Free The Light of Burning Shadows by Chris Evans Page B

folk, so maybe it doesn’t taste quite the way it should…”
    “Why is it green?” Chayii asked, her words coming out slightly slurred.
    “Ah, well, as you might have guessed, we don’t have any rat dragons on board. Honestly, what kind of vessel goes to sea without a good supply of rat dragon in its stores? I checked with the cook, that one-armed fellow with the glass eye and peg leg, but while he’s got barrels of salted pork, salted beef, salted goat, and I swear salted salt, not one of rat dragon. He did, however, point out that the ship had a large supply of regular rats.”
    Visyna knew the color in her face was now gone. “You mean…”
    Yimt crossed his heart. “Regular rats in a stew? Me mum’d have me strung up by my ears. Not on your life. Nope, I hung a line off the back of the front there and caught me a few fish. At least they looked like fish, sort of. They were a bright blue when I hauled ’em on board, but looks like they go green when you put the heat to them. Oh, and I did add a little drake sweat to sort of bring out the flavors,” he said, indicating a small canteen filled with the stone-eating home brew.
    While he was talking, Yimt kept casting glances at Rallie, who had yet to speak. Visyna had been watching her too, worried she might topple over.
    “That,” Rallie began, then had to stop as she blinked and dabbed at the corners of her eyes. “That, Sergeant Arkhorn, is without a doubt the most divine stew it has ever been my good fortune to taste. You, my dear sir, are a chef of sublime talent.”
    Visyna looked at Chayii and saw her mouth was as agape as hers.
    “You like it?” Chayii asked.
    “Like it? I want to tear off my clothes and go swimming in it!” Rallie said, taking a proffered bowl from Yimt and holding it steady while he ladled out a steaming helping. If there was any doubt, she began to spoon the stew into her mouth while making soft moaning sounds. Through mouthfuls Visyna heard words like “brilliant,” “exquisite,” and several more she wasn’t sure were ever appropriate for describing food.
    Yimt beamed like a father seeing his newborn child for the first time. “You are too sweet by half, Ms. Synjyn. You honor this old warhorse. I can’t tell you how it warms my heart to hear you say that.”
    Rallie smiled back at him and raised her spoon in salute. “My compliments to the chef. You are as enticing as your wares.”
    A word jumped into Visyna’s mind, and no matter how hard she tried, she could not shake it loose. By all that was holy, Rallie and Yimt were flirting.
    She was saved from further contemplation of the subject by the telltale thump of Private Renwar’s wooden leg on the ship’s deck. Alwyn limped up and stopped short when he saw the pot. His hand went to his mouth, but he quickly recovered.
    “Good evening, ladies,” he said, barely looking at them as he kept a wary eye on the bubbling pot. “Major Swift Dragon sends his compliments and asks that Miss Red Owl, Miss Tekoy, and Miss Synjyn join him on the quarterdeck.”
    “You two run along,” Rallie said, waving them away as she held out her now-empty bowl for a refill. “Tell the major I’m still formulating my thoughts on the events of earlier. When I’ve had time to marshal them, I shall seek him out.”
    Visyna looked at Chayii, who nodded. “Thank you, Yimt of the Warm Breeze. In the brief time we have traveled the same path, you have never once ceased to amaze.”
    Yimt grinned a metallic smile, his pewter-colored teeth shining in the firelight. “One more compliment like that and I’ll blush,” he said, casually turning his gaze to Visyna.
    “I can think of no higher one than to say it’s a shame we’ve been called away and won’t be able to stay and eat with you,” she said. She stood a little straighter and smiled, pleased with another quick reaction. It was an effort to keep her smile there a moment later.
    “Well, that settles it. I am officially tickled,”