Azure bonds - Kate Novak [59]
"The halfling has less chance for success than a fat school priest trying to convert kobolds," Alias said with a smirk.
"You remind me of my younger wife. What she cannot see, she will not believe. When I return, she'll sit and count the money I bring home, but she'll laugh in disbelief at the wondrous things I tell her about the north country."
"She'll be laughing pretty hard about this troupe," Alias predicted.
"Perhaps when you have finished your quest you might accompany me back to Alaghon, where my wives base our business."
His tone was light, but Alias felt something underlying it, something deeper that he struggled to keep from surfacing. "I hope that wasn't an invitation to join your little harem, Turmite." She intended the remark to sound like a sneer, but it became more of a question.
Akabar sighed inwardly; he'd made her shy away again. He forced a smile he did not feel. "The invitation was only for a traveling companion, not a future bedmate. I hoped to prove to my wives that women of the north wield dangerous weapons and travel where they please. You need not fear my desires. Turmish women keep their mates so enraptured with their amorous abilities that foreign women pall by comparison."
"I see," Alias replied, looking down into the fire to keep her grin from showing.
"Besides," continued Akabar, "as I've explained once, they have veto power over co-wives. They would never approve of you joining the family. You're much too hot-tempered, and my older wife is offended by the smell of damp wool."
Alias laughed and threw the horse brush at him. "You smell like damp wool, too, Turmite." She gave a tug on his cloak.
Akabar shrugged. "Yes, but my wives cannot veto me."
Olive and Dragonbait joined them at the fireside, the only warmth and light for miles now that the sun had set. The lizard carried wood for the fire. The bard was all smiles.
"I've done it," Olive declared.
"Done what?" Akabar asked, tasting his concoction.
"Taught Dragonbait to speak to us," the bard said. Fixing Alias with a reproachful stare, she added, "It's surprising no one thought of it before."
"So, let's hear what he says," Alias said, holding out a piece of flat trailbread for Akabar to spread with the meat and grain mixture.
"It doesn't work like that," the bard explained. She pulled out a deck of Talis cards from her pocket. "He doesn't speak any tongue I recognize, but he can understand us. Watch." Ruskettle leafed through the cards, pulling out two.
"The Holed Plate, Primary of Stones, means yes," Olive said. "The Flaming Dagger, no. He picked that one himself."
"I wonder why," Alias smirked.
"I ask him a question and he can give the answer. Watch." She turned back to the creature and, smiling like a maiden aunt. Alias thought, she asked, "Dragonbait, are you a lizard?"
The lizard-creature held up the Holed Plate indicating yes.
"Are you hungry?" Olive asked in the same cheerful tone.
Dragonbait held up the same card. Another yes.
"Should we stay in this haunted place?" Olive demanded, suddenly stern, pointing to the burned rafters.
Dragonbait lifted the Flaming Dagger card.
Olive turned back to face the swordswoman and mage. "You see. You've held this poor creature, virtually as a bondservant, for weeks now without even trying to communicate with him. I reached his mind in a single session." Olive shook her head sadly. "I wonder why you humans are running the world at all."
Alias studied Dragonbait curiously. She had tried to communicate with him back at The Hidden Lady without success. Why did I give up so soon? she wondered, but she knew the answer to that. Dragonbait seemed to understand what she wanted without her even having to ask, and besides, he'd offered her his sword, which made her his leader. Still… is it possible that I didn't want to know anything