Page 90 of Shadows of Winter

Kaylina snapped her fingers. “I knew I forgot something.”

His eyelids drooped in disapproval at her sarcasm.

“Try this, Vlerion.” Isla offered him the glass of mead she’d been nursing.

He accepted it without taking his gaze from Kaylina and lifted it to his mouth but frowned down at it before touching it to his lips. “This is alcohol.”

“Mead, yes,” Isla said.

“You know I don’t drink alcohol.” The look he gave her as he handed the glass back said they both knew why.

Now, Kaylina had no trouble guessing the reason either. Alcohol’s effects would make it harder for him to maintain his equanimity.

“A sip won’t get you drunk. Just taste it. Ms. Korbian brought it.”

Vlerion opened his mouth, presumably to refuse, but Crenoch ambled over, his large nostrils twitching.

“My mother was not talking to you,” Vlerion told him. “Don’t you remember passing out the last time you had her mead?”

Crenoch swished his tail and showed his teeth. Or maybe his tongue. He batted it against his upper teeth several times.

“Is that… a threat?” Kaylina couldn’t tell.

“He’s letting me know he doesn’t care about the consequences and wants to imbibe like a lush selling her body for booze in a back-alley tavern.” Vlerion moved the glass away when the taybarri tongue drifted toward it.

“Here.” Kaylina intercepted his mount and dipped her hand into her pocket, withdrawing the bag of honey drops.

Crenoch’s twitching nostrils turned in her direction. Isla watched but didn’t say anything as Kaylina doled out the same sweets she’d shared with her for the taybarri. Crenoch whuffed, clucked, and licked as he slurped them out of Kaylina’s hand. As he savored the treats, he leaned affectionately against her with his great body and almost knocked her over.

Vlerion stepped forward to steady her. “He’s a beast.”

The memories of the conversation with Isla flooded her mind, and Kaylina didn’t come up with a response. Maybe that roused his suspicions because he frowned at both of them.

“Yeah, but he’s nice,” Kaylina said to distract Vlerion.

She patted Crenoch’s neck, which resulted in more agreeable whuffs.

“Exactly what rangers want. Nice mounts to ride into battle against enemies.”

Crenoch bared his fangs at Vlerion and whuffed again.

“If you’re ready to go,” Vlerion told Kaylina, “I’ll give you a ride back to headquarters.”

“I need to help my brother. It’s opening night.”

“Targon wants—”

“Tames will return Ms. Korbian in the carriage to her establishment to prepare her mead,” Isla interrupted her son.

“Mother. The captain—”

“I will speak with him on Ms. Korbian’s behalf.”

“You just met her. Why are you involved in this, Mother?”

“Taste the mead.” Her tone made it an order, a sterner no-nonsense order than Kaylina had heard Targon give to Vlerion. Than she’d heard anyone give him.

He stared mulishly at her for a moment and finally sipped the mead.

---