Despite the firm assertion, she looked at Teyla, hoping for confirmation.
Her cousin, who probably hadn’t been here before, was peering uneasily around the landscape and also eyeing the lightning flashes. With no trees growing on the rocky slope of the volcano, there wasn’t any protection. Now that they were right under the phenomenon, Syla could sense magic in the air. Malevolent magic. Teyla probably felt it too.
“Do you regret coming?” Syla asked.
“Not yet. After I get hit by lightning, I might. I think they could be protected down there, yes, but they may be trapped.”
Syla pointed at what had once been the entrance.
“They’re definitely trapped,” Teyla said. “You should have brought explosives.”
“I don’t think Aunt Tibby has had time to make more.”
“Maybeyoushould learn to use your power to make them.” Teyla waved at Syla’s hand.
“I don’t have the engineering knowledge.” Syla walked over the rockfall, trying to sense Tibby through her moon-mark, but she could only sense Wreylith, the dragon’s power far greater—and more noticeable—than that of a human. “Or maybe it’schemistryknowledge that’s needed to know what mundane materials to mix with magic and how. Tibby’s explosives are more sophisticated than anything made with black powder.”
“Given how your queenhood is going so far, maybe you shouldlearnchemistry and what things to mix together to blow up usurpers and other threats.”
“I can’t argue against that. I have gotten more versatile with my magic. These past few days, I’ve been working on putting it into my tinctures and salves to give them extra healing power.”
“How is that versatile? That’s more of what you already do.”
“No, I healpeople.” Syla poked around the rock pile while she spoke, searching for gaps that might hint of a way in. “This is creatingsalvesto heal people.”
“Explosives may be beyond you.”
“I think so, yes.” Not finding any openings, Syla slung her medical kit over her shoulder on its strap and walked farther up the slope.
She tried not to feel like her weight might be adding to that burying Fel and Tibby. She reminded herself that they were likely in the shielder chamber. And if they weren’t… her weight wouldn’t matter next to the tons of rocks.
I sense that the moon-marked one lives.Wreylith shook rain droplets from her wings and glowered up at the clouds, baring her fangs toward them. The dragon hadn’t yet taken off, despite Syla’s promise that she could depart.
“Thank the gods,” Syla said.
Notallthe gods, Wreylith said as Teyla raised her eyebrows.
“Wreylith says they’re alive. And they’re under here, right?” Syla looked toward the dragon.
Wreylith took a few hops farther up the slope, then walked about, her head tilted toward the ground, as if she were listening. Maybe shewasusing that sense as well as her ability to detect magic.
How are your ear canals?Syla asked.
Stay away from me with your slimy salves.
A soothing formula might feel good if they’ve been damaged. And something unctuous might even insulate them if there’s more loud noise.
This time, Wreylith bared her fangs at Syla.
“Did your dragon just hiss?” Teyla asked.
“I think so, but don’t be alarmed. It was directed at me, not you.”
“I’m standing next to you. If you’re drawing a dragon’s ire, I’m absolutely alarmed.”
“She doesn’t like the viscosity of some of my medicinal salves.” Undeterred, Syla navigated around boulders and over scree to join Wreylith, who’d stopped moving.
The dragon flexed her talons over the ground.It is difficult to pinpoint her location, but I believe the moon-marked one is below here. I can also faintly detect the artifact that she made, but it has not yet been activated, so its signature is weak, and it’s also muffled.
