Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 112416 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 562(@200wpm)___ 450(@250wpm)___ 375(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112416 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 562(@200wpm)___ 450(@250wpm)___ 375(@300wpm)
“Which must make it the perfect spot to hide a government black site,” Haru muttered under his breath.
It was a short walk from the train station to the center of town, where a fountain sent a tower of water into the air before it crashed down in a cascade across an interesting piece of art. The fountain appeared as if it might be some sort of war memorial, but he couldn’t find a plaque explaining what it was commemorating. Probably something New Rosanthe didn’t want the people of Damardor remembering.
Adrian pulled his heavy backpack off his shoulders and dropped it at his feet, leaving it to lean against his legs. He gazed at his surroundings, taking in the simple, quaint buildings, shops, and homes. Everything was peaceful and happy. The blue sky was cloudless, and the sun was warming everything, making it a typical summer day. Adults shopped. Kids laughed. Cars zoomed. The little tram’s shiny gold bell ting-tinged as it left each stop.
That was a problem.
Where were the seediness and filth? Where were the shadows and grimy nooks that hid the criminals and the unwanted dregs who knew all the secrets of a town? They were the people he needed to talk to. They would know where to find The Pit.
“I don’t know where to start,” Adrian grumbled. He shoved both hands through his messy hair, tangling the long strands in his fingers. He desperately needed a haircut and a hot shower. His skin felt gritty and grimy from days of running and traveling. No matter what they found, Adrian never felt like they were getting closer to Shey.
“I’ve got an idea.” Haru held out his hand and smirked. “Give me Shey’s photograph.”
Adrian hitched up an eyebrow in question as he dug out the picture and put it in Haru’s palm. The dragon darted across the street with Adrian trailing behind him, his pack banging on his spine as he rushed to keep up with Haru.
His companion stopped at a coffee shop where four older women sat at a square table. Their cups steamed with an assortment of coffee and tea, while small marble tiles with strange markings covered the table as they played a game Adrian had never seen.
“Excuse me, kind ladies. I am sorry to interrupt your game, but I’m hoping you can help my friend and me.”
Four sets of eyes behind glasses peered up at Haru. All the women had threads of gray running through their dark hair and wrinkles stretching out from the corners of their eyes and framing their thin lips. Adrian could imagine they were all grandmothers who met up once or twice a week to play their tile game and complain about their children and grandchildren.
And right now, with his sorrowful eyes and slumped shoulders, Haru looked like an overgrown lost child in desperate need of saving. As soon as Adrian caught on to his angle, he adjusted his own posture, hanging his head and bowing his shoulders.
“You see, our friend disappeared recently from Bellcairn, and we heard a rumor that he might have been taken to Voxmore. But we’ve never been to Voxmore, and we have no idea where to even begin searching for him.” As Haru spoke, he unfolded the picture of Shey and held it between the two women he was standing closest to. “If you have any suggestions, we’d be so grateful. We’re desperate to find him.”
Adrian carefully watched two of the women exchange glances while the other two inspected the picture Haru was holding out. It suddenly dawned on him why Haru had chosen them—gossip. They were in the heart of the city, and these four women had selected a prime spot to see the comings and goings of Voxmore’s residents. What better way to learn the city’s most interesting and possibly darkest secrets?
One woman, with her hair pulled up in a messy bun and a couple of pencils sticking out of it, tipped her chin up and narrowed her eyes at them. “Where are you from?”
“Kastus in Uris-Oladul, not far from the Nialy Sea,” Adrian answered quickly before Haru could attempt some lie.
The old woman’s eyes narrowed further. “That would explain your accent, but not his.”
“I grew up in Zastrad, near the border,” Haru said. It wouldn’t be a stretch to believe the people of Damardor had met travelers from Uris-Oladul, but it was well-known that people rarely, if ever, left Zastrad. There was no way they’d be able to guess if Haru was telling the truth about his accent. In their travels to Damardor, Adrian had run across a pair of merchants from Uris-Oladul and had practiced their accent.
Suddenly, everyone at the table took a new interest in Haru, who offered a weak, crooked grin. “My friend and I sneaked out of Zastrad, hoping for a fresh start. We thought the universities would be better in Uris-Oladul. I’ve been trying to protect Bree ever since we left home, but I feel like I failed him so terribly by losing him in Bellcairn. That city was more dangerous than we expected.”