Page 96 of Lake of Sorrow
“You were not invited,” Vlerion said with certainty.
Could he know for sure?
“We are a diplomatic party on a diplomatic mission, and we will see him. The treaty of Ansiark Mountain states this is permissible. Leaders from both peoples may enter the enemy’s territory without opposition if it is for diplomatic purposes.”
“The guards might notice you,” Jankarr added to Kaylina.
“I know, but Vlerion?—”
“Doesn’t need your help. The guards are there, and more rangers are on the way and in nearby streets. Our scouts spotted these guys coming from miles away. Besides, Targon wants you out of the city, finding that press.”
“That’s the priority, right now?” Kaylina waved toward the street. There was no way that was a legitimate diplomatic party.
No doubt thinking the same, Vlerion asked, “Is your diplomatic party aware that your kind have been preying on humans of late? Here, in our kingdom?”
“Our kind enjoy preying on humans whenever we can, but we know nothing of this happening in your kingdom. We are here in peace to negotiate with your king for access to our sacred catacombs. We have not strayed from your roads and have long been aware of your rangers observing us. Step aside, human.” The Kar’ruk leaned closer to Vlerion, and his nostrils twitched. “Or are you fully human? You have a unique scent.”
Kaylina stared. Could the Kar’ruk smell that Vlerion could become a beast?
A few warriors in the column murmured to themselves in their own tongue.
“What will you offer in trade for access to the catacombs?” Vlerion probably sought to divert the speaker’s curiosity about him.
“We will speak only with the king, not a minion, but know that your time fornicating and crafting your odious hovels on our holy land is coming to an end. We have brought proof that these valleys and fertile shoreline belong to our people.”
“Is that so,” Vlerion said in a flat tone.
A few rangers in black leather armor stepped out of side streets to observe, some on foot and others mounted on taybarri.
“It is so, as you will soon see. If you do not accept our proof and leave this land, your kind will be destroyed. We now have the means to eradicate you.” The Kar’ruk smiled, revealing a mouthful of fangs. “Step aside, human, or join the escort taking us to your king’s domicile. If you do not, we will walk through you. Your scent, and what it may indicate, does not concern our strong warriors.” Nostrils twitching, the Kar’ruk tested the air again. First, he sniffed toward Vlerion, but he must have caught another scent on the breeze because his head turned.
His yellow eyes locked onto Kaylina.
She froze. Between her hood and cloak, and a taybarri half-blocking the view, the Kar’ruk couldn’t have seen much about her—nothing that should have caught his eye—but his nose was what had guided him to look in her direction. No, straight at her.
“I will escort you, and if you show any sign of hostility, my rangers and I will put an end to your party.” Vlerion followed the Kar’ruk’s gaze toward Kaylina and frowned. He flicked his fingers at Jankarr, a why-haven’t-you-guided-her-out-of-here-yet gesture.
Jankarr spread his arms, then bent down to grab Kaylina under the armpits.
Startled, she barely kept from squawking when he hefted her onto Levitke’s back.
“Time for you to go,” Jankarr whispered. “For more reasons than Targon’s orders.”
Though she worried about Vlerion, Kaylina didn’t resist when Jankarr guided his taybarri into the park, making clucking noises to Levitke, convincing her to carry Kaylina away. Vlerion had other rangers nearby to help if trouble broke out. Besides, whatever those Kar’ruk were up to, she had a feeling they wouldn’t brawl in the street. If they were trying to enact a plot to take back their land, they wouldn’t risk themselves over something insignificant.
“Why does Targon care about the press now?” Kaylina asked when the taybarri veered out of the park toward another street. He wasn’t heading back to the castle, where she’d left Frayvar. “I need to check on my brother.”
“Your brother went to visit a poison maker with Doc Penderbrock, who apparently knows the man. As for the rest, Targon wants you out of the city so you won’t be a distraction for Vlerion.”
Kaylina frowned at him, but she struggled to argue with that. It may not have been her intent, but hadn’t she almost distracted Vlerion to the point of turning into the beast scant minutes earlier? What if the Kar’ruk hadn’t shown up? What would have happened?
Jankarr lifted an apologetic hand. “I know. I thought it was a questionable order, or at least a questionable concern, myself. Vlerion has never been distracted by a woman, not in the years I’ve been in the rangers. And with all this Kar’ruk trouble rearing up, I don’t know why Targon is worried in the least that it might be a possibility.”
Kaylina did, but she didn’t say anything about the beast since Jankarr wasn’t one of the rangers who knew Vlerion’s secret.
“I admit I’m disgruntled to have to leave the city at a time like this too.” Jankarr glanced back, though they’d ridden down another street and could no longer see the Kar’ruk or Vlerion. He did spot a pair of guards conferring on a corner. “Make sure your hood is hiding your face,” he murmured.
“I am.”