8
“Zeletas lies across a deep gorge and boasts a single bridge as an access point,” intones Severin as he dips and dodges along the rocky hillside.
“It faces the Farrow Foothills with its back to the Red Mountains, specifically the sheer Ashblade Cliffs.
The winds that rush through the gorge and scour the cliffs make it difficult for magic carpets to reach the city.
Even wyverns struggle to navigate the brutal gusts and deadly currents of air that threaten to twist their wings and dash their bodies against the stone.
“Every year, contests are held in which the kingdom’s most skilled climbers attempt to scale the rock face, starting from the river at the bottom of the gorge to the top of Zeletas’s walls, which rise smoothly out of the stone as if the city grew naturally from the mountainside.
Every year, men and women die trying to conquer the cliffs. ”
The carpet continues to narrate the history of the city as we meander erratically into the highest of the foothills, approaching the mouth of the bridge to Zeletas.
Both the prince and I are dreadfully motion-sick.
When the carpet declares he can’t fly any closer without being spotted and lands in a glade just off the main road, we crawl off him into the grass and lie blessedly still for several minutes, letting our brains and stomachs settle.
“As we approach, you’ll notice several gondola lines,” continues the carpet.
“On fine days, when the wind is moderate, the gondolas are operational, carrying tourists and merchandise to and from the city. Despite its limited accessibility, Zeletas is a hub of commerce and remains very popular with tourists, especially the fashion-conscious set. Another of its main exports is high-quality glyph paint, produced at the headquarters of the Rauveron Guild, the largest association of nail set suppliers in this kingdom and the surrounding nations.”
“There’s bound to be unrest because of the coup.” I roll onto my back and stare up at the pale blue of the late afternoon sky. “And those purple soldiers might look for you here, Vawn, since we were spotted near the Farrow Foothills. We’ll have to be careful. In fact, we should assume disguises.”
The prince groans, sitting up in the grass. “I don’t want to wear another cheap, disgusting mask.”
“Have you been here before?”
“It’s the fashion capital of the kingdom. Of course I have.”
“All the more reason to assume a disguise. And even if you hadn’t visited, your image is well-known.
You’re the prince everyone likes to gossip about, so you’re recognizable.
” I untie the long black sash I took off the female soldier in the forest. “I’ll wrap your head and face in the Xarsian style. ”
“Excellent idea,” says the carpet. “With their fair complexions and underground lifestyle, the people of Xarsi can barely handle a hint of sun or wind on their skin. The citizens of Zeletas will think you’re a tourist from that country.”
“I don’t like it,” Vawn mutters.
“You don’t have to like it,” I reply. “You just have to do it without whining.”
“You do whine far too much,” comments Severin.
Vawn’s eyebrows rise. “I’ve been on your side this whole time, and now you’re agreeing with her?”
“I am on no one’s side, and I never asked you to be on mine,” Severin says coolly. “I am always aligned with facts, logic, and reason.”
“Those are all the same thing,” Vawn retorts.
“Indeed they are not. Facts are objective truths which can be verified through evidence or observation. Reason is a type of thought process, and logic defines the norms or rules of reasoning.”
The prince looks at me miserably. “Go ahead and wrap me up. Maybe the layers of cloth will impair my hearing. One can only hope.”
“Maybe they’ll muffle your mouth.” I kneel beside him and commence swathing his neck and jaw with the loops of black cloth.
To wrap his head properly, I have to touch his lovely, silky hair.
I enjoy touching it, which infuriates me so much that I tug more sharply than I have to as I’m securing each layer of the wrap.
Vawn keeps warm silver eyes on me, his black lashes slow-blinking every few seconds. My heart starts to race and my cheeks grow hot.
“Stop staring,” I snap. “It’s creepy.”
When he smirks, I cover his full lips with a fold of the cloth.
Severin hovers nearby, observing us. “You two are behaving oddly. Did you copulate at the inn?”
Vawn coughs under the cloth, and I press my fingers hard against his skull as I tighten the final layers of the head covering. “Of course not. What on earth would give you that idea?”
“I’ve observed that human pairs often demonstrate a shift in their behavior once their pre-copulation rituals successfully culminate in mating,” says the carpet.
“There’s no ritual, no mating, and no culmination,” I grit out, securing the ends of the wrap. “It’s rude to ask about such things.”
“Is it? I thought you two were open to conversation about the topic. You did perform at the Pink Lycan in Kyr, did you not?”
I release a long sigh. “Yes, and we’ll have to perform again here if we’re going to afford glyph paint.”
“If you need glyph paint, you’ve come to the right place at the right time,” Severin says.
“During my imprisonment at the Lyre & Vice, I overheard many conversations, one of which occurred the day before you freed me. A group of women were discussing their upcoming journey to Zeletas for a Rauveron Guild paint drop. It should take place tomorrow, midafternoon.”
“I’ve heard of those,” Vawn says, his voice fuzzy through the cloth.
“I’ve never been to one, of course. As the prince, I’m sent a complimentary box of the Guild’s best paints and varnishes whenever they produce a new batch.
But the Guild believes in making high-quality paint accessible to everyone, so before they release a new paint formula, they arrange random secret drops so the common folk can get samples for free. ”
I try to keep my cynicism inside, but I can’t. At my scoffing snort, Vawn narrows his eyes. “What was that for?”
“You say the Guild cares about common folk and that they want their paint to be accessible. So why are rich patrons at the Lyre & Vice discussing a ‘secret’ drop well ahead of time and planning a trip to take advantage of it?”
Vawn’s brows contract.
“Here’s what happens with these generous surprise drops,” I continue.
“Word gets leaked in advance, and the folks who can actually afford to travel to Zeletas make their way here to party and invest in new fashion before the release. The young, healthy nobles and rich merchants line up and wait for hours to get the samples, while the common folks can’t do that because of work, age, or health issues.
All the free vials go to the privileged citizens of Belavrin, who then resell them for five times their value to other rich people who want to have the new batch before everyone else does, but who don’t want to wait in the line. ”
Because of the wrap, I can only see Vawn’s eyes, but he looks troubled. “That doesn’t seem fair.”
“It’s not.”
“So we shouldn’t wait in line for the samples?”
“I didn’t say that. It could be our best chance for high-quality glyph paint, so we might as well try it.
We’ll pawn some of your jewelry first, a few pieces that aren’t so recognizable.
In a city like this, they’ll be easier to move.
With that money, we’ll buy supplies and clothes for our trip north, and then I’ll get you a room where you can hide out while I secure the paint. ”
“What if they find me?” he asks. “Shouldn’t we stay together?”
I chew my lip. “We’d have to wait in the line for hours. I hate the idea of you being out in the open for that long.”
“I’d feel safer with you,” Vawn says. “Especially after watching you take down those soldiers in the forest. That was the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.”
Color creeps into my cheeks. The compliment means more than any of the naughty comments he has made.
“We can work out the details later,” I tell him. “First order of business is to reach the city, find a pawnbroker, then get some supplies before all the shops close.”
“Be sure to find something fashionable,” advises the carpet. “You want to blend in with the people waiting in line, rather than standing out. If you need any advice on the merits of certain popular textiles or the various cuts and styles that are in vogue lately, I am happy to share what I know.”
“I think the prince’s expertise in that area will be adequate,” I say.
“More than adequate,” he confirms. “I’m on the bleeding edge of fashion in this kingdom.”
“But your advice is appreciated,” I tell Severin. “And we’ll do our best to curtail our spending and reserve enough money to repair you properly.”
Severin gives a small hum of approval and smooths himself out, allowing Vawn to roll him up.
With the carpet tucked under Vawn’s arm, we leave our patch of grass and head for the main road.
As much as I hate walking it openly, we don’t have a choice at this point.
The terrain on either side of the road is becoming rockier and more mountainous, practically impassable on foot.
The uphill climb takes nearly all my remaining strength. My thighs burn and the tendons at the back of my ankles pull tight with every step. I’m going to be sore tomorrow.
To his credit and my surprise, Vawn doesn’t complain about the steep trek.
I know he’s just as weary as I am, but it’s a relief that he keeps it inside rather than venting all his discomfort aloud.
He must not have realized how much he was fussing until I mentioned it, and now he’s trying to do better.
The swell of warmth in my heart is unexpected, and it takes me a moment to identify it as pride. I’m proud of him.