noise. No way will I be able to track Bethy that way. Shit.”
“Did you get any other information other than the name of the town?”
“Zech said Arsinua grew up here. I’m not sure how that will help us, though.” We stood for a moment in a doorway, shielded from the press of humanity all around us. “She’s near someplace with a sign that says, ‘Legendary Whiskahol.’”
“Excellent. We’ll start with the taverns. There’s a tourist shop up ahead. We can buy a map of the city there.”
We weaved through the crowds, Krosh’s hand on my back, not pushing, only there for support. Outside the shop, the sidewalk mosaic shifted through baubles available for sale in the store, many of them things I might find on Earth. Inside, the small building was packed full of tourists. Light streamed in through the high windows, glinting off the globes on the topmost shelves. Pedestals with rocks or other strange objects stood around the room, a placard on each. The one closest to the door held a wicked thing labeled, ‘Chelicera and fang from a juvenile Chythraul. Origin: The Swamp (North).’ Neutria hissed inside my head. Stupid spider got caught. Good it’s dead.
She was so sympathetic … not. Farther on, another pedestal held a jar in which a ghastly form floated. ‘Body of an infant gruewen. Donated by Zephyrinia, Sky Captain.’ I peered into the jar and almost swallowed my tongue when the damned thing rushed the glass, mouth wide. Its teeth were …
Small and weak.
‘Thanks, Neutria.’ Heart pounding, I found Kroshtuka purchasing a city map for us. The woman behind the counter had a pen in her mouth that she was gnawing on as she counted back Krosh’s change.
I asked, “How many taverns in Bayladdy serve Whiskahol?”
Her expression told us we were stupid. “All of them.” She narrowed her eyes. “Do I know you?”
“Me?”
“You look familiar.”
I thought of the flyer Dad had, and the one on Marantha’s coffee table. “I get that a lot,” I said, pushing Krosh to the door. “I have one of those faces.”
“What’s wrong?” he asked, once we were out on the sidewalk again.
“The Anforsa is hunting me. She printed wanted posters with my picture on it and has been posting them everywhere, Dad said. Come on. We have to get out of the open.”
I analyzed everyone we passed. Did that man stare a little too hard at me? Did that woman’s expression change from boredom to recognition? I turned my head toward Krosh and held my hand over my face, pretending to scratch a never ending itch on my forehead.
“In here,” he said, and pulled me into the shadows of an alley. We opened the map and Krosh said, “Taverns.” In an instant, all of the places to buy Whiskahol lit up.
“So many,” I said, disappointed. I wanted it to be easy.
“Yes, but I’m guessing the tavern we want is near a residential area.” As he spoke, roughly half the lights winked out. “We can search them later if we don’t turn up anything else.”
“This is the coolest thing ever. Like a smartphone only you don’t have to pay for the data plan.” I touched a spot and swiped my fingers apart like I would with my phone and, sure enough, the map expanded for me. “Do you want to split up?” I didn’t want to, not really. If I found my daughter without him with me, who would keep Arsinua alive?
“There are forty taverns on this map. I think if we hooked to each, we’d go faster than walking. Then we could stay together.” He smiled at me, his yellow eyes warm.
We hooked to the first tavern and it wasn’t the right one. “The place Bethy showed me had a wooden sign out front.”
“Wood isn’t commonly used.”
“Right.” I leaned into him, looking at the map. “Can it narrow down the taverns even more?”
He shook his head. “Let me ask around. There will be someone who knows.”
“And what am I supposed to do?” I gestured to my face.
He held up a finger and then disappeared into the nearest
“Did you get any other information other than the name of the town?”
“Zech said Arsinua grew up here. I’m not sure how that will help us, though.” We stood for a moment in a doorway, shielded from the press of humanity all around us. “She’s near someplace with a sign that says, ‘Legendary Whiskahol.’”
“Excellent. We’ll start with the taverns. There’s a tourist shop up ahead. We can buy a map of the city there.”
We weaved through the crowds, Krosh’s hand on my back, not pushing, only there for support. Outside the shop, the sidewalk mosaic shifted through baubles available for sale in the store, many of them things I might find on Earth. Inside, the small building was packed full of tourists. Light streamed in through the high windows, glinting off the globes on the topmost shelves. Pedestals with rocks or other strange objects stood around the room, a placard on each. The one closest to the door held a wicked thing labeled, ‘Chelicera and fang from a juvenile Chythraul. Origin: The Swamp (North).’ Neutria hissed inside my head. Stupid spider got caught. Good it’s dead.
She was so sympathetic … not. Farther on, another pedestal held a jar in which a ghastly form floated. ‘Body of an infant gruewen. Donated by Zephyrinia, Sky Captain.’ I peered into the jar and almost swallowed my tongue when the damned thing rushed the glass, mouth wide. Its teeth were …
Small and weak.
‘Thanks, Neutria.’ Heart pounding, I found Kroshtuka purchasing a city map for us. The woman behind the counter had a pen in her mouth that she was gnawing on as she counted back Krosh’s change.
I asked, “How many taverns in Bayladdy serve Whiskahol?”
Her expression told us we were stupid. “All of them.” She narrowed her eyes. “Do I know you?”
“Me?”
“You look familiar.”
I thought of the flyer Dad had, and the one on Marantha’s coffee table. “I get that a lot,” I said, pushing Krosh to the door. “I have one of those faces.”
“What’s wrong?” he asked, once we were out on the sidewalk again.
“The Anforsa is hunting me. She printed wanted posters with my picture on it and has been posting them everywhere, Dad said. Come on. We have to get out of the open.”
I analyzed everyone we passed. Did that man stare a little too hard at me? Did that woman’s expression change from boredom to recognition? I turned my head toward Krosh and held my hand over my face, pretending to scratch a never ending itch on my forehead.
“In here,” he said, and pulled me into the shadows of an alley. We opened the map and Krosh said, “Taverns.” In an instant, all of the places to buy Whiskahol lit up.
“So many,” I said, disappointed. I wanted it to be easy.
“Yes, but I’m guessing the tavern we want is near a residential area.” As he spoke, roughly half the lights winked out. “We can search them later if we don’t turn up anything else.”
“This is the coolest thing ever. Like a smartphone only you don’t have to pay for the data plan.” I touched a spot and swiped my fingers apart like I would with my phone and, sure enough, the map expanded for me. “Do you want to split up?” I didn’t want to, not really. If I found my daughter without him with me, who would keep Arsinua alive?
“There are forty taverns on this map. I think if we hooked to each, we’d go faster than walking. Then we could stay together.” He smiled at me, his yellow eyes warm.
We hooked to the first tavern and it wasn’t the right one. “The place Bethy showed me had a wooden sign out front.”
“Wood isn’t commonly used.”
“Right.” I leaned into him, looking at the map. “Can it narrow down the taverns even more?”
He shook his head. “Let me ask around. There will be someone who knows.”
“And what am I supposed to do?” I gestured to my face.
He held up a finger and then disappeared into the nearest
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