AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Oh, they did ask,” Melaina assured me. “But I just told them the procedure was taking place in Far Shore.” When I merely gaped at her, she shrugged. “What? For all we know, maybe the procedure does take place in Far Shore.”
“Well, it’s way too risky of a plan to put Quilla through a second time.”
“As if you have a say in the matter.” She sniffed and faced forward, prepared to ignore me again.
My eyebrows lifted. “She’s my mate,” I said, “so I’m putting in my say, anyway. And I say she’s not doing it. It’s too dangerous.”
Stopping her horse’s canter, she whirled in the saddle, eyes flickering with rage. “Then what do you suggest we do, oh wise and mighty one? Because we are going to the village of Tyler, whether you like it or not.”
I glanced forward to where Quilla was riding on ahead without us. Beyond her, I could make out the ferry station in the distance. Turning back to Melaina, I said, “There are two ferries at this station, aren’t there? One that merely crosses the river to get to the pass and another that goes downstream to Moore?”
Melaina nodded. “Yes. So?”
“So I say we take the ferry going to Moore. Then we can double back up toward Tyler, avoiding the armed checking station at the canyon. Besides, they charge an inordinate amount of coin at the toll to get through the pass. It’d be cheaper this way, and we could probably afford to stay in an inn or two along the way if we went through Moore.”
I knew the idea of room and board would appeal to her.
And what do you know, one of her eyebrows perked up with interest. But then she sighed and shook her head. “No, that would be going too far out of the way and take us twice as long to get there.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” I sneered with a roll of my eyes. “I didn’t realize we were in such a hurry after it took us nearly until midday before we even broke camp this morning. Who the hell cares if it takes longer? Quilla will be safer this way.”
“Quilla can take care of herself.”
“Yes, I know. I’ve seen her do so. But why needlessly put her at risk? Quilla should be protected.”
“Quilla can talk for herself, you know,” Quilla spoke up, suddenly before us.
I jumped, not realizing she’d come back to check on us.
“The prisoner disguise thing at the canyon pass is a bad idea,” I blurted to her. “I don’t want you to do it.”
“Too bad you don’t have a choice in the matter, then,” she told me smarmily before sending her aunt an icy glance. “The ferry station approaches. We all need disguises before getting on the boat.”
Melaina huffed out her impatient annoyance. “Oh, alright,” she said before twirling her finger in Quilla’s direction, then mine.
A crawling sensation, like a million ants had just made their residence on my flesh, covered my skin. I instantly began to scratch at my arms. “What the—”
“Don’t rub it,” Melaina ordered. “You’ll ruin the glamour. Just stand still and take it like a man.”
Falling reluctantly quiet, I glanced toward Quilla, only to discover she had turned into the old man I’d first seen her being.
“Him again,” I said, nodding. “Smart thinking.”
“I wasn’t born yesterday, darling,” Melaina answered haughtily. “I know people always pay less attention to the elderly.”
Thinking she’d do the same for me, I looked down at my hands to see they no longer appeared to be shackled and that I was becoming the girl she’d changed Quilla into the second time I’d met her.
“A child? But everyone pays attention to small children.”
“The more eyes on you, the less on Quilla,” Melaina explained before giving Holly a condescending glower. “And you. Stop pretending to be a damn zebra. You stick out like a sore thumb. Either turn into a respectable-looking horse or that alley cat mongrel you like being so much, or I’m revealing your true form to the world.”
Holly growled at her, the tenor resembling a cougar’s snarl.
Wincing, I leaned toward the unicorn’s ear. “I hate to agree with her, but the zebra is kind of, er, noticeable.”
Snuffling in aggravation, Holly sent me an annoyed glance over her shoulder. But then she huffed out a breath, faced forward again, and immediately changed into a plain brown horse like the two Quilla and Melaina were riding.
“Great. May we proceed now?” Melaina wondered, already riding ahead.
