Chapter 12 #3
“That’s not a shindig either. That’s an invasion force. Look, why don’t I let her know that you might meet her at the boathouse later today? At dusk. Does that work for your packed schedule?”
Sylin grunted noncommittally. “Your plan wouldn’t be wise, not when every elf in Tranquility has so far wanted to use weapons on me instead of chatting.”
“I don’t think Layothlee has any weapons.
Though some of her somersaults and kicks in the aerial ballet could probably be used to attack enemies.
” Rylana held up her finger and grabbed her pack.
Since she hadn’t known when she would run into Sylin next, she’d been carrying the envelope around.
She dug it out, wondering if the contents would divulge any of the details of Sylin’s past, details that might make her more interested in going to a meeting. “Here you go.”
Sylin accepted the envelope and eyed it and the seal. “This is elven. And magical.”
“You should put your keen senses to work foraging for enchanted mushrooms.”
You are not informing the elf child, Jildarin said as Sylin debated whether to break the seal.
“Her name is Sylin,” Rylana said, “and I think her people should be the ones to inform her about her relations.”
Sylinesla, Jildarin said.
“What?” Sylin hadn’t yet opened the envelope but looked up. Did she have the puzzled squint of someone trying to dredge up where she’d heard a name before?
“Ssh.” Rylana patted Jildarin’s scaled flank and pointed at the envelope. “Are you going to break the seal and see what it says inside? I’m curious. If it hadn’t been magical with the potential to zap me if I snooped, I would have read it myself.”
Sylin eyed the seal again. “I… think not.” She extended the envelope toward Rylana. “Will you return it if you see that person again?”
“No, I will not.” Rylana clasped her hands behind her back. “It’s for you.”
“I don’t want it.”
“Come to the boathouse this evening at dusk, and you can return it to Layothlee personally.”
“I will consider going there to speak with her, but you will have to see her first to arrange the meeting and can thus easily return this.” Sylin waved the envelope.
“You should read it first.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Sometimes, we get things that we don’t want. That doesn’t mean we can foist them on other people.”
Sylin tossed the envelope into the river.
Rylana squawked and lunged after it, plucking it out before the current could carry it away. She shook off the water droplets and scowled at Sylin.
Unfazed, Sylin said, “It seems you can foist undesired items on other people.”
Lest Rylana try again to give the envelope to her, Sylin backed into the ferns and bushes with her hands out to ward off such attempts.
“Where are you going?” Rylana asked.
“Best if you don’t know.”
“To skulk around in the woods? Look, I know I was the one to warn you to leave the city, but now I think you should return. At least to my father’s castle. At dusk. As I’ve recently learned, not all of the elves want to kill you.”
“Such as this Layothlee.” Sylin sounded like she thought Rylana a fool for believing that. After all her close encounters with elves hunting her down, maybe that was understandable.
“Yeah. She’s all right, and I really believe that she’s a relative.
You two look similar. And… someone else wants to talk to you too, though I think you’d have to go to the enclave to see her.
Though the other person did imply that she would deign to visit the Dragon Diner if you were there.
” Rylana realized she was being vague and not only because Jildarin let out an impatient huff.
“I’ll be sure to arrive promptly for the evening seating.” Sylin inclined her head, then turned to trot into the woods.
“Bring some enchanted morels when you come!” Rylana called after her, though she knew Sylin wasn’t coming.
Perhaps if you informed her that the elf queen— Jildarin started.
“No,” Rylana said, then lowered her voice so that only he would hear. “I think that information might be more likely to prompt her to disappear into the forest, not less.” A moot point, perhaps, since Sylin had already disappeared.
That would not be a logical response.
“Sylin doesn’t want anything to do with her people.” Rylana didn’t know if her comrade would show up at Avandar Castle at dusk or at any other time, but she would suggest the meeting to Layothlee. Just in case.
She may feel differently when she learns they are kin.
“I doubt it. Like she pointed out, my kin are pains in the ass. And so are yours.”
Rylana thought he might protest that assessment of his brother, mother, and aunt.
Instead, after a thoughtful moment, Jildarin said, Yes.
“I’m going to look for some more morels,” she said.
Very well.
Too bad Rylana couldn’t be sure that finding the enchanted mushrooms would lure the queen for a visit to the diner.
Her father might think the business more successful and be less inclined to have them evicted if it became known that royals enjoyed meals at their establishment.
Unfortunately, the only thing that might lure the queen to come had walked off into the forest.