Bones of the Dragon - Margaret Weis [127]
“You dare not oppose her,” said Raegar. “She might do something terrible to you.”
Skylan shuddered at the thought.
“I have an idea,” Raegar said after a moment. “But I want to sleep on it. We will speak of this again in the morning. You should go to your rest now, my cousin. The girl will take you to where she has prepared your bed.”
The pretty girl came gliding out of the shadows. She smiled at him.
Skylan lurched to his feet and nearly fell headlong into the fire. Raegar, laughing, caught hold of him. Skylan was not so drunk that he forgot the precious sword. He grabbed it, held it fast. The girl put her arms around Skylan and led him some distance down the beach and into the tall grass. Here, far from the others, she had spread out a blanket.
Skylan stripped off his shirt and pants, then threw himself onto the blanket. The girl started to lie down beside him. Skylan was about to tell her to leave, and then he remembered that Draya had stolen Horg’s manhood. Perhaps she had done the same to him and, as Raegar had said, Skylan did not know it.
He pulled the giggling girl close to him. She kissed his bare chest. Their arms and legs entwined. He fondled her breasts as she pressed against him. Closing his eyes, he pretended she was Aylaen. He groaned with pleasure, then collapsed on top of the girl.
Skylan fell into a drunken stupor so deep that he did not move. The girl had to wriggle out from underneath him.
CHAPTER
6
Skylan remained in his bed till late the next morning. Even through closed eyelids, he felt the sunlight piercing his brain with the force of a thrown spear, and he was loath to rise. Unlike some who imbibed too much, he had a relatively clear memory of everything he’d said and done the night before. He was vaguely disappointed to find the girl had gone, but he supposed she had chores to do.
His brain throbbed, seemed about to crack his skull. Aside from that, he felt better than he had in many days. He was glad he had unburdened himself. His only concern was that Raegar would tell what he knew, and that concern was small, almost nonexistent. Raegar was Skylan’s cousin. He had sworn by Torval to keep Skylan’s secret, and he had brought Skylan a valuable gift. Skylan fumbled about the blankets until he found his sword. Placing his hand reassuringly on the hilt, he shut his eyes against the sun and lay in his bed until the smell of food and the pressing need to relieve himself roused him.
Skylan went for a swim to clear his head, then put on the clean clothes the girl had washed for him. He walked across the beach to where the slave women were roasting fish. The pretty girl served him.
He did not see Raegar, and he asked the girl where he was, for he was eager to hear his cousin’s plan. He spoke his words slowly and loudly, repeating Raegar’s name, so that she would understand him. The girl stared at him blankly, and finally Skylan gave up and ate his meal.
At last Raegar appeared, yawning and scratching himself, from a tent some distance down the beach. Like Skylan, Raegar went for a swim and then came over to sit by the fire, shaking the water from his hair and beard like a dog.
Skylan squatted by the fire and helped himself to fish and bread. His stomach was ready to rebel at the smell of food, but Skylan would need his strength, for he had a long ride ahead of him, and he forced himself to eat.
“I see one of the boats is gone,” Skylan noted. “Along with two of your partners.”
“There is a fishing village not far from here. They went to peddle our wares. I have to join them there, but I wanted to talk to you first.”
Raegar regarded Skylan in wry concern. “You drank a lot of wine, Cousin. Do you remember what we spoke about last night? The trouble you are in?”
“There is not wine enough in the world to drown my trouble,” said Skylan harshly. “I only wish there were.”
Raegar sighed deeply; then, slapping his knees, he rose to his feet. “If you are finished eating, come with me.”
The two strolled along the beach. Above them, seabirds