Azure bonds - Kate Novak [113]
"Two minds," Mist repeated. "On one hand, your talent would be a great loss to the world. On the other hand, artists don't usually become really famous until after their deaths. I would be doing you a favor by allowing you to satisfy this peckish feeling in my belly."
"But then I couldn't help you find Alias," the halfling pointed out calmly.
"No," the dragon admitted, "but then, neither could you escape to warn the foul-tongued wench. You see my problem." A long, lolling tongue slid out from between Mist's jaws and licked at her two protruding upper fangs.
"Yes," Olive admitted, her eyes riveted to the great, forked organ until it withdrew back into the dragon's mouth. "It sounds as if you've already made your decision."
"You're right," Mist said as rivers of drool began to slide down her chin hairs. "I think a light meal is definitely in order before I resume the hunt."
"Sounds appropriate to me," the halfling agreed, reaching into her shirt as if to scratch an indelicate itch. "I guess I have no choice, then."
"Not really."
From his perch atop the wagon, Dragonbait crouched forward, ready to leap on the dragon and save the strangely acquiescent bard.
Olive withdrew her hand from her shirt and presented a small, stoppered bottle. "Have you ever heard of peranox?" she asked.
"It's some human poison, isn't it? It's supposed to smell like cinnamon, I believe."
The halfling nodded and unstoppered the bottle. The scent of cinnamon immediately drifted to her nostrils. Mist sniffed and no doubt caught a whiff of it, too.
"Yes, a human poison." Olive nodded as beads of perspiration began rising on her forehead and cheeks. "And a halfling poison as well. Fast acting. Deadly. What I have here will kill me. It may kill you, too. Though of course I don't know the correct dosage for a beast your size."
"Such a desperate action."
"These are desperate times." Olive rose to her feet, using the tiny vial as a shield. Now, work up to this slowly, Olive-girl-you can't afford to miss any steps, she warned herself as she prepared to use the same legal arguments she'd learned from the swordswoman. "You don't think much of me, do you?" she asked the dragon.
"Beg pardon?" Mist replied in confusion, her eyes never leaving the bottle in the halfling's hands.
Dragonbait unsheathed his sword, but remained perched on top of the wagon. The poison stand-off could not last long. Eventually, the dragon would just decide she wasn't hungry enough to ingest a poison-laden bard and simply incinerate the halfling. Yet, Dragonbait could sense Olive was preparing some other cunning plan. It might be worth the risk to let the halfling play her hand before trying to battle this lair-beast myself, he decided.
"Were it Alias the human you found here with me, what would you have done? Sat down and demanded four or five songs as you tore apart her favorite horse?"
"I'm sorry," Mist said. She nodded toward the remains of Lady Killer. "Was this a friend of yours?"
"It was Alias's horse," Olive snapped. "But that's not my point, is it? You wouldn't have made her grovel before you."
"No," Mist admitted. She thought carefully for a moment. "I would have killed her directly, using flame and fangs and claws and every other weapon at my disposal."
"Ex-actly!" the halfling said. "You wouldn't waste your time while…" Olive caught herself. She'd been about to say, "while she waited frantically for reinforcements to arrive and rescue her," but that was too close to her own situation. Mist might sit up and look around, ruining the lizard's surprise. She gulped and then continued, "while the night passed, demanding more songs like a drunkard at an inn calling for more mead."
"Well, if you're offended by my sparing your life, I can correct that." The dragon's smile revealed nothing but sharp teeth, all the way back down her mouth.
"Offended,"