Page 87 of Red Dragon
Damn it, Syla and her moon-mark had found this place. He’d skulked around like a vulture, waiting to steal what she’d been on the verge of locating herself.
Frustration made Syla clench her fists, wishing she had something to throw at him. “I’m still pissed at you, Vorik.”
“I know.” As he turned back to bow again at her, he glanced down her body, his gaze lingering on her chest. For a moment there was longing and regret in his eyes, but he recovered and, ignoring the crossbow trained on him, started up the rock pile.
“This isn’thonorable,” she called.
He paused, frowning back, that word affecting him more than most. “I must follow my orders, not because the general or our chiefs are always right, but because our people need food, and your people weren’t willing to let us back onto any of the islands to share what was meant for all of humanity. Your mother specifically didn’t.”
“Your peopleleft the Kingdom because they didn’t like the rules. They made that choice over generations. Don’t pretend my family is at fault for their decisions. It’s not our fault the climate has gotten harsher.” Syla snapped her mouth shut, trying to rein in her temper. She was frustrated and letting her emotions speak. She didn’t think she was wrong, but… as she’d implied to Captain Radmarik, she wouldn’t be as opposed as the queen had been to a peace treaty that allowed the stormers some kind of access to the islands. But Vorik’s leaders had scoffed at what she’d been willing to offer. They’d only come as part of a ruse, seeking again to destroy another shielder. She bared her teeth atVorik, even if she didn’t believe he’d been behind that scheme or even fully aware of it.
“Nor is it ours, but we must adapt and do what we have to in order to survive.” With those words, Vorik climbed out of sight before calling back, “Thank you for not killing my man!”
Syla slumped against the wall, exhausted.
Teyla walked in, limping and gripping her side. Fel lowered his crossbow, and now he also slumped, probably more injured than any of them. Syla would have to stave off her exhaustion to heal everyone before they could continue on.
“I should have ordered you to shoot him,” Syla said to Fel.
He hesitated. “Yes, Your Highness.”
That hesitation surprised her. When they’d been on Harvest Island, Fel had tried to talk her into sharing Vorik’s location because he’d wanted to slit the captain’s throat while he’d been passed out.
“Would you have done it?” Syla wondered what had changed.
“If you’d ordered it, yes.”
“But not if I hadn’t? I thought you hated him, considered him a deadly enemy, and believed him an ongoing threat to the Kingdom.”Sylafelt those things… except the hate. It would be better if shecouldhate Vorik. Instead, she wished things were different and that she could have stayed in his embrace, letting him protect her so that she could rest.
“Oh, I do. But he also…” Fel looked at Teyla.
She grimaced and touched a bloody gash visible through a torn sleeve. “He saved us from the gargoyles, Syla. Why did he bother?”
“Because he likes to do that. Save your life while plotting against you and stealing your amphora. It confuses everything.”
“Yeah.” Teyla smiled wanly and sat down. “I hurt so much.” She looked at Fel, as if wondering how he could still be upright. He’d taken the brunt of the gargoyles’ blows.
“I always hurt,” Fel said.
“I’ll heal you both in a minute if you’ll give me permission to use my magic.” Syla reached into her pocket, feeling she should make one more attempt to get the amphora back. If they failed to return with any one of the three components, they would have failed entirely.
The figurine was cold to her touch. That usually meant Wreylith wasn’t nearby, but Syla tried anyway to reach out. The dragon was her last hope of getting that amphora.
Wreylith? Can you hear me?
She had to call three times before a distant,I can hear you through the link in the krendala, yes. You are interrupting my sleep. What do you want?
Sorry, I thought you were hunting.
And that it would be acceptable for you to interrupt that?
Syla almost pointed out that Wreylith was a curmudgeon, but if she’d woken the dragon from sleep, grumpiness was understandable. Besides, she needed a favor. She would be polite.
Perhaps later, you can inform me as to the times of day when it’s acceptable to presume to speak with you.All right, maybe that was more snide than polite.In the meantime, is there any way I could talk you into waylaying the stormer dragons?Remembering that the next component was magical ore in the mountains, she wondered if Vorik might fly past wherever Wreylith had chosen to hunt and rest.They stole something from us. Technically, they stalked us here and swooped in and took something before we located it, so it wasn’t precisely theft, but there was only one, and we need it.She shared an image of the amphora.
Waylay?Wreylith still sounded sleepy.
Attack them, and take the amphora. Or maybe you could talk Agrevlari into bringing it to you. To demonstrate his adoration and devotion to you.
