Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 119158 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 596(@200wpm)___ 477(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119158 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 596(@200wpm)___ 477(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
Not that there was anything wrong with Adeline’s approach to life. It was clear that it was her responsibility to look out for herself and her talented younger brother in a cutthroat world. Of course, she was ruthless and mercenary in her dealings with others.
I stepped away from the fire and smirked at Nylian. “Try not to jinx us.”
“Jinx us? Why would I jinx us? It’s not like I’m the one who’s a magnet for trouble.”
“Shh!” I hissed, hurrying over to his side with my hands raised to cover his mouth. “There are probably gods listening to your nonsense and preparing ways to smite us. No more nonsense.”
With a low chuckle, Nylian grabbed my wrist and pulled me onto the log next to him. “The gods have plenty to keep them busy. They don’t need to worry about us.”
“Whatever. You’d be surprised at how the gods can multitask,” I muttered as I twisted my wrist until Nylian released it.
“I’m not so worried about the gods, but the guards at the ferry keeping us out of Ulmenor,” Nylian said.
That really was our next problem—assuming something new didn’t eat us before we reached Riverhold. The elves of Galinaes weren’t the most welcoming sort. They didn’t like humans at all. The elves of Wolfrest were more tolerant of humans, or at the very least, indifferent toward them.
However, the key thing was that Wolfrest maintained a relatively open border, allowing the peoples from the other nations to cross freely for trade. Galinaes was a smaller kingdom and maintained very strict borders. Elves from Wolfrest had less trouble getting into the country, but they still needed at least a token reason.
Humans, on the other hand, needed specific paper work to prove they had a reason to be there, along with a set time frame. If a human dared to overstay their pass, they could expect immediate deportation…or worse, death. Getting caught without paper work or an invitation was an automatic death sentence since you were seen as a spy.
Nylian had a shot at getting in with minimal fuss because he was an elf. The key was that he would need to pass himself off as a Galinaes elf rather than a Wolfrest elf. There was no specific difference between the two. They came from the same lineage but had suffered a split when a war broke out between two sisters thousands of years ago.
No, the key thing was for no one to recognize him as Prince Xeran of the Wolfrest royal family. That would undoubtedly cause problems.
“So, how are you planning to get into Ulmenor?” Jasper asked with more interest than was wise.
Adeline caught that tone, too. “No.”
“What?” The young wizard sat up, his hair flopping in his face as he whipped around to look at her.
“You think that whatever they figure out, we can do, too. No fucking way.”
“Why not? We’d be careful.”
“And if we’re caught, we’re dead.” She pressed a finger to the middle of his forehead and pushed. “Especially you, little wizard. They’d probably think you’re there to steal all their secrets or sabotage them.”
“Yeah, but to spend just five minutes with one of their wizard masters would make it all worthwhile.” Jasper’s dreamy sigh left me shaking my head.
“There are few things in the world worth risking your life for,” I murmured.
“And what would make your list?” Nylian’s question was almost a wicked purr. I glanced over at the man and fought very hard to not roll my eyes at him. I knew what he was doing. He was trying to find a reason to leave me behind. Sneaking into Ulmenor was going to be dangerous for both of us. There was a thin chance Nylian could fast-talk his way out of an execution, but there was no way I’d be as lucky. I was risking my life by accompanying him.
“I’d risk my life for a good, honorable cause that I believed in.”
A slow smile spread across Nylian’s lips and he shifted his gaze to the fire. “That’s acceptable.”
“I’d also do it for a good friend who needed my help.”
That made his grin grow even wider. “You mean your specialized help with distractions?”
“No one does it better, and this seems like a situation where distractions might come in handy.”
“We’ll see. Right now, I’m thinking sneaking might be our best bet.”
“Caravan,” Adeline announced decisively.
My head popped up, and I stared at the woman across the fire as she lounged against a tree, her arms behind her head. “You think?”
“Definitely. Most human caravans from Edros, and even some Wolfrest caravans, when Edros and Wolfrest aren’t fighting, prefer to travel up to Riverhold and cross by ferry if their ultimate destination is Ulmenor.” She sat up and rested her arms on her thighs. “Crossing the border anywhere south of that and traveling north through the country is an enormous hassle. If a royal guard or the local law enforcement spots you, they’ll demand to see your papers. It doesn’t matter if you showed your papers to someone else five seconds earlier. Landing directly in Ulmenor, doing business, and getting the hell out on the next ferry is the best option for a businessman’s sanity. Plus, caravan guards would charge way more if they have to put up with that bullshit constantly.”