Tales of Vyscher Book 1

Chapter 14

Vic lay next to Rek in the bed, trying not to scratch at what was left of her wounds. The royal healers had used salves on them to speed up the healing process, but it made the itching so much worse. But they were alive! She vowed to track down Alia and buy her a drink at the least.

"I think I'm going to have the cooler scars," decided Rek, contorting herself to look at the back of her thigh.

Vic turned to look and was treated to a lovely expanse of an exposed cinnamon colored hip, only marred by the remains of the red slash on her ribs just above it. The slight blemish made her look even more beautiful in Vic's eyes, causing her to remember how Rek had stood over her while she tried to regain her strength. "Well, you get my vote!" she exclaimed with a knowing grin.

Rek rolled over and pinned her down and lowered the sheet to see the puckering scar next to her right collarbone. "I don't know, this is pretty nice as well!" she murmured as she bent to kiss it.

"Hey! None of that! We're supposed to be resting!" Vic giggled.

"I know, I know, but I'm bored, and you're in bed with me," she said with a wink.

"They'll let us back to work soon enough, I'm sure. Besides, I'm not sure I want to be debriefed on this mission just yet. We'll be skewered!"

"We already were!" pointed out Rek.

"Well, we're not going to make that mistake again," vowed Vic. "The next time we'll be much better."

"I'm not looking forward to this trip," said the red-haired woman, with the matching red eyes, sadly. "I'd rather it not be necessary."

"I know, but it is what must be," replied the man with the shockingly blue eyes, who stared into the fire dancing in the fireplace. "It is our place to do so, and if we don't then we would be lost to time."

"That doesn't make it easier," sighed the woman, tears in her eyes. "But it will be done. I should leave now; it is a long flight."

Tad sat outside an office that Prince Fehrys had told them belonged to his brother Jondure with Flewin and Serev and Fehrys himself. Prince Jondure was evidently in charge of the intelligence of Vyscher, which was a fancy way of saying he was a spy. But Fehrys said that Jondure was also always interested in learning about other lands, and at a minimum the three newcomers could provide some of that. He didn't know what else he could tell them, really. Jondure's assistant, Lamble, had greeted them when they arrived, then had gone into the office to announce them, but hadn't come back yet.

"Do you think it will be much longer?" Tad asked in a whisper.

"Jondure is very punctual, I'm sure he'll be ready for us soon," the prince answered, "Have you thought about if you'd like to stay here in Vyscher?"

The two women looked at Tad, they seemed to be of like mind already. "I don't know what I could offer sir, but I'm not sure how I'd get home either. So, what else can I do?" He hung his head sadly. In truth, he didn't know why anyone would want him to stay. He truly felt a brotherly attachment to both Flewin and Serev, but they didn't really need him to make a life here. Serev would adapt to anything, as her rescuing the prisoners showed, and Flewin would follow her wherever she went.

"Tad, the captain kept you for a reason, he knew you were intelligent and good with numbers, you would be an asset here," Serev said in a matter-of-fact way.

"Besides, you can't leave us here alone!" Flewin chimed in.

"And Tad, I saw you in the battle. Even in the cage you helped, I know you're good in a pinch. A man like you could do well here," Fehrys added. "I'll even help get you set up, there was quite a bit of gold on that ship that should go to you three as compensation for what they put you through." Fehrys had a hard time understanding the depravity shown by the pirates in the story the three had told of their arrival on the ship.