Total pages in book: 146
Estimated words: 137226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 686(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 686(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
I look down at Lemi to ground me.
And it’s at that moment that Lemi disappears.
Chapter 7
Brynla
“Lemi!” I cry out, looking wildly around the ship for my dog.
“Ah shit,” Andor says, nodding at the pier. “He’s taking himself on a walk.”
I look to see Lemi walking along the wooden wharf, people parting in fear as he saunters past, sniffing the air.
So much for keeping a giant magic dog unnoticed.
“Lemi, get back here right now!” I cup my hands around my mouth and yell at him.
His ears prick up and in an instant he disappears, reappearing beside Andor on the deck with a sheepish look on his face.
“Well, I was hoping we would arrive in Menheimr without too much fanfare,” Andor comments with a sigh, giving Lemi a quick pat. “I have a feeling Lemi will be the talk of the town for several moons.”
I almost find myself apologizing before I swallow it down and stop myself. Why should I apologize? Andor’s the one who kidnapped the both of us. If I didn’t feel it would risk Lemi’s safety, I’d encourage him to shift all over the city and terrorize the citizens.
But I have to play nice. I’m in strange new territory. As pretty as it is, and as normal as the people seem so far, I can’t let my guard down, not even for a second. Especially not when Lemi has become the center of attention.
“All right, let’s go.” Andor grabs me by the elbow and I immediately try to shrug out of his grasp, but his grip is strong and he tsks me under his breath, like I’m some ornery horse. He takes me down the deck and Kirney hands him a metal box, which Andor tucks under his arm. I assume the box contains the suen he must have pilfered from the dragon eggs. The suen that should be mine.
Then he leads me down the gangplank and off the ship, Lemi thankfully staying close to us, with everyone else keeping a safe distance as we pass. Still, even though the city folk eye me and Lemi with a mix of fear and disdain, they all smile warmly at Andor, many of them greeting him as “Lieutenant Kolbeck” or “Handlangere,” a word I don’t recognize. He nods politely at everyone as he goes, occasionally greeting someone by name.
Turns out my kidnapper is well respected in town. I suppose this shouldn’t be a big surprise since those who come from the syndikat houses have a lot of power.
And yet they don’t seem to fear Andor. They seem to admire him. I see it in the men who tip their hats at him and in the eyes of the women as they pass by in their wide, fancy skirts and lace-trimmed necklines. It’s only then that I realize what I must look like in comparison. I had taken a bath on the ship, but I’m still in my dirty armor and my hair is pulled back in a messy, tangled bun. Compared to these women with their dark hair in ornate updos and perfumed skin and traces of rouge on their lips and cheeks, I must look like a street rat. I’ve gotten used to the Dark City, where everyone is living on crumbs and just scraping by.
I’ve never felt so out of place before. It makes me feel off-balance, as if I’m floating through the world, and not really here.
Andor seems to notice this because he leans in slightly and murmurs, “You’re doing great.”
That makes things worse. It’s like he’s feeling sorry for me.
“Great for what? For someone being forced against her will?” I say to him.
“Yes,” he says, and his grip on my elbow relaxes slightly.
“Do you normally kidnap women?”
“Only if they deserve it.”
Then he grins and takes me down a cobblestone street where a carriage awaits, emblazoned with the words House Kolbeck on the side. It’s made of sleek dark wood, and four large black-and-white horses are at the front, snorting impatiently. The sharply dressed driver sitting on the coach seat above gives us both a nod and then hops down to the ground.
“I can’t remember the last time I’ve been in a carriage,” I say as we approach, though I meant to keep that thought in my head.
“Is that so?” Andor asks. “That’s probably a good thing; this coach has seen better days.”
The driver opens the door for us. “Good to see you back, Lord Kolbeck,” he says, his gray bushy mustache moving as he speaks. “Ah, and you have a guest.”
“Nice to be back on land, Gudwale. This is Ms. Aihr,” he tells the driver. “And her hound, Lemi. Hopefully there isn’t too much mud on the roads.”
“It’s drying in some places,” Gudwale says as we step into the carriage. “Had a storm pass through the day before last, left some lightning hail, which your brother made quick work of.”