Page 138 of Red Dragon
Syla winced as the weapons platform whistled toward the center of the courtyard, imagining it shattering into a thousand pieces. But it was the flagstones underneath it that shattered, shards flying as the platform crashed down. Surprisingly, it landed and stayed upright, just as it had been in the laboratory.
You are welcome,Wreylith said smugly into Syla’s mind as the four dragons flew away.
I… thank you for arranging that.
Yes. Andyouwill arrange my horn hogs and sheep soon.
I should be able to, yes. You deserve all that I promised and more.
Clearly.
“Whatisit?” General Dolok stared.
“A powerful weapons platform created by the gods themselves. It is capable of slaying dragons but responds only to one who is moon-marked and destined to protectherpeople.” Syla held up her hand, the birthmark glowing cheerfully to emphasize her words.
His jaw sagged open. For the first time that she’d observed, Dolok was speechless.
Chants of, “Queen Syla! Queen Syla!” drifted up from the city below.
“We’d best arrange my coronation soon,” Syla said. “The people demand it.”
A long moment passed as Dolok looked toward an open doorway in the keep where someone lurked in the shadows. Cousin Relvin. And was that another man behind him? Syla didn’t recognize him. Dolok’s and Relvin’s gazes held for a moment.
Wreylith growled deep in her throat, and a single tendril of smoke wafted from one of her nostrils.
Dolok swallowed, returned his focus to Syla, and bowed stiffly. “We’ll start the preparations, Your Highness.”
After a long look at the weapons platform, Dolok turned and walked toward the military barracks and offices, waving for his men to follow him.
None of the troops on the wall clapped or cheered—alas—but they didn’t glower down at Syla either. Mostly, they looked stunned. Stunned or nervous as they shot looks at Wreylith and the weapons platform. A few men, however, smiled and nodded when Syla’s gaze skimmed across them. The military might not be as easy to win over as the civilians in the city, but at least it didn’t look likeallthe troopswould oppose her. Of course, what mattered most with soldiers was if their superior officers opposed her, and she highly doubted she’d won Dolok over.
“I don’t think this will be easy, Fel,” Syla said quietly, glad her bodyguard remained at her side.
“No, but you’ve declared your intentions. That will clear up a lot of people’s murky thoughts on the matter. And you’ve acquired new allies.” Fel nodded. “Powerfulallies.”
Yes,Wreylith stated, though the word had been plural and probably meant to apply to the Freeborn Faction as well as the dragon.
Doubtless, Wreylith believed that she was the most powerful and could be paramount in Syla securing the throne and returning peace to the Kingdom.
Yes, Wreylith stated and swished her tail.
EPILOGUE
Vorik climbedto the top of the cliff above the headquarters cave to where Jhiton gazed out across the sea, the salty breeze stirring his cloak and short black hair. Their quasi victory hadn’t delighted the general enough to change his usually pensive expression to one of ebullience—not that Jhiton had ever in his life experienced ebullience—but he didn’t look as forbidding as he sometimes did. Still, Vorik couldn’t resist teasing him.
“You look like the villain from one of the Vengeful Dragon legends.”
Jhiton slanted him a sidelong look.
“It’s the cloak,” Vorik explained. “Remember how the Wrathful Rider wore one? And it always flapped dramatically and villainously as he and his marauding dragon attacked stormer and gardener alike, ravishing women and pillaging food stores.”
“How does a cloak flap villainously?” The wind kicked up, lifting his hem so that it snapped.
“Precisely like that,” Vorik said.
“It’s my cloak of office for the leadership of the Sixteen Talons.”
“I know, but as the commanding officer and general, perhaps you could suggest a uniform change. A crown? Nobody finds crowns villainous, even though plenty of the Garden Kingdom monarchs were of dubious morality. And those rulers from kingdoms that pre-dated the Gods War and the fall of so many civilizations? They werealwaysdoing nefarious things, at least in the legends.”
