact, but my function is not. I keep the world...real.”
Scary thought.
* * *
Kaylin thought she could hear Marcus growling from two blocks away. The Halls of Law loomed like a gallows as they marched briskly toward them. Teela was tight-lipped and blue-eyed by the time they reached the doors. Tanner and Clint framed them, but one look at Teela’s expression made them instantly wary. Fair enough. Barrani blue was not a terribly safe look.
Clint’s eyes, however, were already the wrong color for an Aerian: coal gray, which made them look hard. He lowered his weapon as they approached, but didn’t raise it to allow them passage, and given Teela’s mood, that was significant.
“What’s wrong?” Kaylin asked.
“I heard a rumor in the mess hall.”
“Was it about me?” Kaylin asked.
“Got it in one go.”
“I can hear Ironjaw growling from here, Clint. He’s been waiting for us to arrive.”
Clint had the grace to wince, but didn’t immediately grant them passage. “It’s about you and Moran.”
Kaylin blinked. “Pardon?”
Tanner held out a hand, palm up. Clint dropped a few coins into it, although he didn’t really look away from Kaylin. Tanner then said, “Caitlin said you’re going to offer Moran a place to stay while she recuperates.”
“Caitlin told you this?” Kaylin demanded, feeling a bit of a pang.
“Clint grilled her.”
That was also highly unlike the Clint Kaylin knew. “It’s not a rumor. It’s true. I haven’t convinced Moran yet.”
“Moran will say no.”
“She’ll say no the first few times I try, yes.”
“Don’t try a second time.”
Kaylin stared at Clint as if he’d been replaced by a Shadow. “She can’t fly.”
“No.”
“She won’t let me heal her—and I offered that first.”
“There are reasons for that. The Hawklord wouldn’t let you heal him, if he had any say. The Barrani don’t let you touch them. I don’t imagine the Dragon Lords would countenance it, either.”
Bellusdeo allowed it, but Kaylin kept that to herself. This entire conversation had gone in a direction Kaylin would never have anticipated. “Clint—she’s living in the
infirmary
.”
“She has been offered conveyance to, and from, the Aerie. She has chosen to decline the offer.”
“I
know
that. But the infirmary is more of a jail than a home.” Kaylin had folded her arms at some point and was now tightening them.
“To you, Moran is a sergeant. She rules the infirmary. To Moran’s family, she is not a Hawk. Her work here has never been treated with respect; it has, among the more considerate, been politely ignored. She was injured in her service to the Hawks.”
Kaylin, confused, looked at Teela to see if she was having any better luck following this discussion. From the shuttered expression on the Barrani Hawk’s face, she was. The small dragon, however, didn’t consider it important enough to budge and lay across Kaylin’s shoulder like a slightly resentful shawl.
“I’m aware of how she sustained the injuries, Clint.” She used his name like punctuation. “All I’m offering her is an actual home-away-from-home. She needs a place to stay.
My
place will actually have rooms that are
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