“You can hiss at Jhiton if you like,” Vorik offered, “and know it won’t affect your regalness. You’re a wonderful queen. Your people are lucky to have you.”
She scowled over at Jhiton as Ozlemar drew even with them and slowed down to match Agrevlari’s pace. It was a languid pace, and Vorik suspected his dragon had deliberately flown slowly so that the others would catch up, thus to ensurematingdidn’t occur on his back. Vorik couldn’t blame Agrevlari for that.
“Have you learned the location of the shielder yet?” Jhiton asked, speaking aloud instead of telepathically. That meant he wanted Syla to hear for some reason.
“We haven’t discussed it,” Vorik said.
“Whatdidyou discuss?” Jhiton’s flat tone suggested hehadgotten the gist of what had been going on—and didn’t approve.
“That Syla is a magnificent and fearless queen who’s faced down more enemies than any one person should have to deal with in a lifetime.” Vorik refused to look away from Jhiton or feel chagrined about his feelings for Syla. “She deserves our respect.”
“Is that what you were doing on your flight? Respecting her?”
“Yes.”
“She killed Lesva’s dragon.” Jhiton sounded exasperated. “Manypeople’s dragons. I don’t know how you can—” He flung a hand toward them, as if Vorik had been doing something reprehensible by kissing her and giving her pleasure.
“You and yourdragonsinvaded my Kingdom, you bastard.” Syla’s fingers curled into a fist. “I’vedone nothing wrong.”
Jhiton gazed at her with little expression before saying, “Bring her to camp, Vorik. I will handle the questioning.” He waved toward Ozlemar’s horns, and the black dragon surged ahead.
Syla slumped back against Vorik’s chest. “It’s not too late to turn around and take me back to the islands.”
Vorik wished that were true, but the two other dragons flew behind Agrevlari, effectively hemming him in between them and Ozlemar.
“Yes, it is,” he said sadly.
19
For the restof the flight to Froha, the second of the world’s two major continents and a place Syla had never been, she glared between General Jhiton’s shoulder blades. If he hadn’t shown up…
Actually, Syla wasn’t surewhatwould have happened if he hadn’t shown up. When she’d tried to talk Vorik into taking her home—and offered sex if he did—she hadn’t believed he would do so. All she’d wanted was to act as she thought he would expect her to. If shehadn’ttried to talk her way out of her fate, he might have realized the truth, that she hadn’t fought being kidnapped as much as she could have. She’d beenplanningfor this possibility and was delighted that she had, so far, managed to retain her medical kit. One of Jhiton’s people would doubtless think to search it—or take it from her—but at least it would be in the camp, and she might find a way to reach it when she needed it.
Though she’d almost dropped it when Vorik had slid his talented fingers under the hem of her dress and left her gasping. Her cheeks flared with heat and embarrassment, and she hated that the general had probably witnessed at least some of herwrithing. Yes, that was the precise word, and she rubbed her face at the memory. The general probably thought her an idiot, not the magnificent and fearless queen that Vorik had described.
Syla told herself that shewantedJhiton to underestimate her. It would be best if all the stormers in their camp did. If they believed her crafty and dangerous, they would watch her closely and never give her an opportunity to escape with the shielder components.
She sat up with interest when a lush green coastline came into view above vertical white cliffs that faced the sea, rising hundreds of feet, save for gaps where it looked like the gods had smashed their great fists down to break them away. From maps, Syla knew the terrain was varied and stretched inland for more than a thousand miles, with all manner of interesting geological features. One day, if she survived the war, she would ask Wreylith to take her on a trip to see the world.
Unease sank into her gut at the thought of the red dragon. Oh, Wreylith would doubtless be fine on Bogberry Island by herself—she’d probably only waited five seconds after realizing she couldn’t fly after Syla to start hunting berry-loving bears. But Syla had thought her dragon ally could play a role in her escape with the shielder components. More, she’d counted on it. If Syla managed to steal the components and sneak out of the stormer camp, how would she cross the sea by herself to return to the Kingdom? She didn’t see any signs of civilization along the cliffs ahead—certainly nothing like a dock with a whaling ship and a friendly captain willing to help.
She looked skyward, away from storm clouds gathering on the northern horizon, and toward the position where the moon would rise, then sent a silent prayer to the moon god.If there’s any way you can send Chieftess Atilya or another Freeborn Faction rider a vision about where I am and how I could use a ride back to the Kingdom, I would appreciate it.
She didn’t expect an answer or any kind of acknowledgment—aside from a couple of times when it had seemed like she might have received a little divine assistance, she hadn’t seen much to suggest that the gods remained present in the world. But lightning flashed to the north, bright against the darkening clouds. It was probably a coincidence, and she vowed to exhaust all possible ways to escape on her own, but she chose to see it as a hopeful omen.
Still flying ahead on the black dragon, Jhiton looked back at her. Had he seen the lightning? Storms were common over the sea, so he couldn’t think much of it, unless he had the ability to read minds and had somehow heard her prayer.
When his gaze lingered, Syla lifted her hand to give him a rude gesture.
Vorik snorted. Jhiton’s expression didn’t change. After a moment, he turned forward and pointed, directing the small wing of dragons to descend toward one of the gaps in the white cliffs.
Maybe Syla shouldn’t have, but she leaned back into Vorik, wanting to draw whatever support he would offer before they arrived and she had to deal with Jhiton one-on-one for the first time. Vorik was the last one she should have sought support from, but… he always gave it. It might have been her imagination earlier, but he’d seemed on the verge of doing what she’d asked, taking her somewhere else besides his camp.
Not hesitating, Vorik wrapped his arms around her.
“I’ll keep anyone from hurting you,” he said quietly.
Jhitonwas the main person Syla worried about, and she wondered if Vorik would step between her and his brother if she were in danger. In the shielder chamber, in the heat of battle, he’d done just that. But, if there had been more time then, if Kingdom troops hadn’t been on the way, would he have trulyfaced off against his brother? What if Jhiton had forced the issue and attacked Vorik?
