Total pages in book: 161
Estimated words: 153795 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 769(@200wpm)___ 615(@250wpm)___ 513(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 153795 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 769(@200wpm)___ 615(@250wpm)___ 513(@300wpm)
“She chooses to stay with me,” Algar returns defensively.
“It appears so.” She pauses, smiling down at Zephra again. “You know, it is considered an honor for a maobi to ride the shoulder of a human. They haven’t been seen doing that for many generations. In order for them to do that, they must see you as their equal. They are emotionally intelligent creatures. Some believe maobis understand our feelings more than we can understand them ourselves. The fact that she’s attached to you is interesting. I’m sure you know how feisty and fastidious they can be.”
Algar lowers his defenses, shoulders sagging a bit. “She’s my best friend, and we get each other.” He offers a half smile. It’s so sweet, seeing the adoration in his eyes. “I love her.”
Zephra squeaks and looks back at Algar. Then she wriggles out of the queen’s hands and scampers across the table to return to her person.
“And she loves you, too,” the queen replies.
Algar laughs softly as Zephra mounts his shoulder and nuzzles her head in the crook of his neck.
“You have questions.” The queen’s eyes are pinned on me again. So much for that smile.
“A few,” I say.
“Ask away.”
“Well, I think it’s best to start with your name…right?”
Her chin inclines. “Xiaodera, Tribe Queen of Immalon.”
“Nice to meet you, Queen Xiaodera.”
“This is my husband, Jehon, Tribe King of Immalon.” She gestures to her partner.
I smile at King Jehon, who gives me a curt nod.
“You nearly died on that bridge,” she says.
“Yeah.” I release a shaky breath, wanting to forget all about dangling from a fraying rope and then a slippery vine. “We almost did. How did you see us?”
“I have eyes at the borders. I was informed of a disturbance.”
“Well, it’s a good thing you showed up when you did.”
Someone from the kitchen enters the dining hall carrying a tray with a teapot on top. He places it on the center of the table, along with four wooden cups shaped like miniature bowls. With a bow to the queen and king, the man strides away.
Queen Xiaodera picks up the glazed clay teapot and pours steaming hot liquid into each cup. King Jehon then places a cup in front of each of us. I pick up the tea with a grateful nod before taking a sip.
When the steam fogs my spectacles, I can’t help but laugh. It’s been a while since they’ve done that. It reminds me of better days.
Safer days.
They used to fog up all the time when Analla and I would have a cup of tea on our balcony that overlooked the canal. The air would be crisp and cool enough for a thick sweater.
“My people say they saw that sorcerer friend of yours fighting off attackers that looked like assassins,” Queen Xiaodera says after a short sip of tea. “Do you know who they were?”
I glance at Algar. He bobs his head, insisting that I tell the truth. “They were coming after him…our friend. I believe they’re with the Grim.”
She narrows her eyes a bit. “So he carries trouble?”
I notice King Jehon’s hand curling into a fist on the table.
“They’ve been tracking him, but we can’t figure out why,” Algar tells her. “We’ve asked, but he won’t tell us what they want.”
That’s not all true, of course. He told me, but there’s no way I’m about to inform the queen about his past or the links to Seferin. He looks trouble enough, and she clearly knows he’s dangerous. She has no proof, but I’m certain she could find some if she really wanted to.
“So, he puts all of your lives in danger because he doesn’t care to share why he’s being hunted by a group of deadly people?” Queen Xiaodera scoffs as she sits back in her chair. “Wisest thing to do would be to leave him in the infirmary and carry on without him, no?”
“We can’t,” I counter quickly. “I paid him to protect me.” I swallow hard, staring down at my teacup. “If it helps figure out who they are, one of them had a blade with the letters TSG on it.”
Algar’s chair creaks as he turns to me. “TSG?” He’s frowning. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. Why?”
“Because if that’s what you saw, it means that crew is from The Shadow Guild.”
Confused, I ask, “The what?”
Algar releases an exhausted sigh. “People have made claims about there being an underground society recruiting the strongest sorcerers in all the kingdoms and teaching them black magic. From what I hear, most of the people who join are from the Grim. Either way, they are not good people.”
“Yeah, I gathered that when Maliek almost turned your organs to mush.”
“I’ve heard of this society,” Queen Xiaodera says. “Many believe they’re trying to become the next Nightcarvers, though there has never been any proof. Regardless, it is odd if this secret group is revealing themselves so openly just to get your friend. That leads me to believe your sorcerer friend is somehow associated with them and he’s done something to wrong them.”