Snake Heart (Chains of Honor #2) -Lindsay Buroker Page 0,84

a fleet doesn’t mean he’ll get it,” Yanko said slowly, though he wasn’t that convinced. Whatever Dak was exactly, he clearly had connections to high-ranking Turgonians. Markcrest. Yanko had never heard the surname, but he knew “-crest” was the designation for their warrior-caste families and that those families had controlled their government and the military until the empire had shaken up their internal structure in favor of a republic. He wagered the powerful warrior-caste families were still powerful, similar to honored clans in his world. “Are you sure he actually asked for a fleet?”

Just how good was Arayevo’s Turgonian?

“No, it might have been a ship, but if this artifact is as important as you’ve been saying, wouldn’t the Turgonians want it?”

“It depends on whether they believe it can deliver what Prince Zirabo believes it can deliver. A lot of Turgonians don’t even think magic exists.”

Not that Dak had ever blinked in surprise at its use.

“He’s looking over here.” Arayevo smiled and laid an arm around Yanko’s shoulders.

He held still, though he longed to wrap an arm around her in return, to feel the curve of her waist against his side. Perhaps other curves, as well. Heat flushed his face, and he forced himself to concentrate on the conversation.

“You think he’ll do something if he finds out what you’re telling me?” Yanko asked quietly.

“I don’t know, but he wasn’t happy with Lakeo and me when we insisted on rescuing you. He said we’d get ourselves killed, and it would be better to find the artifact first and then deal with the pirates when we could get more help. Yanko, he must think his people are coming soon.”

“Well, I thank you for arguing for coming to get me.” He wanted to thank her for leaning her hip against his so enticingly, too, but that seemed less appropriate. “How did you change his mind? I assume you weren’t able to force him to do anything.”

“That was Lakeo actually. After we’d nagged—it’s all right to call it nagging, because that’s what it was—to no effect, she pointed out that he’d probably get a bunch of awards in Turgonia if he was the one to take down Captain Snake Heart.”

“Ah.” Yanko couldn’t manage more of a response. He had only been on Pey Lu’s ship for three days, but they had been a strange three days, with her giving him the gift of her robe and teaching and advising him. She’d made it clear that they were at odds, competing on the same mission, but somewhere during those days, he’d also stopped thinking of her as his enemy.

“I think he likes you, too, because I did catch him sketching out tactics in a notepad, like he’d been thinking about attacking or launching some kind of rescue, even before we brought it up. But I wouldn’t count on that keeping you alive if his people show up and give him an order. Like an order to chop off your head.”

“No, I wouldn’t presume that he would put me above his people.” Yanko wished he could presume that, that he could count on Dak not to betray him, to be someone he could trust, because... he wasn’t even sure. It was just nice being able to depend on him, the way he had started to depend on Uncle Mishnal.

“We better return, or he’ll get suspicious,” Arayevo said. “He seems to think I’m particularly shifty.”

“Well, you are.” Yanko managed a smile for her.

She ruffled his hair and lowered her arm. Yanko winced because that was surely a gesture one gave to one’s little brother, not the love of one’s life.

“Arayevo?” he asked, stopping her before she turned away.

She glanced toward the others. Lakeo was pointing at a bush growing from the base of the cairn and gesturing.

“Yes?” Arayevo asked.

“I wanted to tell you, in case something happens and we’re separated again... or even in case it doesn’t—”

Yanko took a deep breath, unable to believe how nervous he felt. He had a feeling that he wouldn’t like her response, but he couldn’t seem to let go of the hope that he would be wrong. That all he had to do was express his true feelings and she would be overwhelmed with emotion and realize she felt the same way. Or that she could grow to feel the same way in time. One way or another, he had to know. He couldn’t go on fantasizing about her and driving himself crazy when she looked at other men without ever having