Page 60 of Morel Dilemma

“How old is the book?” Rylana asked.

“Old enough that the queen’s offspring aren’t mentioned.”

“Isn’t mentioned. She apparently only had the one.” Rylana raised her eyebrows, assuming Layothlee had told Sylin what Fareesa had told Rylana.

Sylin scowled. She was displaying a lot more emotion than usual. Maybe that was a testament to how much the situation had rattled her.

Rylana didn’t know whether to try to draw Sylin out to share her feelings or to shut up and let her volunteer them—or not—as she wished. The latter would probably be wise.

Still, Rylana caught herself asking, “Is Queen Fareesa in there?”

“Yes.” Sylin opened the book to a page she’d marked. It looked more like a bibliography than a family tree. “Apparently, in her younger days, she wrote two books on etiquette and one on the art of diplomacy with dragons, wyverns, minokawa, bugbears, werewolves, and other dangerous intelligent beings.”

“Does the diplomacy go beyond hurling haunches of meat to them and running away?” That was how Rylana would deal with a bugbear, wyvern, or werewolf.

“If she wrote an entire book on the subject, one would imagine so.” Sylin closed the tome and gazed at a lantern on the floor.

“You might find it illuminating to visit the elven court, instead of only reading about it,” Rylana suggested. “So you could talk to actual elves.”

“My experiences with actual elves haven’t led me to want to chat with them.”

“Well, I’d avoid the ones from that ambitious family—the Shaldonas, wasn’t it?—but your own relatives might be all right. Layothlee wasn’t sure what to make of you but didn’t seem to have an aversion to you, and you know the queen wants to see you…”

“You spoke with her afterward? Layothlee?”

“Oh, yes. I chat up elves regularly now. Captain Tassani wants me to go out for coffee with him.”

“Don’t bring him to my coffee shop. His elves already loiter around this area far too frequently.”

Rylana didn’t mention that they were loitering here because Sylin loitered here. “Jildarin suggested that if I must go on a date with Tassani, we should have it at the diner, so he can keep an eye on things.”

“He wants to watch your date with another man?”

“He says he doesn’t trust Tassani, which is probably fair. The captain was among those who originally wanted to interrogate me about you.”

“I wouldn’t trust him either.”

“I’m undecided yet on whether I do or not.”

“Will it depend on if he’s a good kisser?”

“It might.” Rylana pointed at the book. “Do you want me to leave you alone to read in peace? Or try to help you with research?”

There were a few other books stacked on the floor that Sylin had presumably also checked out from the library.

“If Jildarin returns,” Sylin said, “he’ll miss you terribly if he finds you gone.”

“Is that your way of deflecting the topic of conversation from you to me?”

“Usually. I don’t need help researching, but…” Sylin dropped her hands onto the book in her lap and gazed down at them.

“You don’t want to be alone?”

“I don’t entirely mind your presence here.”

“Your heartfelt invitation to stay warms my heart.”

“It’s more than I’ve given the elves.”