Page 64 of Ale Storm

“Sorry,” Rylana mouthed. She hadn’t managed to keep from teasing Sylin for very long.

“Would you at least enjoy the meat of a gleaming glacial mammoth if I returned with a haunch?” Zilek sounded genuinely curious.

“If you let Jildarin cook it, maybe,” Sylin said. “I consumed raw haunches when I grew up with a wolf pack, but I prefer my meat to be at least seared with a few spices applied.”

“A wolf pack?” Zilek’s eyes crinkled at the corners. Had he not heard that part of Sylin’s background?

Rylana supposed Sylin hadn’t opened up to him much during their coffee date.

“You are an intriguing elf, aren’t you?” Zilek asked.

One of the guards at the arch knocked on the carriage, saving Sylin from answering—or drawing her knife again.

Rylana opened the door and recognized the dour-faced male elf as one who often occupied the arch position. He hadn’t been one of the betrayers who’d attacked Sylin on the terrace the night of the queen’s visit, but thinking about that reminded Rylana that they might encounter such individuals in the enclave. It hadn’t sounded like they’d been punished as thoroughly as she would have preferred.

“Is Plant Master Chalora here?” Rylana asked as the guard’s gaze swung toward Sylin. “We have a couple of questions for her about the garden design she installed at the Dragon Diner.” Well, tangentially anyway.

“If she didn’t request your presence, I can’t let you in to disturb her,” the elf said.

“Then she is here. Perfect.” Rylana nodded to Zilek, hoping he would instruct his driver to continue on despite the lack of an appointment. And that the elven guards wouldn’t presume to stop a dragon. “We only need a minute of her time.”

The elf opened his mouth, looking like he would object again.

“Let us through, guard,” Zilek commanded, the magic of his dragon power lacing his words. “We are all friends of the elves here. You’ve no reason to object to our presence.”

The guard licked his lips and glanced at Sylin.

“Let us through,” Zilek repeated, even more power in his voice. It made Rylana want to leap to obey.

The elf nodded and stepped back, but he also walked over to a communication device embedded in the arch. As the carriage rolled through, Rylana decided every elf in the enclave would soon know they were visiting.

18

The carriage traveled to the back of the enclave, taking them past dome-shaped greenhouses with the walls half-covered in vining plants, some growing on the outside, some on the inside. Large pods, nuts, and fruits dangled from them, appearing ready to harvest even though it was early in the summer. Gardens lay to either side of the wide path, and beautiful gazebos, trellises, and arches made from living trees abounded, providing shade and seating. Rylana recognized the plant master’s touch.

The carriage stopped in front of a small home built partially into and partially against the thick trunk of a towering pine. Plant Master Chalora stood out front, holding a sapling and pointing to its root bulb while speaking to several youngsters present for a class. Seated cross-legged, the elven children were a lot more orderly than Rolf’s offspring, but that wasn’t surprising. Goblins weren’t known for being a sedate and patient species. It was also possible the plant master was a stricter watcher of the young than Rolf.

Rylana and Sylin stepped out of the carriage.

“Do you require transportation back to your diner?” Zilek asked.

“You don’t need to wait for us, no,” Rylana said, not certain if that was what he’d been asking. “Thank you for your assistance.”

“Certainly.” Though Zilek didn’t rise, magic rippled around him. “I’ll visit you again, Sylinesla, if I’m able to acquire rare and delicious prey for you.”

Sylin turned back to the carriage, looking like she would say something snarky, but she froze. Zilek had shifted shapes.

His face remained similar but a little more angular with his eyes more almond-shaped than round, and pointed ears now protruded from his dark-silver hair. Further, he had a rangier build with lean muscled arms that were on display in a sleeveless green tunic with a deep V that also showed his pectorals. The hilts of several daggers protruded from a wide silver belt, and more blades were strapped to the thighs of buckskin trousers and into leather boots. It was garb similar to what many of the southern male elves had worn during the Ore War.

Seeing Zilek looking like one of them, and being reminded of how often they’d attacked her mercenary unit, made Rylana want to step back.

“A haunch from a gleaming glacial mammoth?” Sylin asked.

“Is that what you desire?”

“I’ve never had that food before.”

“Then you’d doubtless feel ardor toward the powerful male hunter who brought it to you.”