Vorik didn’t care. He kept his grin and added, “My feelings are a strength. I’ll show you the next time we fight. I’ll bet they allow me to defeat you, assuming no gods interfere.”
“We can find out once you’re fully healed.”
“I look forward to it.”
“You’ve never shied from challenges.”
“No, I haven’t,” Vorik said. “Speaking of challenges, do you remember my duel with Chieftess Shi?”
“I… do, yes, but everything from the time I woke up buried and half-drowned in the mine until less than an hour ago is hazy. Like it was all a dream. I didn’t come fully back to myself until the clouds disappeared.”
“I’d ask you for more details about your possession, but I might not want to know.”
What was it like being controlled by a mad god? Vorik shuddered.
“I think not.”
“I ask if you remember the duel,” Vorik said, “because I’m supposed to be chief of Wingborn now, but I never did feel that qualified for the position, and I’m not sure the people will accept me.”
“Half of them were eating from your bag of bribes while watching you duel.”
“You rememberthat.”
“I remember the apricots. They had an appealing tartness.”
“Even the stone-cold Jhiton can be moved by a sweet.”
“A tart sweet.”
“I’d expect no other kind to entice you. My point is that you would be a better leader for the tribe.”
“Queen Syla isn’t going to negotiate withme,” Jhiton said dryly. “After I recovered suitably enough to inquire about your health status, she said you were fine, you’d wake up soon, and that she regretted that I’d survived all our encounters.”
“Don’t you adore her honesty?”
“She has many attributes desirable in a mother of warriors.”
“Compliments like that make women swoon.”
“As you know, that is always my goal. No, Vorik. I will not attempt to take leadership of the tribe from you. You won it, and it is yours to defend. Besides, it may behoove you going forward to have a title that conveys power.”
“I’ve always been fond ofcaptain.”
A couple of newly arrived soldiers came up to Syla, drawing her farther aside and asking her questions. They were deferential and called herYour Majesty. Vorik hoped that meant that her accomplishments combined with the usurper’s death had ended all questions about whether she was the rightful leader of her people. Surely, there couldn’t be any doubt. He wasproud of her but also sad since it meant she would never come live in a cave with him and be his mate.
Jhiton followed his gaze. “When you wed, will you join in the Kingdom way? With a ceremony and feasting? Or in the stormer way? With mock battles, tales, and our ritual? Perhaps you should partake in both traditions to satisfy both peoples.”
“I, er, when we wed? We’re not… I mean, we haven’t discussed… We’ve been toobusyto talk about anything like that. Besides, she’s not going to come live with me in a cave. Or a little camp on one of her islands if we can negotiate for that.”
“You can go back and forth from the castle to your camp. You do both have dragons.”
“Well, I wouldn’t want to assume?—”
“Aweddingand offspring would be the natural and ideal way to cement an alliance between our two peoples,” Jhiton said. “I can’t believe this hasn’t yet crossed your mind.”
“I… assumed Syla wouldn’t want to come share my nomadic lifestyle when she has a castle. And it’s huge. Our entire tribe could live in the throne room alone.Threetribes.”
“Marry the woman, Vorik.” Jhiton looked toward Syla as she finished talking to the soldiers and returned with a mug of tea. The stern look she gave to Jhiton suggested she believed he’d spoken long enough with Vorik. She set the drink down for him, scents of lemongrass dominant over what were doubtless medicinal herbs. “I trust she wouldn’t object,” Jhiton added.
