Page 11 of Lake of Sorrow
“Uhm, hi.” Kaylina lifted a hand but didn’t get to say more.
Heavy footsteps pounded across the courtyard toward the gate—a lot of them. Enough lanterns burned inside for her to make out the large blue-furred bodies of no fewer than ten taybarri thundering toward them.
“Shit.” Frayvar took several steps back, as if the iron bars of the gate wouldn’t stop the stampede.
He might have been right, but Kaylina recognized the taybarri in the lead and knew from the bright eyes and lolling tongues that the furred creatures didn’t have attacks in mind.
The ranger on guard stared at the herd, his jaw hanging open as they halted in front of the gate. Their tails thumped against each other as they jostled to see between the bars.
“We’d like to speak with Lord Vlerion,” Kaylina said.
“Is he… expecting you?” The ranger didn’t take his gaze from the taybarri, as if his question might be for them.
“No, but I haven’t gotten a chance to call him a pirate in days, and I suspect he’s bereft.”
One of the taybarri—she was fairly certain that was Crenoch—butted the gate with his broad head, then looked expectantly at the ranger.
“Well, Vlerion’s mount wants to see you,” the ranger muttered.
Crenoch whuffed, which prompted the others to do the same. Several snouts prodded the bars.
“This is highly unorthodox.”
“My name is Kaylina Korbian, and I’m training to be a ranger.” Admittedly, she’d only had the one day of training. “It’ll be okay,” she assured the man.
“Oh, you’re Captain Targon’s new anrokk?” The ranger gave her a second look. “The one the men were talking about who started training and was dumped in the pool and, uhm.” He glanced at her chest before looking away. “Never mind. They mentioned a new woman started training.”
“It’s good to be remembered,” Kaylina muttered, wishing her boobs weren’t what prompted people to do so.
“I guess you can come in. I’ll take you to see Vlerion.” The ranger had to push aside a number of taybarri to unlock the gate. “Though maybe you should see Captain Targon first.”
Kaylina would much rather see Vlerion, but she didn’t object since the ranger was opening the gate. Targon needed to hear about the Kar’ruk too.
“Whatever you think is best,” she said.
As soon as Kaylina and Frayvar entered the courtyard, several taybarri sniffed her—checking her pockets, especially. She regretted that she hadn’t visited her honey stash before coming. Since they hadn’t stopped by Stillguard Castle, she didn’t even know if her honey stash still existed.
Crenoch licked the side of her head, then pranced off across the courtyard.
“The taybarri don’t get that excited about the other anrokk—Sergeant Jastadar,” their guide mused as he led Kaylina and Frayvar in the same direction. “What’s so special about you?”
“Many things.” Kaylina waved airily, as if she hadn’t wondered the same thing.
For some reason, her ex-boyfriend’s words floated through her mind: What is wrong with you? You look so normal.
The ranger grunted dubiously as he led them into the barracks, a single long hallway with evenly spaced wooden doors to either side. Kaylina had stayed there before but hadn’t seen Vlerion’s room, nor had she visited Targon in his. Though maybe he lived elsewhere. Would a captain lodge in the same single-room barracks as his men?
Since the door was too narrow for the taybarri, they remained in the courtyard. That didn’t keep them from crowding in front of it, as if they would wait for Kaylina’s return.
Their guide led them up stairs to a second level. The doors on the long hallway were spaced farther apart than below. Maybe the senior-ranking rangers had rooms up there with more space than the newer recruits. Did Vlerion count as senior-ranking? Kaylina didn’t know. He wasn’t that much older than she, but when he gave orders, the other rangers all deferred to him. Even Captain Targon seemed more like Vlerion’s equal than his superior.
As they approached a door near the end of the hall, grunts and groans and thumps grew audible. Kaylina slowed in confusion, and it took her a moment to realize people were having sex inside. Heat crept into her cheeks. Was this Vlerion’s room? Was he…
The memory of Lady Ghara leaning against Vlerion while flirting with him flashed into Kaylina’s mind. Or maybe he’d found some other woman, someone he could sate himself on without worrying about growing too emotional—too lustful—and rousing the beast.
The thought of him with someone else filled Kaylina with such distress that she almost turned and ran, notions of sharing warnings dumping from her thoughts. Vlerion hadn’t promised anything to her, so it wasn’t like this was a betrayal, but it felt like?—
“Uhm,” the ranger said. “Maybe I’ll take you to see Vlerion first.”