Page 14 of Blood Red Woes

Chapter Five

It looked like it was close, but it’s not. It takes me hours to reach it, and all the while its high stone walls grow taller and wider, signifying just how huge this city is. It really does put that village to shame. The two aren’t comparable at all.

The city of Laconia reminds me of a castle, except bigger. Not that I’ve ever seen a castle in person, but I’ve seen bits and pieces ofGame of Thronesonline, so I know the gist. It sits in the highest place around, good vantage points, practically a mountain in itself.

I eventually find a cobblestone road, and I decide to follow it as it zigzags up the small mountainside to the city.

It looks as though the city used to be surrounded by either houses or farming fields making use of the small leveled portions of land around it, but as I walk along, the houses are as empty as the first village I came across. No one’s here.

I try not to let myself think about how terrible it would be if Laconia is also empty. Please don’t let me be trapped here, in this strange world, with nothing and no one but Rune as my only company. That’d be torture.

“Okay, seeing as how we’re getting close,” I say as I glance at the black mark on my wrist and hand, “let’s go over some rules.”

“Rules?” Rune mumbles, sounding entirely uninterested in whatever it is I’m about to say. Like he seriously couldn’t care less—but if he knows what’s good for him he’ll shut up and listen.

“Yes, rules. You’re a talking tattoo. You glow when you’re talking to me. I don’t know if other people can hear you—”

“Just you.”

“—but I don’t want to put it to the test. When I’m around other people, I don’t want you talking to me or glowing.” The lastthing I need is for these people to think I’m talking to myself. “No magic while we’re in there, either.”

Rune mutters, “Reasonable, I suppose. Anything else?”

“Not right now.” Honestly, I just want food. Food and somewhere to wash my clothes. I doubt washing machines are a thing here, so I don’t know what that means for my clothes. A hot shower would also be nice, but I know I’m just dreaming for that.

The constant switchback of the trail makes it a longer journey than it should’ve been, but unless I want to scale some cliffsides, I’m forced to stick to the trail. The moment I make it to the final stretch of the trail that leads to the giant doors of the city, I swear I spot two people standing above the castle-like doors, on the stone wall that surrounds the city.

Fifty feet away, I can see they’re wearing armor of some kind, but they’re definitely people, and I can’t help but grin. Thank God. Thank God I’m not alone in this weird place.

Never thought I’d be happy to see strangers.

“All right,” I hiss to Rune. “Remember what I said. Let me do the talking.”

I make it just outside the shadow of the wall. The large doors are closed, two stories tall. The men above keep looking at each other, and then at me, like they can’t believe their eyes. I lift a hand and wave to them.

“Uh, hi,” I say loudly. “My name is Rey, and I need some help. I don’t know where I am or how I got here—it’d be easier to explain if you let me in, so I’m not shouting all of this to you.” Neither of the men above me move. “Can you hear me? Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Shit. What if they don’t speak English? Maybe Rune only knows English because he’s attached to me and we kind of share everything now? That’d be a dilemma I’m not prepared for. Iwouldn’t even know how to continue. I’m no good at learning second languages. I barely scraped by in Spanish in high school.

I open my mouth to say more, but right then I hear chains clinking. In a few seconds, the giant doors before me are opening, and a group of twelve men and women come marching out, swords and spears in hand. They each wear a similar uniform, silver metal with a lion banner on their chests. They circle me and…

Point their weapons at me.

Great. We’re off to a good start.

I hold up my hands in what I hope they understand a surrendering gesture. My eyes survey the guards. Can’t tell who’s in charge, so I don’t direct this toward anybody in particular: “I’m not a threat. I just need help. I don’t know where I am or how I got here. I’m not from here—”

“Not from here,” one of the men repeats. Thank God for English. He leans into the woman beside him and whispers something I can’t hear. The woman says something back. Within a moment, the man nods and sheaths his sword.

It’s too soon for relief to flood me, however, because that man reaches to his side and pulls a pair of cuffs out. Handcuffs, the medieval version. Big and thick, made of semi-rusted iron.

“Uh, you don’t need to do that,” I say, an uneasy smile on my face. “I’m not a danger or anything. I won’t cause trouble. I just—” One of the guards behind my back grabs me roughly, and before I can say anything else the man before me clamps the cuffs around my wrists.

The cuffs are attached to a longer chain, which the man then starts to pull, like I’m a dog on a leash or something. I have no choice but to follow him, and the guards that surround me tail after me.

I’m led through the doors, and a pair of guards work to close the doors once we’re safely inside. Other than the doors, thewhole of Laconia must’ve been built from stone, because as I’m pulled along, I see nothing but stone buildings and stone roads. Every time I get too caught up in studying my surroundings, I trip on an uneven stone, but I can’t help it.

It almost reminds me of places I’d love to visit back at home. Italy, Greece, the kind of city that’s ancient, every building, every brick, original but still in perfect condition.

---