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“There’s nothing better than lindenmint tea, don’t you think?”
I gave her a quick kiss as Feyla swooped lower and landed on the street not far from Liall’s shop.
Many of our fellow orcs shopping in the big open plaza gave us odd looks, but Feyla wouldn’t be the first vox to land somewhere other than on a balcony.
We left her to wait and hurried to Liall’s herbal apothecary, where I let my mate chose. “Buy whatever you want, love.”
She sent me a quick smile before nodding sharply. With a basket hanging over her arm and purpose, she rushed through the shop selecting one thing after another. We also bought all the lindenmint Liall had.
With our packages in a big sack, we flew to our home, Feyla landing beside Madr’s vox, Brakkur, on our balcony.
“I’ve been waiting forever,” he said with a sharpness that was cancelled out by his grin. “You two didn’t stop to . . . Alright, I guess I don’t want to take the conversation in that direction.”
For a male who’d recently ended his relationship with his father, he was much too cheery. Although sorrow lingered in his eyes.
We went inside, and my brother explained that his advisors had captured a dresalod during the prior attack, and it was being held in a seawater tank for study.
“I believe we need to test which works, the boiling water or the herb, don’t you?” he asked Rhoslyn.
I appreciated that he included her in the conversation as an equal. If anything, she was far above us, having discovered a solution to our problem.
“I can make a cup, and we’ll bring both.” She hurried to the kitchen, returning not long after with a covered cup of hot water and a packet of lindenmint. “I’m ready.”
We walked to the laboratory built into the side of the seawall where Madr’s advisors held the dresalod, and my heart stilled to see it floating in a tank, glaring at us.
“Can you drain some of the water?” Madr asked his advisor who was hovering nearby, wringing his hands.
“Of course, my prince.”
“Just Madr.” His sigh bled out, but I didn’t sense any regret. “I’ve disowned my father. The throne. All of it.”
“What?” The advisor reeled backward, his arms lifting. “This isn’t possible.”
“Yet I’ve done it.”
“I would advise you not—”
“It’s done,” Madr growled.
The advisor bowed. “Very well, your . . . I cannot call you anything else except my prince.” His hands fluttered at his throat in panic.
“Lower the water level please.”
The advisor turned one of the dials on the side of the tank, and the water dropped quickly. “How much?”
“Until the dresalod is fully exposed,” I said.
Rhoslyn watched raptly, the water and packet of herbs in her hands.
When the water had dropped enough, the advisor turned the dials again. The dresalod clawed at the inside of the tank, trying to rake its way through. From the hunger in its eyes, it would rip us apart and eat us within seconds.
“Here.” Rhoslyn extended the water and herbs toward my brother.
He gave her a solemn look. “I’d like you to do the honors if you don’t mind, sister.”
“All right.” She strode over to the tank and studied the dresalod through the glass for a moment. “Such a dangerous beast. If only it could offer us peace.” She stepped up onto a block beside the tank and took the lid off the water. A jerk of her arm, and the liquid splashed onto the dresalod.
It flinched, but nothing else happened.
