Page 30 of Monster Lover

“He’s right,” said Ghul Lykos. “It’s possible the Count and the witches will count this as an insult and come for revenge.”

“Are you saying we shouldn’t have done it? A little late for that now,” snarled Daemona.

“And I would have done it all again,” countered Ghul Lykos, “but the people have a right to be afraid. They live here, we don’t.”

“I live here too,” said Esmerelda.

“Should we have left you with the witches?” asked Harlin.

The girl looked down and shook her head. “I miss my mommy.”

The old man looked away now too, but it was plain he was very afraid.

A new voice broke the still of night. “Well, you best all come in then, before you catch cold or get taken away by the giant mosquitoes.”

They looked and saw a robust woman with long golden braids. She had her hands on her hips, and it seemed that she must have heard the entire conversation. She was a strikingly beautiful flower in a dark and dismal swamp. “I’m Ivy, I heard you wish to stay at my tavern? Come on in and I’ll get you all a drink.”

They followed Ivy up some rickety steps, and then across no fewer than six planks and two rope bridges between the taller buildings. Daemona looked over the edge, and even in the dark could tell that they were more than twenty feet above the water.

“How’d you hear we needed a room, or even your room, if we’re so far away from your place?” asked Harlin.

“I keep a good ear to the waterline and listen for business,” she said, swirling her long gown as she turned to answer him, before sashaying across yet another narrow bridge. Then she caught a door and held it open for them. Bright light splashed across their faces, temporarily blinding them. Music from a quartet of musicians tumbled out like drunken revelers followed by a pungent smell, but it was warm, dry, friendly, and the most comfortable spot they had sat down in since leaving Greymalkin.

Ivy brought them big mugs of ale and sat down to get to know them. “You look like you have a good story to tell,” she said, mostly to Ghul Lykos, but gave them all the same warm smile.

He grinned wide behind his mug, and Daemona nudged him with her boot, whispering, “If you don’t ask her to dance, I will.”

Ghul Lykos gave Daemona a shocked look, the most surprise he had shown her the entire journey, but quickly recovered himself and stood. “May I have a dance with you, madam?”

“It’s Ivy, and I thought you’d never ask.”

Despite Ghul Lykos having asked her to dance, she took his hands and whisked him off to the dance floor, holding him close and spinning him about. It sounded like the musicians played even louder and faster now that their mistress was enjoying herself. The drums and fiddle raced each other, and Daemona was surprised to hear Ghul Lykos laughing. She didn’t think he knew how.

Harlin nursed his drink while playing checkers with Esmerelda.

“Doesn’t she want to go home?” asked Daemona. “Isn’t it right close by?”

Harlin shrugged. “We should be finding Esmerelda’s parents. Let’s go,” he said to Esmerelda.

“I’ll come with you,” said Daemona.

Harlin shook his head. “It’s all right, she knows her way around. You stay and enjoy yourself, the Goddess knows you need it.”

Daemona dropped back down onto her elephant foot stool. “All right then, guess I will.” She was irritated at that. She hadn’t really wanted to go walking on any more of the swaying rope bridges at night, but Harlin’s mood swing and behavior was odd.

Not a moment after he and Esmerelda had gone out the door, Daemona jumped up and followed after them. She’d had enough of listening to Ghul Lykos and Ivy’s laughter and flirtations.

Esmerelda led them across numerous rope bridges and planks set between the buildings on stilts and the trees. They went up and down in the dark until the girl stopped cold.

“My house is gone,” she said with a whimper.

“Are you sure? It’s awful dark out here,” offered Harlin.

“It was right here.”

A remnant of a rope bridge hung down from the deck they now stood on and into open space; there was only a single stilt standing in the water, albeit a little crooked.

“Esmerelda?” asked a new voice.

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