Page 67 of Shadows of Winter

She looked at her brother for confirmation.

“Are you asking me about taybarri dietary preferences?” Frayvar brushed dirt off his clothes.

“More about what might kill them. Like Grandpa’s hounds can’t have cacao. Is alcohol poisonous to taybarri?” Kaylina glanced through the gate, hoping to spot a ranger or someone else who could pull the big animal away.

“I don’t know.”

“None of the zillion books you’ve read covered that?”

“Sorry.”

Crenoch hadn’t finished the first goblet—his tongue was wide enough that he couldn’t get it all the way in—but he moved on to another like a patron at a tasting. Contented noises that sounded like a mix between a cat purring and a chicken clucking came from deep in his throat.

Kaylina stepped forward and touched his neck. “That’s probably enough, buddy. I don’t know if that’s good for you.”

Crenoch paused long enough to wash her face with his tongue before returning it to the mead.

“I’m glad you like it though.” She wiped the moisture away and plucked up the rest of the goblets.

“Maybe we can put that on the labels when we bottle some for selling,” Frayvar said. “Approved by taybarri everywhere. People like taybarri, you know.”

“Maybe so, but they don’t want to eat what they eat.” Kaylina hurried into the kitchen to put the goblets somewhere Crenoch couldn’t reach. She well remembered that enough of his head and neck could fit through the doorway that he could grab things off the closest counters.

“Uhm, Kay?” A worried note filled Frayvar’s voice.

Afraid irate rangers had come to pummel them for giving one of their mounts alcohol, Kaylina grabbed her sling and hurried back outside.

Crenoch had backed from the table, the remaining goblet tipped over with the mead spilled out. His great body swayed, his steps unsteady.

Kaylina swore, terror tightening her throat. Was he dying? Was the mead poison to him, as she’d feared?

She rushed forward, reaching toward the taybarri, but she had no idea what she could do. “Get some water, Fray.”

The thundering of heavy paws on the ground came from the river path, and three more taybarri galloped into view.

“No, no,” Kaylina called. “Don’t come in.”

Only after she spoke did she realize that these taybarri had riders, Vlerion behind Jankarr on one, and two rangers in black that she didn’t recognize on the others.

“Rangers come where they wish,” Vlerion said coolly, but he only looked at her for a second before the swaying Crenoch captured his attention.

His taybarri pitched onto his side, landing with a thud, his tail stretched out behind him.

“Crenoch!” Vlerion cried in alarm as he sprang from Jankarr's mount and ran into the courtyard. “What did you do?” he demanded, skewering Kaylina with an icy gaze as he dropped to his knees beside the taybarri.

Something surged in his eyes, that dangerous glint she’d seen before. No, it was more than a glint. She remembered the beast that had torn the fur shark to pieces and smashed in its head. A wildness in Vlerion’s eyes promised that he could tear her to pieces.

Fear made Kaylina stumble back and raise her hands. “It was an accident. He showed up and drank the mead. I put the other goblets away and tried to stop him. I…”

She trailed off because Vlerion had closed his eyes and didn’t seem to be listening to her. His face tilted toward Crenoch, and he was humming. It was soft, and she doubted the other rangers heard. They were slowly dismounting and walking in, their hands on their weapons. It was the same tune she’d heard Vlerion hum in the catacombs.

Since he wasn’t listening to her, Kaylina addressed Jankarr. “I swear I didn’t mean for him to get any of the mead. He showed up, and he even flashed through the gate. That’s what it’s called, right? Flashing? He’s so big that I didn’t know what to do, and I wasn’t sure he would let me take the mead away. He has all those fangs.” She could hear herself burbling, the panic in her voice. Not only did she fear what Vlerion might do to her, but she was horrified that she might, however inadvertently, be responsible for Crenoch’s death.

“He okay, Vlerion?” Jankarr asked, only twitching his fingers toward Kaylina to acknowledge her words. “I can see him breathing.”

“He still lives.” Vlerion stopped humming and opened his eyes. His hand rested on Crenoch’s side. “For now. I don’t know if he is okay.”

His tone was calmer than Kaylina had expected. Though he didn’t look at her, he had found his equanimity.