Emberhawk - Jamie Foley Page 0,131

it can make things more . . . complicated. Especially when your nations are at each other’s throats.”

Kira steeled. “Isn’t that the whole point of the Resistance?” she growled.

Tekkyn clapped the reins against the oxen’s backs. “No need to get defensive, Frizz. Ryon’s obviously a good man. I’m just not sure what Dad will think.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll be really smooth,” said a voice behind her in Phoeran.

Kira nearly fell off the cart. She whipped around to find Ryon sitting on one of the crates. He had a finger dipped into a jar of cherry jam, which he then plunged into his mouth.

She was so elated and embarrassed at the same time that she just gawked. Her mind raced backward to ensure that she hadn’t said anything she shouldn’t have. Is my hair okay? She kicked herself for the thought.

“Where did you come from?” Tekkyn yelled.

Ryon wiggled his fingers through the air. “Nowhere.” He winked at Kira behind thin lenses that didn’t hinder the familiar orange blaze that had returned to his eyes.

Kira composed herself and squinted at the ruined jar of cherry jam in his hand. “Are you going to pay for that?”

“Oh. Right.” Ryon’s hand disappeared into his tunic—part of a simple cloth outfit that was much less assuming than his leather jerkin and scouting equipment. He pulled out a piece of cloth whose corners had been tied together over a small bulge in the middle. “Aish, it’s melted. Here.” He furrowed his brow at it for a moment, and Kira thought she saw frost appear on the cloth for a moment. He held it out to her. “Even after the rain, it’s way too hot over here. You people need some trees, yeah?”

Kira hesitated, then accepted the cloth and tugged at the twine knot. It fell open in her palm to reveal a mass of smooth . . . brown . . . something. “What is it?”

“Chocolate.” Ryon took another mouthful of cherry jam.

The wagon bounced as Kira sniffed the suspicious substance, then dipped her finger in it and brought it to her lips. It melted on her tongue like sweet cream. By the tails! No wonder this stuff is so expensive.

She almost offered some to Tekkyn, then thought better of it. “Where did you get this?”

Ryon tilted his head at the sky, then wiggled his fingers through the air again. “Nowhere.”

Kira couldn’t help but smile as she took another taste of the chocolate. “Thank you! This is probably worth ten times more than the jam.”

“Probably more like fifty,” Ryon said. “But hey, I heard there’s a trapper in these parts. Some say she’s even trapped a trace cat and a d’hakka,” he whispered as he leaned forward and looked from side to side as if the distant cattle were listening in, “and a goddess.”

She tensed at his closeness and leaned away. “I’m pretty sure harpoon launchers and elevators don’t count as traps.”

“That just makes it all the more impressive,” Tekkyn said.

Ryon leaned back and shrugged. “Regardless, you think she could teach me in exchange for that chocolate?”

Kira considered his expression. “You want to learn to trap?”

“Well, yeah. Shooting with these on is a pain in the neck. Literally.” He tapped on his glasses. The lenses were so discreet and well-designed that Kira hardly noticed them. “I’m getting used to it, but there’s more than one way to hunt, yeah?”

“Yeah.” Kira took another taste of chocolate. So he’s found another way to provide for the orphans . . . unless Brooke has already begun taking care of them. Does this mean . . . ?

She couldn’t ask Ryon now. Tekkyn’s ears were already as big as an oliphant’s.

“I’ve got something else to ask of you too,” Ryon said. “Brooke has requested that both of you return to Jadenvive. She has jobs for you.”

Kira thought something else must have been in that jam he was eating. “What? We just got home. What would she want with us?”

“The Imperial princess, Vylia, was in the upper levels of Jadenvive during the attack. Most of her entourage died, and she’s in a coma from breathing the smoke. The situation needs to be handled with . . . delicacy.” Ryon pushed his glasses further up his nose. “Brooke wants Malaano people she can trust, whom the princess might also trust in a foreign land. For whenever she wakes up.” He pursed his lips. “Assuming she wakes up.”

Oh dear. That could cause big problems. Kira looked at Tekkyn, who seemed just as surprised and concerned. He tilted his head.

“As much as I’d like to help, unfortunately I can’t,” Tekkyn said. “The ranch is even more short-staffed now. Dad had to come back home to help. And Mom needs us as she mourns.”

“I’ll give her our deepest condolences.” Ryon pulled a jingling bag from his pack and set it on top of a crate between them. “And one of our highest honors.”

Kira blinked at the bag. It sounded like it was full of rupero. “What is that?”

“For Lee,” Ryon said. “It’s an old tradition. Whenever a warrior falls in battle, the Katrosi leader provides a sum for his widow or children or parents. Brooke wanted to honor Lee even though he wasn’t a tribesman.” He scratched the back of his neck. “You might, uh, want to keep that hidden if you’re gonna bring it into Navarro.”

Kira didn’t know what to think. “Wow. Thank you.” Depending on how much was in that bag, it could be enough to hire a ranch hand to work in Lee’s stead, at least for a while.

“I’m just the messenger.” Ryon grunted as he pulled out another bag and set it on the crate next to its twin. “And this should help replace the barn. I’d love to help you build a new one.”

Kira’s mouth fell open. “Brooke paid to replace that too?”

“No!” Ryon tilted his chin up and posed. “That was from my first payout, thank you very much.” He waggled his eyebrows. “I got a slick new job as the chieftess’ advisor, you know.”

Kira sucked in a delighted breath. “Congratulations!” She grew a mischievous smirk. “It wouldn’t have been any fun to evadír with a scout who’d be gone all the time.”

Hope shone through Ryon’s eyes. “You’ll come back with me, then?”

“I dunno.” Kira leaned in and kissed him on the cheek, ignoring Tekkyn’s protest. “You have any more chocolate?”