Chapter 21 #2
“They are—and were—stormers,” Atilya said, not answering his question.
“They left over a disagreement about how to ensure the future of our people. They deserved neither death nor imprisonment. Some of the chiefs—and officers—have turned into warmongers.” The look she pinned him with promised she put Jhiton in that category.
Vorik wouldn’t consider his cool and calculating brother a warmonger but admitted Jhiton tended to see military solutions to problems rather than diplomatic ones.
Being a lifetime officer in the Sixteen Talons could do that to a person.
Though Vorik had always trained hard to make his brother and deceased father proud, he would be open to considering a peaceful solution with the Garden Kingdom, if one could be found.
He admitted he’d only recently started thinking along those lines, perhaps because of his interest in a certain smart and sexy princess…
His only answer to Atilya’s glare was to smile and say, “So they were spies, yes.”
“Erivy didn’t deserve to die.”
“Maybe Erivy shouldn’t have sneaked into one of our camps and tried to seduce a colonel’s daughter to gain military information.”
“I knew you knew more than you were suggesting.” Atilya scowled at him and waved toward a woman who was currently holding the flagon of berry wine. Though there were others, that specific one kept getting handed around the fire. “And I think you know exactly what you need with that ore.”
“What I need to know is if you’ll trade anything for it.” Vorik watched out of the corner of his eye as the flagon returned to Wise’s hand, and nudged him with his elbow.
Wise started to lift it to his lips but halted. He looked toward the dragons. The kerfuffle that had been brewing had deescalated from growls and fang displays to glares, and Tonasketal was looking in Wise’s direction. Had the telepathic warning about the flagon finally been delivered?
Atilya was watching them, and her eyes narrowed at Wise’s pause. He noticed and lifted it to his lips. From his side, Vorik could tell that he didn’t swallow, merely pretending to drink. Good. When Wise handed him the flagon with a slight eye widening, Vorik also feigned a sip before passing it on.
“We would trade as much ore as you like in return for our men—Brolikon and Jarr,” Atilya said. “Trusting they’re still alive.”
“They’re not being held at headquarters,” Vorik said, “so I’m not up to date on their status, but I believe they’re still alive.
Your female spy wasn’t killed in cold blood either, if it matters to you.
She resisted capture, tried to take out one of our officers before dying, and then was herself killed in the heat of battle. ”
“That’ll be so comforting to her mate.”
Vorik spread his arms. “You sent her to spy. What do you want me to say? You’ve all but declared war on us.”
“We want peace, not war.”
“Betraying our people—all of our people—” Vorik waved to place everyone in the cavern into that category, “—isn’t a path toward peace.”
“We had to do something. Everyone knew the belligerent chiefs and their faithful officers were preparing for war. Now that you’ve killed thousands of gardeners and destroyed one of their shielders, we may never get the peace that humanity deserves. All of humanity.”
As she spoke, Vorik glimpsed Wise yawning and swaying slightly. Bloody daggers, had the couple sips of that wine been enough to affect him?
“The gods intended for all humans to be protected on the Garden Kingdom islands from the wrath of the storm god’s creations and from the worsening climate,” Atilya added.
“Yes, but most of our people chose to leave over the centuries because rule there was too stifling. To think we should be able to go back now…”
“My ancestors were driven out,” she snapped. “Not everyone left voluntarily. Some were exiled.”
“Because they were criminals, and the exile was considered kinder than death.” Vorik couldn’t believe he was defending the gardeners of the past. He would have to watch his mouth among his brethren back home, lest he be called a sympathizer.
There was, after all, really only one gardener that he sympathized with.
“Not all were criminals,” Atilya said as Wise yawned again and swayed.
“My family has passed along its history from generation to generation so I know it well. Some people, like my ancestor, merely spoke their minds, pointing out that the hierarchal system there wasn’t fair, with the gods-blessed being treated almost like divinities themselves, and rarely having to do real work, while commoners farmed and fished and supplied all the food that those with magic enjoyed without getting dirt under their nails.
Their system hasn’t changed much over the years, either, you know. ”
“Yet you want to return.” Vorik yawned, as Atilya watched him intently, save for glances at Wise, realizing he would have to pretend the drug was affecting him too.
Before, he’d believed it might induce them to speak the truth, but it seemed it would knock them unconscious.
To what end, he didn’t know. Would she take their bodies and throw them into the depths of the canyon?
Surely, not while their dragons watched.
Agrevlari would fight for Vorik’s life; he had no doubt.
“We don’t want to live under the yoke of the Kingdom, no, but we do want access to the fertile lands and an opportunity to grow our own crops and tend our livestock, having enough to feed ourselves and our allies reliably.
” As she spread an arm toward the dragons, Wise’s eyes closed, and he slumped against Vorik.
“Wise?” Vorik slurred his voice as he reached for his officer. He was tempted to turn accusingly toward Atilya and, while yawning, try to indignantly demand if she’d drugged them, but he didn’t trust his acting abilities. Instead, he yawned and sagged as he asked, “Wise?” again. “Are you…”
With one final yawn, Vorik slumped against his comrade, trying to relax his muscles and appear unconscious, though being on the ground and surrounded by enemies made him tense.
His sword was nearby, so he could grab it and spring up if need be, but he would find out more if Atilya believed she’d knocked both of them out.
Growls, talons clacking on rock, and the thump of a tail drifted over from the dragon area.
You are not truly unconscious, correct? Agrevlari asked. We are taking part in a ruse?
Yeah. Tell Tonasketal if he’s done wooing females. Be indignant but acknowledge that you’re outnumbered and shouldn’t get in a fight over us.
As you wish. Were you truly in danger, I would fling myself upon our enemies, no matter what the odds.
You’re a good dragon.
Yes, I am.
And I might yet be in danger, giving you the opportunity for flinging. We’ll see. Vorik heard someone walking close and forced his body to remain relaxed and kept his eyes closed.
“Are they both out?” Atilya asked from halfway around the fire.
Someone shook Vorik’s shoulder. One of the men. “Yes.”
A snarl and growl sounded. That was Agrevlari putting on a show.
“Will their dragons attack?” the man asked warily.
“We won’t kill them,” Atilya called toward the dragons. “You may take your lieutenant back with you, and I’ve a message for him to deliver. You may relay it to him when he wakes up.”
The irritated roar that sounded came from Tonasketal.
Dragons didn’t care to be manipulated or act as messengers.
What message do you presume to give to one of our kind? Agrevlari boomed indignantly into the minds of all present.
“Tell General Jhiton,” Atilya said, “that we will trade Captain Vorik for the prisoners of ours that he’s been keeping. We won’t harm Vorik as long as Jhiton promptly arranges the exchange.”
Agrevlari and Tonasketal snarled again.
“Will you help your riders in this way?” Atilya didn’t sound worried by the snarls. It wasn’t easy to stand up to a couple of dragons, even when one had allies nearby. As mercurial as dragons were, one couldn’t always predict their actions.
We will take Lieutenant Wise to the general and relay your message, Agrevlari said, but if you harm Vorik, I will return and bring this mountain down on your heads.
“Noted,” Atilya said. “If our men are still alive and returned to us, there’s no need for Vorik to be harmed. Knowing his reputation, I do plan to keep him drugged while we have him.”
Remembering that he was supposedly unconscious, Vorik kept himself from grimacing, but he did not like the idea of someone trying to force wine down his throat.
Or would they smear a powder right on his tongue?
He wondered what it was. Syla would have known.
Where was she now? On the way here? What would the faction do to her?
The clack of talons approaching sounded. Tonasketal coming to pick up Wise?
Human hands shifted Vorik away from his lieutenant. The warmth of dragon breath whispered past his cheek as Tonasketal grasped Wise and picked him up.
We go, Agrevlari stated.
Vorik heard the beating of wings and sensed the dragons departing. Unease settled into him, the knowledge that he was by himself among enemies.
A faint scrape sounded. Someone picking up his sword and moving it elsewhere? They would take the amphora too.
“Tie him up, and put him in one of the sleeping areas for now,” Atilya said. “Keep his sword elsewhere so he can’t grab it if he wakes up. Holok, see what’s in that urn.”
“How long will he be unconscious?” The male speaker sounded wary. “He’s… formidable. I wouldn’t want to fight with him, not even with our dragons present.”
“I know he is, but that’s a potent drug, and he hadn’t eaten yet, so it will have hit on an empty stomach. He should be out until dawn. We’ll check him later though and force some more into him.”
“This is just a musty powder,” came a puzzled voice from nearby. The man investigating the amphora. What if he dumped it out? Not only Jhiton but Syla would probably punch Vorik if he allowed that to happen.
“I sense… something magical about it.” Was that the old man with the dragon tattoo? He might have some lingering power from his bond, especially if it hadn’t been dissolved that far in the past.
“Yes.” That was Atilya. Her bond was fine.
One of the dragons roosting on the ore was her ally.
“The powder is magical. Just like the ore. Who knows what they’re doing with it.
I wish he’d told us. Maybe I should have added that to the message, let the general know we’ll also trade the items Vorik is hunting in exchange for our people back. ”
“You offered enough. Vorik is Jhiton’s brother. He’s valuable. Besides, we may not want the warmongers to have these things.”
“True. Put that urn out of sight with him. And bind him strongly. I wish we had shackles made from that ore.”
“I will.”
Two men picked up Vorik, and he made his every muscle go limp. Stay near, Agrevlari, he called to his dragon. I may need you when it’s time to escape.
I have no doubt that you will.
I have to figure out how to get a chunk of that ore first. His best bet would be in the middle of the night, while most slept, but chiseling ore from rocks wasn’t a quiet endeavor.
That may prove difficult with two dragons roosting on it.
I’ll be resourceful.
Will you seduce someone? Agrevlari asked.
Probably not unless one of the female dragons would be amenable.
Neither they nor the available females in their fertile time were interested in Tonasketal.
I’m a lot more charismatic than he is.
True, but you are not anatomically formed to satisfy a dragon.
Alas. I’ll find another way.
As he was toted behind a hanging hide to a sleeping area, his wrists and ankles tugged together for binding, Vorik wondered how.