Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 132582 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 663(@200wpm)___ 530(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132582 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 663(@200wpm)___ 530(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
“Yes. Now.”
“Yes, sir.”
“What are we stopping at the Barix for?” Maeve peers over her shoulder at me.
I don’t answer, but I feel all their eyes on me. It takes less than ten minutes to arrive at the Barix, and when Veno pulls into the vacant parking lot and unlocks the doors, I climb out and rush toward the building. The Barix is my third home in Blackwater, the tavern being my second and the mansion being my first. It’s where I keep my cars, my money, and many of my guns.
Slipping my hand into my pocket, I pull out a set of keys, finger to the designated one, unlock the metal door and swing it open, then I head for the keys hanging on the wall, belonging to my cars. I grab the key fob to my favorite black X-Stinger, then slam my fist on the garage door button to open it.
My X-Stinger sits beautifully in the garage, amongst other cars of various styles—SUVS, pick-ups, two-doors. All of them are mine, and I breathe a sigh of relief as I march to the first black one and climb behind the wheel. I reverse out of the garage, close it, and then tap a button to lock the building back up.
“Seriously?” Maeve shouts out the window. “A ten-hour trip won’t kill you, Caspian!”
“It will when I’m with this family. I’m driving alone. Don’t wait up.”
Maeve scoffs and rolls her eyes, but she doesn’t argue. She knows she won’t win. She tells Veno to go and he pulls off, hitting the main road that leads to Vanora.
I watch the car grow distant and allow my mind’s wall to lower. Just as I do, I hear Willow’s voice again, asking so many questions. None of them bother me but one: What the hell is wrong with him?
I drive, leaving the vacant lot of the Barix and trailing behind Veno. It’s a great question—one I’m sure she doesn’t want the answer to. Because if she knew, she’d never look me in the eyes again.
Vanora
Seventeen
WILLOW
The ride to the Vanora place feels like forever. I’m not sure if it’s because of the anxiety I have, riding to this unknown place, or because it seems everyone in the vehicle is watching me, including the driver. I feel them all stealing glances, wondering what my true intent is when I have none.
Regardless, I’ve dozed off several times, not to my liking, but the cars are different here. The SUV has heated seats, and even the backseats recline for added comfort. The car rides smoothly along the blacktop roads, hardly hitting any bumps. It’s impossible not to fall asleep. Other than a bathroom break about four hours in, we haven’t stopped.
I wake up when the vehicle loses speed, and when I open my eyes, I can tell we’re not in Blackwater. The sky doesn’t look the same as before, that gloomy gray that lingered. Now, the sky opens up, the clouds parting, a picturesque sunset revealing itself. Then the trees appear, bright green and lush, leaves swaying in the wind. Some of the leaves are gold, with more gold dripping along the bark of the trunks. Fascinating. We pass an abundance of land and go through several tree groves until Veno slows the SUV more.
I look through the windshield at a gold gate ahead. In front of the gate are armed soldiers wearing ivory suits, their matching hats pulled down to their brows. Veno stops the car as one of the soldiers approaches.
“Identification,” the soldier requests after Veno lowers his window.
Veno looks to Maeve, who is already shuffling through her black leather handbag and pulling out a shiny black card. Veno takes the card from her and hands it to the soldier, who reads it and then tips his head, eyeing Maeve.
“Nice to see you again, my lady.” The soldier smiles and hands the card back to Veno, and she returns the smile, taking the card and sliding it into her bag again.
“Alora is expecting us,” she informs him.
“Yes, we’ve been told. You’re free to go.”
Veno bobs his head and rolls his window back up. The gold gates ahead split apart, and when he drives through, I notice pearls twinkling in the golden rods. As he drives farther in, a sign appears, made of gold and edged with rubies and pearls.
You have entered the land of gold.
Welcome to Vanora.
I thought the land we’d passed outside the gates was beautiful, but as we enter Vanora, my jaw drops—I’m stunned by the city’s splendor.
Veno takes us along a paved white road, passing gilded horse carriages and markets. The people are dressed beautifully, coming in all shapes, skin tones, and sizes. There are smiles—lots of them—as they make trades, and children run in silky clothing, bouncing through tall grass. I glance up at children on a bridge in bathing suits. They scream as they jump off the bridge and land in a body of water that shimmers like gold glitter.