Snake Heart (Chains of Honor #2) -Lindsay Buroker Page 0,92

Lu said and extended her hand, palm up.

“You wish to discuss its properties? I’m open to doing so. It appears to be quite interesting.”

“Yanko.”

Was that all the warning he would get? Gramon’s finger tightened on the trigger of his pistol. He glanced at Pey Lu, waiting for an order. Hoping for an order? He and the other pirates must blame him for the destroyed ship.

Yanko thought he could deflect their bullets, the same way he had cannonballs, but deflecting an attack from Pey Lu at the same time? He doubted he had the strength, even with the robe. Her robe. To use it against her seemed a betrayal, but damn it, she was a betrayal. Couldn’t she see that their people—her people—needed this continent far more than the Kyattese did? The Kyattese had their islands and prospered there. Most likely, all they wanted to do was hide the lodestone away for another seven hundred years so nobody could use that land.

“The lodestone,” Pey Lu repeated, shaking her hand once. “I won’t ask again.”

“That sounded more like an order than an ask,” Yanko said as he reached for his pocket. What else could he do?

As his fingers brushed against the cool stone, he realized he had missed an opportunity when Kei had flown by. He might have given the lodestone to the parrot and had him fly it up to Arayevo and Lakeo. As he slowly removed the rock, he cast out with his mind, searching the skies. Had Kei gone up to the butte as Yanko had suggested? No, he was flying over Arayevo’s head as she and Dak ran down a path on the far side of the butte. It headed toward the beach where the pirates had landed. If they could sneak past the men waiting by the boats without being seen, maybe they could get to these boulders in time to help Yanko. He just had to dawdle.

“This is it.” Yanko held out the lodestone, a couple of the paperclips clinging tenaciously to it.

Gramon snorted. “Sure it is, kid. Nice paperweight.”

Yanko barely heard him because the lodestone, now free of his pocket, hummed in the palm of his hand. It guided his arm until he pointed off to the south somewhere. It did not pull him so much that he was in danger of falling off his perch on the boulders, but the magic definitely wanted to take him somewhere. Despite his predicament, a tingle of excitement coursed through his veins.

“No, that’s it,” Pey Lu said. “I can feel its magic.”

“Huh,” Gramon grunted. “If you say so.”

Pey Lu snapped her fingers. “Quit stalling, Yanko. I wasn’t exaggerating when I said a fleet of Turgonian ironclads is on its way. Since you’re so worried about what the Great Chief thinks about you, I doubt you want them to get that rock.”

“No,” Yanko agreed, “but I do intend to find the lost continent and take directions to it back home. After I find it, you can have the lodestone and give it to the Kyattese. I won’t object.”

“I’m glad to hear it, but you’re not in a position to barter.” Pey Lu strode forward, jumping onto the boulders to pick a way toward him. “Your life is in my hand.”

“But the lodestone is in my hand.” Yanko flung his other hand out, pushing at her with a burst of wind.

The gust barely stirred her hair. She flicked a finger, diverting the wind around her body. Two of the pirates to her side stumbled back, one falling over a rock.

“You can keep it in your hand, as long as your hand is on my ship.” Pey Lu continued toward him.

“No, you don’t understand.” Yanko tightened his grip about the lodestone, ignoring the paperclip that dug into his palm. “This is a rock, Mother. Susceptible to earth magic.”

Could he break it? He truly didn’t know, but it sounded like a logical argument. And it made Pey Lu pause.

“You’re not going to destroy it,” she said, glancing toward her pirates.

Yanko sensed a few fingers tightening further on the triggers, so he created a wall of air around himself. “You don’t think so? You’re right in that I can’t let the Turgonians have it, and I’m not sure if you’re really giving it to the Kyattese, or if you have some less scrupulous backer in mind.” A flash of surprise crossed her face when he said that. Surprise, not indignation. He’d only been guessing, but now he wondered if it might be true.