Page 26 of Shifter King
"My lady," he said, bowing forward, his hands spread. "If we had known you were one of Potentate Tilfan's…." He paused as if searching for the word, fear radiating from him like an exploding sun. "One of Potentate Tilfan's associates, we would have seen to it that you received a far warmer—"
"I require nothing from you except your absence and silence. This is not to be spoken of to anyone or else the potentate will be most displeased. Do you understand?"
"Your eyes…" He fell back another step, his face paling.
She closed her eyes and swept her hand over her face. "Are you certain you wish to comment on that?" Damn her tells. At least he didn't know what they meant.
"No. No, my lady. If you require anything, then—"
She gave him a dismissive wave and then strode forward. Naatos moved with her, AaQar a half pace behind. "If I have need of you, I will find you, Septrim. For now."
"How—how do you know my name?"
She feigned further annoyance. "I know everything, Septrim. Now go. Speak of this to no one." Hopefully no one had seen this either. It might not be as simple as all that.
"This imperiousness seems to suit you," WroOth said after the man scrambled around the corner. He spoke low enough that no one was likely to hear except those in their group.
"So Vawtrians are always assumed to be slaves?" QueQoa glared at the surrounding walls.
"Be still." Naatos lifted a hand. The rage that bristled off him sliced deeper into her barriers, leaving no doubt. His voice might be calm, but he was swiftly reaching a boiling point.
They continued. The buildings here were mostly metal, many towering dozens of stories in the air. They moved along the narrow alleys. While the outer walls were shored up and secured so that nothing could get through, some of these buildings were far more ragged. Holes in the foundation and cracks in the walls suggested that these were less prized. Sometimes scuffling could be heard within the buildings, though it sounded as if the occupants scrambled away from the shrouded or boarded windows. Occasionally in the higher levels, Amelia caught glimpses of dark forms. The higher they were, the longer they lingered as if the height bought them some form of safety.
All the while the oppressiveness intensified, slamming against the boundaries and barriers of her mind. The air was startlingly clean. Maybe it was the lack of smell that made it seem that way. No trash or refuse littered the streets either.
Naatos and AaQar seemed to retain some knowledge of where they were going. Or at least the general direction. The grim determination encased her like an ever-moving wall of liquid heat. So much had changed and yet traces remained the same.
They continued on, the city feeling more and more like a ghost city. The residents did not seem to like to be in this area. Despite the general cleanliness, the facades of the building were more worn, and the disrepair was greater. It carried a greater sense of despair.
Something stirred within her mind."By all that ever lived, what is that buzzing horror?"the Ki Valo Nakar's voice practically exploded into her mind.
She winced but didn't break her stride. "It's something in Darmoste."
"What are you doing up? You're still pathetically weak. You should be resting! Don't ruin this body. We both have to live in it."
"Stop and leave me alone. I need to focus."
"Fine. I'll go back to sleep, but we will have words later."
"Sleep a long time."
"No promises," it muttered back sulkily.
That was all she needed. In many respects, she was lucky it had slept this long. But for now, she needed it to be quiet awhile longer. There wasn't time or energy to focus on both. The thundering in her skull was only getting worse by the minute.
At last they reached a break in the city where it appeared there had once been a massive building. In its place was a simple structure with stairs leading up to the first level and one beyond that. With all of the other buildings towering above, this one seemed squat and pathetic. As if a giant had crushed it like an insect and this was all that remained.
Stairs, ancient and well worn, cut into the metal, leading up to their destination. They had been sealed a long time ago. No one else appeared to be near. Not even a faint scuffling sounded.
Amelia kept her hands tucked against her torso. It was obvious that a great building had once stood here. The Tue-Rah's temple where AaQar had made his home years and years ago. The foundation remained. These stairs remained. Yet they opened into a large courtyard with several loggias along the side, each lined with elegantly sculpted pillars that reached up to a metal ceiling and flat roof.
Each of the pillars lining the walkway and the stairs had several notched lines in them. At the bases and tops, interlocking diamonds and rectangles formed an almost lace-like design, so delicate it did not look as if they could have been made by anything other than a grandmaster.
Their footsteps echoed on the stone, adding to the eeriness. Not a bird or reptile soared overhead. The faint quetzie calls and dragon roars far beyond Darmoste might as well have been in another world. Why was no one near this place? If there was indeed a monument, shouldn't there at least be some?
The dull unease intensified, sharpening in her stomach and cutting through her mind.
They exited the loggia and entered the great open-air atrium. All was silver-grey and pearly, most of the stone and metal similarly iridescent.
