Bones of the Dragon - Margaret Weis [128]
“I lay awake a long time last night, Cousin, thinking about your problem. First,” said Raegar, “you are in grave danger. You know Draya’s secret. You are lucky in one regard, however. She is in love with you, and so long as she believes there is a chance you will love her—”
Skylan gave a snort. “Never!”
“Hear me out, Cousin,” said Raegar. “So long as Draya thinks she has a chance to win you, she will not harm you. If she comes to believe that you hate her . . .” Raegar shrugged. “There is no telling what she might do to you. She has killed one husband already.”
“Don’t you think I know that?” Skylan said bitterly. “But what can I do?”
“First, you must seek Torval’s forgiveness,” said Raegar. “Not for the murder of Horg. Draya did that. Torval knows you are innocent. But you broke your oath to your father, and that is a serious thing. A warrior’s honor is the banner that flies above his head to which all men are witness.”
“I know,” said Skylan. “I am sorry for that. Yet it was Torval who put the idea into my head! How can the god punish me for doing his bidding?”
“Who can understand the mind of a god?” Raegar said. “Who would want to! Take me, for instance. I begged Torval to let me die, and I cursed him when he let me be sold into slavery. Yet, the god knew what he was about. Torval kept me alive and brought me here for a reason—to bring us together. He wanted me to be able to offer you my help.”
Raegar drew near, said emphatically, “Rest assured, Skylan, Torval wants you to be Chief of Chiefs! He wants you to recover the Vektan Torque, take it from the ogres. He is testing you, judging your resolve. When you have the torque, you must take it to Hammerfall, offer it to Torval, and ask his forgiveness. He will not only grant it, he will reward you handsomely! Of that I am certain.”
“I would do all that!” Skylan said fervently. “I would sail tomorrow if I could. But I told you last night, Draya forbids it. She will make me go on this honeymoon journey of hers to the Dragon Isles.”
“I have a solution to all your problems. First, tell me what you know of the Vektan Torque. Why is it so valuable?”
Skylan thought back. “I don’t know much about the torque,” he admitted. “It is a mystery kept by the Kai. It is ancient, I know that. And it is said that the spiritbone belongs to one of the Five Vektia dragons, a dragon so powerful that both men and gods are prohibited from summoning it unless Vindrash herself commands.”
“So what would happen if the ogres tried to summon this dragon?” Raegar asked.
“They can’t,” Skylan pointed out. “They have no Bone Priestesses.”
“That is true. But say they did,” Raegar argued. “Say they captured a Bone Priestess. What then? Could they force her to summon the dragon?”
“If she did, I assume the first thing she would do would be to order the dragon to slay the ogres,” Skylan said with a smile.
Raegar stared at him a moment, then roared out a booming laugh. “Hah! Hah! Of course she would. I had not thought of that.” He slapped Skylan on the back. “Such wisdom is why Torval made you Chief of Chiefs. Still, the ogres might find a way to persuade the Bone Priestess to work for them.”
“Bah! They are ogres,” said Skylan scornfully. “They couldn’t persuade a cat to drink milk. But what does all this matter, Cousin?” he added impatiently. “Tell me your plan.”
“Very well,” said Raegar. “My plan is this: You and Draya go on your honeymoon—No, wait! Hear me out! You sail the Venjekar to the Dragon Isles. On the way, there is a large settlement of humans who live on an island known as the Isle of Apensia. The settlement is very rich. I was there not long ago. They have herds of fat cattle, hoards of silver and jewels. On your way to the Dragon Isles, you stop to raid this settlement—”
“Wait a moment,” Skylan interrupted. “I have heard of the Isle of Apensia. All men avoid it. The isle is ruled by druids who guard it with powerful magicks.”
Raegar laughed loudly. “So the druids would have you believe!