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peace.
He d left Lyole in charge of the garrison, in case something
happened. The other man was the only other nymph who knew about
his trysts with Alcharr and offered to take over Yane s duties to allow
him a few moments with his forbidden love. But Yane hadn t actually
thought the wyrms would attack Tanarak. They rarely ever did, even
years back, since the enchantment made it difficult for them to
approach. Perhaps the damn beasts had come up with something
different. Fuck. His love for Alcharr was making him lax in his duties.
46 Scarlet Hyacinth
Quickly, Yane scanned the area for his second-in-command. As
soon as he found Lyole, he stopped the other man.  Lyole, what s
going on? he asked.  What s with all this chaos?
 Yane, thank the gods you ve returned. The other man sighed in
relief.  We found something strange in the harbor. It s a message for
you. We didn t open it, but as far as we can tell, it came from the dark
waters.
Yane gaped at his friend and second-in-command.  A message
from the wyrms? You can t be serious. They shouldn t be able to get
close enough.
 Of course, we can t be certain it is from them yet, Lyole
answered.  It might be just a joke.
Judging by Lyole s expression, the man knew better than to think
anyone would have such a poor sense of humor. Yane extended his
hand wordlessly and Lyole gave him a piece of parchment. It was
leathery, the kind only water creatures used to write on.
His heart thundering, Yane unwrapped the parchment. In cursive
letters, the message said,
My esteemed enemy,
As you undoubtedly realize, there are things about my people you
don t grasp. Your borders are in danger. As it happens, I have certain
interests that make this inconvenient for me. Meet me tomorrow at
midnight, north of Tanarak. You needn t come without guards if you
don t wish to do so, but don t assume that you will capture me. And
bring the human with you. This concerns him, too. It is very important
that you do so. In fact, don t bother coming if you don t bring him
along.
Regards,
S.
Craving Owen 47
Yane gaped, fury and shock coursing through him. Who was this
S and what did he or she want? More importantly, what business did S
have with Owen?
 What does it say? Has hendral asked.
Yane pushed back his irritation with the other man. He would
have to be jealous over Has hendral a different time. Perhaps he could
use the dragon s presence in this problem.  Come along, he told
Has hendral and Alcharr.  You too, Lyole. We need to discuss in
private.
The men looked puzzled but didn t comment. Yane led them to
the small house he used as a residence. It was quite luxurious in
comparison to the barracks his men inhabited, but truthfully, it was
just a hovel he kept his supplies and bedding in. His family didn t
bother sending him adornments and such here. Besides, funds were
better used for weaponry and medicine, not for his luxury.
Still, Yane did feel a bit self-conscious. He knew his visitors
except Lyole, who didn t count as one were probably used to more
luxurious settings. For that reason, Yane rarely, if ever, allowed
Alcharr to come here, preferring to meet in the wild.
Yane gestured the other men to sit on the available chairs. As
everyone gave him questioning looks, he reread the message, causing
shocked looks all around.
 No, Alcharr said.  You re not going. It s too dangerous. I won t
allow it.
 His Lordship is right, Lyole agreed.  It must be a trap.
Has hendral looked thoughtful.  I don t think so. This wyrm
might be right.
Yane gaped at the dragon and waited for Has hendral to elaborate.
Seconds later, the other man added,  I think the enchantment on the
plague lands is fading. I could feel it when I was coming your way. It
might be the reason why the wyrm managed to get so close.
Yane felt sick. If the enchantment fell, the wyrms would be able
to band on them. The nymphs didn t have the strength to keep them at
48 Scarlet Hyacinth
bay if this happened. His legs threatened to give way at the
nightmarish images that appeared in his mind, but somehow, he
managed to keep his calm. He was a leader. He couldn t afford to
have a mental breakdown.  We have to get to the bottom of this, he
told his companions.
 Still, why does this person want the human to come along?
Has hendral inquired.  Isn t that the most puzzling request of all?
Yane nodded. The only business a wyrm could have with a human
would entail the latter being eaten. Surely, the mysterious S must
know Yane would never surrender anyone to be wyrm dinner.
 Perhaps we should ask him, Lyole suggested.  The human
might know something.
Yane s hackles rose.  What could Owen possibly now about a
wyrm? No, it must be that the beast has some sort of unnatural
fixation with him.
He sounded far too vehement, and Has hendral seemed to notice
it.  So what are you going to do? he asked with a smirk.  Will you
refuse? Ignore the request?
Yane hated himself for noticing how gorgeous Has hendral
looked when he grinned like that. A distant part of him didn t blame
Alcharr for whatever had been between the two. He didn t think
Alcharr had cheated on him. He knew better. But the flirty banter
Has hendral exuded, even when he talked to Yane, was irresistible.
Yane pushed aside the traitorous thoughts. He needed to focus on
Owen and the wyrm s request. He could not refuse, that much seemed
clear. His duty was to investigate. It might be a trap like Lyole said, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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