Chapter 2
1598 Words
2
Tillit led us into the narrow alley and out through the other side. We were on a smaller side street to the busy thoroughfare that led to the main square. Smaller, grimier shops without open fronts lined both sides of the streets. An occasional blacksmith shop with their dirty work bellowed on the street corners. The clientele of the street walked quickly and with their narrowed eyes ever on everyone else.
Tillit guided us to a small establishment that was two floors. The lower floor was a tavern without windows. Candles on the walls lit the few round tables in the place, but the corners were shrouded in darkness. A short bar ran the length of the back wall. The bartender didn't even look up from cleaning a glass when we entered. We plopped ourselves down at the table farthest from the door. The tavern was empty besides us and the unaware bartender.
Tillit set his arms on the table and leaned forward. His voice was low and his eyes flickered over all of our expectant faces. "Bear Bay lies in the far northeast of the continent. It's a nice trading city, but-" he wrapped his arms around himself and shuddered, "-they can keep that cold weather."
"What of the portal?" Xander insisted.
Tillit's face fell. "I didn't actually see it myself. A woman-" his eyes flickered to me, "-a human woman found it."
I raised an eyebrow. "A Maiden?"
Tillit shook his head. "Nope. She was just a normal human who stumbled into our world through a portal."
"Did she know how the portal came to be created?" Xander asked him.
He leaned back and clasped his hands together over his ample stomach. "Nope. All she knew was she was in the human world one moment and then ours the next. She told me where the portal dropped her into our world, but when I went looking for it I couldn't find a trace of it. It was like it was never there."
Xander pursed his lips. "Were any Bestia Draconis or portal priests spotted in the area?"
Tillit arched an eyebrow. "No, but you think there should've been, don't you?"
My dragon lord nodded. "Yes. Only a Bestia Draconis or a reckless priest would risk both our worlds to open a portal."
I frowned at him. "My dad-" Xander shot me a warning glare, but it was too late.
Both of Tillit's eyebrows raised as his eyes fell on me. "What's this about your dad?"
I shrank beneath Xander's hard glare. "Maybe. . ." I squeaked out.
Tillit leaned toward me and studied me with his sharp eyes. "How'd you happen to find out about your dad? I heard you were orphaned pretty young."
Darda leaned forward to block Tillit's view of me. She glared at the sus. "You pry too much into the affairs of others, young man."
Tillit grinned. "That's my job, ma'am, and I do it well."
The feet of Xander's chair clattered across the floor as he stood. "If that is all the information you can give us about the incident, we really must be going."
Tillit stood and smiled at Xander. "I'm in a bit of a hurry myself to get to the Temple, so how about I tag along with you, My Lord?"
Xander's narrowed eyes flickered to me and his tone was tense. "You may so long as you ask no questions."
The sus placed his hand over his heart. "I promise on the grave of Humble Hubert I will not ask any questions."
I frowned, but Xander nodded. "I will accept your promise. Now we should go."
Xander led the other two out of the tavern. I stayed behind with Tillit and glanced at him. A sly smile graced his lips. "Herbert really isn't dead, is she?"
He leaned toward me and lowered his voice to a whisper. "Let's just say that Herbert's decided to go on a long vacation away from the attention her name evokes."
I jerked my head at Xander's back. "Does he know that?"
Tillit straightened and shrugged. "I don't know, but he took it and I won't betray his trust. I'm honest, and honesty is Tillit."
I raised an eyebrow. "So you're not going to ask me any questions?"
He shook his head. "Nope. However-" his eyes flickered to me. He leaned in close and winked. "-that doesn't mean you can't tell old Tillit what you know."
"Tillit."
The color drained from Tillit's face. He straightened and cleared his throat as he looked ahead of us. Xander had stopped and stared at us over his shoulder. "Yes, My Lord?"
"I would appreciate if you didn't encourage my Maiden to betray herself to the authorities, should they overhear you," Xander told him.
Tillit bowed his head. "As you wish, My Lord."
Xander continued onward. I followed, but my curiosity was aroused. I glanced at Tillit. "What's he mean by that?"
The humor in Tillit's face had vanished. He pursed his lips and shook his head, though his eyes never wavered from the back of Xander's head. "I can only guess, My Lady, but when Tillit finds out you'll be the first to know."
I frowned, but didn't purse the matter further. That's because the houses thinned and the street opened. The shadows of the narrow roads vanished and were replaced by the scorching orange light of the sun. A pair of men leaned against the base of a cluster of tall palm trees, and behind them in the leafy shade were a half dozen large animals.
They were a cross between a camel and a jackal, a combination I never would have thought possible if I hadn't seen them with my own two eyes. The beasts were smaller than a camel but larger than a jackal. The creatures had the same tan and brown short fur of the jackal, but a single short hump rose from its body. A short, bushy tail whacked at the flies that agitated its rear. The long-snouted heads were attached via a long neck. One of the things yawned and I saw two rows of sharp teeth. They pulled at their ropes and dug into the sand with hard hoofs in the shape of paws.
Xander approached the men. They stood and bowed to him with wide smiles on their faces.
One of them stepped forward. "Good morning to you, Your Lordship. We hope your journey was well."
Xander nodded before he looked past him at the beasts. "Very well, thank you, my dear friends Tajir and Tabie." The men's smiles widened at the familiarity. "I assume you received my message?"
Tajir bobbed his head. "I did, Your Lordship. The animals have been packed as you requested." He stepped aside and gestured to four of the beasts. They had leather bags slung over their rears just behind the hump. Two skeins of water connected by rope hung around the animals' necks. "You shall not have any problems crossing the desert, but-" his eyes flickered to Xander and he held out his hand to the dragon lord, "-there is the matter of payment."
Xander drew out a small purse and plopped the bag into the man's palm. The bag jingled with the sound of many coins.
Tabie hurried over as his leader opened the purse. They were all smiles as they admired the p*****t. Tajir tucked the purse into his pocket and bowed. "It is always a pleasure doing business with you, Your Lordship."
"And with Tillit," Tillit spoke up. He wound through our group and bowed to the beast merchants. "I hope you haven't forgotten about my request."
The merchant gestured to a fifth animal. It, too, was outfitted for the long desert ride. "Your beast is ready as well. On p*****t, of course."
"Of course," Tillit agreed as he drew out a few coins and gave the man the money. The sus turned to us and smiled. "It seems we're destined to be together, my friends."
I looked back to the animals. "Together with what exactly?"
"They are alkalb muhadab, the beasts of the deserts," Tajir told me.
"And that means?" I wondered.
He smiled. "That is 'humped dog' in your tongue, My Lady, but you may call them hadab if that so pleases you."
Xander glanced around the area. Other than our group and the two traders, there was no one else around. "It appears there are fewer hadab merchants than I have seen in the past."
Tajir's smile wavered. A shadow crossed over his bow. "You are correct, Your Lordship. Many of the hadab have already been taken for the Jame, but many of my brothers will not sell our beasts to lone travelers who are unfamiliar to us because of the rumors."
Xander arched an eyebrow. "What rumors?"
The merchant pursed his lips. "There are rumors of raids upon the caravans where the bandits appear from beneath the sands. For that reason we will not trade our beasts to strangers for any amount of gold."
"Can no one describe what happened?" Xander asked them.
Tajir shook his head. "No, Your Lordship. There have been no survivors."
Tabie leaned toward his comrade and whispered into his ear. "The lights."
Tajir glared at him. "Do not be so foolish as to believe those stories, Tabie."
"What lights?" Xander wondered.
Tajir sighed and shook his head. "My companion has heard stories of small suns that roam the high mountain of Hadia after dark. For that reason, many in the city will not go up there after the sun has set."
Xander bowed his head. "I see. Thank you for the information." He turned to me. "Are you prepared?"
I glanced at the creatures. They moved with the grace of an arthritic calf. I winced and rubbed my derriere as I looked to Xander. "So more riding?"
He nodded. "More riding."
My shoulders slumped and my face fell. "Oh goody. . ."
- Writer
