“They’re in rare agreement on this matter.” Instead of grabbing the jar of powder, Syla removed her spectacles, set them on the table, and rubbed her eyes. “I admit it crossed my mind independent of them. I proposed it, in fact. And I’m… torn, Vorik. I don’t suppose you’d like totellme where the shielder components are? It’s not like they rightfully belong to your people.”
“Since they were all foraged from the wilds, they don’t rightfullybelongto anyone, do they?” Vorik asked, though hedidfeel like he’d stolen them. Without Syla, he wouldn’t have been able to acquire any of them.
Surprisingly, she didn’t argue that, merely sighing again and leaning back in the chair. Weary? Emotionally wrought? The responsibility of protecting her people had to weigh heavily upon her shoulders. If shedidn’tquestion him and get the information she sought, would she feel she’d failed her kingdom?
Even though she’d attacked Vorik’s people—attacked andkilledsome of them—with the weapons platform, he struggled to think of her as a true enemy. He longed to walk over and rub her shoulders, to lend her his support. How could someone so powerful look so vulnerable and… appealing?
It would be so easy to take her in his arms, to kiss her and more. He tried to remind himself that he not only couldn’t allow himself to be questioned but he needed to kidnap her. How he would do that with her dragon perched on the wheelhouse above them, he didn’t know.
Have you figured out a way to lure Wreylith away from this ship, Agrevlari?Vorik asked, trusting his dragon remained within telepathic range.
Is that supposed to be my goal? I’ve simply been trying to entice her to hunt with me. Or accept an offering of meat.
If you could do those things about five miles inland, that would be great.
She’s not proved amenable to my suggestions, thus far. It’s possible she even suspects me of working with you to try to trick her into leaving.
I can’t imagine where she’d get that idea. Let me know if youdoget her to go off with you for a romantic interlude.
Should I succeed at that, I’ll be too distracted by my ardor to discuss the matter with you, but you ought to be able to sense when she leaves. Her aura of magnificence is difficult to miss when she’s nearby, and her absence leaves a gaping emptiness in the world.
Yeah, I’ve observed that about her too.
Syla put her spectacles back on.
“Areyou going to question me under the influence of that drug?” Vorik waved at the jar.
“If I were, I would have had to put it into a fruity dessert to convince you to consume it.”
“I wondered if it was something that has to be ingested.”
She shrugged. “It has to get into the bloodstream and eventually pass into the brain somehow.”
“As a good captive on the lookout for ways to escape, I shouldn’t wish that youhadbrought me a fruity dessert.”
“Probably not.”
“I am disappointed, however. I was recently discussing blackberry cobblers with my brother.”
Syla gazed at him. “Howrecently?”
Vorik opened his mouth but paused, realizing she probably didn’t know that Jhiton’s link with Ozlemar had given him the power to speak telepathically across many miles to otherhumans. Vorik could only speak telepathically to Agrevlari and other dragons if they were nearby.
“I don’t recall,” Vorik said.
“In your cell? Did he reach out to you through Agrevlari? I know your dragon is close enough to flirt with Wreylith.”
“Agrevlari is here to rescue me if an opportunity arises.” Vorik wasn’t giving anything away with that statement—she’d already guessed as much—and wanted to deter her from musing upon Jhiton’s magical abilities.
“Unless he succeeds in wooing Wreylith?”
“Well, naturally that would take precedence over my welfare.”
“Naturally.” Syla joined him in a smile.
Ah, that smile. So beautiful. The desire to offer her a shoulder rub returned.
“Is your general angry that you stepped in front of Captain Lesva and protected me?” Syla asked.
