“I promised her a horn-hog farm.”
Another reason to end the shenanigans of your would-be usurpers,Wreylith said, the words only for Syla.It is likely difficult to raise livestock while one is battling enemies.
I’ve heard farmers say that, yes.
As Wreylith circled the city one more time, more cheers going up, Syla eyed the rooftops and streets for snipers. They didn’t appear. She did spot Teyla, Tibby, Fel, and the others leaving the waterfront to head toward the bluff and castle.
“We’d better go to the lighthouse now.” Syla patted Wreylith, wanting to deal with Dolok quickly in case her allies ran into trouble. Relvin might be a twerp, but he’d had a lot of time without supervision, and who knew what he was up to? And where under the eyes of the moon was Fograth? She hadn’t had a conversation with the man in years and had no idea if he was a figurehead or a mastermind.
“Riding on a dragon is exhilarating and terrifying,” Oyenar said. “There isn’t any kind of harness. I don’t think my wife would approve of this.”
“She doesn’t like for you to go into danger anymore?”
“She does not. She keeps trying to get me to retire since island lords can be targets for political malcontents. And, apparently, dragon riders trying to invade one’s island.”
“I can’t argue about either.” Syla had no idea if apolitical malcontenthad slain Lord Ravoran, but she would hate for the same fate to befall Oyenar.
Wreylith banked and flapped her wings to climb in altitude. As they flew over the castle and toward the lighthouse on the point beyond it, Syla started to look down to see if Relvin might be on the courtyard wall, watching them, but her gaze snagged on the southern horizon.
From this height, Harvest Island and the spreading black clouds were visible. In the short time since she’d last looked, those clouds had descended, half-swallowing the visible landmass. Lightning streaked about in the writhing gloom, branches striking the ground and also shooting out toward the sea. Syla hoped the barrier was still up. Even if it was, it wasn’t stopping those lightning bolts from streaking out. And was something forming in the clouds above the volcano? It reminded her uncomfortably of the ugly face-likethingthat had been visible in the small cloud in the storm god’s laboratory.
“That’s hideous,” Oyenar said, following her gaze. “And scary. It keeps spreading. I’m worried Bogberry Island will be at risk.”
“I’m worriedallof our islands are at risk.”
Oyenar looked sharply at her. “Do you know what it is?”
She had an inkling, but all she said was, “Nothing good.”
20
After his brother left,Vorik walked out of the cave and toward the bluff. A couple of the chiefs that had been more amenable to his speeches followed him. Others had left ahead of Vorik—maybe mounting their dragons and heading off… wherever Jhiton and Ozlemar had gone. To the Kingdom and that cloudy island, Vorik feared.
He sensed that some dragons remained in the area, and Agrevlari was off to the north.
We need to return to the Kingdom and warn Syla that she’s in danger,Vorik told him.Again. All of her people might be.
When I asked Ozlemar where he was going, he told me to stay out of it.
Then we absolutely need to warn her. She’ll need help.Vorik grimaced at the thought that he might end up fighting his brother again, but was that truly his brother? If only he knew.If Wreylith is there and fighting with Syla, she may need your assistance.
A dragon with eggs shouldnotengage in battle.
She’ll do it anyway, and you know it.
Yes. She and your queen will doubtless be at theforefrontof the battle.
I think so too.
“Vorik?” Chieftess Marvola asked, numerous riders and a few other chiefs with her. “Tenilor left with General Jhiton. The rest of us… Well, many of us weren’t as dismissive of the idea of carving out a home on one of the Kingdom islands. As long as we would have the freedom to come and go as we wished, and they would let us govern ourselves, that is all many of us ever wanted. Room to be unrestrained while enjoying the safety of a protected sky above.”
“I’m glad,” Vorik said, but he had to force a smile. A day ago, he would have considered this a great triumph, but if the storm god was about to be unleashed on the Kingdom, there might notbeany protected skies left there in the end. “We may need to fight for that future though.”
“Fight the Kingdom?”
“Fight the dragons who thought bringing the storm god into the world was a good idea.”
“Some of our people rode off with them.”
