Song of the Saurials - Kate Novak [83]
"Dragonbait wants you to take a bowl to Alias." Zhara explained to the ranger.
"Uh, sure," Breck said. "Does she usually stay angry with you for a long time?" he asked.
Dragonbait signed something for Zhara to translate.
"She's never been angry at him before," Zhara said.
"Great," the ranger muttered. "As if we didn't have enough problems with this hunt." He carried some bread and a bowl of stew for himself and one for the swordswoman over to the edge of the clearing, where Alias sat polishing her sword.
Alias looked up when the ranger approached. "I'm not hungry," she said.
"You've got to eat," Breck insisted squatting down beside her.
"What's the point?" Alias asked.
"The point!" the ranger exclaimed. "The point is that you promised Lord Mourngrym you'd help me bring Akabar and Grypht back to the tower, which you can't do if you fall off your horse from hunger. And if keeping your word to Mourngrym isn't enough, remember, Grypht knows where Nameless is. I thought you wanted to find Nameless."
"I do," Alias said, a spark of hope in her voice once more.
"Then eat your dinner," Breck said.
Alias took the bowl from Breck.
"Mind if I join you?" Breck asked.
"Suit yourself," Alias said. "I'm afraid I'm not very good company just now, though."
"Neither am I, so we should get along just fine," Breck retorted, tearing the hunk of bread in half and tossing her a piece."
Alias grinned ruefully.
"I never did hear what you had to say about Nameless," the ranger said.
"I don't know what I was going to say," Alias admitted. She scooped up a mouthful of stew. When she was finished chewing and swallowing, she asked, "What do you want to know about him?"
"Do you love him?" Breck asked.
"He's my father," Alias answered, as if that explained everything.
"But do you love him?" Breck asked again.
"He made me everything I am," the swordswoman said. "I owe him my life."
Breck took a mouthful of stew.
"I told Morala I loved him," Alias continued. "She tried to convince me I shouldn't. You're not going to try to do that, too, are you?"
"I don't know Nameless well enough," Breck said, shaking his head. Privately the ranger wondered what game Morala had been playing. "Were those his songs you were singing last night at The Old Skull?" he asked.
"Mostly," Alias replied.
Breck waited until she'd sopped up the last bit of gravy from her bowl with the remaining bread, then asked, "Would you sing that song about the nymph again-for me?"
Alias looked down at the ground, hiding her look of uncertainty and fear. She wanted Breck to admire Nameless's work. The song about the nymph would sound so natural out here in the forest. She had to risk singing the song, even if its meaning became twisted. "Of course," she said to Breck with an unsteady smile.
Alias set her bowl down and cleared her throat with a sip of water. With a hostile glance toward the sky, she directed an impromptu petition to the gods: I already know about Moander, and I want to help Nameless, so please don't ruin this song.
In the peaceful forest surroundings, Alias began singing, far more softly than she had been able to back in Jhaele's noisy tavern. She began the song with a series of wordless siren calls, then sang the first lyrics: "'Dappled sunlight dances around a foxglove spike, then transforms into a vision both warm and womanlike.'"
Breck leaned back against a tree and closed his eyes.
Alias's eyes wandered around the moonlit clearing, imagining the sun on the golden-leafed trees and the bright berries and wild flowers. She sang the song through without a hitch. When she was finished, she glanced at Breck to see if he was pleased.
The ranger's cheeks were tear-streaked. He opened his eyes and looked at Alias with a hint of embarrassment. "I'm… I'm sorry," he said. "It makes me think of Kyre." He dabbed his eyes hastily with his sleeve. "I'll take first watch.
You'd better get some sleep."
Alias nodded wordlessly, and Breck moved