Page 58 of Lake of Sorrow

Kaylina suspected the questioning would be violent, unless the rangers could force kafdari root down the Kar’ruk’s throat, but she wished she could hear his answers. Even though she had her own problems, it was hard not to worry about how many horned invaders might be about. Especially since Vlerion was out there hunting them.

Another roar wafted out, followed by a defiant string of clipped Kar’ruk words. The questioning might not be going well.

“Did you get a chance to research the newspaper?” Kaylina opened a window to peer across the courtyard, but the interrogation was taking place indoors. A few taybarri near the stable looked at each other and swished their tails, perhaps in agitation. They might be uneasy about the roars or the presence of a Kar’ruk in general.

“I read all the issues that have been printed and asked around, but nobody knows where they’re coming from.”

“Do they know to search outside the city for their origins?” she asked.

“Probably not. Maybe we should have climbed out the back of that wagon and subdued and questioned the person driving.”

“Have you subdued anyone in your life?” Kaylina didn’t bring up his spindly frailness.

“No, but you could have pummeled him with sling rounds until he answered our questions.”

“Or drew a sword and kicked our asses. I’m not any more of a fighter than you are.”

“Not even with your ranger training?”

“The one day of training I had didn’t teach me that much.” Kaylina scratched her jaw. “What if we lie in wait in the dark of night on the highway near the river to see if another wagon carrying newspapers comes through? I think Vlerion said it’s been delivered daily lately.”

“We? Kay, we have a more important mission.” Frayvar pointed at her chest, then his. “We need to focus on that. Tonight.”

The courtyard gate opened, several rangers on taybarri riding in, and she didn’t respond. Was that the party that Targon had led into the preserve?

Yes, she spotted the captain in the lead, but where was Vlerion? Sent off on another mission? Not injured, she hoped.

A ranger ran up to Targon, reporting something to him. About the Kar’ruk prisoner? Yes, he pointed at the building that held him.

After ordering a subordinate to care for the taybarri, Targon dismounted and jogged inside with the ranger.

“Kaylina.” Frayvar poked her.

“Sorry. I heard you. I know our mission is important, and I do want to clear my name. Trust me.” Maybe it was foolish, but she worried more about Vlerion. As long as she could avoid the Kingdom Guard, she ought to be okay, but he would be in grave trouble if the Virts spread the word about his link to the beast—and roused the entire populace against him. There wouldn’t be anywhere for him to hide to escape the ire of an entire city.

“I wonder,” Frayvar muttered.

“I’m just tired. Did you get any sleep today?”

“You’re so tired that your brain is scheming on a different topic every two minutes.” He waved at one of the cots. “I napped in between organizing, researching, and worrying about you.”

“So, no sleep.”

“No long sleep.”

“We should both rest.”

“And then we’ll visit Nakeron Inn and the paint shop?” Frayvar waved at the map while holding her gaze intently.

“Like I said, Vlerion already checked the inn. That’s where he got the vial. I don’t know what else we’d find.”

“I’m an expert researcher. I might find things a simple pugilist missed. Such as drawers full of incriminating evidence.”

“I doubt Jana is keeping drawers of her written plans for my demise, and Vlerion is a lot more than a pugilist.”

Frayvar waved dismissively at that, saying only, “We might find something he missed.”

“All right.” Kaylina yawned and rubbed her gritty eyes, too tired to anticipate a search, especially one her brother wanted to start that night. “Tomorrow, we’ll?—”

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