“She is our queen, and I’m sworn to be her bodyguard.”
“I’m not sworn to be her anything,” Tibby said. “I was there when the maid sprinkled baby powder on her butt.”
Syla slumped and looked around, hoping nobody had heard that comment. But both Captain Vonla and Teyla were nearby.
“You’re doing fine, Syla,” Teyla made a circle in the air with her thumb and fingers, the moon-shining-bright gesture. It was encouraging until Teyla smirked and added, “And your butt must be fine too after such assiduous care during your formative years.”
“You’re a dreadful cousin.” Syla looked warily at Vonla, though she didn’t think the captain had known her long enough that she would tease her.
“Youaredoing fine, Your Majesty.” Vonla nodded firmly at her. “You drove off dragons and survived an evil lightning bolt. All in the same hour.”
“Let’s hope we can survive whatever happens next.”
16
With sixteen iratedragons facing him, Vorik sheathed his sword, slid off Agrevlari’s back, and walked out onto the bluff. Though he appreciated the support of his ally, and the two other dragons who’d landed beside Agrevlari, he didn’t want them to be hurt because they chose to back him. More likely, they were friends of Agrevlari and backedhim, but the result could be the same.
Aware of his people watching from the trees but not stepping forward to interfere, Vorik stopped in front of the queue of dragons and spread his arms. What he would say to them, he didn’t know, but his gaze locked onto Ozlemar.
The black dragon stood in the middle, his eyes glowing more brightly than those of any of the others, and he exuded great power. His maw parted, and smoke drifted from his nostrils as that power seemed to intensify.
Vorik readied himself, prepared to dive to the side and hope he could avoid an attack right there, but Ozlemar looked to his left.
Jhiton stepped out onto the bluff. His gait was stiff from his wounds, but he kept himself from touching his gut as he walked.He didn’t come to stand beside Vorik but did place himself nearby, almost between Vorik and the dragons.
In the way of our people,Jhiton spoke telepathically to all gathered, including the dragons,Vorik has challenged a chief for leadership of a tribe and won the confrontation. He is now the rightful leader of Wingborn. While dragons are not bound by our laws, it would be incongruous with our history and the ways of both of our kinds for you to slay him.
He tried to slayyou.Ozlemar smashed his tail down behind him, slapping the rocky ground.
And he mates with the enemy queen, she who seeks to keep dragons from hunting where they wish,another dragon said, and there went another tail smash.
Agrevlari has also joined with an enemy and should be punished,spoke a third.He mates with the dragon that is no longer wild and has aligned with the human queen.
Wreylith is a mighty female,yet another dragon said.To join with her, given the opportunity, is understandable. She takes few mates.
She has declared herself an enemy!
She has only defended herself and her claimed human when we have attacked. She did not otherwise seek out those of us aligned with the stormers.
Yes, but sheclaimedan enemy of the stormers.
Wisely so, though, yes? Because of her bond with the human queen, she can now hunt on any of the islands.The young male dragon who said that sounded wistful rather than angry.
Vorik didn’t point out that it wasn’t as easy as some might believe for Wreylith to fly through the barriers on the various islands. He merely stood with his arms spread to look unthreatening while the dragons debated. Or whatever this was. They seem to have gotten off track, and Jhiton looked at Vorik with an eyebrow raised. Chieftess Marvola was back to eatingfrom the nut-butter jar, watching raptly as she enjoyed the contents.
If you believe Wreylith is an enemy,Agrevlari said,it is only because you’ve chosen to make her one.
“You might want to stay out of this,” Vorik murmured to him.
Jhiton lifted his arms.Dragon allies, I beseech you to allow our kind to determine Vorik’s fate, and I remind you that we have not yet had our tribal meeting. We await the arrival of a few more chiefs, and, even if Vorik now speaks for Wingborn, the future is far from decided. Our people will not forget that dragons have been our allies for many generations and that their opinions matter greatly. We invite you to listen in and contribute to the meeting as we decide how to go forward and obtain at least some of the islands for ourselves—and our allies.
Jhiton finished the talk by clenching his fists—his entire body. The tendons in his neck stood out, and the power that Vorik had sensed in him earlier returned, dark and dangerous. Vorik almost took a step back.
Ozlemar’s eyes, which had already been glowing, flared brighter. The black-dragon tattoo on Jhiton’s hand also glowed.
Vorik stared.Histattoo had never done that. He’d never seen any rider’s tattoo glow, not like the moon-mark on Syla’s hand.
As he had before, Jhiton seemed to rein in the strange power, to get whatever it was under control. The dragons must have sensed it though, just as Vorik had. Several of them had glanced at each other, and now they all looked toward Ozlemar.
