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 she was wrong. I was taller than most of the women, and my broad shoulders made me appear enormous compared to the other delicate women. Even Nylian, who had me by a few inches, was slender in build and could pass for a tall woman.
“Your new owner won’t even take your veil off. He needs only to glance at you and send you to the stables,” Adeline continued despite Nylian’s warning looks.
Thankfully, we started moving forward after being stuck standing inside this dank and gloomy warehouse, waiting for our turn to board the ferry to cross Warbrand Lake. Bright sunlight momentarily blinded me as we stepped outside. Gulls cried over the bark of dockworkers, hurrying to move cargo from ships to wagons. Ropes creaked and waves crashed while the faint scent of salt and dead fish filled the air.
When I’d originally written this scene, Nylian had been hired as a caravan guard while the four women in his entourage posed as Kodra gifts. At least, I thought he’d had four women trailing after him at that point. Mentally, I was burning pages and cursing the old men who’d thought a harem was a good idea.
Jack had put in her two cents and said that my books needed more sex, though. If I ever got back to my world, I would tell Jack that this character had no interest in getting laid. His only thought was about finding his brother’s killer.
We trudged toward the ship that reminded me of old paintings I’d seen of the Mayflower. I didn’t know what it was. Maybe a galleon. Old-timey ships weren’t my strong suit. I just knew that if you called a ship a boat near a sailor, you’d get smacked. I preceded Nylian up the gangplank that had a thin rope for a bit of railing. Swallowing hard, I kept my focus on the woman moving steadily in front of me instead of the sloshing water between the dock and the boat. The elf even reached out a hand and put it on my side, as if he could sense I was feeling unsteady.
There was no opportunity for gazing about on the main deck as gruff, bearded sailors smelling of body odor and ale came to bark at us, shoving us below deck. The wood was worn smooth and scarred from hundreds of blade marks. It was likely this ship had once had a life out on the ocean prior to being repurposed as a ferry to make daily trips back and forth to Ulmenor. Those scars made me think of pirates and mutinies.
But as my brain spun out an elaborate tale of danger on the sea, someone shoved me into a narrow room about the size of a walk-in closet. Nylian crashed into me from behind, followed by a slam of the door. A metal bolt slid into place, locking us in. Or maybe protecting the women from randy crew members and other passengers. The caravan driver couldn’t afford to have his merchandise damaged on this last leg of the voyage.
The room was empty except for two rope hammocks strung up across the room and a bucket that I could only assume was our ensuite bathroom. Judging by the lack of horrendous odor, I guessed that someone had been kind enough to empty the bucket prior to our arrival.
Now that we were alone, I ripped off the veil and drew in a deep breath…and instantly regretted it. While the room didn’t smell of feces and urine, there was a rankness to our surroundings that I could do without. It also didn’t mix well with the salty air coming in through the tiny porthole window.
“How long will it take to cross the bay to Ulmenor?” I asked, holding my wide sleeve up in front of my face.
“If the weather stays as it is with a quiet wind and little chop to the waves, probably about five hours. Maybe less.” With astounding skill, the elf pulled himself up into the top hammock. He stretched out and removed his veil so he could show off his smirk. “The real wait is going to be the processing of the ferry by the port authority. This isn’t the only ship making the crossing today. I’m sure plenty of others have already set sail ahead of us. If we’re lucky, they won’t be letting the cargo off this ship until the sun has set.”
I attempted to lean on the side of his hammock, but the thing swayed away from me. Frowning, I straightened and tried to find a relaxed position even while my stomach bubbled and churned with a strange mix of anxiety and excitement. This was my first time on a boat, and I was going to see a kingdom ruled by elves.
However, I was sneaking into a kingdom that did not take kindly to trespassers. If we were caught, I was most likely dead.