Using the stone wall for support, Syla pushed herself into a sitting position.
“Innocent? She’s agardener. A gardener princess from the very family who has for generations denied stormers an opportunity to return to their homeland. My mother tried, and she was killed when her identity was found out. Because we won’t bow down and grovel before their throne and embrace their stupid laws, they hate us. And they resent us for our alliance with the dragons. They’vealwaysresented us.” Lesva prowled closer to Vorik.
Unfortunately, every step took her farther from the candles’ scent. She wasn’t yawning now.
“Syla is a healer.” Vorik didn’t sound moved by his colleague’s rant. Thank the gods.
“Ahealerwouldn’t be so good at keeping her mouth shut when someone’s interrogating her. I don’t know what she is, but she wastrainedto keep her secrets, the secrets that make these lands inaccessible to our people. She’s an enemy, and I’m certain she’d happily see you or any other stormer dead. You can’t possibly know if she’sinnocent. She could have killed our kind many times. Or denied them healing when they washed up on gardener shores.”
“I’m certain she has never killed nor denied anyone healing. I doubt she’s even looked crossly at one of our people. She healedme.” Vorik brushed the sutures in his side. “When she knew she shouldn’t have.”
Though her muscles remained weak and wobbly, Syla clawed her way to her feet. Since she was at the core of this conversation, she wanted to stand, not lie crumpled like a hapless victim.
“Is that why you’re defending her? She used her healing magic on you, and you’re bound?” Lesva’s words rang with realization, as if she’d found the explanation she sought.
“She didn’t use her magic on me. Only thread and bandages.”
“Then it’s that you like her soft body and big boobs and want to sink your cock into her.”
“Lesva, do not do this. Walk away. Your dragon is waiting for you beyond the barrier.”
“Why you’d prefer a weak, useless gardener princess to a powerful warrior woman who can make you scream—whohasmade you scream—I can’t imagine, but I suppose I’m not surprised. Men will screw anything.” Lesva stepped closer. “I thought you were too noble, toohonorable, to be a spy and seduce a woman, but maybe your brother’s mission got you excited. Maybe?—”
She didn’t finish the sentence. Instead, she sprang at Vorik, slashing at him with her sword.
He wasn’t surprised and flicked his own blade to meet her powerful blow, parrying it without obvious effort. When he backed up, Syla sensed it was only so they would have more room to maneuver, so they would be out in the open and not constrained by the cave walls.
Too bad. She looked wistfully at her candles, wishing she could have thought of a way to lure them both back here for long enough to sedate them. Especially since Vorik had said he’d found the shielder. She needed to slip away and discover if that was true. What if he’d chanced upon Fel and Tibby? And killed them after they’d found their way into the shielder chamber?
That awful thought propelled Syla along the wall toward the entrance.
Outside, clangs rang out over the roar of the sea and rumble of thunder as Vorik and Lesva fought, the magical gargoyle-bone blades sounding more like steel than natural material. In the dark, on the rough footing of the lava rock, they leaped in and out, parrying and thrusting, as if they could see perfectly well and had the flattest battleground imaginable.
They were as evenly matched as Syla had feared, and their deadly dance mesmerized her, making her pause to watch. Vorik, she thought, was a little stronger, a little faster, but he didn’t, she sensed, want to kill Lesva. If they had, as Lesva had implied, slept together, maybe he had feelings for her. It didn’t seem to go both ways. If Lesva felt anything for Vorik, she didn’t show it. She snarled and grunted as she attacked, determined to defeat him. Tokillhim.
Syla continued toward the cave entrance, a stiff wind blowing briny air against her face as she drew closer. It was hard to ignore the battle as the combatants fought back and forth, their speedamazing as they danced and darted, using all the ground between the cave and the cliff.
She almost wished it were daylight so she could see them better, but she needed to tear her gaze away and make use of her opportunity. She had to find Fel and Tibby and fulfill her duty.
After exiting, she crept away from the cave and the battle, but the wind made it difficult. It whipped at her robe and weary, battered body. She willed power into her veins to carry healing magic to her beleaguered nerves and sweep away the lingering pain from Lesva’s torment.
When she glanced back, she caught Vorik looking her way as he deflected a rain of blows from Lesva. Even though Syla couldn’t see his features in the dark, she sensed determination in him, and he turned to the offensive.
He must have decided that he had to finish the fight before Syla could escape. He, too, was prioritizing his mission.
When he fully committed, Vorik turned the tide quickly, putting Lesva on her heels. Though she managed to parry all the blows that whistled toward her head, she had to give ground. Her back was to the cliff, to the hundred-foot drop, and with every step of retreat, she drew closer and closer to the edge.
Syla couldn’t keep from stopping to stare. Would Vorik drive her over? Despite their past? Despite his feelings for her?
When she was only a foot away from the edge, Lesva glanced back. Aware of how close she was to falling—to beingpushedoff—she dug in, holding her ground. Her movements had been precise before, exuding controlled power, but they now grew frenzied. Desperate.
Lightning flashed, revealing her face, her mouth open as she panted. Sweat gleamed on her forehead.
Vorik didn’t relent. The light revealed the cold anger on his own face. He was pissed at Lesva. Pissed about the torture?
Though the thought touched her, Syla made herself continueaway from the battle. As soon as one of them was victorious, she would once again be in danger. Theshielderwould be in danger.
“Vorik!” Lesva’s shout sounded more like a plea.
