Bones of the Dragon - Margaret Weis [133]
They passed the landmark—One Tree Rock—that denoted the end of Vindrasi lands, and the Venjekar sailed out into the open seas. The Isle of Apensia did not lie on the route normally taken by the dragonships when they sailed to the Dragon Isles. It lay farther to the south. Once they were out to sea, Skylan told the steersman to head the ship that direction. Draya’s illness gave him an excuse. He claimed he was trying to find calmer seas to ease her sickness.
The moon had been full last night and the night before. He had promised Raegar to meet at the time of the full moon. Skylan wandered the deck daily, eyes on the horizon, waiting tensely for the shout that meant the lookout had sighted land. He was eager to reach the place where he would rid himself of an unwanted wife and gain fabulous wealth in return, wealth he would use to fund the venture to the ogres’ lands.
Three days had passed since they left behind One Tree Rock, and Draya appeared on deck. She looked exceedingly pale, thin and haggard, but she was no longer puking. She gave Skylan a wan smile and said in a low voice she was sorry he’d been forced to sleep on deck with the other warriors.
Skylan answered politely that he was very glad to see her in better health.
She said softly she hoped he would come to their bed this night.
He answered gravely he would not think of imposing himself upon her while she was still so weak.
Draya cast him a despairing glance. Tears shimmered in her eyes.
He realized that the young Heudjun warriors were watching this exchange between him and his wife. Had they overheard? He glanced about and didn’t think so. He and Draya had kept their voices down, and the warriors had all politely moved out of earshot when she came on deck to speak to her husband. They could not help but see her turn away from him and put her hand to her eyes. Several were regarding them both with lowered brows, worried looks.
Damn it all, anyway! Skylan thought angrily, glaring at them. Haven’t any of you ever seen a husband and wife quarrel before?
He was about to order the men to keep their eyeballs in their heads, when he remembered Raegar’s warning: He must not arouse suspicion.
Lies, suspicions, guilt. Skylan’s wyrd had once been a single thread of sunshine and blue sky and a freshening sea breeze. Now it was twisted strands of darkness and slime and stinking swamp water.
Skylan forged a smile for his lips and walked over to stand beside Draya. She looked so pale and wan, he could not help but feel sorry for her and more than a little guilty about his plan.
“Sit down, madam,” he said. “You are newly risen from your sickbed. You must take care of yourself.”
Draya looked at him, startled at his unusually respectful tone, and she gave him a pallid smile.
“Take your ease,” he continued, assisting her to sit on one of the chests the men had brought on board. They not only stored belongings in the chests, they also used them as benches. “I will bring you something to eat and drink, food your weak stomach can tolerate.”
He brought her bread soaked in ale, and he sat down beside her while she ate, talking of the Dragon Isles. He had not traveled there in some time. He asked her questions and tried to listen to her answers, but his mind kept wandering, as did his gaze—to the horizon.
We should already be at Apensia! Perhaps I miscalculated the route. Perhaps the lookout is asleep at his post. I will go check on him. No, that would look odd.
He made himself sit beside Draya, made himself attend to her. She was touchingly pleased by his attention and returned his smile with a loving smile of her own. He felt wretched and didn’t know how much more of this playacting he could tolerate, and he was thinking he would excuse himself to go take a piss when a voice cried out, “Land!”
Skylan leaped to his feet, as did everyone else on board ship. The warriors crowded the rail, peering out at the smudge on the horizon and