Pepper.
Since Tibby had drawn near, Vorik waved to invite her to listen to his conversation with Syla. Hopefully, she would advise her niece that summoning a wild dragon would be abadidea.
“If I had an offering for her, do you think she would give us a ride?” Syla asked.
“No. If you knew what kind of offering she liked and had one, she might spare your life, but she’s probably going to kill you for using that.” Vorik pointed at the krendala.
“Is that your father’s little statue?” Tibby looked at it.
“Yes,” Syla said. “He left it to me when he passed. Do you know anything about it?”
“Just that he inherited it. It’s been in the family for several generations.”
“I…” Syla trailed off, her gaze shifting toward the northern sky. Her jaw sagged, and her face grew pale. “The dragon is coming. She said…” She looked at Vorik. “She’s not happy with me for using the figurine again and plans to kill me and take it.”
“Using the figurine?” Tibby mouthed.
She must not have had any knowledge of its power. Had these people even heard of krendalas?
“You’d better find an offering for her.” Vorik pushed his hand through his hair. He and Agrevlari might need to once again protect Syla, this time from herself rather than the general’s plot.
Did they have the combined power to stop Wreylith? Vorik doubted Agrevlari alone would be her match and didn’t know if his smitten dragon would raise a talon toward her, regardless.
“I noticed eral pods in the garden,” Syla said. “My plan was to offer to make a salve for her wound from them.”
In the distant sky, the powerful red dragon grew visible. She was flying fast, her hard face set with irritated determination. Already, Vorik could tell her icy gaze was locked upon Syla.
“Maybe you should have made that salvebeforesummoning her.” Vorik, worried Wreylith wouldn’t give Syla time to explain herself, mounted Agrevlari.We’re going to have to protect the princess.
From Wreylith?Agrevlari sounded stunned at the idea.
I can’t seduce Syla or win her trust if she’s dead.
Agrevlari eyed Syla, who was, instead of wisely taking cover asthe dragon approached, walking out to stand openly on the road with her arms spread.The general may have underestimated the magnitude of effort that would be required to achieve that goal.
Tell me about it.Vorik patted Agrevlari, urging him to take to the sky. It would be easier for the dragon to maneuver and fight once he was airborne.
Reluctance seeped from Agrevlari’s muscles, but he sprang into the air and started circling the area. Wreylith was approaching fast.
“Does the eral-pod venom salveworkon dragons?” Fel asked as he came to stand by Syla with his mace in hand.
As ifthatwould do anything against a powerful dragon.
“I have no idea,” Syla said.
Agrevlari remained close enough that Vorik could hear the conversation from above.
“But it shouldn’thurtone,” Syla added.
“If dragons are like lizards,” the stableboy offered from the doorway of the machine shop, “they might like tangtor grass.”
Syla looked curiously at him.
“When snub-nose lizards lose their tails to predators,” the boy explained, “they’ve often been observed rubbing the bloody stump against macerated tangtor grass. It’s supposed to help with the regeneration.”
Syla’s gaze shifted to her aunt.
“Terrik has numerous books on lizards as well as a taxidermy collection of species from around the world. It’s one of his passions.” Tibby wavered on the road, not looking like she knew if she should stand beside her niece or run into the machine shop.
