We’ll see. I’m honored that you took time away from your hunt to come check on me.
I ate my fill. For now. Should you need assistance, I will provide it.Wreylith alighted on the roof of one of the towers.
“That’s probably not an architectural ornament the island lord ever wanted on his palace,” Fel muttered.
“She’s magnificent and beautiful, and she’s helping us with our problems,” Syla said. “He should have an ornamental carving made in her likeness. Many carvings. They could go all over the roof and improve the aesthetic.”
“Is that berry juice staining your dragon’s scales?”
Syla hadn’t thought the purple splotches that noticeable, but her bodyguard had keener eyes than she.
She shrugged. “I understand there are bog bears on this island and that they’re delicious.”
“Her dinner must have put up a fight in the middle of berry-covered brambles.”
“Dragons like a challenge, I understand.”
A guard jogged out of the palace, using a side door instead of coming across the battered main threshold. “Your Majesty! You’ve come.”
She didn’t recall having met the guard before, but few people had ever looked at her with such relief.
“And you’re a healer. A gods-gifted healer.” The guard looked at her moon-mark. “The lord and lady need your help.”
Syla nodded. “Take me to them, please.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Will you wait here and keep watch?Syla asked Wreylith as she followed the guard toward the palace entrance, Fel and several Royal Protectors surrounding her.
Yes, but you must be careful.
Syla had already reached the doorway but paused.Do you sense a threat in the palace?
She remembered Vorik crouching on the rooftop and had no doubt the stormers planned to strike again.
I sense several humans with the power of dragon bonds in underground warrens beneath the city.
You mean the stormwater runoff tunnels? And you said several?
Several.
That was more than Vorik then. Or was Vorik being counted at all? Maybe Wreylith sensed Lesva and the team that had decimated the palace.
How far away are they?Syla looked around the courtyard, glad she didn’t see any stormwater drains among the flagstones and gardens insides its walls, but with the gate broken down and only mundane men out here to fight the powerful riders, it wouldn’t matter if Lesva’s team came up outside of the palace grounds.
Perhaps two miles. You should hurry.
Grim, Syla hurried through the doorway.I will.
Vorik crouched on a rooftop as troops marched past below in the gray uniforms of Kingdom Enforcers. He’d also spotted men and women from the Royal Fleet searching the streets for intruders. Intruders like him.
So far, Vorik had been able to avoid the troops, but he doubted he would be able to slip into the palace and find Syla and Lady Abrya before nightfall. He was glad he’d spotted Syla heading in that direction so he knew where she was, but he’d been bemused to see her riding in a rickety fruit wagon. He’d also been surprised when she’d noticed him—or maybe she’dsensedhim with her power—hidden on the rooftop. Nobody else had picked him out yet.
Maybe we’re now inextricably linked because of our growing feelings for each other,Vorik mused to Agrevlari.
With nowhere to perch, the dragon had flown back to Harvest Island, but the distance wasn’t so great that they couldn’t communicate.Are you speaking of the queen you attempted to kidnap? Do you not believe her feelings might be on thewane?
Probably not because of that. She might be irked that I tried to blow up her weapons platform.
