She exhaled slowly, walked to the trunks she’d brought along, and pulled out her medical kit and a case with pharmacological offerings. Fortunately, Vorik hadn’t rummaged through her luggage and found and taken items from within. Most of the bottles and jars were only labeled with their contents, not what they did. Such information was stored in her memory.
She opened the case to mull over options she could use if Vorik succeeded in kidnapping her. Though she’d dismissed the idea oftryingto be kidnapped, so that she could be taken to where the shielder components were, it might happen, whether she cooperated or not. Of course, he would be suspicious if he caught her wandering around the ship toting a pack with changes of clothing and a toothbrush, clearly prepared for a journey, but he might not think anything of her carrying her medical kit. And he might let her take it along. After all, his people could need a healer’s touch.
“Too bad I don’t have anything that could knock out an entire cave of stormers,” she mused as she rummaged through the case.
A few candelabras loaded with Candles of Serenity might, but he’d taken the only ones she’d seen in the infirmary. Shetucked a couple of vials of margroth tree oil into her kit, the astringent liquid she’d spattered onto the face of one of the giant bug-creatures in the laboratory. With luck, she wouldn’t have to knock out an entirecaveof stormers, maybe only a couple of guards charged with watching her during the night. She did have ground dayvak buds, which could be mixed into food or wine to sedate someone. It was what Atilya had used on Vorik and his lieutenant in her cave. The stormers wouldn’t let Syla prepare them a meal, but she took all the powder she had.
“Just in case.” Syla slung the strap of her medical kit over her shoulder and across her body so it wouldn’t fall off if someone grabbed her.
My return is blocked,Wreylith stated into her mind.
By enemy dragons?Syla guessed.
Yes, I was unable to get close to the Island of Bogs earlier since stormer-allied dragons lurk there. I returned to the Island of Eliok to fish and fill my belly before our inevitable battle, but, now, the stormer dragons have placed themselves in my flightpath to deter me from reaching you. They do not answer me when I question them. I am contemplating attacking them and reaching you regardless of the threat.Wreylith growled into her mind.They are overly arrogant because they have greater numbers.
If you can get within five miles of the ship, I ought to be able to target them with the weapons platform.Syla wondered if Wreylith might be that close now.
Agrevlari has just joined them.Wreylith growled again.He seeks to impede me. The gall!
Maybe he’ll help you against the others if they attack.
That was my first thought, but he has informed me that he has orders to keep me away from your ship and the Island of Bogs.
A knock sounded at the door, and Syla walked over.
“You shouldn’t open that with so many enemies on board,” Fel told her, though he stood to the side. Major Hixun had been the one to knock.
“I should make visitors yell through it?” Syla asked.
“Yes.”
Ignoring their exchange, Hixun said, “I regret to inform you that we’re still looking for Captain Vorik, Your Majesty.”
Syla nodded, having assumed Vorik could remain hidden if he so chose.
“We also, ah.” Hixun grimaced. “I have to report that he got into the armory. He didn’t kill the men guarding it, fortunately, but we believe he took a few things.”
“Like… explosives?”
“We don’t carry explosives beyond the black powder for the cannons, but…” Hixun cleared his throat, and were his cheeks pink?
Maybe he was embarrassed that his men hadn’t been able to find Vorik. The ship wasn’t that large. But Vorik… Syla wouldn’t blame anyone for not being able to find him. She wouldn’t be surprised if he’d hung from the ceiling while men walked under him, or maybe he’d been outside the ship, clinging from barnacles on the hull like a spider.
“Lady Tibaytha,” Hixun continued, “reported that her cabin was broken into and someone stole a booby trap.”
“Anexplosivebooby trap?”
“Apparently, she’d started making some this morning, using black powder and some of her magic. She said she’d only completed one but that it’s missing.”
Syla shook her head bleakly.
“We’re worried he’ll blow a hole in the hull of the ship to sabotage us as soon as we enter battle,” Hixun said.
Syla glanced upward, certain of what Vorik would target. “He’ll go after the weapons platform.”
Hixun opened his mouth, paused, then rocked back. “Of course, Your Majesty. It’s out in the open, but?—”
“Put more guards up there. Don’t let anyone get close.”
