Chapter 16 #3
Syla lifted a hand to make a placating gesture, but Ravoran surged backward.
“Don’t you touch me again.” He pointed at her, his eyes wide as he glowered at her moon-marked hand.
“When we get back, I’m throwing my weight as an island lord behind Fograth.
He’s a pompous ass and probably someone’s toady, but he’s still better than a girl who sleeps with the enemy and makes choices to save her island while leaving the others to suffer. ”
“We’ll have the shield restored to your island soon.
” Syla lowered her hand and debated how to get rid of Ravoran.
She shouldn’t have allowed him to argue with her out in the open.
Dozens of crewmen were watching with wide eyes.
“If you’ve nothing further to contribute, you may return to your ship. ”
Sneering again, Ravoran glowered at the volcano, but he did leave, stalking back to the dinghy. He shot a glare over his shoulder at Syla before disappearing over the railing.
“I don’t think I’m ever going to win him over as a supporter,” Syla murmured.
“Don’t blame yourself for that,” Teyla said.
“He’s a walking penis. He was loyal to the king, but he never supported your mother either.
I don’t think he likes women at all, definitely not being subordinate to one.
You should replace him. It’s time for that anyway, isn’t it?
The island lords are supposed to either retire or be reassessed for how they’re doing their duties every five years, right?
It’s not a hereditary and certainly not a permanent position. ”
“That’s tradition, yes. I’ll have to take back the throne before I can reassess any of the island lords.”
“That’s the plan anyway, isn’t it?”
“Yes, but first…” Syla turned back toward the volcano, lightning flashes in the dark sky drawing her eye.
Had the clouds grown denser in the brief time she’d been speaking with Ravoran?
After talking to Teyla, she imagined she could see a similarity in them to the cloudy image that had appeared in the laboratory to speak to them.
A part of the storm god’s magical security system.
“I’m going to ask Wreylith to pick me up and take me over there to help things along. ”
“What are you going to do to assist in installing an artifact? You’re the only one around who can operate the weapons platform.”
“I don’t know, but I’m worried that someone may need healing shortly.”
Even as she started to call out to Wreylith again, lightning struck the cloud-shrouded top of the volcano, a huge white-blue branch that lasted far longer than the typical flash.
Rocks shattered and flew away from the rim of the crater, and a rumble sounded.
Did it come from the clouds? Or from the ground below?
Syla couldn’t tell, but boulders tumbled down the slopes, and crevasses split open with great snaps of lava rock.
“They’re underground,” she blurted, envisioning the tunnel around the shielder chamber collapsing with Tibby and Fel in it.
A shriek came from the volcano, and Wreylith appeared, flying away from the continuing lightning bolt. Syla swore. Had she been struck?
Are you all right?
This place is cursed by the gods!
No lightning bolts shot toward Wreylith, but the ongoing energy pouring into the ground through the one behind her was alarming enough.
More boulders flew, the earth rumbled, and smoke hazed the air.
Or maybe that was a cloud of pulverized rock.
There wasn’t much to burn on the bare slopes of the volcano.
Just one god. Are Tibby and Fel all right? Fear for them hunched Syla’s shoulders, and she struggled not to prematurely believe she’d lost them, but the thought that she’d already lost so much of her family washed over her. And she’d sent Fel and Tibby over there. If they died…
I do not know. They were in the ground.
As Wreylith neared the ship, her scales damp from the rain falling on the island, the lightning finally stopped.
The wind gusted, blowing mist that smelled of charred rock and sulfur out to them.
Syla removed her spectacles to wipe them—and her face.
The crewmen barely noticed Wreylith landing on the wheelhouse.
They were all staring at the volcano while murmuring and making superstitious gestures over their chests.
Will you take me over there? Syla asked, more certain than ever that Fel and Tibby would need a healer.
That would be unwise, said Wreylith, Wreylith who regularly flew fearlessly into battle against impossible odds. She perched with her tail wrapped around her body and her head uncharacteristically low. I believe the storm god has returned.
I think that’s possible too. But I still need to go over there. Syla wondered if she would need to order Hixun to row her to shore in a dinghy. Tibby and Fel and the shielder—
The shielder will do nothing to keep out a god.
Yeah, but it’ll keep out the dragons who called him.
Syla didn’t know if Teyla’s hypothesis about that was correct, but Wreylith didn’t argue with the statement, saying only, Dragons are not the problem. Not now.
I’m sure they’ll be one in the future. Regardless, I need to get Fel and Tibby.
Will you fly me over there, please? You don’t have to stay.
Syla wanted the dragon to stay, not only for protection but because it would be hard to get back without her, but Wreylith must have been right by the lightning when it struck with its alarming power.
My ear canals are bleeding, Wreylith said. The energy— The noise!
I have a salve that can help.
Wreylith growled and lifted her head to glare at Syla.
There’s your spirit. Will you fly me over there now?
Yes, but come quickly. I believe that snarling mess will grow worse rather than improve.
Maybe activating the shielder will do something to help, Syla said hopefully, though she was more worried about Tibby and Fel at the moment.
When she started toward Wreylith’s perch, Teyla lifted a hand. “Where are you going?”
Captain Vonla stepped into Syla’s path. Though she didn’t ask it aloud, Vonla had the same question in her eyes.
“To join Fel and Tibby and make sure they can finish setting up the shielder. It may help with that problem.” Syla waved toward the clouds, though she had nothing but hope at this point, no evidence to support the idea.
“You can’t go alone, Your Majesty,” Vonla said. “We just saw how dangerous it is over there.”
“She’s crazy to want to go over there,” a nearby crewman whispered, making the moon gesture over his chest.
“Or brave,” another whispered.
“A dragon can carry two, right?” Teyla asked. “I’ll grab my sword and go with you, Syla.”
“I am better trained to protect her,” Vonla said.
“But I’ve read a lot of books on the gods and learned from historical accountings and messages left in ancient ruins of past civilizations. I’m the logical choice.” Teyla jogged to the door leading belowdecks. “I’ll be right back.”
“Your Majesty,” Vonla said. “Take me. I’ll protect you. Your bodyguard may be injured.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.”
Vonla gazed expectantly at her.
Syla hesitated, not wanting to delay but also torn between whom to take.
“I think… you’re a wonderful officer, Vonla, and I appreciate your support, but whatever I need over there, I doubt swords and fighting will be involved.
Teyla’s knowledge may be helpful. And here…
” She remembered her confrontation with Ravoran that so many had witnessed.
She also remembered that many of the ships that had accompanied her fleet had only decided to join her a few hours earlier.
“Someone might decide to cause trouble while I’m gone—or decide I should be left here so they can go support Fograth.
Will you stay here and help Major Hixun make sure there’s not anarchy while I’m gone? ”
Judging by the set of her jaw, which reminded Syla of the way Fel so often mulishly set his jaw, Vonla didn’t want to stay and help Hixun. She wanted to make sure Syla survived the approaching night.
“I’ll have Celena bring you cookies as a reward,” Syla added.
Vonla snorted. “I don’t want cookies, Your Majesty. I want you to survive and retake the throne so that assholes aren’t in charge of the Kingdom.”
“I want that too. I plan to survive.”
Teyla returned with her sword and a pack stuffed with books. She’d also grabbed Syla’s medical kit. After tossing everything up, Teyla climbed onto the wheelhouse, already certain she was going along.
“Very well, Your Majesty.” Vonla sighed.
“They’re really good cookies.” Syla lifted a hand in thanks and also climbed onto the wheelhouse.
“I didn’t disagree with that,” Vonla called after her.
As soon as Syla and Teyla maneuvered onto Wreylith’s back, the dragon took off, flying into the rain and wind. Lightning flashed within the dark clouds.
“Are we going to survive this?” Syla murmured.
“We’d better,” Teyla said. “I’d like more cookies too.”