Page 85 of Red Dragon
“Goodness, your people are short-sighted.”
Syla adjusted her spectacles. “Quite literally.”
“Are you all right?” Vorik lowered a hand to her.
Though she was more wary than ever of him after his man had blurted out the kidnapping plan, her body reacted without the hesitation that her mind felt, and she clasped his hand. Vorik pulled her gently to her feet and folded her in a light embrace. Maybe he knew she’d been close when that explosion went off and had been battered.
“My cousin,” she said, “and Fel.”
As much as she wanted to lean into Vorik and relax, they might yet be in danger.
“They’re all right,” Vorik said. “I started out there. I didn’tknowyou’d invited your very own gargoyle inside.”
“Invitedisn’t quite the word.”
“I expect your allies will find a way back here soon, though the explosives made the roof fall in places.Moreplaces than it already had fallen. This is quite the treacherous jungle of broken rock. You should be grateful to Lieutenant Wise for finding you in it.”
“I’d be more grateful to him if he hadn’t said he was here to kidnap me.”
As if he hadn’t heard that comment, Vorik continued with, “He must have seen or heard something and come to investigate while I was with your bodyguard and, ah, the lady you brought out here, who’s also moon-marked.” He raised his eyebrows. “Is that the same girl who was in the tunnels?”
“Teyla, and yes. Your peoplealreadykidnapped her once, so don’t even think about doing that again. To herorme.”
Though her bruised and beleaguered body longed for support, Syla made herself step out of Vorik’s embrace. Her heel caught on the edge of the rock pile, and he reached out to steady her.
“Damn it, Vorik,” she caught herself blurting in frustration. “Stop helping me if you’re my enemy.”
He lowered his hand. “I would prefer not to be.”
“But you are, aren’t you? Unless you resign as an officer and leave your horrible general, I can’t think of you as anything else.”
“The horrible general is my brother.”
“I hate him.”
“You barely know him.” Vorik had the gall to smile. “He likes you.”
“So much he wants you to kidnap me?”
“He actually hasn’t made that order.” It sounded like a silentyetbelonged at the end of that sentence. Vorik frowned at his lieutenant. What, because he’d voiced their plan aloud?
The man—was his name trulyWise?—stepped back, hands lifted. He looked like he wished he were anywhere else except here for this conversation.
“But youdohave orders to find the components to a shielder to keep me from getting them, don’t you?” Syla asked. “You stole our scrolls and know as much about where they are as we do, and you also know it takes a moon-mark to open the laboratory, right?”
She held up her hand. Its glow had faded, but it hadn’t disappeared completely.
Vorik gazed sadly back at her. It was as much a confirmation as if he’d nodded or spoken an agreement, but it irritated her that he wouldn’t admit it. Also that he thought his brother wasn’t horrible. His brother who was probably even now on Harvest Island, rounding up her people for internment—or death—and directing the stealing of more crops.
“Wise,” Vorik said, “search the rest of the ruins, and see if that moss thing is here.”
The lieutenant opened his mouth, as if he might correctmoss thingto a more accurate term, but maybe he read the grimness in Vorik’s face because he didn’t.
“You think there’ll be something here? After centuries of abandonment?”
“Shedid.” Vorik nodded to Syla.
She bared her teeth at him and didn’t say that nothing but luck and seeking high ground had guided her here. Besides, was that true? Her moon-mark had first brightened when they’d reached the bank.
