Chapter 17
Jildarin’s brother stood in front of a shop selling jams with a butcher block slab of wood propped on two barrels to make the front counter.
An ogre and an elf stood inside the booth, handing out samples while showing off jars to anyone who paused.
The ogre was also packing a small bag for Zilek, almost ridiculously small considering the frying-pan hands and eight-foot height of the looming vendor.
Rylana wouldn’t have guessed dragons enjoyed sweet fruity jams, but who knew?
“That’s a surprising partnership,” Sylin said.
Yes, Rylana hadn’t seen many ogres go into business with elves, but with a leather apron—the largest she’d ever seen—tied around his waist, he looked like he belonged in the booth.
Zilek lifted a hand to beckon—summon—Rylana and especially Sylin closer.
Groaning, Sylin looked over her shoulder, as if she might flee into the crowd instead.
Rylana caught her arm to stop her. “If his carriage is nearby, he could give us a ride to the enclave.”
“There’s nothing wrong with walking, and I haven’t said I’m going to the enclave, just that you should.”
“I need to finish this little quest in time to help with the dinner service—and make sure Rolf’s horde of children doesn’t destroy the diner. Getting a ride would be helpful. And visiting the plant master was your idea, so you’re obligated to come.”
“I don’t believe that’s true,” Sylin said but, after sighing dramatically, let Rylana guide her toward Zilek.
The sign above the shop read Blood and Berry Fine Jams.
“Blood?” Rylana mouthed.
Some of the vendors in the market had dedicated booths and were there year around, but others came and went with the seasons, and Rylana hadn’t seen this shop before.
The right half, in which the elf stood, held shelves full of typical jams—blueberry, huckleberry, raspberry, and the like, as well as apple butter and a number of marmalades.
But the ogre’s offerings were decidedly more meat-based, labels promising everything from bacon jam to concoctions featuring ox blood, brisket, duck, and pine nut-and-lamb crunch.
The contents of Zilek’s shopping bag were being filled from that side of the shop while two trolls stood nearby, enjoying samples of bread slathered with the meaty toppers.
“This market does cater to a lot of species, I suppose,” Rylana said.
“How delightful to meet my favorite elf here,” Zilek said as they approached.
“And my brother’s favorite human.” After beaming his smile at Sylin for several seconds, he nodded at Rylana as well.
“I’d heard about this delightful new shop and that it had suitably carnivorous offerings.
Since I couldn’t wait for my personal shopper to visit, I came in person. ”
“Not that we asked,” Sylin murmured.
“Ssh.” Rylana elbowed her. She wanted a favor. “Is there any chance your carriage is near and that you have time to drive us to the elven enclave, Zilek?”
“My carriage is near. Of course, for the opportunity to spend more time with the lovely Sylinesla, I might be enticed to turn into a dragon and fly you there.” He gazed at Sylin as he said that you, and Rylana didn’t know if it included her.
Could a dragon fly two people? She’d never asked Jildarin.
“I’ve been pining terribly to be around you again, Sylinesla. In a more extended manner. Perhaps in a horizontally extended manner. Though I find vertical engagements stimulating as well.” His eyelids lowered as he regarded her.
“I didn’t speak more than three times during our brief coffee encounter,” Sylin said to Rylana, barely acknowledging Zilek. “What about it could have left him pining?”
“You’re beautiful, an elf, and aloof,” Rylana said. “Men like that.”
“They do indeed,” Zilek purred as he left two gold coins on the counter and took his bag.
“Care to join me for a snack, Sylinesla? I’ve a chili jam that’s vegetarian in nature that you might like.
Of course, I purchased it because Gumak here swore it’s absolutely scrumptious on crispy-fried oysters. Oysters fuel the libido, you know.”
“You’re a little one-note today, Zilek,” Rylana said. “And it’s raw oysters that have a reputation for that.”
“Indeed. I can have some prepared that way. Perhaps you can take them back to share with my brother.”
“I’m the one who needs a ride,” Rylana told Sylin, “but he’s trying to get rid of me.”
“Oh, forgive me for my obsession,” Zilek said.
“I admit I’ve been feeling terribly randy lately.
It’s the mating urgency, as we call it. Winter and summer are traditionally times when dragons experience increased copulation desires, thus to produce hatchlings a few months later.
Spring is an ideal time for females to lay eggs, and, of course, autumn is something of a second-chance egg-laying time.
They say that dragons hatched in the fall know winter is coming and have to develop more quickly into superb aerial combatants and hunters. ”
“I trust you were hatched in the fall,” Sylin said.
“I was, yes. How perspicacious of you to deduce that. Come, my carriage is this way. Of course, I would be better served to go mate with my own kind during this time, but you’ve seen how overbearing female dragons can be.
The ones chasing after Jildarin have been particularly irritating of late.
Besides, I’m not interested in pursuing a female who’s busy trying to claw and bite my brother. ”
Since he was leading them to his carriage, Rylana followed along and politely did not comment on Zilek’s mating woes. More than once, Sylin glanced back with that same I’m-tempted-to-flee-into-the-crowd expression.
“I can go by myself,” Rylana told her quietly. “If you don’t want to endure the enclave.”
Or Zilek’s company on the way there.
“If I let you go off alone with him, he might turn his mating urgency on you,” Sylin said.
“I’m not elven, beautiful, or aloof. I think I’m safe.”
The look that Zilek slanted over his shoulder at Rylana, proving he was listening as he prattled on about his woes, made her rethink that assumption.
She made a mental note to ask Jildarin later if dragons truly experienced something called mating urgency.
Zilek did seem more sex-obsessed than usual today.
Would it be safe for them to ride with him?
Probably. Sylin could take care of herself, even against dragons, and Rylana wasn’t above kneeing a guy in the groin, much as she’d done with the dwarf.
“I wouldn’t dream of mating with the female that my brother has claimed,” Zilek said as they walked out of the market, his black carriage coming into view, his dwarven driver waiting outside. “Unless she realized that I’m the superior male and wanted a far more experienced and interesting partner.”
“I thought you were acquiring jam, my lord?” The dwarf opened the carriage door.
“Every now and then, you get lucky and find more than you’re looking for when you go shopping.”
“Yes, my lord,” the dwarf said with an impressive lack of inflection.
“Take us to the elven enclave.” Zilek slid into the carriage and onto one of the upholstered benches.
Rylana climbed in after, sitting opposite him. Though Sylin had been poised to come along, she paused before getting in.
“I’ve come on too strongly, haven’t I?” Zilek looked at Rylana and sighed.
“I must admit that I’m accustomed to females who are eager to engage with a shape-shifted dragon.
Our kind exude power that others can sense, even the lesser species.
And they’re often curious and turned on by it.
But an elf… an elf is different.” He sighed with longing.
“Maybe if you assumed an elven form yourself, you might be more attractive to her. She’s admitted to finding pointed ears appealing.” Rylana meant it as a joke, but Zilek promptly grew speculative.
“Don’t tell him that.” Sylin scowled at her.
Since Sylin teased her frequently, Rylana didn’t feel that bad about tormenting her a little. She patted the seat next to her in invitation but half-expected Sylin to depart.
“My loyalty to you knows no bounds,” Sylin muttered, settling beside her.
“And is second only to your loyalty to the baker who provides your scones.”
“Don’t forget my coffee providers.”
“So your loyalty to me is fourth to others.”
“There’s also Vilma, the half-gnome server who helps Brella and Tezilly bring my coffee. She’s become important to me.”
The carriage rolled into motion, Zilek smiling easily as he leaned back, arms stretched across the back of the bench, his bag of meat jams perched beside him.
When his gaze swung to Sylin, she returned it with a hostile expression.
Rylana resolved to stop teasing her about Zilek.
It had been wrong of her—a move of desperation—to set her up on a date with him to start with.
How could she now turn his interest aside?
“I don’t think Sylin is going to warm up to you, ear points regardless,” Rylana told Zilek. “Are there any elves at the enclave that have intrigued you? Maybe you can visit them while we’re there.”
“There are many attractive elves residing in the enclave, and they are eager and available to one of my stature. Last time, I encountered a young maiden who was quite appealing.”
Sylin rolled her eyes. Rylana looked out the window to see how much farther they had to travel.
“But such females who make themselves so available are… Well, they are not without merit, but I also enjoy a challenge.” Zilek smiled again at Sylin, his gaze lowering to her chest.
She drew her knife. “If you have to look at me at all, I insist you look at my eyes.”
Zilek chuckled, then lifted his gaze to her face. “As I’ve noted before, dragons appreciate warrior females. How many foes have you assassinated?”
“Many.”
“What would cause you to appreciate me admiring your flawless feminine assets? What do you seek in a mate?”
“Someone with goals and a purpose in the world,” Sylin said without hesitation.