Page 61 of Ale Storm

Yes, Rylana hadn’t seen many ogres go into business with elves, but with a leather apron—the largest she’d ever seen—tied around his waist, he looked like he belonged in the booth.

Zilek lifted a hand to beckon—summon—Rylana and especially Sylin closer.

Groaning, Sylin looked over her shoulder, as if she might flee into the crowd instead.

Rylana caught her arm to stop her. “If his carriage is nearby, he could give us a ride to the enclave.”

“There’s nothing wrong with walking, and I haven’t said I’m going to the enclave, just that you should.”

“I need to finish this little quest in time to help with the dinner service—and make sure Rolf’s horde of children doesn’t destroy the diner. Getting a ride would be helpful. And visiting the plant master was your idea, so you’re obligated to come.”

“I don’t believe that’s true,” Sylin said but, after sighing dramatically, let Rylana guide her toward Zilek.

The sign above the shop read Blood and Berry Fine Jams.

“Blood?” Rylana mouthed.

Some of the vendors in the market had dedicated booths and were there year around, but others came and went with the seasons, and Rylana hadn’t seen this shop before. The right half, in which the elf stood, held shelves full of typical jams—blueberry, huckleberry, raspberry, and the like, as well as apple butter and a number of marmalades. But the ogre’s offerings were decidedly more meat-based, labels promising everything from bacon jam to concoctions featuring ox blood, brisket, duck, and pine nut-and-lamb crunch. The contents of Zilek’s shopping bag were being filled from that side of the shop while two trolls stood nearby, enjoying samples of bread slathered with the meaty toppers.

“This market does cater to a lot of species, I suppose,” Rylana said.

“How delightful to meet my favorite elf here,” Zilek said as they approached. “And my brother’s favorite human.” After beaming his smile at Sylin for several seconds, he nodded at Rylana as well. “I’d heard about this delightful new shop and that it had suitably carnivorous offerings. Since I couldn’t wait for my personal shopper to visit, I came in person.”

“Not that we asked,” Sylin murmured.

“Ssh.” Rylana elbowed her. She wanted a favor. “Is there any chance your carriage is near and that you have time to drive us to the elven enclave, Zilek?”

“My carriage is near. Of course, for the opportunity to spend more time with the lovely Sylinesla, I might be enticed to turn into a dragon and fly you there.” He gazed at Sylin as he said that you, and Rylana didn’t know if it included her.

Could a dragon fly two people? She’d never asked Jildarin.

“I’ve been pining terribly to be around you again, Sylinesla. In a more extended manner. Perhaps in a horizontally extended manner. Though I find vertical engagements stimulating as well.” His eyelids lowered as he regarded her.

“I didn’t speak more than three times during our brief coffee encounter,” Sylin said to Rylana, barely acknowledging Zilek. “What about it could have left him pining?”

“You’re beautiful, an elf, and aloof,” Rylana said. “Men like that.”

“They do indeed,” Zilek purred as he left two gold coins on the counter and took his bag. “Care to join me for a snack, Sylinesla? I’ve a chili jam that’s vegetarian in nature that you might like. Of course, I purchased it because Gumak here swore it’s absolutely scrumptious on crispy-fried oysters. Oysters fuel the libido, you know.”

“You’re a little one-note today, Zilek,” Rylana said. “And it’s raw oysters that have a reputation for that.”

“Indeed. I can have some prepared that way. Perhaps you can take them back to share with my brother.”

“I’m the one who needs a ride,” Rylana told Sylin, “but he’s trying to get rid of me.”

“Oh, forgive me for my obsession,” Zilek said. “I admit I’ve been feeling terribly randy lately. It’s the mating urgency, as we call it. Winter and summer are traditionally times when dragons experience increased copulation desires, thus to produce hatchlings a few months later. Spring is an ideal time for females to lay eggs, and, of course, autumn is something of a second-chance egg-laying time. They say that dragons hatched in the fall know winter is coming and have to develop more quickly into superb aerial combatants and hunters.”

“I trust you were hatched in the fall,” Sylin said.

“I was, yes. How perspicacious of you to deduce that. Come, my carriage is this way. Of course, I would be better served to go mate with my own kind during this time, but you’ve seen how overbearing female dragons can be. The ones chasing after Jildarin have been particularly irritating of late. Besides, I’m not interested in pursuing a female who’s busy trying to claw and bite my brother.”

Since he was leading them to his carriage, Rylana followed along and politely did not comment on Zilek’s mating woes. More than once, Sylin glanced back with that same I’m-tempted-to-flee-into-the-crowd expression.

“I can go by myself,” Rylana told her quietly. “If you don’t want to endure the enclave.”

Or Zilek’s company on the way there.

“If I let you go off alone with him, he might turn his mating urgency on you,” Sylin said.