Page 58 of Ale Storm

“Funny that you should mention her.” Sylin raised her eyebrows. “My hypothesis revolves around her plants. Are you ready to go to the market?”

“Do you think I should leave Jildarin alone with only Rolf to keep an eye on all these children?”

“Your dragon can roar and breathe fire if they irk him.”

“Incinerating the offspring of your employees is frowned upon.”

“I didn’t suggest he breathe fire at them. Just near them. Having a few strands of hair torched tends to instill good behavior.”

“Something the wolves taught you?”

“Don’t be silly. Wolves can’t breathe fire. They can only bite you.”

One of the girls riding in the dish collector tumbled out when it clipped a table leg. Rylana took a step toward her, but the child recovered quickly, finding her feet. With wide green eyes that nearly matched her skin, she looked at Rylana and put a finger in her mouth. After glancing around—to see if her other siblings would support her?—she walked warily closer.

If the child had been human, Rylana would have guessed her about six years old.

“Is it true you’re mated to a dragon?” the girl asked in a squeaky voice.

“Uhm. Did your father say that?” Rylana glanced through the window and spotted Rolf tugging the swinging goblin down from the vine.

“He said it to my mama.”

“Right now, Jildarin and I are business partners.”

“He said that too. And that you like the dragon because he has a giant zerg stick.”

“That’s not the reason.”

“Still think they’re cute?” Sylin murmured, pointing toward the front door to suggest they leave.

As Rylana had observed before, her elven comrade didn’t have many maternal tendencies.

“You’re the beautiful elf that will be Papa’s third wife, right?” the girl asked Sylin.

Rylana snorted.

“No, I am not,” Sylin said firmly.

“But your ears are pointed. You must be an elf.”

Sylin sighed. “I’m an elf, yes, but I’m not getting married to Rolf.”

“Certainly not to be his third spouse,” Rylana said with a smirk. “You’d want to get at least a second-wife ranking.”

Sylin glared at her.

“Sylin isn’t available to marry Rolf because she’s dating a dragon,” Rylana informed the girl.

“Oh,” she said solemnly, lowering her finger. “Because all dragons have giant zerg sticks.”

“I believe the size of Zilek’s appendage is yet to be determined,” Rylana said. “And I’m not sure this is an appropriate subject matter for children. It’s a little adult. You’d better rejoin your siblings.”

“Something tells me goblins are pretty open about discussing sex around their children,” Sylin said. “How secret can it be, after all, when they’re always having it?”

Once Rolf returned with his wayward vine climbers, Rylana, deeming the children had a modicum of adult supervision, let Sylin lead her out the door. Rolf’s commands for everyone to start cleaning trailed out after them.

“Are you going to tell me your thought?” Rylana asked as they headed toward the market.