The Demon Tide by Laurie Forest

Author:Laurie Forest
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Published: 2022-01-05T18:45:52+00:00

CHAPTER THREE

NY’LAEA SHIZORIN

Elloren Grey

Voloi, Noilaan

Eastern Realm

One day prior to Xishlon

“Welcome to Voloi,” Mora’lee enthuses as she slides a steaming bowl of soup in front of me.

“Thank you for offering me work,” I say, uneasily glancing at the wanted postings nailed to the hostile plum tree behind her, my own face scowling at me from over her shoulder.

She cheerfully waves away my thanks as she sets out a tea set marked with lavender moons, then pours us violet tea, a rose-scented steam curling from it. “I’m pleased to have the extra help,” she confides, smiling warmly. “Especially with tomorrow’s festival.”

“Mora still needs to find someone to kiss,” Bleddyn says with a suggestive waggle of her eyebrows as she digs into the soup. “I know of a young Smaragdalfar soldier stationed dockside who might volunteer. How many cups of tea are you two up to?”

Mora laughs, flushing, this talk of kissing dour Professor Hawkkyn, of all people, mixed with tea clearly some inside joke between them. I resist the urge to raise my brow at it.

“When’s he coming by?” Bleddyn asks, and I still, realizing she’s subtly scouting out the situation for me.

“Oh, not till tomorrow eve,” Mora’lee responds as her mouth ticks up in a private smile, seeming a bit flustered. Visibly collecting herself, she beams at me. “You good with pastry, Ny’laea?”

I nod, feeling like the whole situation is surreal. “I’m well trained in kitchen work.”

And slaying demonic scorpios, wraith bats, and kraken.

Guilt descends over the world-shattering secret that we’re keeping from this kind and welcoming woman. It’s only for a day, I justify uncomfortably.

“We’ll have lots of help with the Xishlon prep,” Mora says brightly, glancing toward the rune ship’s partially open kitchen door. “Could you join us, Olilly?”

Tension shoots down my spine at the same moment a band of six Vu Trin emerge from the street traffic and sweep into the restaurant’s outdoor seating area. And not just the usual Vu Trin.

Gray-garbed Kin Hoang. The Vu Trin’s deadliest forces.

My heart leaps into my throat as I reach for the Ash’rion blade, forcing measured breaths as lavender Olilly slips out of the kitchen. I angle my gaze down and let my gray hair create a curtain around my face, keenly aware of the Black Witch figurines on the table.

Olilly pauses to brush flour from her hands as the Kin Hoang advance, a hunter’s glint in the lead assassin’s golden eyes, her garnet hair cut into axe-sharp angles.

I spare an anxious glance toward Olilly.

One word from her...one, single word, and your fate is sealed.

It’s obvious that Olilly doesn’t recognize me when she glances my way, then worriedly toward the soldiers as Bleddyn shoots me a dire look.

“We seek Mora’lee Starr’lyrion,” the lead assassin states with no preamble.

Mora straightens, teapot in hand. “I am Mora’lee.”

The assassin’s knife-sharp gaze fixes on her. “We’ve received word that you’re sheltering a Gardnerian.”

My hand tenses around my blade’s hilt as I get ready to break into a run.

Mora’lee frowns. “She’s part Mage,” she says with a defiant lift of her chin as confusion grips hold of me.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.