Chapter 11 #2
“Something tells me that magical horns are always trendy.” Sylin flipped back through the book, skimming through the text on the pages.
There wasn’t a lot written on most entries, merely descriptions of the dates the kings and queens had been born, how their right to rule had been determined, and who they’d married and whether they’d had children.
Sylin paused on a page that contained more text and read aloud.
“King Vaknorok was one of the triplets born to his mother, Queen Hevalika, all with an equal right to rule. The three brothers proved themselves capable and any one could have been granted the crown. When their mother fell terminally ill, she had her priests bear her on a litter to each of their homes. She was carrying with her the Horn of Agomoral…”
Sylin looked toward Rylana’s dangling artifact, as if she expected it to glow after hearing its formal name. It did not.
Sylin continued reading. “In each of her children’s homes, she shared the traditional dwarf musing beverage—blood brew—and spoke to them, wanting to know their plans if they were selected to rule the kingdom.
For two of the brothers, the meetings went well but were not memorable.
In the home of Vaknorok, however, the horn began glowing.
The queen considered it a sign from the gods and chose him to rule after her passing. ”
“Huh.” Rylana didn’t know what else to say. “Is there anything else about the horn?”
Sylin flipped through more pages, pausing on the first picture to feature a king that wasn’t wearing it. But there was no mention of what had happened to the heirloom.
“This fellow’s reign was a little over three hundred years ago,” Sylin said. “Did the dwarves trying to convince you that your horn belongs to their king mention how long ago it was lost?”
“They didn’t, no.”
“Was there three hundred years’ worth of dirt crammed into it under that log?”
Rylana sighed. “I don’t know.”
And she didn’t, but she was beginning to believe that the horn did belong to the dwarven king.
“I guess I’ll see what kind of reply I get to that letter.
I didn’t trust those two dwarves who came to the diner enough to hand it over to them.
And that female dwarf who was following us in the market was shifty too.
I think she’s the one that ransacked the storeroom. ”
“Your diner attracts quite a few shifty characters.”
Thinking of the times it had been burned and vandalized, Rylana didn’t disagree, though she couldn’t help but say, “Yes, you’re there often.”
“Ha ha. I’m attracted by the coffee shop that happens to be across the street.”
“But you show up for breakfast at the diner often.”
“Breakfast goes nicely with coffee. It’s logical.”
A dog barked outside.
Waving for Sylin to return the book to the shelf, Rylana trotted to the window.
She was in time to see two white hounds with reddish-brown ticking bounce into the yard.
Clad in an oilskin jacket, trousers, and hat, her father came after them with both his crossbow and his blunderbuss.
He also carried several deceased ducks dangling ignobly from a string.
Zames walked out into the yard, accepted the fallen fowl, and headed somewhere to tend to them while Father took the dogs to the kennel. Not eager for her conversation with him, Rylana waited at the back door for him to reach the house.
He didn’t appear surprised when he saw her.
“Hello, Rylana,” he said. “If you’ve come for dinner, Zames will be preparing duck.”
It was an invitation, of sorts, more than she’d received when she’d first shown up and he’d accused her of wanting to borrow money.
But it didn’t exactly warm her heart. Besides, if she was going to eat duck, she would much prefer Jildarin’s rendition, which would doubtless involve a perfect roasting and a delicious glaze or reduction of some kind.
“Thank you for the offer, but I need to get back to work soon. I came to talk to you about Jildarin.”
Father passed her and didn’t slow, so she followed him into the mudroom where he tucked his weapons aside for a later cleaning and started removing the oilskin gear.
“I thought that might be the case,” he said.
“He’s got a notion that he needs your permission to ask me on a date.”
“So he said. There’s a book he’s consulting, I believe.”
“Maybe you could disabuse him of that notion. As an adult, I’d like to think I get to choose who I do or don’t date.”
“Did you tell him that?”
“Yes, but that book has made an impression on him. He wants to do the proper thing. In the human way. He’s relatively new to caring what humans find culturally appropriate, and I think you’re…
” Rylana stopped herself from saying taking advantage of him.
“Well, I trust you don’t mind if I go out with him.
After all, you admitted it would be handy to have a dragon ally before he even brought up dating.
I seem to remember you wanting him to do some pirate cleansing along your shipping routes for you.
Which, according to today’s newspaper, he’s done. ”
Father had been in the middle of tugging off his boots, but he paused to grin at her. It was such an unfamiliar gesture—she couldn’t remember ever seeing her father grin in pure delight—that it startled her into stepping back.
“Yes, and it was fantastic. Oh, how I wish I’d been there to see it.
All he said was that the task had been completed.
There are more details in the newspaper, and I just got a report in from the captain of my freighter who witnessed a silver dragon flying over the strait and breathing fire.
He utterly destroyed four pirate ships. Those animals have been harassing, even sinking, cargos of mine for years.
And they’ve not only targeted Sun Whale vessels but ships from other smaller companies and independents as well.
None of the governments with navies patrol those waters, and the pirates have been taking advantage forever. ” The grin grew even broader.
Rylana decided it wasn’t a sign of delight as much as intense satisfaction. The thought of Jildarin nobly defeating pirates who’d been preying on innocent cargo ships warmed her heart, but that didn’t keep her from being upset that her father had manipulated him into doing it.
“I’m glad he was able to help, Father, but I wish… Did you simply ask him if he would do it? Or did you imply that he had to do it to earn your approval?”
“You know I always wanted you to go into the family business and believed you had the chops for it, but it never occurred to me that your…” Father waved at her and groped in the air.
“Well, I’m sure you’re a comely enough woman, but I never imagined you’d have suitors eager to do favors for the family to gain permission to court you. ”
“I’ll pretend your assumption isn’t a little insulting and focus on what I came to talk to you about and what you just admitted. You did tell him he had to help you to get your permission.”
Father didn’t meet her eyes as he put aside his boots and grabbed a pair of house slippers. “I’d be a fool not to use this to our advantage.”
“To your advantage.”
“You’re part of the family, and the family and the business are intertwined. This benefits you as well as me.”
“Quite frankly, Father, that’s a pile of goblin glerkik.”
“I don’t know how long a dragon is going to be interested in you.
We have to take advantage of this moment.
” After hanging his oilskin jacket and trousers to dry, he strode toward the library, presumably heading through it and to his bedchamber and private bath to wash up.
And close the door on her to end the conversation?
“It’s not right of you to manipulate him, Father.
” Rylana hurried to keep up, glancing toward one of the library windows where Sylin was leaning against the sill, her arms folded over her chest as she waited.
“What’s done is done, and I agree with you that it was probably a good thing, not only for the company but for all those other ships and crews that traverse those waterways, but will you please let it end there?
If Jildarin comes by and asks what he has to do next to earn your blessing, tell him you’re fine with him dating me, all right?
After what he’s done, you can’t object.”
Ignoring Sylin, Father turned to face her.
“Listen, I don’t care who you date, but I would prefer you birth human babies.
I wouldn’t even object to an elf or a dwarf—dwarves have good business sense, and elves appreciate education—but a savage dragon wouldn’t be a suitable father for your children.
If humans and dragons can even have children.
I assume they can’t, but how often has it been tried?
” His expression turned mystified as he looked at her.
“Why is he even…” There was that insultingly groping-in-the-air hand again as he considered her.
“I run his calculations for him,” Rylana stated coolly.
“And he likes that? Two hells, maybe I should encourage… No, no.” Father shook his head again. “Have a fling if you want, but then settle down with someone appropriate.”
“Someone I can have babies with who might take over the family business?” Rylana couldn’t keep from baring her teeth. Too bad she wasn’t like a dragon who had fangs to display.
“Yes, and who you can have a respectable life with. You don’t want to die an unmarried spinster, do you?”
“I—”
Sylin swore. A thud came from the yard outside. As Rylana and Father ran to look out the window, the distant gonging of the pillar near the ferry dock sounded.
“Is that… a treasure chest?” Sylin pointed at a huge barnacle-covered trunk that had landed in the grass, sinking more than an inch deep into the damp earth. “And I sense…” She pressed her nose to the window as she peered upward. “Yes, your dragon has arrived.”