“I did shoot him.” Rylana shrugged.
“He was one of the dragons trying to roast our unit.Shootinghim was the appropriate action.”
“Yes, but did you ever think, then or now, that we—the joint kingdoms, I mean—weren’t in the right in trying to take the ore from the mountains their kind claimed?”
“The various kingdoms also claimed those mountains. For ages, humans, dwarves, orcs, goblins, and gnomes didn’t consider dragons to be intelligent beings, believing them more like animals, so they didn’t think anything of entering into the mountains where they lived. It was a long time before the dragons spoke telepathically to them and made their intelligence known. And the elves were barely even seen in the mountains.They avoided the other races. By the time of the ore extraction and their objections, humans and dwarves and orcs had been settling the area for centuries, and everything was murky.” Sylin waved an indifferent hand and looked at a bookcase next to their table.
“I know the history, and I know what motivated the rulers of the kingdoms. That war was about acquiring the resources they wanted for their growing civilizations.”
“Mostwars are about that. Protecting what you have and acquiring what others have.”
“It’s just that, toward the end, I questioned if we hired onto the wrong side. Captain Maverick was pragmatic and put us where we could make money and win. The way of the mercenary, he called it. And for a long time, that suited me, but after his death… Well, I guess the death of someone close will naturally make you question your own life choices. Where you want to be with yourself and with the world when the end comes.” Rylana sipped from her mocha. It had cooled, and she debated ordering a second cup, but she ought to return to work. Or… to the mission she was on the verge of giving herself.
“Such feelings sound inconvenient,” Sylin said. “Since I’m not close to anyone, perhaps I’ll never experience them.”
“You won’t question your life if my body turns up floating in the lake?”
“Certainly not.”
“Goodness. Who will you have coffee with if I’m gone? I think you’ll be lonely, at least.”
“There are books here. They’re good companions.”
“I may be insulted.”
“Here’s one on psychology.” Sylin pointed to a fat tome. “I believe it would tell you that you’re trying to fix the dragon’s life because you fought his kind in the war and feel guilty about that choice.”
In a roundabout way, Rylana had been working through that. Without the help of a psychology book.
“Isn’t that all right?” she asked.
“You tell me. You’re the one working for bacon and permission to sleep on the floor in his storeroom.”
“It’s excellent bacon.”
“Then perhaps it is all right. Just don’t navigate the path of your future based on guilt acquired on roads traveled in the past.”
“Is that something you read in a psychology book? And is such literature a strange choice for an assassin?”
“It is not. Since I was raised by wolves, I seek to understand the ways of the two-legs.”
“Wolves don’t experience guilt, do they?” Rylana asked.
“They do not.”
“Lucky creatures.” Rylana sighed and leaned back in her chair. “Do you think it’s true that dragons only mate for procreation purposes?”
Sylin lowered her cup. “Did I miss my mark about the guilt? Islustwhy you’re doing all this? You hope he’ll mate with you?”
“No, of course not. That didn’t even cross my mind until, er. I had some of his special soup. Sort of… by accident. I mean, it was so good that I accidentally had more than I should have.” Rylana’s cheeks warmed at the memory of swiping the servings from her co-diners. “But that was a temporary infatuation. I’m over it.”
“You are a strange two-legs.”
“Or I’m normal, andyou’rethe strange one.”
“That is possible.” Sylin drained her cup and placed another coin on the table. Before leaving, she added, “You also should not choose your future based on a dragon with a largezergstick.”
“I’mnot, thank you. Also, I haven’tseenhiszergstick.” Rylana tried to addand have no desire to do so,but the words didn’t quite come out. Two hells, maybe the effects of the spices hadn’t entirely worn off.
