“More females.”
“That are… looking to mate?” Rylana guessed. “Why are all the female dragons in the world after you, Jildarin? I know they like that you fought well in the war and can kick their asses, but…”
“It is notallof them,” he said dryly. “The two she brought along are the same two sisters that you met.”
“The sisters that tried to kill me? I don’t like them.”
“They are not my favorite females either.”
“Good. Why are they back?”
“Apparently, my mother led them to believe she would convince me to put aside myhobby, as she calls my culinary endeavor, for long enough to impregnate them.”
“Romantic.”
“We’ve discussed that romance is not a goal of dragons.” Jildarin shifted his weight, and his shoulder pressed against hers.
Once again, his warmth appealed to her, especially since she was still wet and cold. She caught herself leaning into him. He didn’t pull away, and his body heat seeped through her damp clothing. She hoped the meeting wouldn’t take long. She was more than ready to return to the diner and change into dry clothes.
“My aunt is communicating with me,” Jildarin said, probablyunaware of Rylana leaning against him. Well, as long as he didn’t mind. “She is… peeved.”
“That’s not a word I’ve heard used to describe dragons often.”
“She thinks that because I’ve turned into a human and am nestled in the trees with you—her word—that I am flouting my mother.”
“Tell her about the curse, and that we’re spying, not nestling.” A chilly breeze whispered across the island, and Rylana shifted, wishing theywerenestling. Somewhere warm, not in the damp foliage.
The two peacekeepers left the beach and headed for the boardwalk. The pair checking the observatory walked out.
“I am attempting to explain.” Jildarin looked at her. “You tremble because you are cold?”
“Yeah, someone knocked my ass out of a boat into the lake.”
“My aunt,” he said grimly.
It had been Sylin, but, since it had been the dragon’s fault, Rylana didn’t correct him. “I don’t like her much either.”
“Understandable. You seek the warmth of my body.” Jildarin sounded like he was trying to puzzle out why she was leaning on him—she supposed dragons were similar to lizards and didn’t snuggle for body heat.
“Yeah, it’s nice.” She shivered again. “You’redry.”
“Yes.” Jildarin wrapped an arm around Rylana’s shoulders.
Oh, that wasespeciallynice. She snuggled closer, delighted that he cared enough to want to keep her warm. Maybe he felt guilty because his aunt was trying to kill her. Whatever prompted his solicitude, she welcomed it.
“It sounds like you received my letter,” Vormalt said when the uniformed gnomes had departed, leaving only the high priest and the mayor.
“You are fortunate that I did so before our government offices caught on fire,” Sedgewick said coolly. “Were you responsible forthat? It is hard for me to believe that the troll gods, after all this time, are suddenly affronted by gnomes and are lighting our buildings on fire.”
“I’ve set no fires,” Vormalt said, indignation in his tone. “I’m not a criminal.”
Rylana eyed the temple, thinking of the magical devices he’d placed. Magicalexplosivesunless she was wrong.
“I’mnot the one,” Vormalt continued, “who’s been lying to an entire city. It is the gnomes who came up with this fabrication and have for generations allowed and encouraged the new god to be spoken about and prayed to all over theworld.”
“Nobody is lying,” the high priest said. “You’ve been spreading nonsense.”
Sedgewick lifted a hand toward his fellow gnome. “Even if the accusations you make now and also shared in your letter were correct,” he said to Vormalt, “which they are not, what is it that you seek to gain? And why would we believe that you, a human who has nothing to do with the trolls and their gods, can put an end to the curse?”
