The Legend of Vanx Malic: Book 02 - Dragon Isle Read Online Free

again, and he let her put her coin away. “I could never forget those emeralds the Goddess blessed you with, dear.” She put her hands on her hips. “Never ever.”
    He blushed a bit. Human women usually tumbled out of their clothes for him, but most Zythian girls said he was an eyesore. Besides that, Hannalee was easily two hundred years older than him. He wasn’t sure if she was flirting or not, but the simple fact that he wasn’t being shunned was surprising.
    “I need to find Zeezle Croyle very, very quickly. Can you help?”
    “We have plenty of coin to compensate you for your efforts,” Prince Russet added.
    Vanx made a face that showed his distaste of being interrupted. Humans coveted coins of gold and jewels, but Zythians, for the most part, saw past the greed lust. What they desired were things crafted with skill and spirit. A knitted quilt of greffyn shearings, or a hand-carved jade figurine, would go further than thrice their worth in gold.
    “I’ve the set of scarves my ‘Ama crocheted in a chest at home,” Vanx said, still using the Parydon trade tongue to be polite. “I have no use for them, and they’re of a color that would complement your lovely glow.”
    “My, your ‘Ama taught you well,” Hannalee said with a rosy-cheeked smile as broad and sincere as any ever given. “But, I’ll not need your ‘Ama’s scarves to help you Vanx, nor do I want his coin.” She pointed to Prince Russet. “But it’ll take some coin to get the striders properly motivated. They might even have to go on to Malic or Croyle to track him down.” She put out her open palm to the prince. “Three or four will get them going and the same should be offered to the one who gets him here.” She turned back to Vanx then, leaving her hand exactly where it had been waiting for the coins. “What shall I have them tell young Dragon Bait that’ll get him out of his texts?”
    Vanx tilted his head and grinned at the new nickname, contemplating the answer. “Have them tell him that the beating I gave him and Dorlan at the Fairy Fest was nothing compared to the one he’ll get if he’s not here by morning.”
    “Ooooh!” she giggled. “I heard about that. That’ll get him here by sunset, I’d wager.”
    A few moments after she disappeared into the kitchen, a serving girl, a silvery-haired Zyth with eyes of luminous amber and full breasts that seemed far too big for her skinny body, brought them a platter of freshly baked bread, steaming chunks of white mackerel, mussels, and bright red boiled shell fish. The food was followed by several pitchers of honey fire brandy. The sweet, fiery drink easily lived up to its reputation and Vanx had to force himself not to drink too deeply of the stuff, for while they waited for Zeezle he still wanted to send Nepton a wreath for his ‘Ama and Da. He waited until the Sea Hawk ’s captain arrived, all red-faced and heaving for air, and then excused himself.
    He went to the herbalist’s cottage that his mother always frequented and after several unanswered knocks at the door, he ventured around to the back of the place. He found the herbalist inside the transparent crystal-roofed room where she was growing some more exotic species of plants. She greeted Vanx with dirty hands and an ancient smile behind milky tangerine orbs that seemed to see further into him than was comfortable.
    “You’re a few cycles early, Vanx,” she said curiously. “Or have you come for something to attract a woman?”
    “I’ve had my fill of women for the moment, ‘Am,” he answered while trying to avoid her penetrating gaze. “The endeavor I’m about to undertake holds many a peril. This may be my last chance to make an offering to Nepton for my ‘Ama and Da.”
    “I see it now,” she said softly. “This endeavor, as you call it, is for a woman, yes?”
    “It is.” He turned away and started to reach for an azure cluster of blooms, but when he remembered what happened to Gallarael—how