I felt a strange blend of insult and relief but decided to focus on the latter.
“Tell me about the regions you’ve traveled to,” I said to change the subject. “I’ve never left Marinus. Have you been to many others?”
“All of them,” he said. “What do you want to know?”
“Is the desert region of Sundaris really as vast and barren as they say it is?” I asked. “Is the Cyan sea really the color of blue topaz? Are there really Dwarves in the Silvery Mountains of Nordaris?”
“You’re rather well educated about the continent for a girl who’s never left Marinus.”
“I’ve read books about it,” I explained. “And my mother traveled some before she and my father married.”
That seemed to interest him. “Stellon mentioned your mother died during the Rebellion.”
“Yes,” I said. “And so did yours, I was sorry to hear.”
There was an extended pause before he responded. “Thank you.”
“To answer your questions, I haven’t crossed the entirety of the Desert Lands, but enough of them to know they are vast indeed,” he said. “I’ve actually sailed on the Cyan Sea, and I can tell you that not only is it as blue as a robin’s egg, it’s so clear, you can see straight to the bottom of the ocean where the Selkies reside.”
“Wow. I’d love to see that.”
“Maybe you will someday,” Pharis said.
It was doubtful. My family didn’t have the means to travel for pleasure. The only trip we’d be likely to take was if we had to flee the Earthwife and find a new place to live.
Pharis went on. “The Dwarves do indeed dwell in the Silvery Mountains, but I haven’t been there. I only know because I’ve met some during political summits.”
“Your life is amazing,” I said.
“I suppose it seems that way. Stellon’s seen most of the places I’ve seen. Did he not tell you any of this?” Pharis asked. “What were you two doing in his suite all that time? Clearly it wasn’t conversing.”
His tone sounded unaccountably bitter.
And I felt unaccountably defensive. “We talked… mostly. Just not about travel.”
After roughly three and a half hours of riding, we arrived at the outskirts of Waterdale.
Unfortunately we did run into a predator after all.
Chapter7
Everyone Gets a Look
Raewyn
Dardick Creegan was riding in on the main thoroughfare toward the village, no doubt returning from a night of revelry at a pleasure house.
“Oh no,” I said, dropping my forehead to Pharis’ back.
The very last person I needed to run into on my way into the village was Dardick. The only thing larger than his ego was his mouth, and he would delight in telling the whole village he’d seen me out late at night with an Elven man.
“What’s the matter?” Pharis asked over his shoulder.
“Nothing. It’s just… I know him. He’s not… kind.”
Pharis went still. “What did he do to you?”
“Nothing,” I whispered as the village bully drew closer. “Forget I said anything. I just don’t want him to see me.”
