Page 90 of Lake of Sorrow
Frayvar must not have heard the words, the plant’s promise that Vlerion was a threat to her.
“It hates him,” was all she could say without explaining the beast. “He hacked up one of its vines to help Targon.” That wasn’t the true reason it wanted him dead. She knew that, but she couldn’t help but clench her fists with frustration. “We’re not plotting to kill Vlerion,” she snapped, even though Frayvar hadn’t argued for that.
“Vlerion appreciates that,” came a dry voice from the courtyard wall. His dry voice.
Startled, Kaylina looked over to find Vlerion and Doctor Penderbrock leaning against the wall, their hoods pulled up. Since the gatehouse extended outward, it had blocked her view of them.
A whuff came from farther up the trail. Crenoch and another taybarri had found a spot where they could drink from the river.
“You didn’t say Vlerion came with the doctor,” Kaylina muttered to Frayvar.
“He didn’t.” Frayvar shrugged.
Kaylina told herself she hadn’t said anything that would condemn her, and Vlerion looked more amused than concerned by her outburst, but the fact that the plant had been encouraging her to murder him flustered her. It made her feel guilty of a crime. A betrayal.
“Someone new wants to have you killed?” Penderbrock asked, also without concern, as he walked over to look Kaylina up and down. Frayvar handed the corked vial to him, and he tucked it into his bag. “Perhaps you should stop irking people, Vlerion.”
“My job as a ranger,” Vlerion said, “ensures I irk everyone from the Kar’ruk to human rebels to criminals to large predators in the mountains.”
“It was the curse this time. The plant.” Kaylina pointed toward the tower, though they couldn’t see its window or purple glow from the trail.
“Well, that’s nothing new.” Vlerion shrugged. “The curse has been killing rangers for generations. Knowing that—and seeing it try to strangle Targon—is the only reason I didn’t charge in to find you as soon as I got here. Are you all right, Kaylina?”
“I’m the reason you didn’t charge in.” Penderbrock peered into Kaylina’s eyes, maybe checking her pupils to see if they were abnormal after she’d been knocked out.
“You have a startlingly strong left hook for a doctor, and you aren’t afraid to punch a man when he isn’t looking—” Vlerion touched his jaw, “—but I could have gotten past you. I was allowing my wisdom to guide me and waiting patiently for Frayvar to return with an update.”
“Waiting patiently under Crenoch’s large furry backside,” Penderbrock muttered. “The taybarri are the only ones around here with much wisdom or patience.”
The flat expression Vlerion gave him suggested he might not have wanted Kaylina to learn about that.
She stepped forward and gripped his arm, more concerned about what the plant had shown her than what it had done to her. “It may still hate rangers, but it wants you dead specifically.”
After taking a deep breath, she explained the vision and the deal it was trying to make with her.
“That may be a first in ranger history.” Penderbrock still sounded more amused than concerned. Maybe the rangers’ lives were so fraught with danger that it didn’t bother them. Or maybe he didn’t think anyone would carry out murder based on what a plant wanted.
Kaylina hoped that was true, but she couldn’t help but be disturbed by the vision.
Less amusement lurked in Vlerion’s grave blue eyes, so maybe he found it unsettling as well. She hoped he trusted that she wouldn’t consider the plant’s offer.
But when he looked into her eyes and said, “Walk with me,” she worried he did believe that.
She made herself respond in a light tone. “The correct way to request a woman accompany you for a stroll along the river is to say, Won’t you please walk with me, gentle companion whom I respect and admire?”
Vlerion’s eyebrows rose, and he looked at Penderbrock.
“I’ve been married almost forty years, and I’ve never said anything like that to my wife.”
“Oh, I assumed that,” Vlerion said. “I’ve seen the way she looks at you.”
“With adoration,” Penderbrock said.
“Like you’re a particularly vexing new recruit who must be shown everything five times before grasping it.”
“She only looks at me like that some of the time.”
Vlerion waved dismissively. “What I was wondering is if you agreed with Ms. Korbian’s assessment of herself as gentle.”